Whether you’re planning physical, virtual, or hybrid events, choosing the right event management platform is essential to help with the organization, marketing, and execution. Many different event management systems are available, so it can be challenging to decide which one is right for your needs.
This article discusses nine key features to look for when choosing the best event management platform for your specific goals and preferences.
What Is An Event Management Platform & Who Is It For?
Event management platforms offer a range of features that assist event organizers with different aspects of event planning. These tools can help first-time planners and experienced professionals manage big events like triathlons or other endurance events, festivals, trade shows, and professional organization meetings, as well as smaller-scale gatherings.
As an event planner, you can employ management tools to organize and run your upcoming events from start to finish, with features that allow for:
- Attendee registration and engagement
- Event planning and execution
- Exhibitor and sponsor management
- Social media outreach
- Email marketing
- Payment processing
- Post-event analysis
Choosing high-quality software is critical to your event’s success as it affects the entire event lifecycle. A well-designed and user-friendly platform can take much of the stress out of event planning and help your event run more smoothly. Most importantly, it saves you valuable time dealing with logistics, enabling you to streamline your event in more productive ways.
9 Features That Every Event Management Software Should Have
Whether you’re in the market for new software or want to ensure your current management tools have all these characteristics, this list will help you make an informed decision. Here are nine features to look for in a good event management platform.
Online Event Registration
One of the most important features of any event management platform is online registration. This event management tool allows attendees to sign up and pay for events quickly and easily without going through a lengthy registration process. The best platforms will have a variety of payment methods available, including all major credit cards and PayPal.
Event management software offering custom form questions on the checkout form can be beneficial. It enables you to collect specific attendee details and preferences that you can use for event follow-up and marketing purposes.
This feature is essential for any event because it streamlines the registration process and helps you capture all necessary attendee information. Therefore, to reach the broadest possible audience, your platform should have this functionality.
Secure Ticketing & Payment Processing
There is no such thing as a perfect tool, but one requirement all event management platforms should fulfill is secure ticketing and payment processing. This feature protects both event organizers and attendees by ensuring that all financial transactions are carried out in a safe and secure manner.
The best event management platforms offer 128-bit SSL encryption, the same level of security used by banks and other online retailers. They also use fraud prevention measures like address verification and real-time credit card processing to help keep your event and attendees’ financial information safe.
So, if security is a major concern for you, be sure to look for this critical feature when shopping for event management software.
Customizable & Scalable Event Management Tools
As an event planner, you know that no two events are ever the same. You will need a different set of tools for a small-scale wedding than you would for a large-scale music festival. That’s why it’s important to choose software that offers customizable and scalable event management tools.
With this feature, you can tailor the platform to meet the specific needs of your event. You can add and remove features, change the layout, and configure the software to match your unique event branding. So, if your event grows in size or scope, you can easily scale up the platform to accommodate additional requirements.
Mobile Apps, Event Promotions & Social Media Integration
In this day and age, it’s vital that your event management platform includes mobile apps, event promotions, and social media integration. With mobile apps, attendees can view event information, register for events, and access on-site amenities from their phones or tablets. This is a great way to keep attendees informed and engaged with your event while they’re on-site.
Event promoters can use event management software to create and send personalized event invitations, track RSVPs, and manage contact lists. By integrating social media into your platform, you can easily share event details and photos with your followers on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks.
Actionable Intelligence & Visual Analytics
Additional features to consider when choosing event management software are actionable intelligence and visual analytics. These features provide you with insights into how your event is performing and help you make better decisions about how to improve it.
Actionable intelligence, as the name suggests, gives you the ability to take action on the data collected by the platform. You can use it to make changes to your event based on what’s working and what isn’t. With visual analytics, you can see the data in graphical form, making it easier to spot trends and patterns.
Ability To Create Virtual Events
One of the more recent trends in event management is the use of virtual events. A virtual event is an online-only event that allows attendees to participate from anywhere in the world. They can listen to presentations, watch videos, and engage in discussions with other participants without leaving their homes or offices.
The best event management software platforms offer this important feature, allowing you to reach a larger audience with your events. With virtual events, you can tap into the growing market of online event attendees and expand your reach beyond those who are able to attend your in-person events.
Intuitive Tools for a Seamless Experience
As the term suggests, intuitive tools are easy to use and don’t require any special training or knowledge to operate. They are the type of tools that you can pick up and start using right away without reading a manual or attending a training session.
This is an essential feature for any event management software because it ensures that everyone can use the platform without difficulty, from first-time event planners to experienced organizers. There is no learning curve with intuitive tools, so you can focus on putting on a great event.
Attendee Engagement Tools
Attendee experience is another crucial factor to consider when planning an event. After all, if attendees don’t enjoy the event, they won’t come back. As any event planner knows, attracting and retaining attendees is key to a successful event.
That’s why it’s important to choose event management software that offers features specifically designed to enhance your attendees’ event experience. One way to increase attendee engagement is through effective event communications such as email notifications, social media integration, and SMS messaging.
You may also want to look for software that offers customizable event registration pages, social media integration, and interactive event maps. These features allow attendees to connect with each other and engage with the event itself, creating a more satisfying experience.
Positive User Reviews & Event Software Support
And finally, another method of determining the quality of an event management platform is to check whether it has positive user reviews and offers software support when you need it.
User reviews are a great way to get a sense of how well the software performs, in general, and whether or not it meets your requirements. For example, if one of your primary concerns is email marketing for events, search the customer reviews section to see how well the platform integrates with the email marketing tool of your choice.
It’s also essential to look for software that offers technical support. This is important because, as an event planner, you may occasionally encounter technical difficulties. When that happens, you need a platform that offers quick and easy assistance.
How To Choose the Right Event Planning Tool
There are many different event planning tools on the market, so how do you know which one is right for you? Here are three tips to help you make your decision:
- Define your event goals. What do you hope to achieve with your event? Answering this question will help you determine which features to focus on. If you’re looking for tools that offer virtual events, make sure the platform you choose provides this feature.
- Think about your preferences. Do you prefer a cloud-based solution or an offline tool? Are there any specific features you need, such as online surveys or chatbots? Make sure the tool you choose has the features you need.
- Identify your target audience. Who is your event geared toward? For example, if you’re targeting business professionals, you’ll want a tool that offers a registration system that accepts corporate payments.
By taking your personal preferences into account, you’ll be able to find the right planning tool for your next event.
Which Event Management Software Feature Is Most Helpful For You?
Choosing the right event management platform is essential for a successful event. By considering the key features to look for, you can be sure that you’re choosing a platform that meets your needs and helps you achieve your event goals.
So, which event management feature is most helpful for you? Is it the option to create custom event pages? Integrate with social media? Customize registration pages? Even if it’s something else entirely, make sure to consider it when making your decision.If you’re still not sure which tool is right for you, don’t hesitate to ask for help. The right event management platform can assist you in putting on a successful event by providing customized, end-to-end ticket management, marketing/promotion, and sponsorship solutions. To learn more about how Events.com can meet your needs, talk to one of our specialists today.
