Many organizations approach their event technology as a collection of disparate tools instead of a unified, strategic asset. This fragmented approach often involves various teams independently selecting and deploying solutions, creating operational silos from the start. This leads to inefficiencies, duplicated capabilities, and data isolation. Adopting a single, all-in-one event management platform (EMP) addresses these challenges directly, while also helping event teams provide more tailored and digital-focused audience experiences.
Forrester defines an all-in-one EMP as a comprehensive platform designed for successfully planning and executing in-person, virtual, and hybrid B2B events. Such platforms offer end-to-end capabilities, including:
- Pre-event planning and setup (e.g., event promotion and marketing, attendee invitations and registration)
- At-event execution (e.g., content delivery and attendee engagement)
- Post-event analysis and follow-up (e.g., post-event communications and event data analysis)
All-in-one EMPs also integrate with marketing automation platforms (MAPs), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and other key sales and marketing technologies. When evaluating potential all-in-one event management platform vendors, leaders should consider these essential questions:
Does the vendor support my current and planned event mix?
Before selecting a platform, conduct a thorough audit of current event activities to clearly understand the types of events currently being hosted. The selected all-in-one platform should be capable of handling at least 80% of these event use cases. This consolidation simplifies operations and reduces expenditures through optimized vendor selection.
This process may also reveal benefits from moving to a more centralized model. Consider establishing an event center of excellence, with the all-in-one platform serving as the core technology solution.
Will a vendor integrate into my wider marketing technology stack?
Most vendors offer some form of integration with core MAP and CRM systems. However, the depth of integration and the availability of professional services support vary significantly. Collaborate closely with your revenue operations teams to recognize vendors that offer the highest level of seamless integration within your existing technology stack, maximizing the value of event-generated data.
What level of security and data privacy does the vendor offer?
While most all-in-one vendors adhere to data collection compliance policies, security features vary. Assess how personal data is managed and encrypted, and verify that vendors are certified and compliant with standards like SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, CCPA, and the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework.
What does the vendor’s AI roadmap look like?
AI presents opportunities to improve pre-event efficiency, provide more personalized and inclusive in-event experiences, and maximize post-event ROI. Despite relatively low current adoption rates, AI capabilities are set to advance significantly in the next 18 months. It’s essential to understand a vendor’s existing AI capabilities and their future roadmap to ensure long-term value.
Forrester clients can access further insights. These insights include the new report, “The All-In-One Event Management Platforms Landscape, Q3 2024.” This report offers valuable guidance on expected technology provider value, vendor differentiation, and vendor selection based on functionality requirements and event use cases. Forrester also provides guidance sessions to investigate all aspects of event technology selection and implementation more deeply.
