Guide to Event Marketing Software
Event marketing software is a type of software that helps users to manage events, from start to finish. This includes everything from setting up the event, organizing guests and sponsors, creating promotional materials, tracking activity during the event, and even closing out after it's finished.
The primary function of event marketing software is to provide an automated system for managing all aspects of running an event. It offers tools for planning the event timeline; customizing invites; creating agendas and itineraries; organizing guest lists and RSVPs; managing vendors and payments; building digital promotions; tracking attendance data; conducting post-event surveys; generating reports on event performance; and more. Event marketing software often integrates with other business applications such as email marketing platforms or CRM systems to help streamline activities.
Benefits of using this kind of software include improved efficiency in managing events, being able to run multiple events simultaneously with ease, better visibility into different aspects of each individual event (such as attendee engagement levels), easier access to important documents like contracts or waivers for vendors or attendees, lower costs associated with staffing needs for each event due to use of automated processes, and improved agility when responding quickly to changes or unexpected issues during the course of an event.
Event marketing software can vary significantly in features depending on the platform chosen. For instance, some offer full project management capabilities while others focus only on specific tasks like registration management or ticketing services. In addition, many are cloud-based solutions meaning they can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection which allows for remote team collaboration if needed. Depending upon your unique needs it is important to research different options carefully before making a purchase decision so that you get the right set up at the best price point possible.
Features Offered by Event Marketing Software
- Event Scheduling: Event marketing software allows users to easily plan, schedule and organize events. This feature typically includes a calendar view of upcoming events, ability to set reminders for deadlines, and ability to access a variety of different types of event-related data.
- Database Management: Event marketing software provides an easy way to store, manage and access all relevant event-related data. This feature usually includes the ability to search by keywords or filters and export this information into different formats such as Excel or PDF.
- Registration Management: Managing event registrations is made simple with event marketing software as users are able to track registration progress, create custom registration forms, process payments for tickets and collect guest information prior to the event.
- Email Marketing: Most event marketing software packages allow users to send out promotional emails prior to the start of an event in order easily keep track of who has registered and who hasn't yet responded. Customized messages can be sent directly from the program in order to target specific audiences or groups.
- Reporting & Analytics: After an event has taken place, many events management solutions provide detailed reporting capabilities that give users insight into how their events have been received by attendees as well as what could have been done better next time around. This feature generally includes charts and visualizations based on attendee feedback along with other metrics related to ticket sales, registrations etc.
- Social Media Integration: Many modern events management solutions offer integrated social media features which make it easier for organizers to promote their events via various platforms such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. With this feature you’re also able track engagement levels across each channel throughout your promotional efforts leading up the launch date.
What Are the Different Types of Event Marketing Software?
- Event Registration Software - Event registration software provides an interface for event organizers to manage the event registration process. It enables users to create and customize event registration forms, accept payments, schedule events, track attendance and more.
- Email Marketing Software - Email marketing software allows event organizers to create effective email campaigns for their events. It includes features such as custom templates, list segmentation, integration with other software and analytics capabilities.
- Social Media Management Software - Social media management software helps event organizers manage their presence on social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. It allows them to post content regularly, track mentions of their events and engage with followers in real-time.
- Analytics Software - Analytics software is used by event organizers to gain insights into the performance of their events. This type of software is designed to provide detailed data regarding attendance, engagement levels and customer satisfaction ratings.
- Venue Management Software - Venue management software helps event planners manage venue related tasks such as scheduling bookings and managing payment processes. It also allows venues to easily coordinate different services like catering or transport with the help of a single unified system.
- Event Planning Software - Event planning software enables planners to organize all aspects of an upcoming event including budgeting, scheduling tasks, tracking progress and coordinating activities across multiple teams or departments.
Recent Trends Related to Event Marketing Software
- Increased demand for comprehensive event planning software: Event marketing software is becoming increasingly popular as businesses and organizations look for more comprehensive solutions to streamline their event planning activities. This software provides features such as tracking registrations and ticket sales, creating promotional materials, and integrating with social media platforms.
- Improved data analysis capabilities: Event marketing software is now equipped with powerful data analysis capabilities that allow users to better track and analyze attendee data, engagement metrics, sales results, and more. This data can then be used to optimize future events.
- Increased focus on mobile functionality: As the use of mobile devices continues to grow, event marketing software providers are investing in making their products accessible on mobile devices. This allows event planners to access essential information while on the go and make last-minute changes quickly and easily.
- Automation of routine tasks: Many event marketing software programs now offer automation features that can help streamline mundane tasks such as scheduling emails or sending out notifications to attendees. This allows event planners to focus their energy on more important tasks.
- Integration with other systems: Event marketing software is becoming increasingly integrated with other business systems such as accounting or customer relationship management (CRM) software. This allows users to easily transfer information between different platforms for a more streamlined workflow.
Benefits Provided by Event Marketing Software
- Cost Savings: Event marketing software can save organizations a lot of money by streamlining operations and helping them better manage their resources. This includes eliminating manual processes such as data entry, printing costs, time spent on follow-up activities, and more.
- Automation: Event marketing software automates many of the tedious tasks associated with event management. This includes registration, communication, engagement tracking, surveys, and data analysis.
- Simplification: Event marketing software can simplify complex processes by providing tools that allow users to easily customize the event experience for different audience segments. For example, they can create targeted campaigns with customized messages and track performance in real-time.
- Improved Analytics: Event marketing software provides insights into customer behavior that would be difficult or impossible to obtain without automated analytics capabilities. This helps event planners understand their customers’ preferences and make better decisions about future events.
- Increased Engagement: By leveraging powerful engagement features such as live polls, real-time notifications, personalized content delivery, and gamification capabilities like leaderboards, event marketing software can help increase attendee interest and participation levels.
- Reporting Tools: Event marketing software provides reporting tools that enable users to report on key metrics such as ROI (return on investment), conversion rates, lead generation results, ticket sales data and attendee feedback. These reports are invaluable when it comes to understanding how successful an event was and making improvements for future events.
How to Find the Right Event Marketing Software
Selecting the right event marketing software depends on your needs and budget. Here are some steps to help you choose the best event marketing software for your needs:
- Identify Your Needs - Before selecting an event marketing software, it’s important to identify exactly what you’ll need from the system. Consider factors such as audience size, budget, types of events, features required, and any integrations or other plugins that may be necessary.
- Research Available Options - Research different event marketing software options to compare features, pricing models, user feedback, and more. Read reviews to better understand how users rate the product and contact vendors directly with questions or feature requests.
- Compare Costs & Plans - Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential event marketing software solutions, consider their cost and plan options to ensure they meet your needs in terms of features and budget.
- Test & Evaluate Products - Request free trials or demos of products so you can test them out before making a final decision. This will give you an opportunity to evaluate both the product itself as well as its customer service team in case you have any issues down the line!
- Make Your Decision - Based on all of your research and testing, select the event marketing software that best meets your needs in terms of features and price point!
Use the comparison engine on this page to help you compare event marketing software by their features, prices, user reviews, and more.
Types of Users that Use Event Marketing Software
- Event Planners: Professionals in charge of organizing meetings, conferences, trade shows, and other types of events. They use event marketing software to manage everything from logistics to budgeting.
- Venue Managers: Individuals responsible for coordinating certain aspects of an event such as catering, décor, and audio/visual services. They use event marketing software to keep track of all the details associated with each venue.
- Sales Teams: Professional sales staff who promote their products or services at specific events and use event marketing software to target potential prospects and generate leads.
- Speakers & Facilitators: Individuals who present topics or conduct workshops at events and need access to attendee lists and other important information. Event marketing software helps them stay organized so they can put on a successful presentation or workshop.
- Attendees: Consumers who want access to information about upcoming events including location details, schedule, ticket prices, special offers, etc. Event marketing software provides them with all the necessary details they need before attending an event.
- Sponsors & Exhibitors: Companies that pay for promotional opportunities at certain events such as booths or workshops that showcase their products or services. Event marketing software allows them to keep track of which opportunities are available and how much they are paying for those opportunities.
Event Marketing Software Cost
The cost of event marketing software can vary greatly depending on the specific needs and requirements of your business. The most basic event marketing software packages typically start around $50 per month, with more robust solutions costing anywhere from $99 to $299 per month for the basic setup. Additionally, there are often additional costs associated with premium features such as custom integrations, advanced analytics capabilities, or complex reporting.
In addition to monthly subscription fees, there may also be one-time setup fees associated with some systems which can range from several hundred to a few thousand dollars. Furthermore, if your business requires dedicated customer support or specialized training services beyond what is included in the subscription package, then you should factor that into your budget as well.
Also keep in mind that certain event marketing software solutions offer discounts based on the length of your contract - so it's worth considering multiple options and negotiating before committing to any solution long-term. Ultimately, determining exactly how much you'll need to invest in an event marketing software platform will depend on the size and scope of your events as well as which features you decide are essential for helping promote and manage them effectively.
Types of Software that Event Marketing Software Integrates With
Event marketing software can integrate with many different types of software, depending on the user's needs. For example, customer relationship management (CRM) software helps businesses track customer interactions and manage data related to customers. This type of software can be integrated with event marketing software to provide more comprehensive insights into the success of the event. Additionally, analytics and reporting tools can be used to measure the performance of an event and analyze its impact on a company's bottom line. Social media management tools are also useful for promoting events to a larger audience, and they can be easily integrated with event marketing software. Finally, project management tools help companies keep track of tasks related to organizing an event, and these tools are often synced directly with event marketing software in order to streamline the process.