Event Registration, Automatic Reminders and 1ShoppingCart

Like most coaches and internet marketers I use 1ShoppingCart as my shopping cart system. 

That was in my thoughts today as I attended a meeting for a new networking group. The organization has a lot of potential--they target an under-served niche, but they are still getting their systems together and, like most non-profits, rely on the help of unpaid volunteers. 

Which is another way of saying that many things are "hit or miss." Like sending out notices of upcoming meetings on a timely basis.

I suggested that they might want to consider an account with 1ShoppingCart. It would solve many of their problems.

I explained that they could use 1ShoppingCart's functionality to set up meeting registration and notification. They could set up a order page listing the meeting with a "Buy Now" button for people who wanted to pre-register and prepay (less work for volunteers on meeting day). 

When guests enter their PayPal or credit card information into the cart, they would be automatically connected with an auto-responder confirming their registration. The auto-responder can be set up with a series of reminder messages to be sent out a predetermined intervals.

Another plus, it is easy to generate a list of people pre-registered--it is simply the list of people already subscribed to the particular event's auto-responder.

At the same time they can be set up with a general auto-responder that would be loaded with announcements of future meetings and general information. The messages can easily be modified as needed.  

Lastly, 1ShoppingCart has a robust broadcast feature. So the "day before" reminders can be sent out to the entire list all at once.

My point is that once the auto-responder system was set up, everything runs automatically. Because members and prospects would receive their notifications in a timely manner, event attendance would increase and time-starved volunteers could be able to allocate their time elsewhere.

I also like 1ShoppingCart's excellent technical support. The techs are well-spoken people easily reachable by phone as well as extensive video tutorials. But if you don't have the time or inclination to learn it yourself, there are many VAs who can easily set it up for you.

Because 1ShoppingCart's roster of subscribers includes leading internet marketers and coaches ensures a certain security--if 1ShoppingCart's standards were to fall, the word would get out very quickly.

Comments

[Dorit Little]

Why would you struggle to adapt a shopping cart solution for event registration, when you could just use something like Eventbrite, which was created for events -- http://www.eventbrite.com

[Ellen Zucker]

If event registration is the bulk of what you do, then an application that addresses that function would be worth checking out.

But keeping everything in the Shopping Cart means only one database and the functionality of managing newsletters and selling products that may or may not be event related. And once you set it up, everything is automated.

Thank you for your comment.