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In short, an Event Management System (or Event Management Software) is a tool to assist organizers with the planning, execution, and management of their events. Examples of such events include music concerts, conferences, exhibitions, festivals, ceremonies, sporting events, and many more.
Event management software can come in two forms. The first is a software designed for handling specific processes, such as ticketing or registration, and the latter is an all-in-one software designed to cater to every aspect of event management.
How does it relate to the phases of event management?
An event management software can address various activities and milestones within the event management lifecycle. Below are the phases of event management and a description of each…
Planning
This is the stage where you will decide on your goals and objectives of the event. A list of potential contributors and venues should be contacted to touch base on availability, interest and more.
It’s important to set a budget and objectives early as they are vital to measure your decisions against. Thinking of potential risks or problems that could occur can often be overlooked, but without prior preparation minor issues can result in disaster for your event and reputation.
Design/Implementation
This stage is where you will design your event, from the agenda, to booking speakers and initiating your marketing plan. The more in depth your planning is, the easier this stage will be.
Ensure your brand identity and unique voice are easily identifiable across all outputs. This is where you will get your event management software up and running if you have chosen to go with one.
Execution/Moderation
This is what all the hard work leads to. The day of the event should be the easy part if you stuck to a well thought out plan and implemented it with care. The amount of work to be done will vary based on how automated your processes are (again, the choice of Event Management Software matters). Regardless, a few unforeseen issues will likely crop up so having procedures in place to deal with them professionally, could shape your attendees’ perception of your organisation.
Evaluation
Measuring the analytics against your goals will determine whether your event was a success. However, collecting feedback from attendees and analysing their behaviour (if you had interactive portions of the agenda) during the event can provide useful insight into ways to improve for the future.
This stage will be a lot more challenging without an Event Management System, as you’ll likely be going off raw ticket sales data and having to reach out to attendees manually.
What is event management software and what are its uses?
There’s no doubt that event software can help streamline your event planning process, improve attendee engagement, and better connect your conference-goers. As new technology and software continue to develop, it’s becoming clear that event planners need to start utilizing some type of software for their events in order to stay on top of trends and keep their attendees coming back year-after-year.
The popularity of Event Management Software has grown significantly in the last 5 years, the global market value has increased to $11.06b in 2022, up from $6.38 in 2017. 89% of businesses using event technology save roughly 200 hours per year, 20% see 360+ hours saved per year and 92% of marketers believe event software makes it easier to achieve business outcomes.
There are a multitude of benefits to using Event Management Software beyond the aforementioned time saving. An event management system allows you to:
- Reduce administration workload
- Prevent missed communications
- Digitize how your events are run
- Maximize flexibility
- Save time planning events
- Access in-depth reports & analytics
- Customize to fit your unique branding
- Learn quickly with a simple User Interface
What are its features?
Secure Ticketing System
Most likely the largest driver of revenue will be from tickets. So it is imperative tickets can be purchased safely and quickly, with full transparency on pricing (e.g. VAT, booking fee etc.)
Live Onsite Check-ins
Analytics are important when reviewing the performance of your event. The ability to see the number of attendees increase immediately as they check in can give a valuable insight.
Custom Website Builder
The increased visibility and potential to add features that fit the needs of the business (e.g. social integration, contact forms etc.) can really separate a EMS software from its competitors. Sponsors could be given a prominent position on the website, which can be a valuable prospect when trying to secure partnerships or funding.
How to choose one?
To find the right management and planning software for your event, you and your team must consider your goals, needs and current problem areas. Decide which areas could use the reduce workload, and what processes will help you meet or exceed your goals.
Consider these types of questions as you evaluate your options:
- Will the software support remote and hybrid events?
- Does the software support the required devices?
- Does it have customization and personalization options?
- Do you have full autonomy over the full customer experience, and do you have other support options for each you don’t want to manually control?
- Can the platform sustain your number of attendees, whilst retaining strong security and safety features?
- Does it have tools for engagement, such as networking, private messaging one-on-one, breakout sessions, games (live and interactive), and feedback (live or post event surveys)?
- Does the software have the correct integrations (e.g. Facebook)?
- Is your current software compatible?
- Can you create a mobile app?
- Are the reporting and analytics tools detailed enough for your needs?
- How will I measure success? Is the software necessary to achieve it?
- Will I have to hire someone to manage the software?
- Does it fit your budget?
- Am I willing to pay extra for the right solution?
Some software will offer a free trial to help you get an idea of how well these questions are answered. There are numerous review sites which can give you their firsthand experience, which could help the initial narrowing down phase. Compare the features against the pricing to ensure maximum value.
Do you want to know how technology can help you in managing events before, during and after they happen? Book a demo today.