When it comes to putting on an event, whether a large scale conference or small meet up, it is often perceived that the devil is in the detail and that the planning stages are most crucial for success. While it's undeniable that planning an event down to every detail is incredibly important, managing it effectively is imperative.
Keeping track of the budget, marketing efforts, messaging and ticket sales will help transform any event from good to great and will ensure that you're getting the most for your money.
Luckily, there are a number of innovative and engaging event management platforms that can help you get the job done. Here's a breakdown of the 5 best event management software platforms and what they can offer you.
TicketSource
TicketSource is an easy way to get a real-time picture of the success of your event, giving plenty of time to adjust your efforts and secure the best conversion rate possible.
TicketSource is a one-stop-shop for event planners that offers a completely free service, letting you manage your event, give your tickets for free (including free ticketing for free events), offer low customer booking fees for paid events and a range of intuitive marketing features that will help reach new audiences.
Not only does this event management software offer a great range of services without a cost, it also provides live event reporting so that you can check in on your progress at any time, as well as a host of comprehensive post-event reporting tools from its online dashboard.
This cloud-based service is a nifty tool for event newbies and novices alike, and lets you offer a range of vouchers and discounts as an incentive for customers. It also connects with Mailchimp allowing you to offer tailored email communications to your event attendees — for free.
Cvent
If you're looking for an all-singing, all-dancing event management platform, then perhaps Cvent could be an option for you. This incredibly sophisticated strategic tool will help you from every angle of your event — from planning to execution.
Its custom dashboard is set up to assist you with everything from sourcing a venue to organising travel for attendees to your event. It even offers solutions for organising meetings within your team.
You'll be able to customise your website events, market your events using personalised emails, sell tickets online, and process any payments for your event.
It also works on a cloud-based platform, providing a range of reports and analysis both during and after your event for a thorough holistic view of your event's success.
Cvent offers its users a free trial before moving to a quote-based plan, so it's worth a shot if you're an events professional looking for a sleek platform.
Gather
Gather is an event management platform which seeks to streamline the process of booking an event for both attendees and the event hosts.
It works with your website to source leads directly, expands your reach with listings across its booking network, and gathers your leads in its cloud-based platform from where you can manage each lead directly.
Paired with a mobile app, Gather lets you manage your events on the go, helping you out with templates and proposals as well as all the analytics you might need to determine the success of your event.
You can enjoy a free demo of the Gather software, but full access is a paid service split by your standard Gather platform and Gather for enterprise.
EventMobi
If you need a tool that facilitates event management while on the go, then EventMobi is a great app-based platform that will get the job done.
EventMobi strives to act as the complete package for attendees of your events, grouping together all the information they might need about your event in one place and providing real-time analytics too.
At its best when organising conferences, or corporate events with multiple workshops, talks or time-slots, EventMobi lets your attendees build personalised schedules, access important maps and engage with related content.
You can customise EventMobi so that your event is completely on brand and deliver a truly personalised experience to all of your attendees.
There are a range of pricing packages available depending on your budget, so the cost of EventMobi will differ depending on your needs.
Aventri
Aventri offers an online event management system that is designed to help you grow your event attendance, to centralise the event management, and to increase your results.
Its platform helps you to promote your event through a range of multi-channel marketing campaigns, build a matching website with its event website builder, and manage it through a range of tools that will help you set it up, manage ticketing, and integrate with a host of other apps.
Offering real-time dashboards, you'll be able to make informed decisions on your event management as well as tracking your performance against your KPIs and goals.
You can sign up for a personalised demo before moving to a quote-based payment plan for Aventri's services.
Conclusion
To find the event management platform that will meet your needs, it's important to determine which kind of event you're looking to run. These 5 different event platforms each offer innovative and comprehensive tools which can help you plan, execute, and report the success of your event. Though depending on scale, some may be more suited than others to the specific needs of the business.
Regardless of your budget, the scale of your event or the resource within your team, utilising an event management platform will help you to increase your return of investment and ensure your event is a success.
