You care about your attendees, and you want them to have a safe experience at your event. One important thing you should never overlook, however, is doing your best to keep them safe on their way to and from your event as well.
As a side effect, providing safe, reliable transportation can also potentially help you sell more tickets.
For example, if your event involves alcohol, the challenge of finding a designated driver may discourage some potential buyers. Even if you’re running a dry event, some people may not want to drive to the spot, find and pay for parking, and afterwards, deal with a massive line of fellow drivers trying to exit the event locale at the same time.
So where do you start if you want to give your attendees’ good travel options? We put together a few tips to minimize traveling complications and encourage attendees to feel safe when they’re on their way to your event.
Map it out.
While you’re planning the details of your event, your attendees are also planning — lodging, places to eat, and how they will get there. Do the research for them. Consider everything: how long travel will take via different modes of transportation; where parking facilities are located; if paid parking will be available, etc. Post the information to your website or conveniently send it along with the event reminder. You can even add or link to a map with dropped pins of important locations like parking lots and entryways.
Hire ground transportation.
For large-scale or remote-location events, offering an optional transportation service for your attendees can be majorly beneficial – especially if you’re expecting more than a few out-of-towners. Rental bus companies and van services will often provide mass transportation from common meeting points. Pick well-known and centrally located pickup points, and attendees will be happy to pay for the convenience that your transportation allows.
ParkWhiz.
There is nothing more frustrating than driving in circles searching for a spot when you’re excited to get into the event. ParkWhiz can save attendees time and stress by allowing users to reserve parking before they’ve reached their destination. ParkWhiz is available in over 150 cities and is adding new locations every day! Attendees will have the ability to secure their parking with the touch of a finger! The process couldn’t be simpler; in fact, the option for ParkWhiz is integrated into tickets delivered via ShowClix.
Uber.
If hiring a transportation service seems excessive for your event, Uber can provide fast and simple solutions for anyone with access to a smartphone. Also, if your guests have never used the service before, ShowClix’s partnership with Uber allows you to offer clients a promotional code for $20 off their first ride!
Biking.
Biking is quickly becoming a preferred mode of transportation and many cities are responding to the recent pique in interest. For example, Pittsburgh-ers have been enjoying the city’s newly added Healthy Ride bike-sharing program to get to and from work, lunch, and great events happening around the city. If your city has a bike-sharing program, make sure to share location and pricing information with your guests a few days before your event. Consider how many bike racks you’ll need to accommodate attendees. They will appreciate having options on how to get to your event!
Go above and beyond.
We know you’ll do whatever it takes to ensure your guests have a great experience at your event, but what about before or after your event? Guests will appreciate provided recommendations for bars, restaurants, and even convenience stores to hit before or after your big event. Send out your recommendations via email or provide them on your site.