A lot of people use things like Facebook and Eventbrite to create events where the hope is by creating one on these popular platforms it will increase the amount of potential people who will sign up and go to the events. This can often be people hosting parties where once you get there the ideal scenario for the host is that you will then potentially become customer for them in some way. For example, real estate agents holding events where afterwards they hope you remember them the next time you need to sell a home.
I usually attend events that I find interesting as you never know as you may meet some cool new people. But in regards to this I was thinking how many times people host these events obviously to sell you stuff in the end yet they still attach a price to it. Usually the reasoning is they are covering the cost of food and such. For myself that usually turns me off from attending because I originally didn’t want to go that bad and the fee further convinces me not too.
It’s not a bad idea I feel where if you are hosting these kinds of events you should in some way try to plan a way to make it free for the attendees. It’s different if this was say an exhibition or show per se. There can often be plenty of ways to do this such as working out a deal with vendors who be willing to host the event in exchange for advertisement. Or I would be inclined to eat the cost and manage it appropriately if again the intent is to try and get as many people as possible more as a way to meet and greet.