Participant management software should do more. It should simplify your work while supporting your attendees at the same time.
In this article, we show you which criteria are truly decisive when making your choice.
1. Why should participant management software be easy to use?
Because fewer clicks mean more attendees. An intuitive registration process reduces drop-off rates. When attendees can register in just a few steps, they stay motivated and don't need to contact support.
Clear user guidance makes the process understandable for everyone. Less complexity means less uncertainty. This saves organizers time and resources.
💡 Tip: Multilingualism is always a plus for international conferences. The software should offer an English language option by default, making it suitable for global events. At Converia, multilingualism is a standard feature.
2. What is the advantage of having all participant data in one piece of software?
Having all participant management information in one place saves a massive amount of time.
All data related to the conference converges in a central location. This simplifies your work and reduces potential errors.
Here is what the participant management process looks like for scientific conferences:
- Start with the Call for Papers
- Submissions received in the system
- Assignment to reviewers
- Evaluation based on criteria
- Decision by the program committee
- Creation of the conference program
- Attendee registration
- Processing of participation fees
👩💻 All of this happens in a single system. You don't have to transfer data from one software to another. And if something changes, you can simply update it. No interface issues, no duplicate or outdated entries.
Converia combines all essential participant management processes for scientific conferences
An integrated system reduces sources of error
With a central software solution, many organizational questions answer themselves.
Once you have captured all the data in the system, it provides you with the right answers.
Example: Have all speakers actually purchased a ticket for the conference yet?
If not, you should remind those speakers who haven't registered. Our video explains how to do this directly within the participant management software:
3. How do you create tickets and invoices for conferences?
Automated sending saves a lot of time.
The software automatically sends booking confirmations and invoices, keeping everyone involved up to date. Manual changes can be made with just a few clicks.
Because good participant management handles the routine tasks for you, leaving you more time for the individual details and creative work that go into the attendee experience.
👨🎨 Think about the design! Make sure that invoices and tickets can be customized to match your corporate design. A consistent look is professional.
Converia supports scientific conferences with a high degree of customizability.
What participant management software needs to be able to do:
- Automatically send invoices and tickets
- Present all payment and booking data at a glance
- Make design elements customizable
Ideally, your participant management software should create event tickets that are already compatible with Apple and Google smartphone wallets. This makes tickets easily available for check-in on the day and at the location of the event.
💡 Converia offers dashboards that provide a transparent view of incoming payments and ticket status. This takes the pressure off your accounting department and brings clarity to participant management.
Those who rely on automation have more time for planning and communication. Paperwork becomes a thing of the past.
4. What role does the processing of participation fees play?
Flexibility makes participants happy.
Always offer multiple payment options. For example, let people choose whether they want to pay by bank transfer, credit card, or Google Pay.
Good software also enables flexible ticket models. Offer tickets for individual conference days and optional program items.
Processing participation fees takes time. Check whether your provider can handle this for you. It will significantly lighten your workload.
💶 Make sure that the provider pays out the revenue to you on a regular basis. This is often better than just one payout at the very end of the conference. With Converia, you receive your ticket revenue on a monthly basis.
5. What should you look for in a provider?
The software is only as good as its provider.
A reputable provider with experience in similar event sizes provides peace of mind.
❓Take a look around the website and answer the following questions:
- Does the offer seem professional?
- Are there references or case studies?
- Can you find testimonials from conference organizers?
💬Can you have a quick, no-obligation chat with the provider? After 15 minutes, it is usually clear whether the software fits your requirements or not. You don't need a 90-minute demo appointment for that.
6. Competent and helpful support for participant management
Because problems need to be solved quickly.
Whether it's technical difficulties or questions about how to use the system – reliable support saves you stress. Check the services carefully in advance.
Ask about:
- When is the support team available?
- Is there emergency support outside of office hours or during the conference?
- Are agreements honored?
- Are the explanations easy to understand?
- Is there software training available for your team?
📞 Keep in mind: If you use an all-in-one solution, you will generally have a dedicated contact person. With multiple providers, you have to juggle different points of contact.
7. How does the software support event marketing?
Visibility determines the success of a conference.
To ensure your event doesn't go unnoticed, the software should offer marketing features.
This includes:
- A conference website with the most important information
- Newsletter distribution to all participants or specific groups
- Voucher systems for discounts
With the help of an integrated Content Management System (CMS), you can quickly and easily create a complete conference website. You don't need any programming skills. Recent updates, such as "Registration open" or "Call for Papers started," can be online in just a few minutes.
We have summarized some tips for your event's web presence for you here.
A CMS is software that helps you create and manage websites. You can maintain the content yourself or work on it together with your team.
Use the newsletter tool to announce news regarding the conference. For example, you can use email to share when conference registration begins. In a Forbes study, more than half of respondents (59%) stated that emails influence their purchasing decisions.
Would you like to offer discounts for your speakers, or are there special offers for members of a professional society? Use a voucher system. People with a voucher code enter it during registration and can enjoy the discounts.
8. How does self-service facilitate check-in with participant management software?
Long lines at the reception are frustrating and leave a bad impression. A self-service check-in ensures a smooth start.
🖨️ Here is how it works: Participants scan the code on their tickets. This automatically triggers the printing of their name badge.
Self-check-in with Converia reduces waiting times and eliminates the tedious process of searching through attendee lists.
9. Why is data protection important in participant management?
Personal data is sensitive data. Address and payment information must not fall into the wrong hands. That is why data protection must be the top priority.
What you should look for:
- Data is encrypted by default during transmission
- GDPR-compliant processing
- Provider's obligation to use personal data lawfully
The software provider should commit to Section 5 of the Federal Data Protection Act (or equivalent regulations) not to collect, process, or use any personal data without authorization.
🔒 Reliable software providers are transparent about their data protection measures and obtain official certifications.
10. How can participant management and digital conferences be integrated?
By using participant management software that supports all formats—in-person, hybrid, and digital.
Virtual and hybrid events are now well-established. They are no longer just stopgap solutions, but often serve as equivalent or complementary formats to in-person events.
Participant management remains the common denominator in this process.
Conclusion: 10 tips for participant management in a nutshell
- Ease of use: Fewer clicks, more registrations.
- Centralized data: Everything in one place, fewer errors.
- Tickets & invoices: Automated, fast, and in your corporate design.
- Payment processing: Flexible and fully outsourced whenever possible.
- Vetting providers: Reliability, references, and dedicated contacts.
- Support: Competent, accessible, and offering training.
- Marketing: Event website, newsletters, and vouchers.
- Self-service check-in: Scan barcode, print name badge.
- Data protection: Encrypted, GDPR-compliant, and certified.
- Digital formats: Supports hybrid, virtual, and in-person events.
💡What are the next steps?
1. Closely linked to participant management: managing registration fees. Find out how to automate this process here.
2. A major headache for organizers every time: cancellations. Careful planning of your participant management can save you a great deal of time (and spare your nerves).
3. Or you can test Converia’s participant management software for yourself. Click here for your free demo.
