Several factors need to be considered while planning an event, from accommodations to registrations, marketing, and logistics. Ignoring these things can affect the event’s success and lead to unnecessary hassle later. If managing so many tasks becomes overwhelming, one can consider signing up for event booking software. The tool consolidates everything in one place, making managing the event a lot easier, saving time, and reducing the stress associated with planning.

Features to look for in an event booking software

1. Easy-to-use interface
A good event management system ensures that the task of creating an event is as effortless as possible. For this, the software’s user interface must be intuitive and simple, making it easy to input all the essential details of the event, such as the time, date, location, and ticket types. Besides this, it should be easy to modify and update the details whenever required. The platform should also have the flexibility to create different kinds of events, including networking events and conferences. Plus, it must feature the ability to set up recurring events like weekly, monthly, or quarterly, with just a few taps or clicks.

2. Seamless attendee management
One of the crucial aspects of any booking software for events is the capability to manage attendees. The system should allow a user to easily add, delete, and edit the participants and attendees of the event. In addition, it should allow a user to keep track of attendance and generate attendance reports. Such reports are often useful to monitor attendance when an event has multiple sessions. Besides this, the software must have the capability of sending reminders to the attendees so that they are up to date with the latest information associated with the event.

3. Integration with payment gateways
For events requiring attendees to purchase tickets, it is useful to integrate the booking software with a payment gateway. This integration makes managing ticket sales efficient and seamless for event organizers and attendees. Besides, payment gateway integration makes it convenient for attendees to use their preferred mode of payment without any hassles.

4. Custom forms
Using customizable forms opens up the possibility of collecting attendee information catering specifically to the event. For instance, if the event includes meals, the customizable form can have fields for food preferences, restrictions, and allergies. This allows organizers to gather information beyond the attendee’s name, email address, and phone number. In addition, customizable forms also make it easier to tailor the registration process for the specific event.

5. Email marketing capability
This is one of the key features that can be immensely useful in event booking software. It includes sending automated emails to participants and attendees, such as booking confirmation emails, follow-ups, and reminders. With this feature, it becomes quite convenient and easy for organizers to seamlessly communicate with the attendees and keep them updated with the latest information regarding the event. This saves a lot of time and effort, enabling organizers to focus on other critical tasks to make the event successful.

Benefits

1. Simplifies event management
Booking software simplifies the process of organizing and executing events. Everything required to manage and plan the event is consolidated in a single platform. Since a typical booking software allows registration, attendee management, and communication, it reduces a lot of time spent on project management.

2. Provides a centralized platform
While organizing an event, many aspects must be taken care of, such as scheduling, logistics, and communication with attendees. These various aspects are often interdependent. Sometimes, if one task gets stuck, the management of the entire event ends up hitting a roadblock. To avoid such situations, booking software can provide a centralized platform where everything can be managed with ease. From creating events to managing registrations, a single dedicated platform can handle everything without any hassles.

3. Lowers the cost of event management
The cost of purchasing an event booking software might be slightly expensive, with a pricing structure ranging from $20 to over $200 per month. Some platforms with the latest technology and features can cost as much as $900. While these costs seem higher, the long-term return on investment is quite substantial. This means organizers would save a lot of money on extra expenses when they utilize the various features of the booking software. For instance, there is no need to pay for a separate email marketing tool when the event booking software has this feature readily available.

Popular booking software for events

• Wix
• SignUpGenius
• Cvent Event Management
• Ticket Tailor
• RSVPify
• Eventzilla
• Showpass
• Zoho Bookings