If you have planned an event in the past, you know that no matter how much information you give across a variety of supports, attendees will always have questions for you. Sometimes because they find it easier and more pleasant to chat with the event planner, other times because the relevant information is hard to find or hard to understand.
It is important to provide them with all the answers to ensure that they attend your event and have a great experience, and to build a strong relationship. Patience, anticipation and repetition are the keywords here. Using feedback from our event planners, we have put together a short guide to answering questions.
Anticipate some of the questions
You should make a list of all the information that should be highlighted and communicated to your attendees. Anticipating on some of the questions and giving a heads up is strongly appreciated by participants. Take the time to make a table listing all the questions you may have as a participant, from the most basic to the most complex. Add the necessary information to answer these questions. Use all the conversations you have already had in the past to outline recurring themes.
Examples of Frequently Asked Questions:
- I cannot attend the event anymore, can I sell my ticket to someone else? Can I get a refund? Can I cancel my registration?
- I am coming by car, where can I park? How do I get there?
- I am coming with a child, should I get a ticket for them? Is there a different rate for kids?
- Can people with reduced mobility access the venue?
- I cannot find my ticket, what should I do?
- I have not used my promo code but would like to, how can I do that?
- I am exhibiting but have not received my pass, can you send it again?
- I am being asked to pay but have already done it, can you help me?
- Can I bring a seat/an umbrella/…?
- Do you have a cloakroom? Is it free or is there a fee to use it?
If you have received frequently asked questions, don’t hesitate to include your answer to those on your communication supports and repeat them to your attendees by email or on social media.
Create template answers
Take the time to create a set of prewritten answers. It will save you time when the question is asked and ensure you have a consistent way to address that question.
Anticipating questions helps you limit the number of questions you receive from attendees and customers. That way you can focus your time and attention on the more complex questions and, most of all, on planning your event!
Group information by topics and by target recipient
Too much information kills the information. Be careful not to overload your potential and future attendees with too much information. It is important to prioritise information by topic and recipient. Communicate at key times using different emailing campaigns according to the situation and only send the information to the relevant recipients.
Be available and approachable
Being available for your attendees is key. Do not leave their questions unanswered. Engagement from you favours a good relationship with your audience, and fosters a positive image for your organisation and your event. It also makes it easier for them to access the venue and have a good experience on the day and for you to get good feedback.
Many communication channels exist – email, phone, mail, instant messaging, social media, etc. Favour those that your attendees use most. You do not need to be present everywhere, choose the most relevant channels and be available at the times your audience needs you most. The chosen channel will influence the expected response time and level of detail. This must be taken into account in your communication strategy.
Useful information, again and again
Always remind people of the useful information to access your event: time, location, access, transports nearby, documents to bring, etc. If there is a change, warn people as early as possible – send an email, a text message or any other way to ensure that the message will get through. If you can, ask for a confirmation of receipt.
Other key points
- Create a quick and easy to find access on your website.
- Repeat but don’t spam.
- Repeating the same information too often can bore your participants. Be mindful about when you communicate and how often your remind people about key information. Make the information available without necessarily giving it in full each time.
- Rephrase if the same question is asked several times.
- It could be that your answer is unclear.
Now that you know how to answer your attendees’ questions, you can keep planning your event using Weezevent by clicking below:
