Planning an event is hard. An obvious statement but planning an event has so many factors of which to keep track that it can not only be stressful on the planner, but stressful on those who attend should anything go wrong. Event planning is a serious juggling act, but there are tools to help any planner manage all the elements that go into kicking off an event that nobody will forget.

One of the most popular and convenient tools is actual event planning software itself. Whether you are planning a personal event or something in the corporate space, there exists planning software for all occasions. But the question is, what do you need to look for in event planning software?

Can I Plan an Event From Scratch?

If you’re about to start planning a meeting from scratch, you’ll have to understand exactly what steps to take in planning the event with which you may need software aid. Long before the event is kicked off you should have a website made for the event that also includes a way for attendees to register. This, if done well, can eliminate any headaches over people showing up with no actual accreditation. You’ll need to market the event somehow, and there exists software to help get the event out there to audiences who may be a direct target for such an event. Even deeper, depending on the size of the event you may want to incorporate building maps or integrate the software with the systems of the building. The software you choose should make your job easier, not add on nifty features that could end up overwhelming the planner.

What if I already have ideas?

If you’ve planned events before and have an overall template with which you work, consider event planning software to help fill in the cracks. If you’re planning a large corporate event and want to keep track of who attends and overall attendee engagement, consider using software to create an event application for your phone that can give each attendee his own virtual badge. That way not only are you saving money on badge-printing costs, but also leaving less of a mess when these badges are inevitably strewn about on the event floor.

Email marketing is a powerful tool when planning an event, and such software exists to help blast invites out to targeted audiences. Mailchimp and Slack are two ways to send out invites and information not only to the targeted audience but also professionals in the industry who may not be on your radar at the time. Software exists to bring that data to you, so you’re never left in the dark with knowing exactly who is attending. Eventbrite is also a great tool to let people not on your radar discover your event and decide whether to attend, and such tool also makes it easy to RSVP within the same resource.

One tip when using software to plan an event is to make sure attendees have a way to express questions/comments/concerns after the fact. That way, you can keep track of feedback and adjust your next event accordingly.

Event Planning DC provides full event planning, partial event planning, wedding planning, month-of (day-of) event coordination, event styling/design and decorating services throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia, with access to local and national vendors who may provide additional services suitable for your event and budget.  We pride ourselves on providing only the highest quality event coordination, giving you and your guests the perfect day, no matter what the occasion including exclusive corporate and non-profit events, weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, community events and milestone celebrations.  More information can be found online at https://www.eventplanningdc.com.