News & Views

DCI Event Guide: Event Planning 2.0

With event planning season in full swing, DMO public relations, trade and convention sales professionals can ditch pen and paper and adapt these 21st century online event planning resources: [spacer size=”5″]Doodle: A favorite tool for coordinating in office meetings and off-site events, Doodle simplifies the process of scheduling with a handy group poll. Say goodbye to painfully long email chains and declined responses and say hello to the free Doodle group poll – a tool that surveys meeting stakeholders and comes up with the most convenient meeting date/time based on availability of group members. Paid features connect Doodle with calendars and customizable Doodle design interfaces. www.doodle.com [divider top=”no” link_color=”#ffffff” size=”1″] [divider size=”1″][/divider]Gig Masters: Sourcing the right vendors for your event and budget can turn into a frustrating process of researching, chasing and venting. Cue Gig Masters, a free event concierge service that takes the parameters of your event (location, date, budget, services required) and connects with their database of already vetted vendors to source customized price quotes and proposals to satiate your vendor needs. A database of vendors is also available for perusing profiles, client reviews, videos and images, special offers and vendor availability. www.gigmasters.com  [divider top=”no” link_color=”#ffffff” size=”1″] [divider size=”1″][/divider]

Evernote: You readily rely on Evernote to keep track of your grocery shopping, passwords, and calendar reminders, now it’s time to embrace the multifunctional app to keep your event planning on track. Evernote serves as the ultimate (free!) app to keep event planning tasks on schedule and to ensure no detail is overlooked. The app syncs your data and activities to all of your devices, making the information you need readily available at all times. It even allows planners to capture brainstorm notes, create task lists, delegate roles to co-event chairs, snap images of receipts and important documents, and sync to share files via social media platforms. www.evernote.com  [divider top=”no” link_color=”#ffffff” size=”1″] [divider size=”1″][/divider]Boomset: Event check-in is a breeze with Boomset, an event management app where you can import and sync multiple guest lists across multiple sources like Excel, Eventbrite, Meetup, and ConstantContact; print name badges or wristbands on-site and on demand; and manage multiple sessions at events. www.boomset.com  [divider top=”no” link_color=”#ffffff” size=”1″] [divider size=”1″][/divider]

Have suggestions of other useful event planning programs?  Tweet us @AboutDCI.