How do I take attendance at a community event without being intrusive?

Question

We put on weekly events for youth in our community (usually about 50-75 show up) and we want to record who was there each time, so we can track attendance over time, target our marketing better to the people who come all the time versus the ones who only come occasionally, etc. We want to put all the info into a database each week.

Roll call would take too long. Sign up sheets at the door are ok, but they get to be so impersonal, plus it's easy to check off your name and someone else's name who wasn't there...and it'd create a long line at the door.

Any other suggestions?

Answer 1

Divide your list into 4 parts - A thru whatever and so on so that you have 4 sign in sheets.

This will shorten the time and make it harder to check off someone else's name.

Answer 2

Count the number of rows length by width the subtract the number of empty seats when people start showing up or if there are less people then seats you count the people.

Answer 3

Just get one of those little "clickers" that you hold in your hand and click for each person entering.

Answer 4

Can you video the proceedings and then replay for attendees

Answer 5

Use the sign in sheets - you can alphabetically roster everyone and then just have them sign their name by their typewritten name.  It may be impersonal, but so are the other ideas as well as not having any formal sign in.  Having each person sign in will help eliminate people checking off others; names as well, because of the signature aspect.  Have 3-4 lists at  tables to eliminate long lines.

Answer 6

if you have every body's name already on a rooster i will suggest you assign numbers to the names and on one occasion give every body their   numbers . on every meeting when coming every one who has been given a number drops a piece of paper into a box at the entrance with his/her number on it  and just walk in. any body coming new will be given his number from the last number. if they come with the numbers written from home to just drop in the box  i don't see you having a problem of time wasting.

the person who keeps the register will at the end of a meeting tally the dropped numbers to the names . think about it