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Professional event marketing requires the right event software. Searching for a suitable event tool can be time-consuming. That’s why this guide shows you how to professionally identify the right event management platform for your organisation – from the first key questions to the final selection of a provider.
With over 20 years of experience in the event industry, both as an organizer and in the development of digital technologies for events, Marc combines his extensive expertise with a Master's in Digital Business Management and a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing.
Selecting the right event management platform requires a structured evaluation process covering functional requirements, integration capabilities, data security, scalability, and total cost of ownership. This guide walks event managers through each stage of the software selection process — from identifying internal needs and creating a requirements catalogue, through requesting demos and comparing providers, to making a final recommendation to stakeholders. A well-run evaluation reduces the risk of choosing a tool that does not suit the organisation's event complexity or volume.
Event marketing is a key part of the marketing mix for many companies. According to a 2018 study by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, 54% of surveyed B2B companies reported a higher ROI from events than from other marketing channels. Events offer unique opportunities for customer retention, brand positioning and lead generation – especially at a time when personal experiences and in-person encounters are becoming increasingly valuable.
Despite this strategic relevance, many organisations still rely on tools not designed for professional event marketing. Excel spreadsheets, manual processes and disconnected systems lead to inefficiencies, error-prone workflows and a poor user experience – both for event managers and participants.
As part of the digital transformation, more and more organisations are now evaluating the introduction of professional event software. This guide is designed to help you save time, gain clarity and structure your evaluation process efficiently and sustainably. As the provider of the all-in-one event management platform Oniva, we understand the needs of modern organisations and are happy to share our experience.
Before you dive into specific tools or providers, it’s essential to clarify your internal conditions and goals. The following questions will help you create a solid requirements profile:
Answering these questions requires some initial effort – but will save you time and resources later. The more precisely you define your requirements, the easier it becomes to evaluate, implement and use the right platform successfully in the long term.
For larger organisations especially, the evaluation of software solutions is often structured around a requirements catalogue (sometimes called a ‘specification document’). This can be broken down into the following components:
Group your requirements into “Must-have”, “Should-have” and “Nice-to-have”. Use a numeric scoring system from 0 (not met) to 3 (fully met). Providers can also indicate whether missing features can be implemented via customisation.
Use the insights from your preliminary questions to clearly describe your current situation. This transparency helps providers better understand your needs and provide tailored proposals.
Compare providers objectively – based on company size, reference projects, ISO certifications, hosting locations (e.g. Switzerland) or sustainability practices.
List your key use cases and related features – from event invitations and registration to communication and payment integration. Prioritise each function and categorise it as “Must”, “Should” or “Nice-to-have”.
These include data protection, system availability, support hours, user-friendliness, accessibility (e.g. WCAG 2.1), and hosting standards. Pay special attention to data storage locations and certifications (e.g. ISO 27001).
A modern event platform needs to do more than just manage guest lists. Events come with unique challenges that other software rarely addresses. Below is an overview of specific features that your event software should support:
Intuitive interfaces are essential – especially when users only organise events occasionally. The easier the tool is to use, the more widely it will be adopted.
You should be able to consistently apply your brand identity – from logos, fonts and colours to a custom domain and sender email address for all guest communication.
Breakout sessions, exclusive bookings, capacity limits, waiting lists or ticket categories? Your event platform should handle a wide range of registration scenarios – without requiring workarounds.
Fast digital check-in saves time, avoids queues and enhances the event experience. An integrated check-in feature – such as a mobile app with QR code scanning – gives you live stats on attendee presence.
Your software should comply with GDPR and local data protection regulations (e.g. Swiss DSG) and give you full control over your data. Your organisation should own the data, with no reuse for other purposes.
Not everyone should see everything. Role-based access and permission controls (e.g. superusers, editors, viewers) are vital for secure and compliant data access.
Avoid platforms where you risk losing control of your data. You must retain full ownership – with no ads, no data resale.
Event marketing becomes far more efficient when you can automate communications. If you can also personalise them by audience segment, you’ll create a more effective and memorable event experience.
For exclusive events or closed groups, you’ll need access control features (e.g. by invitation only or password-protected registration).
The platform must remain stable even under heavy load. Check whether it’s built to support large-scale business events with thousands of participants.
Once your requirements catalogue is complete, you can begin researching providers and requesting proposals. There are several ways to search for suitable vendors:
When assessing potential providers, consider the following:
Ask for a test account for yourself and others involved in the project. Evaluate usability, adaptability and performance. Oniva, for example, offers full-featured test accounts.
Recreate typical events – with registration, communication, check-in and reporting. This will help you see early on whether the software meets your needs.
Begin with a pilot project. This reduces risk and helps convince internal stakeholders. Flexible solutions like Oniva support different event types and organisation sizes – from one-off events to full enterprise rollouts.
Choosing an event management platform is a strategic decision – not a one-off purchase. It’s an investment in efficiency, professional positioning and an enhanced event experience. By preparing thoroughly and defining clear objectives, you reduce risk and pave the way for a successful rollout.
With the right event tool in place, you’ll save time, cut costs and create memorable experiences for your participants. This sets the foundation for sustainable success in event marketing – today and in the future.
When selecting an event platform, the focus should be on requirements such as RSVP management, attendee management, integrations, data protection and scalability. It is also important that the platform fits in with both the company’s internal processes and its future event requirements.
A structured evaluation helps to compare different providers objectively and avoid making the wrong decision. Clear criteria, internal stakeholder consultation and testing phases enable functions, user-friendliness and technical requirements to be assessed more effectively.
In addition to the events team, IT, marketing, data protection, procurement and other relevant stakeholders should often be involved. This ensures that both technical and organisational requirements are taken into account and that the platform’s implementation is successful in the long term.
Learn more about the possibilities of Oniva for your organisation.
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