 |
|
|
Extremely Useful
7.1
out of 10
|
|
| |
|
| |
Planning a marketing event, meeting or conference can turn even the most cool-headed business owner into a nervous wreck. There's so much to consider: date, theme, location, guest list, invitations and replies, food, setup, social time and thank-you notes, not to mention staying within budget. Can you rely on a committee to keep track of it all? Yes — but you can streamline even further by using event-planning software as your right-hand assistant. Here's why: - The software works like a roomful of assistants. It helps you locate vendors, store data about them, check out music and numerous other Web-related tasks at the touch of a keyboard. It also tracks registrations, creates badges, generates letters and gives you an event-end report on attendance and budget.
- It eliminates the need for hard-to-track printouts and bulky binders.
- Most planning software includes a journaling feature that lets you pour out your thoughts on the event the way you might not be able to do with a committee — what you want to accomplish, how you want the event to look, sound and feel, and what you want attendees to remember most about it.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Know your needs
There are dozens of event-planning software choices on the market. A comparison of features will help you pick the product right for your company.
I recommend: Corbin Ball Associates offers frequently asked questions about event-planning software, plus links to articles describing vendors and their programs and discussing the tasks that software can do.
Make a choice
If you have doubts, start with a low-cost program and move up to something more sophisticated.
I recommend: VIP Organizer costs less than $100 and is good for uncomplicated events. ServiceCEO can handle larger companies and more complex events. Wingate Web wins praise from mid-size companies.
Go for the Web
Wary of software? Not sure whether it's worth the investment? Some experts characterize online tools as the next generation in event planning, predicting that many software producers will soon be offering Web-based tools.
I recommend: EnnectEvent, an award-winning Web-based program, lets you manage registration and contacts, customize event items with your logo, even create a URL for the event. Corbin Ball Associates provides links to other Web-based event-planning tools.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Simple software costs less than $100. For high-end, enterprise applications, software involving company-wide data flow and accounting can cost from a few thousand dollars to more than $100,000.
- Choose a vendor offering a help desk or other support to handle your questions as you install and use your software.
- Insist on trying a demonstration version before buying.
The official source of Event Planning Software is the Event Planning Software page at Business.com
Featured Vendors
Event Planning Software Via the WebConference registration & hotel reservation event management software. Including GDS Housing, Fixed & Ad hoc Reporting, Invitation, Budgeting & more.
www.emeetingsonline.com Event Manager Power ToolsEventbrite gives you everything you need to publish, promote and sell out your event on the web.
Eventbrite.com Online Event Planning SoftwareEasy to use & affordable Online Event Planning Software Solution. Includes custom website, online registration, payment & reporting. View demo today!
www.turnstilesystems.com Event Management Software DirectoryCompare event management software using Capterra's free, comprehensive directory.
Capterra.com
Subscribe to
Try our free weekly WhatWorks newsletter, with business how-to advice & resources from Work.com.
|
Recommended Solution Providers | Back to top |
|
Online event planning, including event registration, email marketing, and reporting.
Online software for planning, organizing, and operating conferences and meetings.
Software for tracking schedules, expenses, budgets, staffing, and shipping for events.
Provider of event marketing software.
|
|
Best Sites to Learn More | Back to top |
|
Planning guides and articles for holding corporate events.
Collection of tips and ideas covering different aspects of meetings and events.
|
|
Best Blogs and Forums | Back to top |
|
Forum for discussing event planning strategies and for finding help.
|
|
Is any content on this page inappropriate? To let us know, please click here.
|
|
 |
|
Ads by Google
Projects, tasks, issues, resources manage it all online - free trial.
Use ExtraView for free. Web-based. Robust. Scalable. Not a trial.
Easily Track Employee Time/Expenses Towards Projects. Try It Free Now!
Web Based Time Tracking and Tasks. Be up and running in minutes!
 |
|
Related Guides
|
|
 |
|
Ads by Google
Online Access, Free During Beta Easy to Use Project Planning Tool
Plan, track, and manage unlimited projects in one easy-to-use system
Wedding & Event Planning & Room Layout software for consultants
Learn What You Need To Know.
Make your own Membership Website Try it now - Free Trial!
|
 |
|
Related Topics
|
|
 |
| |
|
|