ARTICLE
How Elite Event Organizers Select Event Technology
By Michelle Bruno
February 27, 2024
Large organizations or those with significant event portfolios are prized prospects for event tech companies. However, selling event technology to elite trade associations, for-profit event companies, and corporations is often complex and protracted. Knowing how top-tier organizers select event technology is crucial for getting in the door.
- Cutting through the hype
Elite organizers appreciate clear vendor messaging. During a session titled “Shaping Success: How to Evaluate and Source Event Tech Partners” at IAEE’s Expo! Expo! 2023, Nicole Hallada, senior vice president of exhibitions and marketing at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), says, “That first tagline needs to succinctly explain what your value proposition is.”
- Listening to the team
Internal referrals matter. “One of the easiest ways to get my attention is when one of our internal brand [leaders] says, ‘we really like this, we’re using this, or one of our other brands is using this,’” John Dandeneau, senior vice president, product at Emerald Expositions and an Expo! Expo! session panelist explains. Hallada is working on bringing back a tech day at AEM “where we incentivize the team to bring forward [value added solutions] and showcase them to the rest of us.”
- Peaking under the hood
Vendors often invite large firms to participate in a free trial or pilot program. However, many organizations prohibit staff from doing so for data security reasons and the associated costs. A preferable approach, Dandeneau says, is to give [organizers] access to resources and a demo site or sandbox, “so we can dive deep under the covers and talk to your site.”
- Searching for proof
The burden of proof on whether a specific solution is a good fit lies heavily with the vendor. Elite organizers want evidence that prospective solutions:
- Don’t deplete organizational capacity (require substantial resources to onboard and maintain. “Technology takes an enormous amount of staff time to see it through to successful completion,” Hallada says.
- Add to the team’s productivity. “Does it take something off the team’s plate, so members have more time to do something that’s a better fit and speaks to the organization’s core strengths?” Hallada asks.
- Deliver value to the event or organization.
- Offer an application programming interface (API) that can easily and automatically transfer data from the vendor’s platform back into the organization’s “data lake” and enable it to “plug in” the best app at the best time.
- Align with the organizer’s interests, strategy, and use cases vs. requiring the client to adapt to the software’s design, workflow, and roadmap.
- Simplifying the RFP process
Elite firms don’t like the traditional request for proposal (RFP) process any more than vendors. AEM’s Hallada reserves a formal RFP for large purchases that involve multiple contractors. Otherwise, she is happy to hammer out the details of a statement of work (SOW) for smaller purchases. Dandeneau of Emerald describes the firm’s RFP posting procedure and invites internal teams to speak directly with the vendor. “The key part of the process,” he says, “is open, transparent communication” between all parties.
Organizations with significant events and ample budgets for the right event technology take the discovery and selection process seriously. Technology providers that make it easy to buy—have clear, simple messaging, abundant proof that the solution is a good fit, and a flexible approach—will capture their attention first.
