Dominate the (Registration) Field with Upper Hand

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Dominate the (Registration) Field with Upper Hand

7 seconds.

That’s how long it takes to form a first impression.

But, that impression lasts well beyond the initial encounter. First impressions can shape your client’s entire experience with your brand.

Oftentimes, the first impression of your business is when registering for an event. That’s why it’s important that your athlete registration is streamlined. The simpler the registration process, the easier it is for athletes to sign up and commit. Makes sense, right?

But, when it comes to managing the back-end of an event, simplified sports registration is equally as important for business owners. You must be able to efficiently collect and organize your athletes’ information. And while you want to keep the registration short and sweet, you also need to make sure you have all your bases covered.

So, what should you include in your event registration in order to facilitate positive in-event experiences?

Not using Upper Hand to power your events? Click here to learn why you need a youth sports registration software.

How to create an event registration with Upper Hand

Event registration fields are built directly into the event creation process, ensuring you can collect and customize information for each of your programs. For more details on how to create an event within Upper Hand, check out these resources.

Which fields are already included in registration exports?

When a client creates an account with Upper Hand, their demographics are stored within the software. So, as they register for various programs, this information follows them to the event-level registration export. Those fields are

• First and Last Name
• Email Address
• Age
• Date of Birth
• Gender
• Phone Number
• Managed (Parent) Profile
• Parent Email Address
• Street Address

Tool Tip: When you are creating an event registration, you do not need to include these fields on the registration form, as they will already be included on the registration export.

What else should I include in my registration form?

Depending on the event you are creating, you may need to require additional information. After all, registrations should be tailored to your unique event needs. It’s good practice to collect this additional information during the registration process (prior to the event) to avoid any miscommunication, and to protect you and your business should an incident occur.

Here are a few things to think about:

• T-shirt Size: If you are running sports camps, for example, you should collect your athlete’s t-shirt size. Branded gear is a great way to spread the word about your business, long after an event concludes.
• Food Allergies: For all-day clinics, you’ll want to be sure to make note of any dietary restrictions or food allergies.
• Playing Experience: In order to properly group your athletes into appropriate skill levels, be sure to include a field for playing experience or grade level. This will ensure athletes are in the group that is most appropriate for them, especially for larger camps and clinics where multiple age groups are present.
• Club Name: Similar to above, if you are attracting athletes from different areas, knowing which club or coaches you train under can be important to know when marketing your upcoming events, and to better understand their skill level.
• Emergency Contact: While managed profile contact information is included in the registration export, you might also consider collecting the name and contact for that day’s event.

Tool Tip: For more information on running a successful sports camp, check out this guide!

How to add a registration field in Upper Hand:

1. Navigate to the Registration Tab when creating or editing an event.
2. Choose a category on the left side, “Registration Field Categories”, section.
3. Click the drop down underneath the category to see all options.
4. After selecting a field, it will appear on the right side of the screen.

Tool Tip: To make a registration field required, click the on the box to the left of the added field. If left unchecked, clients will not be required to answer this field.

Interested in the future of managing youth sports businesses? See how Upper Hand is predicting the future of business growth with data-driven software. Get a demo today.