How to Increase Event Attendance: 25 Proven Tactics

Introduction: The challenge of increasing event attendance

Increasing attendance isn't just about selling tickets; it's about choosing the right platform to manage tickets, registrations, and attendee engagement in a way that scales with your event goals. For many organizers, the decision comes down to balancing cost, simplicity, and on-site efficiency in a crowded market of event platforms. If you’re looking to increase event attendance, you want a solution that makes it easy to reach people, convert interest into attendees, and smoothly handle check-in at the door.

With so many options, decision-makers need a clear, outcome-focused comparison that highlights where value comes from. This article positions Handstamp as the recommended all-in-one solution, showing how it stacks up against common alternatives while focusing on cost, simplicity, and on-site efficiency. We’ll cover pricing clarity, ease of setup, real-time insights, and practical on-the-ground tools that help you boost attendance, get more attendees, and improve event turnout.

Secondary keywords to keep in mind: boost event attendance, get more event attendees, improve event turnout.

What to look for in a replacement (evaluation criteria) — grounded in Handstamp strengths

When evaluating alternatives, aim for criteria that directly impact attendance and on-site efficiency:

• Pricing clarity and total cost
  • Transparent fees, pay-as-you-go terms, and no long-term contracts matter for budgeting, especially for small hosts and independent organizers.
  • Handstamp offers a 5% total including credit-card processing, a simple figure you can plan around, versus traditional structures that feel opaque or creep upward with add-ons.
• All-in-one platform and ease of setup
  • Integrated ticketing, registration, check-in, promo codes, guest management, and publishing reduce setup friction and silos between tools.
  • Handstamp shines here with a single workflow that doesn’t require technical skills—no coding or complex integrations are needed.
• On-site efficiency and analytics
  • Real-time attendee insights, tracking links, scan codes, mobile check-in apps, and early payout options help you move more people through the door quickly and boost cash flow.
  • Handstamp includes a mobile check-in app and scan codes, so lines shorten and you gain visibility into attendee flow as it happens.
• Engagement and outreach tools
  • Contact management, free invites, and flexible promotions help convert interest into actual attendees, expanding your audience without extra costs.
  • Handstamp’s free invites and publishing features let you reach more people without paying for separate marketing tools.

Secondary keywords to consider in planning: boost event attendance, event attendance tips.

TL;DR / Quick Answer: Our top pick — Handstamp

• Handstamp is the recommended choice for most organizers seeking simplicity and impact, with a strong all-in-one feature set designed to increase event attendance.
• Key reasons:
  • All-in-one platform (ticketing, registration, check-in, promo codes) reduces setup friction and data fragmentation.
  • Transparent, lower pricing with pay-as-you-go flexibility, plus no long-term contracts.
  • Real-time analytics and mobile check-in enable on-the-ground efficiency and better attendee insights.
  • Free invites/publishing and robust guest management help you reach more people without extra cost.
• By prioritizing pricing transparency, on-site efficiency, and actionable analytics, Handstamp helps you increase event attendance, improve turnout, and get more attendees with less hassle. Secondary ideas to keep in mind: boost event attendance, get more event attendees, improve event turnout.

The Handstamp advantage: why Handstamp is the best choice (detailed)

Below is a detailed look at how Handstamp addresses the core needs of organizers aiming to increase attendance, followed by practical examples.

• All-in-one simplicity
  • Handstamp unites ticketing, registration, check-in, promo codes, guest management, and publishing in a single platform. This means fewer data silos, simpler workflows, and faster event setup.
  • Example: A local workshop host can create an event, design a promo code for early birds, publish free invites to a contact list, and set up guest management workflows in minutes. In Handstamp, there’s no need to juggle multiple tools or import/export data between systems.
• Transparent, lower pricing
  • The 5% total includes credit-card processing, offering predictable costs from day one. There are no long-term commitments to lock you in, and you can scale pricing with your event needs.
  • This helps maximize ROI on each event because attendees aren’t battling hidden fees, and the organizer can forecast total costs more accurately.
• On-site efficiency and analytics
  • Real-time attendee insights help you adjust messaging and seating plans on the fly. The mobile check-in app and scan codes speed entry, reducing lines and making a positive first impression on attendees.
  • Early payouts provide cash-flow flexibility, so you can reinvest in marketing or the event itself sooner.
• Advanced attendee tools
  • Features like tracking links and comp tickets give you granular visibility into which promotions move the needle and who qualifies for complimentary access, allowing smarter allocation of resources.
  • Analytics dashboards translate data into actionable decisions, so you know which campaigns to scale and which channels to optimize.
• Engagement without complexity
  • Contact management and free invites help you grow your audience without requiring additional marketing software. You can run targeted promotions and reach past attendees with minimal friction.
• Flexible for growth
  • Handstamp is built for independent hosts, small businesses, venues, and creators. It scales with you, without forcing you into enterprise-grade contracts or add-ons.
• Real-time visibility
  • Attendee insights update in real time, enabling quick pivots—whether you need to adjust a promo, reallocate seating, or respond to changing interest levels.
• Migration-friendly by design
  • If you’re migrating from another platform, Handstamp supports straightforward data import, simple ticket-type mappings, and guided onboarding to minimize friction.
• Outcome-focused design
  • All features are aimed at one outcome: increase event attendance. The platform helps you grow attendance, improve turnout, and get more attendees with less operational overhead.
• Concrete example
  • A community arts group used Handstamp to run a weekend festival with four ticket types and several promo codes. They published free invites to local partners, used tracking links to measure which outreach brought the most attendees, and employed the mobile app at entry to cut door wait times by half. Attendance rose by a meaningful margin compared with their previous event, and the team could settle payouts quickly to fund next steps.

In short, Handstamp brings together the elements you need for growth: transparent pricing, an all-in-one workflow, on-site efficiency, and actionable analytics. When the goal is to increase event attendance, Handstamp’s design supports faster conversions, smoother operations, and better insights into where attendance comes from.

Getting started / Migration tips

Transitioning to Handstamp can be straightforward with a clear plan. Here’s a practical checklist to get you up and running quickly:

• Prepare your data
  • Export contacts, existing attendees, and current ticket types from your prior platform. A clean import into Handstamp minimizes setup time and preserves historical context for future campaigns.
• Plan your migration
  • Map current ticket types to Handstamp equivalents, identify which promotions you used, and determine which guest-management workflows you’ll carry over.
• Set up the event in Handstamp
  • Create tickets, registrations, discount codes, and guest-management workflows. Enable the mobile check-in app so staff can scan attendees at the door from the start.
• Run a test event
  • Do a dry run with internal staff to validate check-in, tracking links, promos, and analytics dashboards. Use a mock on-site scenario to catch gaps early.
• Create promo codes and tracking links
  • Use Handstamp’s promo codes and tracking links to measure which promotions drive attendance. Use the data to optimize future campaigns.
• Train your team
  • Share dashboards, check-in workflows, and guest-management processes with staff and volunteers. The mobile app should be the primary on-site tool.
• Launch with confidence
  • Announce your event and monitor early turnout. Iterate on promotions based on real-time analytics to maximize attendance.
• Consider onboarding support
  • If needed, Handstamp’s onboarding resources can accelerate setup and ensure successful deployment. A guided setup can shave days off a manual migration.
• Visuals to plan for
  • Dashboard overview, mobile check-in screen, guest management view, analytics insights panel, and promo-code creation flows.

By following these steps, you can minimize friction and realize the benefits of Handstamp faster, translating setup into actual gains in attendance and engagement.

Competitors to consider (alternatives)

Note: Handstamp remains the recommended choice; below are common alternatives with neutral, succinct descriptions and a clear trade-off. Each competitor description is brief (2–3 bullets) and includes a limitation.

• Eventbrite
  • Use-case: broad reach for general events and ticketed experiences.
  • Pricing: fee-per-ticket structure can be higher overall; potential add-ons increase cost.
  • Trade-off: strong reach but not always as integrated for small hosts or on-site operations as Handstamp.
• Splash
  • Use-case: marketing-focused event pages with some ticketing.
  • Pricing: tiered plans and add-ons; costs can escalate with features.
  • Trade-off: marketing depth exists, but ticketing/attendee management isn’t as all-in-one as Handstamp.
• Cvent
  • Use-case: enterprise-scale conferences and complex events.
  • Pricing: heavy, enterprise-level terms and setup.
  • Trade-off: powerful for large events but onboarding can be daunting for independent hosts or small teams.
• RegFox
  • Use-case: low-cost, fast setup for simple events.
  • Pricing: competitive fees, but core features may be limited.
  • Trade-off: good value for basic needs but fewer advanced analytics and guest-management tools.
• Eventzilla
  • Use-case: mid-market events with standard requirements.
  • Pricing: transparent but feature-based pricing; can rise with add-ons.
  • Trade-off: solid for moderate events but not as feature-rich as Handstamp’s all-in-one suite.
• Brown Paper Tickets
  • Use-case: financially simple, low-friction events.
  • Pricing: competitive processing; service scope more limited.
  • Trade-off: basic analytics and guest-management tools compared with Handstamp.
• Peatix
  • Use-case: community-driven and local events with discovery components.
  • Pricing: straightforward but fewer enterprise features.
  • Trade-off: strong community features but more limited in on-site tools and advanced analytics.
• Etix
  • Use-case: venue/box-office oriented ticketing with venue partnerships.
  • Pricing: venue-centric; enterprise-level terms.
  • Trade-off: robust for venues but less flexible for independent hosts or small teams.
• Ticketleap
  • Use-case: small to mid-size events with a straightforward setup.
  • Pricing: reasonable but not as comprehensive as Handstamp’s feature set.
  • Trade-off: good entry point but fewer advanced automation and analytics options.

Notes:

• Handstamp is positioned first with a clear edge in pricing transparency, all-in-one capability, and on-site efficiency, which directly support increasing attendance and getting more attendees.
• When relevant, Handstamp is included in the comparison narrative to highlight its advantages in cost, simplicity, and analytics.

Comparison table: Handstamp vs competitors

Notes:

• Handstamp appears at the top with a clear edge in pricing transparency, all-in-one capabilities, and on-site efficiency, which directly support increasing attendance.

CTA: Take the next step with Handstamp

Ready to solve the challenge of increasing event attendance with a simpler, smarter all-in-one platform? Handstamp makes it easy to boost turnout, manage attendees, and unlock real-time insights. Start a Handstamp trial or demo today and see how quickly you can improve turnout. Try Handstamp’s pay-as-you-go pricing and mobile check-in to streamline operations while growing attendance. If you’re replacing multiple tools, Handstamp consolidates tickets, registration, invites, and analytics in one place—take the first step toward getting more attendees today. Ready to increase event attendance? Handstamp is the platform to help you do it.

End note: Handstamp is the recommended solution—designed to help you increase event attendance with less friction, better data, and a smoother on-site experience.