An in-person event is an event that is happening in a physical venue. Examples would be festivals, trade expos, and car shows. The first step is to set up your event and then sell tickets!
At the event venue, attendees will need to show proof that they registered for your event then you or your staff can check them in through the admin console, staff portal, or app.
Important note: If your event is under a paid plan (e.g., you're using the Attendee App), choose HYBRID as your event type and ticket format.
Here's a quick guide on how you can set up your in-person event from scratch.
1. Sign up for an Accelevents account
Access the Accelevents Sign Up Page
Enter your name, email address, and password
After signing up, you will be directed to the Organizer Portal.
Click on Create Event, then Create New Event.
2. Select Your Event Format
Select In-Person as the event format, then select the event elements you need for your in-person event. Click here to know more about our different event formats.
If your event is under a paid plan, choose HYBRID as your event type.
Registration / Ticketing - this is a requirement for an in-person event; all attendees must have an in-person ticket for your event.
Fundraising - select this if, aside from an in-person event, you're also having a fundraiser (e.g., donation, auction, raffle, and fund a need)
Virtual Expo - select this if you're running either a hybrid or virtual event where you require virtual exhibitor booths.
Regular Sessions - select this if you have sessions for your in-person event.
Networking - select this if you require a networking session for a hybrid or virtual event with attendees on 1:1 meetings.
Main Stage - select this if you have a keynote session for your in-person event.
3. Enter Your Event Details
Enter the basic information about your event. Click here to learn more about Setting Up Your Event Details.
Event Name - Enter the name of your event (e.g., In-Person 2021)
Event Type - Select your event type (optional)
Event Date - Enter your start and end date, and select your timezone.
Location - Select Venue to enter the venue address. Select To Be Announced if you don't have the physical address yet.
4. Design Your Event Website
After completing the initial event setup, you will see the Admin Console, where you can start editing your event. You can go to the Event Website tab, where you can begin editing the look of your event landing page.
On top of the screen, you will find the VIEW SITE button, allowing you to see your actual event page.
You can add a Venue Map tab to your Event Landing Page so attendees can view the physical venue map. Enable the Venue Map toggle under Configure Navigation.
5. Create Event Tickets
Whether your event is free or paid, or if you're selling tickets on a different platform, your attendees will need a ticket to enter your event.
If you selected a Hybrid event in your earlier setup, please HYBRID as your ticket format.
Go to Registration
Select Set-up Tickets
Click + Create Ticket
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Advanced Settings:
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6. Connect your Payment Processor
This step is only needed if you're selling paid tickets. Connecting your payment processor allows you to receive credit card payments from your attendees.
Go to Settings > Payment Processing and connect your Stripe or Square account.
7. Build a Seating Chart
If you require a seating chart, the Assigned Seating feature allows you to design a seating chart and assign tickets to each seat. Attendees will need to select a seat while buying their tickets.
Note: The seating chart is only applicable to PAID TICKETS.
Go to Registration
Select Set-Up Tickets
Enable Assigned Seating
Click Open Venue Designer
8. Customize The Order Form
The Order Form is the questionnaire registrants must fill out when buying tickets. After selecting which type of ticket they want to buy, getting their information is the next step. As an event admin, you can customize what questions you want in the order form and to which ticket types you will ask these questions.
Click Registration > Order Form from your admin console navigation. You can select which fields you want to include in your order form or create new fields. You can customize it per ticket type and select whether you want to get just the ticket buyer information or include the ticket holder information.
9. Customize The Order Confirmation Email
After attendees register for the event, they should receive an email with the event information and details about their purchase. You can customize the message they will receive, and you can also disable this email if you don't want them to receive anything after registration. Go to Registrations > Order Confirmation to customize your email.
At this point, you're event page should be all set, and attendees can now register for your event.
10. Design Badges
If you plan to print badges for your attendees, you can design them in Accelevents, which will serve as the attendee's identification card to which you can add relevant information about your event. You can go ahead and print them in advance or print them when the attendee checks in.
To start creating badges, go to Registration > Badges, then choose to create a custom badge or select from one of the templates.
11. Create Sessions
In this step, you will build the structure and content of your agenda. Go to your Agenda & Speakers tab, then click + Add Session.
Note: If you don't see the Agenda & Speakers tab, please check the Event Details tab and make sure that either Main Stage or Sessions & Workshops (located below the map or the venue) is turned on. The sessions you add here will be displayed in the Agenda tab on your event page.
After creating the session, the right-side panel menu will slide in with these tabs:
Session Details - this allows you to edit all the information needed for the session.
Speakers - allows you to assign speakers to the session. This will be discussed more in the next step.
Registrants - this allows you to see a list of attendees who have pre-registered and attended the session.
12. Add Speakers
Go to your Agenda and Speakers tab, click Speakers, then click + Add Speaker. The speakers listed here will be displayed in the Speakers tab on your event page.
Once you add a speaker, the right-side panel menu will slide in with these tabs:
Bio - allows you to edit all the information of the speaker, including adding a profile picture, email address, short description, and social media links
Sessions - shows you which sessions they are assigned to talk
13. Assign Speakers to Sessions
After assigning a speaker to a session, they will automatically receive an email invite with links to access the virtual event hub. Since you're not using the virtual event hub for your in-person event, we need to disable sending this email invite before assigning the speakers to the sessions to avoid confusion.
Disable Email Invite
From the Agenda & Speakers tab, click Agenda Setting
Turn off the toggle for Enable automatic speaker invite email
Assign Speakers
Go back to your session details, then access the Speakers tab
Type in the name of the speaker you've added in the previous step. Click here to learn more about adding speakers to a session.
14. Add Exhibitors and Sponsors
If you have exhibitors and sponsors for your in-person event, you can go to your Exhibitors & Sponsors tab to start adding them to your event.
The exhibitors and sponsors listed here will be displayed under the Exhibitors and Sponsors tabs on your event page, respectively.
Note: For in-person events, your event page will serve as a display area for your list of sponsors and/or exhibitors, each with its dedicated tabs.
15. Publish Your Event
Publishing your event is only required if you have a paid plan. Publishing allows all attendees to enter the event through the app and virtual event hub. If the event is not published, only 25 attendees can enter.
Click the Publish button on top of the screen:
Public - The event will be added to our event listing site for additional exposure.
Postponed - The event is canceled until further notice.
Private - The event is private and not listed on our event listing site.
That's it! You're done setting up your event.