Event Management Software

As an event manager, you know how much is involved in organizing an event. From invitations to marketing and from internal communication to staff planning: an event manager keeps many plates spinning at the same time. Event management software can make your work a lot easier. But how do you make the right choice from the huge number of providers? We will help you on your way.

Why event management software?

Until recently, many event managers worked with separate software tools for different aspects of event organization. For example, they used a separate registration program for the invitees, along with a special tool for project management and a separate program for marketing. Because not all programs can exchange information with each other, this often resulted in extra work.

Nowadays, event managers increasingly choose a single, complete solution in the form of event management software (EMS). This software bundles everything involved in event management into one platform. From registration to invoicing and everything in between.

The big advantage of EMS is that as an event manager, you not only have all the information available in one tool, but also that the data in the tool can be effectively used for a subsequent event and provides great insight into the numbers. That makes organizing a congress, festival, or trade show a lot more efficient.

How do you choose the right event management software?

Are you diving into the world of event management software? Then you will quickly discover that the offering is enormous. A few tips to make the choice easier:

1.     Choose software that fits the scale of your events

One size fits all certainly does not apply to EMS. Because for a large international congress, you need more complex software than for a small and manageable event. So choose software that fits the type of events you organize. It is a waste to purchase a large and expensive software package when you could get by with a simpler program.

2.     Compare prices carefully

In addition, costs naturally play a role. The purchase of EMS usually comes with a price tag. That can be off-putting, but keep in mind that there is a good chance you will quickly earn back the investment. You will work more efficiently and ticket sales will get a boost with the right use of the software. Nevertheless, it pays to compare different EMS providers on price.

3.     Check if the software is white label

Have a software program in mind? Then check if it is white label. This means that you can communicate all expressions – such as emails, invitations, and the website – in the corporate identity of your own organization or client.

4.     Read reviews and ask around

Our final tip: the internet is crawling with reviews. What do event managers write (or say) about the software? Information from other users can be very valuable in making the right choice. Capterra is a good platform for this, which compares and reviews all kinds of software.

Event management software to keep an eye on

There is a lot of professional, innovative event management software available. This list is therefore certainly not exhaustive, but these are five providers that you as an event manager can keep an eye on:

Momice

The originally Dutch Momice offers all-in-one software for event professionals: from registration, tickets, and website building to invitation emails, statistics, and surveys. The software is GDPR compliant, which is important because a lot of customer data is often processed during events. The Dutch-speaking team at Momice provides training so you can master the software in no time.

Dashboard features from Momice on Vimeo.

Eventbrite

Eventbrite is a major American player in the event market, best known for ticket sales. But Eventbrite also has a cloud-based app specifically for event managers. And that app contains virtually all facets involved in organizing an event. The on-site tools for visitor entry are very handy. Mobile tickets, for example, can be scanned at lightning speed. Eventbrite has people available for planning and advice on-site, as they have an office in Amsterdam.

Azavista

Another Amsterdam-based provider of all-in-one event software: Azavista. The company was founded by a number of web and IT specialists in collaboration with a group of professionals from the travel and event industry. Azavista's software helps you with task and project management, visitor registration, building an event app, and booking hotels, venues, and speakers, among other things.

Cvent

The software from Cvent is used by event managers in more than 100 countries. With Cvent, you can easily set up multi-channel marketing campaigns. Are you organizing an event abroad? Cvent has a global database of suitable locations. Also very handy: during the event, you can keep track of everything via the real-time dashboard, from visitor numbers to live survey results.

Aventri

The American cloud-based open-source platform Aventri went by the name etouches until July 2018. With the new name – a portmanteau of the words avenue, events, and entry – the company wants to profile itself even more as an innovative pioneer in the event management software market. A great thing about Aventri is that the software can be fully customized to the event manager's needs. Of course, with Aventri, you also get the essential modules for registration, data analysis, marketing, and task management.

Organizing an event in Amsterdam? Theater Amsterdam is the ultimate venue for your congress, conference, or concert. Want to know more? Feel free to contact us.