Event organizers are used to the intricate dance of event planning. This isn't just about circling a date on the calendar and selecting a picturesque venue. You've got to strategize event promotions to shout your event from the digital rooftops, craft an engaging event website, design and print attractive name badges, build registration and ticketing workflows, orchestrate a smooth check-in process, and stoke the fire of attendee engagement! No wonder event profs often feel like they're juggling flaming torches.
But don't worry. There's hope! By selecting the best event management software for your needs, you can simplify your event workflows while keeping your sanity!
What is Event Management Software?
First things first, what is event management software, exactly? Let’s define it as a comprehensive toolset that streamlines and simplifies the complex process associated with planning and executing successful events.
From the moment an idea for an event takes shape to the post-event analysis, event planning tools provide a helping hand at every stage of the event lifecycle. Whether you are organizing in-person, virtual, or hybrid events, event technology offers solutions to create, manage, and deliver unforgettable experiences.
Are all event management platforms the same? Certainly not, there are tools that are as different as the events they support. Check out our breakdown of event types for more information.
Benefits of Using Event Management Software
Event organizers and event planners who utilize event management software to host their events benefit from numerous advantages:
- Save Time: Event management solutions automate tedious manual tasks, like attendee registration, invoicing and payment processing, freeing up your time to focus on more strategic aspects of event planning.
- Personalize Your Communications: Event platforms typically integrate with various CRMs, so you can harness the power of event data to craft tailored event marketing campaigns and event updates.
- Make Data-Driven Decisions: Event software tools offer real-time analytics and reporting so you can adapt your event tactics as you go along.
- Cater To The Mobile Age: A powerful event management platform often features mobile apps. Leading event platforms such as Accelevents even offer two intuitive apps: one for event admins, allowing for event management on the go, and another for attendees, equipped with event information and engagement features such as speed networking, gamification, in-app messaging, push notifications, and more.
What Makes a Top Performing Event Management Software?
Top-performing event management software, like Accelevents, excels over average providers in several key ways:
- End-To-End Event Management: end-to-end event management tools ensure seamless workflows.
- Ease of Customization: With a user-friendly interface and customizable templates, even event planning novices can create stunning event pages, highly customized registration flows, and tailored polls and surveys.
- 24/7 Customer Support: Top-tier software typically excels in customer support, providing 24/7 assistance alongside detailed webinars and seminars to help users master the platform.
- Depth Of Features: Key features typically include event page creation, advanced registration forms and workflows, event ticketing, check-in, event apps, exhibitor and sponsorship management, agenda and speaker management, live streaming, speed networking, and of course, reports and dashboards to track metrics across your entire event. Check out our guide on essential event management software features to choose the right platform.
- Data Security: leading event management software solutions typically demonstrate robust security measures, protecting attendee data and credit card information during online registration and ticket sales.
Risks to Consider When Buying Event Management Software
Several potential risks warrant consideration when you're on the hunt for onsite or online event planning software.
- Hidden Costs: It's easy to get drawn in by what looks like an affordable price tag, only to find out there are all these extra charges you didn't see coming. We've explained this and other risks of free or "cheap" event software in a recent blog post; be sure to check it out.
- Narrow/Sub-Par Features: Beware of subpar functionality that might compromise the user experience or limit your efficiency. Sub-par features are typical of budget platforms and early start-up solutions.
- Lack Of Customization and Integration Options: A lack of customization options could make the software less versatile for your unique needs. Similarly, a lack of critical integrations could also hamper your productivity.
- Non-Responsive Client Support: Don't underestimate the value of solid customer support; ineffective assistance can leave you high and dry when you need help the most.
How to Shortlist the Best Event Management Software
When shortlisting event management software, event professionals typically consider the following criteria:
- Functionality: Can the software handle the registration process, check-in, event attendee management, and event marketing? Does it support virtual, in-person, and hybrid events?
- Ease of Use: Is the platform user-friendly? Does it have a drag-and-drop email editor, event website builder, and event scheduler?
- Integrations: Can it integrate seamlessly with existing software solutions like CRM and email marketing tools?
- Support: What type of customer support do they offer? Is it available 24/7?
- Pricing: Are the pricing plans flexible and cater to your needs?
- Security: Does it comply with data protection regulations?
Top 11 Event Management Software Solutions
- Accelevents: An all-in-one, enterprise-grade event management software solution that provides seamless customization options and exceptional support to organizations worldwide.
- Airmeet: A virtual events platform offering breakout rooms, networking lounges, and sponsor booths.
- Bizzabo: A cloud-based event management platform offering ticketing, registration, and marketing automation features.
- Cvent: A comprehensive event management platform that offers features such as event registration, venue management, and mobile event apps.
- Eventbrite: A popular event management platform allowing users to create, promote, and sell event tickets.
- Eventzilla: A cloud-based event registration and ticketing platform offering custom branding and social media promotion features.
- Gather: A cloud-based event management platform that offers features such as venue sourcing, event registration, and attendee management.
- Hopin: A virtual events platform offering features like live streaming, networking, and sponsor booths.
- Hubilo: An all-in-one virtual and hybrid events platform offering registration, networking, and live-streaming features.
- Splash: An event marketing platform offering email marketing, ticketing, and analytics features.
- Vfairs: A virtual events platform that offers features such as customizable booths, live chat, and webinars.
- Whova: An all-in-one event management platform that offers registration, networking, and live polling features.
We recommend that you do your research on each of these solutions to find one that best fits your needs. Our team has prepared a detailed event management software comparison to get you started. Be sure to check it out!
Key Questions to Ask Vendors When Evaluating Event Management Software
When talking to potential vendors, it's important to go beyond just discussing relevant features. Here's a list of essential questions to guide your conversation:
- What kind of onboarding and training will be provided to our team members?
- Can you provide the required training within our specified timeline?
- Can you tell me about the quality and availability of customer support? Which communication channels does your support team use (email, chat, phone)? What is your median response time per channel?
- How does your software handle data compliance and data security?
- To what extent can the software be customized to fit our needs?
- What integration options exist between your event management system and our CRM/ marketing automation platform?
- Are there integrations with word-of-mouth marketing platforms like Snöball or speaker and content management tools like Sessionboard? Are there other social media integrations we should be aware of?
- What types of events does your platform support: Do you focus on large-scale conferences, trade shows, corporate events, user conferences, global product launches? Or is your technology better suited to small-scale fundraisers, seminars, and workshops?
- Is this an all-in-one platform for virtual, hybrid, and in-person events, or can I only host virtual formats?
- Is this registration software to manage RSVPs or do you also have ticketing features?
- Can the system handle complex ticketing and registration workflows, or is it geared towards simpler, smaller events?
- Is your software an industry-recognized, award-winning solution or a newer player in the market?
- How does your software support an engaging and interactive attendee experience? If so, what would you consider your strongest engagement tools?
- Does your software support the event planning process with project management tools?
- Does your software focus on a specific industry such as non-profits or associations, or are you industry agnostic?
With these questions in mind, aim to shortlist between 3-5 vendor options, then utilize a free trial or demo to validate your final selection.
One Solution for All Your Future Events
Given the complexities of event management, an all-in-one onsite, hybrid, and virtual event platform is advisable.
Accelevents provides a complete suite of event management tools, from event registration and check-in to comprehensive event marketing capabilities, all under one platform. Because you can manage the event experience from start to finish in one place, you will save time, reduce stress, and effortlessly ensure a successful event.
Ready to take your event planning to the next level? Book a demo today to learn more about our enterprise-grade event management platform!
