10 Event Planning Tools That Every Marketer Should Use

Imagine a human with 100 hands. That’s exactly how an event manager looks before and on D-day. Regardless of how simple or complicated, every event necessitates meticulous planning, preparation, and management. The shift from an offline to an online event has demanded even more event planning tools for resources like live polling, real-time updates, attendance tracking, online registration solutions, lead retrieval abilities, etc.

However, there is one thing that makes all of this easier. It seamlessly integrates everything, breaks it into simpler parts, and is no less than a blessing for event planners. We are talking about event management software and event management tools.

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What Are Event Planning Tools?

Event management software is a collection of enterprise solutions covering all aspects of planning an event. Some software is end-to-end systems that can provide tools for the entire event planning process. Others are apps that target specific event-organizing processes, such as: 

• Event Registration
• Ticket sales
• Floorplanning
• Venues
• Schedules
• Analytics
• Event promotion
• Surveys
• Attendee count and many more

Without these event planning tools or event management software, the organizers would have to do more work. A good event tool saves time, energy, effort, reduces the pressure on the team, and offers instant solutions.

Problems in Event Planning

Budget –

As an event planner, it is normal to fantasize about providing seamless, interactive, engaging, and lasting memories for your attendees, teams, and clients. Regretfully, most of the time, you are working with significant budget limitations, making it extremely difficult to turn vision into action.

Pro tip: You can consider getting event sponsorships for your event. Even finding sponsorship for charity events is doable too.

Vendor –

Finding vendors is no big deal. But here’s the catch. Unlike before, the market today is overflowing with services. 100s of vendors are offering the same thing at different prices.

How do you find the most trustworthy and appropriate vendors for your event, given that the quality requirements change from one event to another? That’s something you need to answer as an event planner.

Time Management –

The ability to keep track of time and save time is a skill mastered only by a few. Believing that you have a lot of time before the date of your future events is a myth. The best event management teams start planning for an event well in advance and keep a planning calendar.

Minute Details –

As event organizers, you are required to think out of the box. And what happens when you do that? You need to manage and take care of the little things. These little things can be minute details for registration or marketing campaigns, a tool you need to pull off an entry, props for attendee engagement, etc. 

Multiple Projects –

Handling multiple projects is synonymous with multi-tasking and the constant need to shift between the needs of the two. As a result, there are high chances that you might confuse the ideas, requirements, and progress of one with another.

Proposals –

A brainstorming session to finalize ideas for an event looks like everyone talking at once. Some stand out from the others, whereas some enhance other ideas. As a result, it is vital to note all these ideas. Even if you aren’t using them. However, saving all of them is not as easy as it looks, and what if you lose a few brilliant ideas?

Large Crowds –

If you anticipate large crowds, you must devise a method to register everyone. This is where the difficulty arises. A platform that efficiently registers a few hundred people may not be as effective for huge audiences. So, finding an event registration tool that can quickly and effectively handle a large crowd without errors becomes critical.

Workflow Adjustment –

Ensuring that everyone is well-coordinated and knows their duties is vital to the success of any event. Furthermore, it is essential that the team and workflow stay in sync. Unfortunately, event organizers often need to set the flow again. But what happens when you make the changes but not everyone is aware of it?

Things To Consider Before Using an Event planning tool

Technology is rapidly changing. As a result, staying adaptive is a difficult task for most people.

While buying event management software or an event management tool, one must consider the following aspects:

Is your event planning tool Easy to Use? 

The utility of an event management system depends on its ease of use. The features should simplify the problem, not complicate it. Not everyone is tech-savvy. Most of them even find it hard to operate simple tools and navigate through simple apps.

As a result, it is vital to ensure that your event management software is simple to use for everyone – the event planning team, attendees, and event sponsors.

Is the Price Justified for the planning tool? 

The market offers both free and paid software solutions to overcome the challenges in the event planning process. Though highly-priced software comes with advanced features, there are chances that your business won’t need it.

List your must-have features and compare them with the prices to find if the software to the tool is worth the investment.

Does the tool Integrate Multiple Aspects?

Different software solutions integrate different aspects or features. Choose a software that provides an all-in-one event ticketing solution. You can manage your event end-to-end, almost effortlessly, with a single tool rather than switching between tools.

Can Everyone Access it Together? 

For everyone to stay on the same page, the data must be accessible to everyone at once. While most project management systems offer features like cross-department access, some are only for specific purposes and do not allow communication or sharing.

Will it Help Me Meet My Goals?

Avoid the desire to buy the latest event app. It is critical to understand your goals and the problems you intend to address. If a free trial is available, take advantage of it! Put it through a test to ensure it lives up to your expectations and achieves the objectives.

Will I Get Quick Support? 

Ask the company how often they upgrade the software or the event app. If they don’t update it regularly and fix the bugs, there are high chances that the system will start lagging. In no time, the system will be rendered useless. Furthermore, if you face any issue with the software, will the company help you solve it within a stipulated time? If not, the problem will put everything else on hold.

Is the Software Safe For Use?

Safety comes first, and it is non-negotiable. If your event planning software requires people to enter their data, it must be kept confidential.

Read and review the security page of your event planning software for the same. You can also get the security page review by a compliance officer or a lawyer to avoid compliance issues later on. 

What Are the Uses of Tools of Planning in an Event?

Best event ticketing companies are the ones that make efficient use of event planning software. Following are the few best uses of event management tools in event management:

Analytics and Tracking

An efficient event management solution will help you track every detail and maintain a record. This makes it easier to detect errors and find a solution at the earliest possible.

A comprehensive event planning tool with all necessary information like event details, social media promotion statistics, attendee reports, event marketing schedule, and partnering venues acts as a huge box. You don’t need to open other platforms, design event websites, or tools to get the information. It acts as an all-in-one platform.

Coordination

Successful events require coordination. Event planning tools can help you track the work of all departments. Some event planning tools allow you to create event boards where the team members can drag and drop ideas.

This ensures that all ideas related to an event are on specific boards based on event types or themes. If there is a communication gap, the member can simply check the app or the tool to cross-check, allowing other users (teammates) to be better informed.

Automation and Efficiency

Event management software can save the data of attendees for sending automatic updates for future events to increase the event registration form filling and attendee count.

You can customize the colour palettes, typefaces, visuals, and details to your preference. The software also allows for the automatic generation of a comprehensive report on every aspect of the system.

Furthermore, it is easy to schedule your mailers using a predefined HTML invite template for sending the content via these emails. 

Top 10 Event Planning Tools and Software

1. AllEvents

AllEvents is an event discovery platform that allows you to create, present, market, and sell event tickets. If you want to build a community and reach a larger audience, All Events can be your ideal choice. They can reach out to your target audience for any event – a fundraiser, an online event, or a hybrid event. 

Key Features of AllEvents: 

• SEO-optimized event discovery platform
• Automated event marketing tools such as booking reminders, lead follow-ups
• Guided event page for easy and customized event page designing
• Unlimited ticket types like early bird registration, discount codes, general or VIP tickets
• In-depth ticket sales analysis report, which includes information about leads, ticket sales, check-ins, and affiliates
• Customizable forms for all organizers 
• Delegated account executives to assist event planners in special use cases 
• Direct payment options via multiple payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe
• Seamless event plugin for your website

PS: AllEvents also provides free event website to event planners.

2. Eventbrite

Eventbrite is a ticketing and event technology platform that assists businesses in organizing and selling tickets. It hosts a wide range of events like workshops, concerts, conferences, film and music festivals, etc.. It can handle everything from simple registration and ticket booking to full-fledged event management.

Here are some key features of Eventbrite: 

• Easy sign-up and simplistic event page building 
• Rapid check-in through phones and secure checkout 
• Available as for android and iOS users and as a cloud-based SaaS
• Real-time data and analytics to manage your ticket sales
• Seamless integration with Zapier, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, and Surveymonkey
• Online & chat support 
• Different packages as per your need 

Pro tip: Even Top Eventbrite Alternatives do a great job in a budget-friendly way.

3. Whova

Whova is an event management platform. It is designed to help you manage your virtual events, in-person events, or hybrid events from start to finish.

Key Features of Whova: 

• Multi-purpose software for the following purposes: online event registration, event website creation, events like Casino marketing, live streaming hybrid events, audience on YouTube, and more 
• Event management dashboard for event registration, promotion, and event management
• Available for Android, iOS, blackberry, and windows users, as well as a cloud-based SaaS
• Interactive maps for organizers and users 
• Document sharing for easy tracking 
• Easily integrates with Zapier and Twitter 
• Ability to synchronize your RSVP list from Eventbrite
• Valuable feedback via web traffic analytics, live polls, mobile surveys

4. Event Mobi

You can interact with guests at all points in the event and after the event with this event management tool. 

Key Features of Event Mobi: 

• Customizable interface for easy navigation for all
• 1-to-1 messaging, real-time activity feed, and group discussion tools for networking
• Try out features like gamification, live polling, and activity feeds through a real-time monitor with a 14-day trial period
• Seamless integration with CRM systems, ticketing solutions, marketing automation tools, association management systems (AMS), and other event management systems (EMS)
• Analytics and live reporting for understanding attendee behavior and event app adoption
• Customer help with a live rep, and online, via email. 

5. Slack

A good tool for team communication, it has also been used for event session interaction. Slack makes it easy to create different networks for different subjects within one workspace. It is suitable for companies of all kinds, from startups to Fortune 500.

Key Features of Slack: 

• Private and public channels for communication and discussion. 
• Seamless integration of collaboration tools for centralizing notifications, files, and data
• Automated reminders by slackbot to track your daily go-to list
• Slack message chain with yourself for note-taking and data sharing for future use
• Powerful search within the app and the channel specifically 

6. Cvent

Cvent’s event management platform simplifies and automates the entire event planning process, whether it’s for an in-person, hybrid, or virtual (online) event. Registration, check-in procedures, meeting and event marketing automation, attendee data collection, and virtually any other task you can think of are all possible. 

Key Features of Cvent: 

• Simple to use navigation menu 
• Duplicate an old event for quick use 
• Self-registration capabilities where attendees make changes, cancel, or request a refund directly.
• Site Designer functionality for easy branded website creation
• Advance fraud monitoring for protected payments for attendees 
• Easy integration with CRM tool, marketing automation tools, web conferencing software, hospitality and travel systems, and expense tracking software 
• Live polling with more than 100 standard reports, attendee tracking, lead capture, or real-time dashboards for insights.

7. Eventzilla

Eventzilla is for event registration and marketing. It enables the creation of branded event websites, engaging your attendees, promoting your event, and managing it. 

Key features: 

• User-friendly navigation menu 
• Comprehensive mobile app with all the necessary information   
• Organizers can use the mobile app to track sales, revenue, attendance in real-time and check-in attendees
• Multiple registration flows and self-service options
• Automated waitlist and approvals along with customizable registration emails and reminders.
• Easy embedding of registration widget on your website, blog, or sell tickets on Facebook page
• Available on Android and iOS 

8. Monday

Monday.com assists teams in planning and executing projects collaboratively. Everything can be organized and tracked in a single aesthetic unified dashboard. 

Key Features: 

• Timesheets, automated notices, personalized workflows, and timeline views
• All your data (including conversations) in a single place
• Auto-pilot feature to automate small tasks 
• Easy-to-navigate visual interface for tracking progress, collaboration, and management 
• Available as cloud-based Saas and mobile apps (Android and iOS)
• Event planning tools and templates like Calendar view, Chart view, Files view, Kanban view, Map view, and Timeline view
• Seamlessly integrates with Gmail, Jira, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Slack, Excel, Trello, and more.
• 24/7 customer support with a live rep and online in under 7 minutes 
• Compliant with the highest security standards

If you are looking for a similar tool, check out this Monday Alternative

9. Boomset

Boomset is an all-in-one event attendance-monitoring concept that integrates check-in, badge printing on demand, and invite list management. 

Key Features:

• Innovative elements without sacrificing the quality and security 
• Endless features like attendee management, attendee tracking, customizable post-event survey forms, data synchronization, event registration, QR codes, and gamification
• Organizers can track attendees using RFID-enabled wristbands in addition to face detection check-in.
• Enables signature collection via mobile apps for signing terms and conditions, NDA, etc
• Brandable lead retrieval for capturing leads and conversation notes
• Real-time notifications and updates for monitoring available seats
• Scorecard feature that displays the attendee’s interactive journey for encouraging them to increase their score 
• Available as cloud-based SaaS and on Android and iOS mobiles.

10. Trello

Trello is a collaborative project management system that allows you to visually structure your work and tasks. It’s a simplistic way to keep track of what is being worked on, who’s collaborating on what, and the progress of each task in your project. 

Key Features: 

• Simple user interface 
• Accessible via the web, desktop apps, and Android and iOS phones 
• Trello Butler for automating tasks like setup rules, scheduled commands, board buttons, etc
• Integrates with over 100 apps like Slack, Google Drive, Salesforce, Dropbox, Zendesk
• Power-ups like Corrello, Time Tracking and Reporting, and Big Picture for reports and analysis
• Different plans for different features

Summary

Undoubtedly, Event Planning Tools are a huge helping hand for organizers and an effective solution for most event problems. They single-handedly streamline and simplify the entire process, saving precious minutes and money. It is only wise to integrate these award-winning tools to plan successful events and stay on top of your game.