Event planning software costs: how to really convince your boss

As a part-time event planner, you juggle a variety of tasks and responsibilities as your stress level grows. Event planning software is one tool that can greatly assist with these tasks, but convincing your boss to invest might be challenging, especially if you are working with a tight budget. In this article, we will discuss how you can justify the cost of event planning software to your boss and demonstrate its potential value for your organization.

The benefits of event planning software

Event planning software can save time and improve efficiency by providing a central platform to manage all aspects of the event planning process, from registration and ticket sales to scheduling and communication. Creating great events requires that you have enough time for you and your team to focus on the more important aspects of the event, such as creating engaging content and building relationships with speakers and attendees.

In addition to improving efficiency, event planning software can also help to reduce costs through communication tools and online ticket sales. Many event planning software platforms have built-in marketing and promotion tools, such as an event website, post-event content hosting, and social media integration, which can help you reach a wider audience and sell more tickets.

Justifying the cost

Now that we have an understanding of the benefits of event planning software, let’s consider how you can justify the cost to your boss. 

ROI

It is important to highlight the potential return on investment (ROI) of event planning software. By demonstrating the time and cost savings, as well as the potential for increased revenue through paid registration options, you can make a strong case for the value of this tool.

While it may be difficult to pinpoint exactly how much money event planning software will save or the revenue it might help generate, you can present estimates to justify your recommendation. 

For example, if you estimate that the software will save you 20 hours of work per event, and you hold two events per month, that’s a total of 480 hours saved per year. If you value your time at $40 per hour, that’s a potential savings of $19,200 per year. Divide this by the cost of event planning software and you’ll have your ROI estimate. You can also consider other potential cost savings, such as reduced printing costs or reduced fees for manual registration processes.

Revenue

Another way to justify the cost of event planning software is by highlighting the potential for increased revenue by charging registration fees. If you can demonstrate that you could increase attendance and ticket sales with better communication and promotion, your boss will likely see the rationale for investing in event planning software. You can also consider the potential for increased sponsorship or partnership opportunities as a result of using the software.

Achieving event goals

Be as specific as possible when establishing event goals. It will help you clarify how event planning software can assist with achieving event goals and improving attendee communication and engagement. For example, you can highlight features such as customizable agendas and interactive networking tools as ways to enhance the attendee experience and achieve specific event objectives.

It’s important to also consider the intangible benefits of event planning software. For example, the improved communication and collaboration capabilities of the software can lead to a more efficient and cohesive team. A streamlined registration and check-in process can help create a better experience for attendees, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Implementation

Your purchasing team will be interested in the level of set-up and maintenance required for event planning software, as well as its integration with existing systems. Be prepared to discuss these details and any support options that are available, such as premium packages that include setup assistance.

Do your research

Your boss will want to see that you’ve researched and compared different event planning software options to find the most cost-effective solution. 

Event planning software pricing can vary significantly depending on the features and functionality. Many of these software tools are bloated with features that may not be critical to your event. Show your boss that you’re streamlining costs by only paying for the features you need.

Be warned: this can be a lengthy process. Unlike Sched, most event planning software companies don’t have transparent pricing on their website and require several sales calls before you receive a quote. 

Summary

As with any presentation, it is important to understand how your boss makes decisions and practice your pitch before presenting. Anticipate potential objections, be prepared to address them, and be sure to have done sufficient research to answer any questions that may come up. By being well-prepared and highlighting the many benefits of event planning software, you can make a strong case for its value and convince your boss to invest in this valuable tool.