What to expect from this guide:
- An overview of the stages involved in the buying process for Sched’s event management software.
- Links to relevant tools, offers, and research corresponding to your point in the buying process.
- Answers to the most common questions associated with buying Sched’s event management software and event management services.
- Actionable next steps depending on where you are in the buying journey.
We created this guide to help you navigate the event management software purchasing process and specifically how to evaluate and buy Sched’s products and services.
Our company mission is to facilitate exceptional events that bring people together. We can help you create a great event with our event management software platform and services. At a minimum, we’d like to point you in the right direction so you know the best options available in the marketplace for your organization’s events.
After reading this guide, we hope you have a full understanding of Sched’s purchasing process, the key questions and considerations, plus direct access to a variety of tools and resources to help you through your process. Please feel free to reach out to our team with any questions!
Buying event management software: The research & education phase
Organizing an event can be daunting even for experienced professionals. So it’s no surprise that the majority of first-time planners often stumble on the basics:
- What tools do I need to plan my event effectively?
- What are the goals of my event?
- What is my budget?
- Is there a definitive timeline?
Initially, the shape of your event may seem abstract. You might only know there is a conference, festival, convention, or meeting coming up that you need to plan.
Answering these questions and researching solutions is the initial phase. This applies to professional event planners and first-time planners.
And if you decide you need event management software, then get investigating! You could do worse than starting with G2. They’re a leading comparison site.
- To get you into the swing of things, start by checking out these 10 must-ask questions when buying event management software.
Educational resources for event management software platforms
Is Sched the Perfect Event Platform for You? Find Out with our Risk-Free 60-Day Money Back Guarantee from Sched Support on Vimeo.
Different people learn in different ways. Some like extensive reading. Others like to roll up their sleeves and learn as they go. And hey, some of you like to do both! Regardless, rest assured we have resources to keep you all informed.
We asked our customers which resources they liked best during the research phase. The answer? Sched’s extensive and comprehensive website.
We offer several tools to help you understand the landscape, including major and minor considerations. We are also consistently generating valuable content to help you during this phase of the buying process.
Next steps
- Get tips, resources, and special offers by subscribing to our industry-leading event planning newsletter for non-event planners.
- Stay up to date with the latest trends by browsing Sched’s blog.
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, etc.
Discovery call: Is Sched a match?
How to Assess if Sched Is Right for My Event from Sched Support on Vimeo.
Once you have educated yourself about the event management software marketplace, it’s time to start taking things to the next level.
We find it’s usually best to go from the general considerations to your specific situation. There’s a chance that your goals aren’t a fit for our solutions.
During this phase, ask yourself the most important details of your specific upcoming event needs.
15-Min event expert consultation
The best way to explore event management solutions is to schedule a brief 10-15 minute discovery conversation call. Our highly trained event experts will help you discover the most important factors associated with your event.
This exploratory call is all about you. We’ll understand your ideal outcomes and constraints, and figure out the best next steps for you, your event planning team, and your organization.
Sometimes your needs align well with what Sched has to offer. And sometimes you may be better off with an alternative solution. We don’t want to sell you software that doesn’t work for you. That’s not good for anyone. Especially not your attendees!
By the end of this call, our team of event experts will give you their candid and objective opinions!
Note: these sessions are very popular. We have a limited number of slots available each week. Don’t lose your best available time slot. Book today!
Next steps
- Uncover your event’s most important variables with a 15-minute call with our event experts
- Make the most of your time by considering the following questions ahead of your call:
- What’s your situation?
- When is your upcoming event?
- Are you hosting multiple events?
- What are your event planning needs?
- What happens if you don’t use an event management software platform?
- What do you hope will happen when planning your event?
- What’s the best potential outcome?
- What do you have planned now?
- How do you hope we will help today?
Live demo: Try event management software before you buy!
You’ve done your research on event management software platforms. You’ve decided to consider Sched as a solution for your event planning needs.
Depending on your schedule – and how quickly you want to dive in – we have two options for you:
- On-demand demo: A pre-recorded 7-minute video where you get to see our goods in action.
- Live demo: On Wednesday, we have a live Zoom session where one of our sales experts will explain in person and field all your questions.
Get questions answered
Sched’s experts will answer any additional questions you and your team may have about Sched’s event management software.
These conversations can include – but are not limited – to tools like:
- Agenda planning
- Reporting
- Registration
- Ticketing and payments
- Attendance management and access controls
- Mobile apps
- APIs, extensions & integrations
- Communication solutions
- Delegation of authority
Sample meeting agenda
Our goal is to effectively and efficiently help you evaluate whether Sched can help you with your event planning needs.
Here is a typical agenda for your customized demos:
- Introductions (2 min)
- Situation recap & confirmation (3 min)
- Targeted demo of relevant key functions (15-20 min)
- Q&A (10 min)
Next steps
- Watch the on-demand demo of the event management platform to understand core solution sets offered in the Sched platform
- Get questions answered live during our weekly live product demonstration
- You can also check out other Sched events and case studies from planners facing similar situations as your own.
Help when and if you need it
From Confusion to Confidence: How Our Team Can Help Your Event Succeed from Sched Support on Vimeo.
Most event planners find Sched’s intuitive design and elegant user interface simple and relatively easy to use. They are often surprised by the powerful and effective solutions the platform provides (take the Los Gatos Union School District as an example).
Regardless, the Sched team is available via phone, email, chat, and video conferencing the whole way.
We also have an extensive knowledge base of reference materials, training materials, and sessions.
- P.S. Read this success story with the California Student Wellness Conference to see how the Sched team helped throughout the whole event planning process!
Start your free trial
Evaluate Sched with zero risk by claiming your free 30-day trial. You’ll get a first-hand experience of the product and can get a head start with setting up your event.
Do you need extra time to help evaluate Sched’s event management platform? No problem! Contact the Sched team, and we will provide you with a complimentary extension of your free trial period.
- N.B. The market for event software is booming. It’s expected to surpass $21.49 billion in 2030! That means it’s a competitive market, and you have the power to shop around – so take advantage of these extensions!
Next steps
- Sign up for a free trial of Sched’s event management software platform to evaluate its fit for your upcoming events.
- Schedule a walkthrough call for you and your team.
- Don’t see something you want or that you think you’ll desperately need? Make a suggestion or request a quote for custom development.
Pilot Event
If you liked our product during your free trial, why don’t we take the training wheels off with a pilot event?
This service is to reduce your organization’s risk with a test event using Sched. Sched’s clear and transparent pricing for individual events makes it easy to buy with almost any budget.
We can also work with you and your organization on payment terms to better align with your organization’s needs. Sched’s 60-day, 100% money-back guarantee ensures that you can receive a full refund if you’re not satisfied.
We will also credit your previous purchases towards your multiple events or an unlimited events annual subscription.
Event Plans
Sched has three plans available depending on your event needs: Essentials, Plus, and Premium. You can discover more about the plans in the videos below or on our pricing page.
Launch
- Event on Web & Mobile App
- Schedule & speaker profiles
- Personalized schedules
- Session registration
Boost
The Boost plan includes everything in the Launch plan while giving you more options and control for your event. Some features include:
- Embed Sched on your website
- Sponsor & exhibitor profiles
- Chat & messaging
- Check-in attendance tracking
- Session capacities & waitlists
- Freeze schedules
- Prevent double booking
Ultra
The Ultra plan includes everything in the Launch and Boost plans, as well as dedicated help to set up and manage your event. This is the ultimate time-saving option with services such as:
- Data migration & import assistance
- A dedicated event success manager
- Custom event setup assistance
- Onboarding & training program
- Priority support for you and your team
- Reduced paid registration service fees
- Pre-event success coaching
- Priority support for your event participants
Next steps
- Review Sched’s transparent pricing and plans
- Upgrade your free trial site
- Consider add-ons & extensions
Our goal is to help you make Sched the default events management software for all your organizations’ event needs.
We will work with you to make sure the purchasing process is as seamless and easy as possible. Sched provides clear and transparent pricing visible on the Plans & Pricing page on our website.
Discounts
Sched’s mission is to help make the world a better place through events. To make this accessible to as many organizers as possible, we offer discounts to:
- Education organizations
- 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations
- Startups
- Government organizations
- Planners switching from other event management software platforms
We also offer discounts when using Sched to handle multiple events and when you make multi-year commitments.
Same-day custom quote
How to Request a Custom Quote from Sched for Your Event from Sched Support on Vimeo.
We find that events with 5,000 or more anticipated participants usually have additional needs that are not easily covered by our standard pricing table.
We can provide you with a same-day custom quote aimed at making sure your event will be a success.
Payment options
Sched offers a variety of payment terms and options. This includes purchase orders and monthly, quarterly, and annual payment plans.
A Comprehensive Guide to Sched’s Payment Process – Discover our Payment Methods from Sched Support on Vimeo.
Flexible terms & pricing
Solving Payment Process Challenges: How Sched Makes Paperwork a Breeze from Sched Support on Vimeo.
Does Sched fit your needs, but you just can’t make it work with your budget or timeline? No problem!
Contact our team to let us know. Our company’s mission is to help bring people together and we absolutely love people like you that help further this mission through events.
Help us by helping make the world a little bit of a better place with your event.
- N.B. Here’s a short and sweet article that covers the robust perks of the Sched pricing guide!
Next steps
- Review Sched’s plans & prices
- Request a same-day quote
- Request pricing for multiple & unlimited events
Annual Renewals: A better event management software moving forward
We want to work with you and your organization forever, but only if we continue to add value. Due to this, Sched works with most organizations on an annual contract basis.
This gives you and your organization the option to renew our relationship every year.
The primary way we work to keep you as a customer is by making sure we continue to solve your and your organization’s current and evolving needs.
Sched’s Account Management and Customer Success teams will work with you throughout our relationship. Plus, our Account Management Team will communicate with you before, during, and after your events.
We also want to grow our understanding of your situation and the desired outcomes you seek to solve even more of the problems you encounter creating and managing events.
Updates & improvements
The one constant is change, and Sched is constantly working to better serve you. We’re always creating new features, solution sets, and capabilities.
We regularly release updates and improvements. We publicly discuss these releases every quarter on our blog, newsletter, and social media channels.
You can contact your Account Manager if you want or need early access to one of our upcoming feature releases.
Help define the product roadmap
We are dedicated to helping you create events your attendees will love. We strive to minimize your workload through easy yet powerful solutions. Why? Because we know you likely have an existing portfolio of responsibilities beyond managing events.
With us, your voice and desires are part of our product roadmap. We can also work with you to create one-off solutions where applicable.
Next steps
- Learn how the latest platform and service updates can help make your upcoming events even better.
- Schedule an Account Review call with your Account Manager.
- Influence Sched’s Product Roadmap by joining the Customer Advisory Council – contact us to find out more!
Before we go our separate ways – we would love if you could share your experience with Sched.
On your blog or website, on social media, re-sharing Sched’s content on social media, responding to our in-app surveys, filling out post-event surveys, posting a review on Apple’s iOS App Store, Google Play’s Android App Stores or your favorite software review site, like Capterra, G2, CrozDesk or Trustpilot.
- Sample Social Post:
Attention, fellow educators! Had enough of feeling disorganized and overwhelmed? You’ve got to try Sched – the ultimate tool for organizing education events. I’ve been using it and let me tell you, it’s a total game-changer! 🙌🏼
They even have an incredible #SchEducator Community where we share tips and support each other. #Sched #EventPlanning #ProfessionalDevelopment https://sched.com/
Conclusion
We hope to be a part of your next great event whether as your trusted default event management software platform or as an advisor directing you to more aligned resources.
Either way, we’re here to help make more great events (like your future event!) happen every day! Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Sched team with your thoughts, ideas, and questions.