April 2006
Step-by-Step: Registration
Four steps for finding the right company to fit your registration needs.
By Dawn J. Grubb

1. Determine your needs. Before you whittle down your list of potential registration companies, make sure you’ve identified your needs. Ask yourself:

What are my staffing and equipment resources? Do you want advance or on-site registration services only? Do you have the bandwidth to support online registration? Can the registration company provide secure, up-to-the-minute data retrieval? Who will handle registration via e-mail, phone, or fax?

What’s your budget? Many companies offer discounted bundled services, such as on-site registration staffing, lead-retrieval services, exhibitor registration, online advance registration and so on. Don’t get duped by fancy packaging: You’ll get more bang for your buck from a company that tailors its services to you.

Are the services worth the price? Some companies charge fees based on the number of registrants, others charge a set price regardless of number. Crunch the numbers.

2. Consider your show culture. Some companies can handle registration from beginning to end, and you don’t have to be involved. Others work with you, much like another department, and actively seek ways to improve your show.

How much control do you want? Where should you focus your efforts? Can a registration company provide the attention and services your attendees and exhibitors expect?

Other issues to consider: What kind of information do exhibitors need or expect? What do attendees prefer? Do they like the ease of magnetic cards? Will they feel uncomfortable each time someone points a laser at their chest to read the badge? How much convenience do they expect?

3. Review your technology options. The badges you select will impact your lead-retrieval options. These include:

• Plain paper badges: Cheap and convenient. Downsides: The only information you retrieve is that you handed out X number of badges, so you must have had X attendees.

•  Bar codes: You can choose from one-dimensional, which store minimal data, or two-dimensional, a commonly used system that easily stores key contact data. Downside: Any equipment malfunction, damage to the barcode and even light reflections can cause the scanner to misread. To update information, you must print a new badge.

•   Magnetic: Like a credit card, it can store transaction information on its magnetic strip. While these badges are slightly more expensive than barcode badges, the costs can be recouped by selling sponsorships on the badges. Downside: Risk of card becoming demagnetized. Also, it doesn’t store as much data as an RFID badge.

•   RFID: The newest technology, RFID features a computer chip inside plastic card. Event data can be encoded and a swipe of the card allows entrance to special events. Sometimes attendees can even add money to the card, much like a debit card, for use at the show. It’s rewritable and secure. Downsides: Cost, plus equipment takes up valuable show space. Consider whether the added features will help you recoup costs in other areas.

4. Check it out before you commit. A good registration company will walk you through the process, both advanced and on-site, and ask about your expectations. Get references and check the company out in action. Do the people share your passion for your show? Will they take care of attendees? Is the company bonded and insured? Is its facility secure, with alarm and sprinkler systems and battery backups?