Free events have a particular problem. Saying yes costs nothing, so people say yes to everything, and then decide on the day. You might get 200 RSVPs and 80 guests, or 200 RSVPs and 260 guests if people bring friends. Either way, you've ordered the wrong amount of food and booked the wrong room.
You can't remove that uncertainty, but you can make your headcount much more reliable.
Use free tickets, not a form
A comment saying "I'm coming" or a name on a Google Form is easy to forget. A free ticket feels more like a commitment. Guests get it by email with a QR code, which also gives you a way to check people in at the door and see how many actually came.
On revel, free events and free tickets cost nothing, however many you create. You can set a limit on how many tickets are available, and a per-order limit so one person can't book twenty places.
Set a real capacity
If your venue holds 100 people, don't let 300 RSVP and hope. Set the ticket stock to what you can actually host, plus a small allowance for no-shows once you know your numbers. When tickets run out, people who really want to come will ask to be told if places open up, and that tells you how much demand you have.
Keep a way to reach people
A headcount is only useful if you can reach the people on it. On revel, every guest gives their name, email address and phone number when they get a ticket, and you'll find them in your attendee list. That means you can send a reminder, or let people know if the time or venue changes.
Remind people
A reminder a day or two before the event is the single most effective way to reduce no-shows. Include the date, the time, the address, and anything people need to know, such as where to park or which entrance to use. Tell them their ticket is in their email.
Another short message on the morning of the event helps too, especially for evening events when people make their plans after work.
Plan for no-shows
Track how many people who RSVP actually turn up. After two or three events, you'll know your rate. If half your RSVPs usually come, you can safely release more tickets than your capacity, or order food for the people who come rather than the people who said they would.
Check-in data from your dashboard gives you this number without anyone counting heads at the door.
Make it worth turning up
The best way to improve attendance is to give people a reason not to skip. Start on time, tell people what they'll get from the event, and let them know about anything that only happens in person, such as a guest speaker, food, a giveaway or a chance to meet people. Guests who had a good time come back, and they bring friends.
