How to ‘Green’ your event !!

July 31st, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

iStock_000007098732XSmallGoing green seems to be the buzz nowadays. Wherever you go, anything and everything is ‘going green’. And rightly so. They say, “The grass is greener on the other side”. We say, ‘Let’s make it greener on every side !!’. With that in mind, we present to you some of the Greenovative ways that would not only help you reduce the carbon footprint but also help your event stand out.

E-Marketing

Yes, you guessed it right. We will be trying to make all our initiatives in this post start with an ‘e’. Social marketing has been growing by leaps and bounds. And understanding its importance, we have already suggested (the link to the social marketing blog here) how you can leverage them to market your event. With networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Ning, you don’t need to send flyers all over your neighborhood. Create groups, shout it out or simply tweet it. The best part is? With the activity these sites are witnessing, the online discussions will dwarf the offline ones. Market your event online and save some paper.

E-viting

No more invites to anyone. Let us e-vite the attendees. Stop sending any card invitations or anything else that makes use of paper. We don’t think there’s anyone left on this planet who does not have an email id (okay, that may not be entirely true). So, why send any other kind of invitation. And with the presence of online event registration websites like Eventzilla that can cater to custom invitations of any kind, you can spice it up all you want.

Green Teams

Form teams and go on green expeditions. Well, you don’t have to go cleaning the Himalayas in your first mission itself. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of your neighborhood? It may be a park, a school, a garden, anything at all.  These activities not only help you foster a stronger relation with your attendees, they help you become more aware about their needs and expectations as well. And of course, you are helping the environment !!

Greenest of them all

What better way to have fun while going green than contests. Challenge your participants to come up with new and radical ideas that can help them do more for the environment. Or, you could ask them to make something greener in your surroundings with the existing set of tools. There is really no dearth of the ideas when it comes to contests. Keep twisting and turning them to keep your audience glued to their seats, every time.

Something to the Society

Want to make a difference? Ask your attendees to bring one item they feel they can live without, which, would help improve the greenery in their surroundings. Not only will this help them feel involved, it will also create a buzz around your event without any marketing from your end. This initiative helps you stand out as it shows that you are not limited to your event and are honestly committed to making a difference to the planet.

E-Marketing
Yes, you guessed it right. We will be trying to make all our initiatives in this post start with an ‘e’. Social marketing has been growing by leaps and bounds. And understanding its importance, we have already suggested (the link to the social marketing blog here) how you can leverage them to market your event. With networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Ning, you don’t need to send flyers all over your neighborhood. Create groups, shout it out or simply tweet it. The best part is? With the activity these sites are witnessing, the online discussions will dwarf the offline ones. Market your event online and save some paper.

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Recent technology trends in Event Management

July 27th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

iStock_000009648196XSmallNow the event attendees can ask questions to the speaker via tweets or Facebook comments real time during an event. With the world tweeting away night and day, there is no doubt that technology has changed our life completely. And this change is not limited to the World Wide Web either; it is fast percolating to the other activities and business spheres as well.  As the gadgetry world over goes through a makeshift each day, so do the businesses associated. Here we have a look at some of the technological trends and innovations that are changing the way we think about events and event management.

The FIFA World Cup this year was a lot of fun for us. And we are not talking about football. Our excitement was because of this cool application that had been created especially for the World Cup that highlighted the real time schedule of the games and results as they took place. This event alerted us to the huge potential that has hardly been scratched. An event application speaks volumes about the planner’s commitment to the event and excites the attendees equally.

The Stage Show

The drastic improvements in the Audio-Video equipments, staging and lighting instruments have made sure that you need to make your event stand out. No more can you pass off an event with just a great speaker. Even with the best of the content and ingredients, you need to upgrade the stage show to make sure that the attendees are left wonder struck. The advancements though, have made sure that this does not become a Herculean task. So, the next time you are planning an event, make sure that you ‘light’ out the event.

Live Meetings

The barriers have been stomped down and the walls have fallen.  Technology has made sure that geographical impediments no more stop you from attending an event half way round the world. The webinars and live meetings are the newest venues for events the world over. Planners and event managers are going all out to accommodate their eager attendees, wherever they may be.

The Social Explosion

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have completely altered the way we think about event promotion.  Letters are antiquated and emails outdated. Nowadays, you ‘tweet’ and ‘poke’ your way around the events. From creating a fan page to a social group, there are numerous ways to announce your event to the world. And more importantly, like everything else, you get to reach out to your target audience around the world in real time. Discuss the event, highlights and all that excites you even before the event takes place.

Mobiles Applications

With the advent of the iPhones, Androids and Blackberrys, smart phone applications have become the next-gen platform for event management. From charting an event to locating it on the map, you can do it all on your mobile.  Mobile Apps nowadays have become advanced enough to take care of almost all your needs and it was time you acknowledged this. The sooner we realize the future role of smart phone apps, the better it will be for our business.

Online Event Registration Apps – Just for you!!

Recently – online registration for events has taken the center stage with a lot of small players like Eventzilla.  It is simple to setup custom registration forms, promote on Facebook, send email invitations and manage cancellations in one place. Event attendees can register online and make secure online payments.

Technology is rapidly changing the way events are organized around the world. The question is; Are you a part of that change?

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Step by Step Tutorial : Setting up an online registration form for your event

July 21st, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

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Online Event Registration – FAQs

July 18th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

online_event_registration1. What is Online Event Registration?

Online event registration allows event attendees to register online (RSVP) and make secure payments easily.  Event organizers can setup custom registration forms, deliver branded tickets on email, manage cancellations using an online event registration service like Eventzilla.net

2. What is Eventzilla.net?

Eventzilla is an inexpensive online event registration and ticketing website to list your event details, collect secure payments from attendees, promote your events using email marketing, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and manage cancellations in one place.

3. What types of events can I manage with Eventzilla?

Eventzilla can be used to manage registrations and payments for a variety of events ranging from business conferences, seminars, training events, fund raising events, cooking classes, language classes, fitness classes, computer  training classes,  tour packages, workshop registration, live concerts, comedy shows, expos, webinars, local meetups, marathon events and much more.

4. How much does it cost to use Eventzilla?

Free events = Free
Paid events = $1/attendee (You pay only when you make a sale)

Setup costs = None

Fees for ticket sales in Indian Rupees:  4.75%+Rs 5/attendee

Please check the pricing page for more international currencies support and fees.

5. Does Eventzilla support multiple currencies?

Yes – Eventzilla currently support 24 different world currencies including USD, CAD, GPD, EURO, AUD and Indian Rupees. Please check the pricing page for more details.

6. What do I need to get started?

A valid email address and a PayPal account. You can sign up for a free account at eventzilla to sell tickets/registrations online and we direct all the payments from your event sales directly to your PayPal account.

Eventzilla will send you an invoice at the end of every month for the fees that your incurred from ticket sales and you can easily pay the fees online.

For Indian Customers:
You just need a valid email address. We use CC Avenue/Citibank for securely processing payments for your events in Indian Rupees and we deliver the payments to your bank account every Month.

7. Can I create a repeating event with Eventzilla?

Yes – You can use our easy to use calendar widget to select recurring event dates up to 1 year.

8. How do I share the event details with my contacts?

Eventzilla allows you to create a unique subdomain like http://your-event-name.eventzilla.net – which can be shared with your potential target audience. In addition to this event web page – you can also easily embed the registration/ticket details in your website, blog, email marketing, Facebook, Twitter etc to promote your events in minutes.

9. Can I add different registration / ticket types for my event?

Yes. You can create early bird pricing with specific start date and end date, regular pricing and even onsite pricing as different options for registering to your event.

10. Can I send email invitations to my contacts?

Yes. You can import your existing contacts easily and send a professional looking email invitation announcing your event easily. (Daily limit for sending email invitations: 2000)

11.Can I pass on the Eventzilla service  fee to my attendees?

Yes. When you setup the event ticket / registration types you have an option to make your event attendees pay the small convenience fee. This means you pay absolutely nothing for using Eventzilla.

12. Can I create discount codes for my events?

Yes. You can add one or many special discount codes for your event which can be used by your attendees on checkout.

1. What is Online Event Registration?

Online event registration allows event attendees to register online (RSVP) and make secure payments easily. Event organizers can setup custom registration forms, deliver branded tickets on email, manage cancellations etc., using a online event registration service like Eventzilla.net

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25 things that you need to know to host successful events

July 16th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

There have been long sermons on how to make an event an absolute success. Forget the lectures and the dissertations, here’s your short and simple guide to a successful event!!

iStock_000010884482XSmall

  1. Understand your objectives and set clear, well defined goals for the event.
  2. Choose the right set of people you’ll work with on the event.
  3. Prepare a checklist for everything that you are going to need.
  4. Prepare your budget according to the checklist.
  5. Plan everything in advance. Remain a step ahead of the preparation schedule.
  6. Choose a venue that suits your event.
  7. Make sure you know your target audience inside out.
  8. Make an initial list of invitees from past contacts and events.
  9. Finalize the list to include only those who will benefit from the event.
  10. Setup online event registration forms and send personal invitations to the invitees.
  11. Market your event in the right directions and amongst the right people.
  12. Create a social media strategy for your event on Twitter and Facebook.
  13. Run a quick survey to know more about your audience.
  14. Get hosts for the event and name tags for the attendees.
  15. Keep in touch with the venue coordinators constantly.
  16. Make sure the audio video arrangements are in proper order.
  17. Keep tabs on the quality of food that will be served.
  18. Space out the different sections of the event and give time for breaks.
  19. Make sure the event theme gets proper attention in the decorations.
  20. Work on a feedback form that helps you understand your audience better.
  21. Check final arrangements on the last day.
  22. Make sure there are no last minute hiccups.
  23. Present highlights of your next event at the end.
  24. Give the audience something to remember you, when they leave.
  25. Celebrate the event with your team. They deserve it!

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Online Event Registration and Ticket Solution : Eventzilla

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5 Tips for choosing the right venue for your event

July 15th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

iStock_000000898368XSmallWhen you invite people to an event, apart from the theme of the event, the other most important thing that factors into the decision of most of the attendees, is the venue. And which is why, we have tried to outline the 5 critical factors that you should keep in mind before zeroing in on your venue. If you are an event planner or someone who is about to host an event, you will understand the importance of a venue more than anyone else.

1.Location

The importance of the location cannot be stressed enough. We must understand that no-one will visit an event; however they may like it, if it is too far or improbable for them do so. Nobody likes to spend time traveling and hence, when deciding on your venue, you must keep this in mind. Have a look at your expected attendees and then choose a location that would seem appropriate to most of them.

2.Size

Have you ever been in an overcrowded room? Did you like it? Well, of course you didn’t. No one does. Hence, while choosing a venue, make sure that the place would still have some breathing space after all of your guests have arrived.

3.Amenities

Although most of the venues today provide the basic amenities and facilities that would be required during an event, be sure to check that they exist and have been well maintained. You don’t want to spend time on the D-Day sorting out parking problems!

4.The Price

While choosing a venue, more often than not, the deciding factor comes out to be the price. The essential thing is to maintain a balance. You don’t want overspend on the venue as that would mean curtailing your other expenses unnecessarily. At the same time, don’t just settle for the one that has the lowest pricing on the radar. Analyze your budget and see how much you can allocate to the venue without disturbing the rest of the plan.

5.The Visit

It is always advisable to visit the venue and check out all the facilities for yourself. Try and a have a look at some of the previous events that had been hosted at the venue and you would have a better understanding of the place.

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Online Event Registration and Ticketing made easy at Eventzilla

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Buzz about Eventzilla on the internet

July 14th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

cool_business_ideas

Eventzilla is an online event management system that helps to make the process of managing your event from concept to fulfillment, a breeze

More details can be found at this URL
http://www.coolbusinessideas.com/archives/easy-ticket-sales-with-eventzilla/

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pilogo

http://www.pluggd.in/eventzilla-online-ticketing-solution-events-297/

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great_web_apps

Eventzilla is an easy way to manage, promote and take payment for events online. They don’t charge a monthly fee but instead charge a percentage on ticket sales. Includes social connectivity with Facebook, Twitter etc.

http://greatwebapps.com/blog/2010/06/eventzilla

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headerEventZilla is a browser based solution for managing events. It is an inexpensive online ticketing and registration solution that makes it simple for individuals and businesses to sell, market and manage their events in one place.

http://www.madrasgeek.com/2010/07/eventzilla-manage-events-without-hassle.html

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How to setup a custom online registration form for your event?

July 12th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team No comments »

Eventzilla collects the following information from attendees during the registration process.

  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email

If you plan to collect additional information from your attendees, you can customize the registration to suit your needs.

Two flexible options for collecting attendee information

1. Only the buyer enters the requested information during registration
(Let’s say there is a group of people attending your event and one of them registers online – you can choose to  collect the registration information only for the buyer and not from all the attendees using this option)

2. All the attendees enter the requested registration information during registration
(Let’s say there is a group of people attending your event and one of them registers online – you can choose to  collect the registration information from all the attendees using this option)

Steps to add a custom registration form for your event.

1. Sign in to http://www.eventzilla.net

2. Complete “adding a new event” or Edit an existing event from “Manage Events” section

3. Select “custom registration” link and select the additional fields that you want to collect in your event registration form. Eventzilla provides a set of basic demographic collection fields that you can choose from and also add your own custom field, which you want your attendee to fill.

  • Phone
  • Company
  • Occupation
  • Country
  • Address
  • Website

4. You can also add your own custom registration fields  in the same page. Example: Attendees Twitter ID’s, Facebook Page URL etc.,

configure_custom_registration

If you plan to collect additional information from your attendees, you can customize the registration to suit your needs. Eventzilla provides a set of basic demographic collection fields that you can choose from and also add your own custom field, which you want your attendee to fill.

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A Host of New Features Just Released

July 7th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team 1 comment »

The past few months have been very busy around here with lots of new features rolling out. We have been broadcasting updates via our blog and Twitter feeds, but in case you have missed out on the fun, we wanted to give you a quick update.

themeAttractive and customizable themes for your event.
We added 4 brand new themes for your event pages to give your event the professional edge that it deserves. And there are several more themes that will be released soon.

Now, even more ways to embed ticketing on your websites

Apart from placing links on your website to your Eventzilla event page, you can now directly embed our friendly ticketing widget on your website and allow your clients to purchase directly from your website or blog.

widget_sample

[You can embed your ticket information anywhere in your website or blog as shown above]

A simplified yet intuitive event creation process

We made significant improvements to the way you setup an event web page now. We simplified the event creation process by creating a 3 step process to select a theme, enter event, venue and tickets information in less than 5 minutes.

Integrated Facebook and Twitter Promotion

When you complete creating your event web page – you can instantly start promoting it on your Facebook and Twitter pages with a single click.

Improved custom registration forms

You can now select from a list of preset additional fields or create your own to your event registration form and start collecting vital marketing information from your attendees.

Import and Export data with ease

Whether you want to import your contacts into Eventzilla, or you want to export your attendees to use with other systems, our improved import / export facility now make this a breeze.

Recurring events made easy

A first of its kind, we are proud to introduce a visual date selection calendar widget to allow you to manage recurring events.

….and that is not all. There are several other small but important features to make your life easier and allow you to concentrate on what is really important.

If you have not logged on to your account recently, why not just login and take a quick peek today. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to let us know and our web concierge team is happy to help you out. You can email us at support [at] eventzillla [dot]net

Sign up for a free account now

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8 reasons why you will love Eventzilla

May 11th, 2010 by Eventzilla Team 1 comment »

iStock_000012131210XSmall1. Helps you get more attendees for your events

Whether you are business coach running training events across the country or a fitness trainer running training classes in your city. Eventzilla can help you create a professional looking event webpage for your training event in minutes where your customers can easily register and pay online.

2. Simple to use and affordable (no training required)

Forget programming and installations that take hours. With a setup that takes less than 5 minutes to get you going, Eventzilla is as easy as blogging.

3. Payments sent to your PayPal directly (in most of the World currencies)

Just get a PayPal account and send money from the sale of tickets or registration directly to your bank. No more waiting! We send you an invoice monthly and you can pay online with ease.

4. Promote and sell tickets through your blog and Facebook

Integrate your online world with your Eventzilla account and sell tickets from anywhere you can think of. Here’s a sample list of some of the places you can start with:

- Your website

- Your blog (and your friend’s blog as well!!)

- Facebook

- Twitter

- Eventzilla website

5. Pay only when you sell

Setup and promote your event for free and pay only when you make a sale. Sounds great? Well here’s some icing on the cake. We charge you as low as 0.50 cents per attendee (the most competitive in the entire industry).

6. We don’t sell you training because you don’t need it.

We believe software should not require training for people to start using it but at the same time our friendly customer support team will be there to support any issues you may face while using Eventzilla. We don’t sell you training because you don’t need it. You can send a note to support@eventzilla.net and you will receive an answer in less than 8 hours.

7. Security and Reliability Safeguards

At Eventzilla we know that our customers rely on us as an important part of their business processes and record keeping of their attendees and contacts. We take these responsibilities to our customers seriously. With a Minimum 128 bit SSL encryption provided by VeriSign, you can be rest assured about the security and integrity of your valuable data.

8. Leave the boring bits to us and concentrate on what is important

No more remembering what needs to be updated and what has to be added. From maintaining the site to adding new features and taking care of the security, we do all the menial work, while you have more time on your hands to concentrate on improving your bottom line

Sign up for a 60 day free trial now

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