Event Management Software for Associations and Nonprofits

Event management software, also called an event management system (EMS), or Event Technology, is a digital tool that helps plan, execute, and organize events. It can include a wide range of features that assist with everything from managing staff to registration to organizing speakers and exhibitors. 

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Key Features to Look for in an Event Management Software

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Some primary features to look for in an EMS include:

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• Attendee registration: You need an organized and reliable system to manage event registration. An EMS can ensure you don’t overbook your event or have registrations get lost in the process. Plus, it creates a smooth experience that makes a professional first impression on attendees. 
• Manage content and speakers: You want your event to run smoothly through each phase. Having software that helps you organize and schedule content and manage speakers you have lined up is crucial. It keeps everyone on your team on the same page so everything goes off without a hitch. 
• Organize booths: What booths will be at your event? How will you optimize available floor space to keep it organized? An EMS can help you tighten up those finer details, whether booths will be run by your internal teams or external vendors and organizations. 
• Manage sponsors: Many events rely on sponsorship funding to provide a great experience. Your EMS should help you account for all funds donated by sponsors and organize sponsor logos or announcements to ensure your guests are aware of everyone who was part of making the event happen. 
• Analyze and assess data: What was the organization-wide impact of your event? An EMS can help you track key event data like ticket sales, merchandise sold, or leads generated. It’ll help you see why your event was successful and manage any details you could improve for the next one.

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With all these features and more, an EMS plays an essential role in an event's success. It keeps everything organized so you can provide an exceptional guest experience. However, there’s still more to consider when selecting an EMS, such as whether it’s built for your organization’s specific needs.

An event management software for associations is a digital tool for event planning process and organization designed for member engagement and retention. Association events often have specific features that must be accounted for, like:

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• Audience and engagement strategy: Understanding the target audience ensures the event meets their needs and expectations. Engagement strategies, such as interactive sessions and networking opportunities, help create a more immersive experience. Accessibility should also be prioritized to make the event inclusive for all attendees. 
• Abstract Management: Simplifying your abstract submission process and streamlining content collections ensures that your submitters can make changes when needed. You should look at ensuring that the submission process is flexible so revisions and updates can be made, reviewers are able to be assigned for a thorough evaluation process, and notifications can be sent to submitters for a smooth process.
• Quizzes & Evaluations: Quizzes and evaluations are a strong way to encourage continued learning and help attendees reflect on specific moments from your event. This can help improve attendee knowledge retention, promote professional development and encourage your members to invest in themselves, and find different ways you can improve your offerings for the next event.
• Credit Management & Certifications: Incentivize your attendees to continue engaging with your organization by offering certifications and credits. This will show that you are invested in your attendee's growth and enable you to create refreshing and relevant experiences for your attendees.

Planning an event feels overwhelming when your team isn’t organized. Associations need event planning software tailored to their needs to ensure all the people, activities, and materials involved are aligned with their needs. It’ll ensure your message shines through and has an impact on attendees. 

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The primary reasons why nonprofits and associations need to choose the right EMS include:

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It Reduces Administration Efforts

Associations tend to have small staffs, so each employee can only do so much when planning an event. Having an EMS tailored to the needs of your organization makes things more efficient. For example, it can help automate some of the tedious event management tasks like tracking data and registering attendees so you can focus your time elsewhere. 

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Organize Communication

Event organizers often find event planning hectic with all the tasks and people involved. An EMS can help you organize all your communication and scheduling in one place. That way, team members can mark off completed tasks, ask questions, and coordinate schedules with vendors and speakers while seeing each other’s progress.

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Maximize Funds and Venue Space

Associations may be working with limited funds and venue space during events. An EMS can provide a better overview of funds available and data for effective decision-making. For example, you could track bids from different vendors to select the most cost-effective materials and make sure you don’t overbook booths for the venue space you have. 

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Save Time on Future Events

When you have all the data and information from your first event in one place, it’s much easier to plan the next one. For instance, you’ll have records of all the speakers and exhibitors you worked with so you can contact them the next time. And you can track attendee information to invite them to the next event. Over time, you’ll develop a system that makes the process as efficient as possible. 

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Digitize Your Event

Adding digital elements makes your event more efficient, such as having a portal to register for your event. And on top of that, it can make it more interactive for attendees. For instance, you can add digital interactive features like live polls while planning activities, Q&As, or extra learning materials for a mobile event. 

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All these features can keep your guests engaged with the experience before and after the event. It’ll make a lasting impression on them that furthers your organization’s impact, whether you’re an association that provides continuing education or a nonprofit promoting a good cause. 

Associations need to make several considerations to choose the ideal event management software for their needs. Whether you want to boost member engagement or ensure integration with your continuing education materials, many features can help boost performance. Some key qualities to look for are:

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Integrations With Other Software

Your association is probably involved in a lot more than just events. For example, if you offer continuing education courses, integrating events with them can help boost learner engagement. Or, you may want to ensure your EMS integrates with your association management system (AMS). 

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When you use Cadmium's EMS, Eventscribe, it integrates with our other solutions. For instance, you can use it with our Elevate learning management system (LMS) to combine events and continuing education. You can also use our Warpwire media management and livestreaming solution to broadcast and record your event. Plus, it integrates with your AMS for a well-rounded solution. 

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Customization

Your EMS should feel on brand for your association and present a professional appearance. Some customization options you should look for include:

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• Custom branding (logo, colors, themes, etc.)
• Personalized attendee communication
• Sponsor package customization
• Adaptable registration options
• Adjustable event agendas

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With these flexible options, you can make your event and software feel like your own. 

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Attendee Engagement

You want to keep your attendees involved each step of the way. That includes:

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• Before the event: Some pre-event interactions like Q&As, virtual networking, or early on-demand content will keep your attendees excited and interested in what you have to offer. 
• During the event: Audience responses, quizzes, and ePoster galleries are all ways you can use your EMS to keep attendees engaged at the event. 
• After the event: After the event is over, you can use your EMS to reinforce the great experience attendees had with follow-ups, distributing additional event content, and managing credit certifications. 

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Submissions and Reviews

Your EMS should allow you to manage submissions and reviews in a single place. That includes conference abstracts, award submissions, and scholarship applications. 

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Automated Logistics Planning

Many logistical resources are involved in event planning, such as room allocation, session planning, and resource distribution. EMSs like Eventscribe from Cadmium can help automate the process to plan and schedule more efficiently. 

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While there are several event management software available, not as many cater to the specific needs of nonprofits. Therefore, it’s essential to look for specific features and characteristics to select the appropriate one for your needs. Some key considerations for nonprofits are:

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The EMS Should Have Several Use Cases

When your budget is limited as a nonprofit, being able to invest in software that can handle many tasks is helpful. Look for software that has a range of uses, such as registration and venue management 

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Ease of Use

You may have several people, from staff members to volunteers, using the EMS. So, ease of use is important. The user interface should feel intuitive so users can log in and start working without too much training needed. It’ll ensure your team works as efficiently as possible from start to finish. 

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Security and Compliance

Donors sending money to you want to know their information is secure. That starts with the EMS handling and tracking those donations. Make sure you use software from reputable companies with security features that help prevent data or information leaks. 

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Scalability

As your nonprofit grows, you’ll want your software to grow with you. An EMS should provide scalability so your teams can handle planning multiple events at a time in several locations. You don’t want to have to bounce between software or continuously upgrade as you grow since it causes a much bigger learning curve and more frustrations. 

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Technical Support

Technical issues happen, and things can go wrong. It can even happen on the day of the event when you need a quick solution. The company behind the EMS should provide technical support and helpful service to ensure a great experience each step of the way, whether you need help getting integrated with the system or run into bugs or errors. 

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Should Handle Many Types of Events

Traditional in-person events aren’t the only things your EMS should help with. More and more nonprofit events are being held in a virtual or hybrid format to accommodate attendees worldwide and extend an organization’s reach. Therefore, you should be able to use your EMS to customize setup and preparation no matter where your event is taking place. 

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Some of the best event management software are Eventscribe, Cvent, and Swoogo. That said, while options like Cvent and Swoogo are good general event management software, they don’t perform as well for the specific needs of associations and nonprofits where Eventscribe really stands out. 

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Why Eventscribe is the Top Choice for Associations and Nonprofits

Eventscribe was designed with associations and nonprofits in mind, helping you plan and manage your events each step of the way. Some of the key features that make it stand out are:

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It’s a Versatile Solution

You get everything you need to plan a successful event with Eventscribe. That includes:

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• Staff and volunteer coordination
• Attendee engagement
• Registrations
• Streamlined logistics planning
• Speaker, exhibitor, and presentation management
• Donor and sponsor management

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Our software will help guide you each step of the way through the event planning cycle to minimize confusion and stress while keeping your team on the same page. 

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Capable of Handling Any Event Size and Type

Eventscribe is an all-in-one solution whether your event is large, small, virtual, hybrid, or in-person. That way, whether you're part of a new, growing organization or expanding your reach to additional cities, states, or countries, our software can grow with you. 

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Matched with the Unique Needs of Associations and Nonprofits

Association and nonprofit events have unique needs and characteristics. Associations may want to provide continuing education resources and support member engagement. Nonprofits place a big focus on fundraising and educating about a cause and its impact on the community. Eventscribe is built with those needs in mind. 

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• Our software supports educational events and on-demand learning resources, and you can even integrate it with Cadmium’s LMS solution, Elevate, which is built for associations and nonprofits providing continuing education. 
• You can manage fundraising, donations, and sponsorships all in one place. Plus, our software makes it easy to customize materials to donor and sponsor needs. 
• Our website, mobile app, livestreaming solutions, and more provide engaging resources for members each step of the way. 

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Customizable and User-Friendly

Eventscribe provides the options required to make the software on-brand for you. That includes logos, colors, themes, and personalized messaging. It also integrates with the software you already use, such as your AMS, to keep branding consistent across various products. 

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Eventscribe also aims to provide an intuitive and user-friendly experience. You don’t need a ton of training to use it, so your team can get in and start planning with ease. 

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Optimize Your Event with Eventscribe from Cadmium

When you need to plan, organize, and manage organizational events, Eventscribe by Cadmium is the right choice. It’s a dynamic solution that can be tailored to your needs and provide a professional and smooth experience for attendees each step of the way. Click here to learn more.