Know-How Exchange : Other

Depending on the number of the audience (I mean, if the number is not too big), you could call them on the phone instead of sending them reminder emails. On calling them, you introduce yourself and ask them for confirmation if they will attend. When there is a real person standing on the other side, people tend to engage more personally.

In order to establish this practice, you should require that people fill out their phone number at registration and maybe less people would agree with that, but on the other side the attendance of those registered will increase.

I do not have time to call people to remind them and I assume they are adults who hold responsible positions. I will send out a reminder email - often letting them know something extra about the day - like the author is doing a book signing or books will be available for sale at a discount.

I've always had a better response with charging a fee, even if nominal, it implies value.

As much as I hate to admit it, women are "pack animals" and more likely to come with someone, so I often do a discount for two or more.

I tend to place a higher emphasis on attending events that are not going to be repeated soon. Because I do events, I call and canel if I am not going to attend.

Write to all the registered folks what they can look forward to from the workshop. Tell them that they would be depriving someone else who could not be accomodated for want of seats available, if they don't make it to the worwhop. Tell them how this workshop would benefit them and what would they miss if they don't attend.

At some events I've been to in the past, attendees pay up front, and then once they come to the event, they get their money back (kind of just like a security deposit).

You could do this for a small amount of money, or offer deals where they get 50% back once they attend the event.