Need Page Flow for Events Website

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1

A local Events Promoter has come to me asking for help with their website.

They promote Events in the region, and are trying to use their website to increase awareness of the Events, and to also get people to register and pay online. (Right now they just use newspaper ads, signs and flyers which are expensive and not that effective.)

Some of the events include Fall Festivals, Speakers, Music Concerts, Hunting/Outdoorsmen Shows, Arts & Crafts Shows, Non-Profit Events, and so on.

My client already has a website that has a fair amount of content on it, and I have been asked to create some sort of “advertisement” and/or “call-out” on the Home Page that will motivate people to click on that ad and ultimately end up registering for an event which usually includes paying with a credit card.

Events can be in Different Towns in the area, at Different Locations, on Different Dates/Times, and at Different Costs.

[B]My question is NOT about advertising, but instead is about:

[INDENT]- “What information do I present on the Home Page?” and

  • “What sequence of Screens should I use get people to Register?”[/B]
    [/INDENT]

Hope I am making sense?!

I was thinking about creating a right column on the Home Page and including something like this…

[COLOR=“#006400”]================================
Upcoming Events:

  • Arts & Crafts Show

Upcoming Locations:

  • Sioux Falls, SD
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • St. Paul, MN
  • Eau Claire, WI

** Learn More Here ** (button)
================================[/COLOR]

…just as a teaser to get people to check things out? :-/

Then the next page would detail the Event and have a “Register Here” button…
[COLOR=“#006400”]================================
Arts & Crafts Show Details:
Speakers List
<names go here>

Vendors List:
<names go here>

Programs & Sessions:
<details go here>

** Register Here ** (button)
================================[/COLOR]

Then from their, I would have a 3-Step Checkout…

[COLOR=“#006400”]================================
Checkout
Step 1: Choose a Date/Time (one screen)

Step 2: Enter Attendees (another screen)

Step 3: Pay for Tickets (final screen)
================================[/color]

What do you think??

Thanks,

Debbie

2

I think you’ve got too many new screens/pages going on there. More work for you, more work for your servers, more work for your readers. Why do you need them?

I would have the advert go to a page that gives all the information, and at the bottom or to one side, clearly labelled, is the registration form, asking them to select date/venue and number of people. Submitting that form would take them to the payment page. Gets the job done in half the time, and much more likely that people will follow it through and complete the transaction.

3

I agree with Stevie D. One of the biggest complaints you hear about the web is the number of hoops people have to jump through to register for or to buy something. The shorter you can keep it, the better off you are. Another thing to keep in mind is to be sure that once a form is populated, they can get back to it to make any corrections. There is nothing worse than have to re-add all you information just because you made one tiny mistake on the first go-round.

4

A few things…

1.) So my above proposed flow was 5 Steps (i.e. Ad, Event Details, Choose Date, Enter Attendees, Pay) and yours is 3 Steps (i.e. Ad, Event Details+Date+Attendees, Pay).

Does eliminating two other screens really make that big of a difference?

2.) I guess I am in the minority… I like things broken up into multiple steps so it is clear what I am doing.

3.) When you buy an airline ticket online, there are numerous steps, and it doesn’t seem to backfire for the airlines?!

To me, breaking things out is empowering because it put me - the customer - in greater control because I can “slice and dice” and select what I want… The Dates, The Locations, The Times, The Class, The Seats, The Connections, etc.

4.) Another benefit of breaking things out into screens is more detail.

For example, if I make “Select a Date/Location” on screen, then I could include extra details (e.g. Picture of Venue, Map to the Venue, etc.)

You make some valid points, but can you see where I am coming from as well?

Debbie

5

Stevie D? Shyflower?

Comments?

Debbie

6

After I posted, I did some research and it appears that the “three click rule” is quite controversial these days, if not defunct.

Still, I think you need to consider ease of use as your number one priority.

If I were registering, I would want everything on the same page before I entered my card information. Where I was going, when I was going, how many people were in my party, and finally, how much it was going to cost me.

7

Okay, but that is a different topic.

If I go to Delta and cash in on some frequent flyer miles and book a flight, I probably go through a dozen pages before I am ready to pay - after all, cashing in FF miles and booking a flight is a complex process?!

However, when I am finally at the end and ready to pay, Delta - and most other e-commerce sites - displays my Flight Details and Total Cost right above the Payment Form, so I am able to see everything before I click “Pay for Ticket”.

I was planning on doing that, but I think I’d be compromising content in order to cram everything (i.e. Event Info, Dates, Locations, # of Attendees, etc.) on one page?! :eek:

You certainly have seen posters for Flea Markets, Bazarrs, County Fairs, Trade Shows, etc. THink about all of the information they cram onto a 24" x 36" poster?! Now try to fit even half of that info on one screen on the web…

I am leaning towards this flow…

[INDENT]- Home Page with Ad with “Learn More” button

  • Event Details Page with “Register Here” button

  • Step #1: Select a Date and Attendees form

  • Step #2: Log-In or Create an Account

  • View Shopping Cart (optional page/step)

  • Step #3: Payment Form with “Pay for Tickets” button[/INDENT]

So, if they click on my Advertisement/Call-to-Action, then they really only have 4 screens to go through. The first is purely informational and what should motivate people to want to buy an Event Ticket, and then a fairly quick and easy 3-Step Checkout Process?!

That seems pretty streamlined to me… :-/

Comments?

Debbie

8

Looks good, but I think I would move step two to step one.

9

[quote=“Shyflower,post:8,topic:91214”]

Looks good, but I think I would move step two to step one.[/QUOTE]

So you are saying I should do this…

[COLOR=“#800080”]- Home Page with Ad with “Learn More” button

  • Event Details Page with “Register Here” button
    - Step #2: Log-In or Create an Account

  • Step #1: Select a Date and Attendees form

  • View Shopping Cart (optional page/step)

  • Step #3: Payment Form with “Pay for Tickets” button[/COLOR]

If so, can you explain why you are recommending that??

Thanks,

Debbie

10

Joining or registering for your site (i.e. creating an account) is one thing that, I assume, is open to anyone. Registering and purchasing tickets for the event is another.

I am assuming that any registered member can make a purchase without have to re-register. Actually, I think a better idea is to skip the site registration altogether. What if I want to attend the event, but don’t want to register for your website? Is your client willing to forgo that revenue? Alternatively, the purchase could double as a site registration and you could send them a confirmation email that allowed them to return to the site and select a username and password as well as confirming their order.

11

Yes, people can create an account without ever buying something.

I am assuming that any registered member can make a purchase without have to re-register.

My plan is to require people to have an account to make a purchase, but that is a one-time deal.

If a user had created an account for other reasons (e.g. so they could join a forum or receive an online newsletter) that would certainly work towards needing an account to buy something.

Actually, I think a better idea is to skip the site registration altogether. What if I want to attend the event, but don’t want to register for your website? Is your client willing to forgo that revenue?

Okay, but most established websites require that you create an account (i.e. be a “registered member”) in order to buy things on their website (e.g. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, NewEgg, etc.)

I think most people expect to have to create an online account before they buy something.

Yes, some sites do the “drive-by” model, but it’s less common.

Why require a person create an account first before letting them buy something?

  • Increase the chance they aren’t a spam-bot
  • Increase the chance you can reach them if there is an issue (e.g. validated e-mail)
  • Allow people to track and change orders
  • Provide a way to convert a sale into a customer and have the ability to track them

Alternatively, the purchase could double as a site registration and you could send them a confirmation email that allowed them to return to the site and select a username and password as well as confirming their order.

Not sure I follow you here…

Debbie

12

I don’t remember the first time that I purchased something from Amazon.com, but I don’t believe that I had to create an account there to do so. I think that just filling out the shopping cart information registered me as a user. Now, it may have been that the registration information was within their shopping cart form as a “requirement” (Usually marked with an asterisk). However I became registered there, I am quite sure that it was at the beginning of my purchase and not in the middle of it.

I’ve noticed on several other sites that when you want to make a purchase a screen appears that directs you to either login or sign up. But, again, that is before you have given them any purchase information.

13

I went to Amazon and saw this…

  • Browser
  • Add Item to Cart
  • Click Checkout
  • Asked to Log-In or enter for Name, Email, and Password (i.e. “Create an Account”)
  • Enter Shipping Info
  • Enter Credit Card Info.

So they are doing the exact same thing I proposed…

Debbie

14

I would put more information in your home page teaser column.

I would want locations and dates under each event. And events and dates under each Location. This would allow me to scan the events, find an event I am interested in and easily see if there is one in my area at a convenient date. Or, go to my location and scan through the events listed under it to see if there is an event I would be interested in on a convenient date. Perhaps a list sorted by date as well.

Upcoming Events:
- Arts & Crafts Show
   *location 1, dates
   *location 2, dates
- Another Event
   *location 1, dates
   *location 2, dates

Upcoming Locations:
- Sioux Falls, SD
  *event 1 name, dates
  *event 2 name, dates
- Minneapolis, MN
  *event 1 name, dates
  *event 2 name, dates
- St. Paul, MN
  *event 1 name, dates
  *event 2 name, dates
- Eau Claire, WI
  *event 1 name, dates
  *event 2 name, dates

Coming Soon
-Date Range 1
  *event 1 name, location1, dates
  *event 2 name, location2, dates
-Date Range 2
  *event 1 name, location1, dates
  *event 2 name, location2, dates

Looking again at your post, it may be that your upcoming locations list were locations associated with the Arts and Crafts Show event. In which case you need to rethink your list formatting. They appeared to be two separate lists of equal weight to me.

In any case I think you need what, where, and when on your teasers to get people to click to the more details page.

15

Okay then, point taken. :slight_smile: I guess you are fine either way and it is just a matter of preference.

16

The difference is that with amazon your account is something you can use later to check the status of your order, cancel or return your order, redeem vouchers, etc, etc. So, the account on their website has a direct relation to what you did before (ordering something). If there is no such functionality on your client’s website, I don’t see why you/they insist on creating an account which doesn’t add any value to the ordered event tickets.

Also, I’m not sure if you were already planning on this, but I would show a summary of the order on the last page (step 3) where the “pay now” button is shown, so people can double check if they filled in everything correctly before actually continuing to pay.
On that page also show edit buttons that take the visitor back to step 1 or step 2 so they can correct things.

17

Because with an account, a user can…

  • Check Order Status
  • Request Refund
  • Order More Tickets
  • Subscribe to a Newsletter
  • Anything else the Owner wants to add to “Membership”

Also, I’m not sure if you were already planning on this, but I would show a summary of the order on the last page (step 3) where the “pay now” button is shown, so people can double check if they filled in everything correctly before actually continuing to pay.
On that page also show edit buttons that take the visitor back to step 1 or step 2 so they can correct things.

Yes, that is a good reminder.

That is what I was trying to imply here between Step #2 and Step #3…

  • View Shopping Cart (optional page/step)

Debbie

18

Okay, you made your point :slight_smile:

I would integrate that in step #3. You ordered this and this for that and that persons. If you accept, click the button below to pay.
Otherwise, it would be “click the button below to proceed”, after which you get to a page that just says “click this button to pay”.
Seems a bit silly :slight_smile: