Imagine you’re planning an awesome event. You likely already are. You’ve just received an email that someone registered for your event. But wait. You open MailChimp to discover that the new attendee is already in your mailing list. Whoa! How did that happen?
This is what happens when platforms are integrated with each other.
As Event Technology Week continues, let’s demystify the world of event software integrations, which are designed to create a seamless workflow in the event planning process.
What is an event integration?
Let’s get down to the basics on what an event integration is and how it benefits event planners. Event integrations refer to the synthesis of different automation platforms with your central event management software. For instance, suppose you integrate your email marketing platform with your event management software.
When integrations are done properly, they yield a range of results for event planners, including streamlined processes and greater access to data. By having your platforms integrated, you can achieve a much smoother organizational process.
How do you prepare for an integration?
In order to prepare to integrate, it helps to have a little background knowledge so here we go.
At its most basic level, there are two components to a technology integration: an API (application program interface), which tells systems how they should interact, and a web service which handles the transmission of data. An API can either be open, which means that outside platforms can access the underlying code, or closed, meaning that the code is unaccessible without permission.
There are a number of event technology platforms that have pre-existing partnerships. For instance, some event software providers have built-in integrations with common vendors such as Salesforce or MailChimp.
Questions to ask when choosing an event integration
When choosing the right software integration, you need to determine the integrations most appropriate for you. Here are some questions you should be asking:
- Does the platform integrate with other solutions?
- Does the platform offer an open API?
- How will you ensure my data will be protected?
Don’t hesitate to integrate.
Often times, integrating event solutions is relatively easy and integrations go off without a hitch. As more and more event planners seek integrations between event technology platforms, providers are likely to respond with partnerships and built-in integrations.
And there you have it, folks! We hope this gives you a glimpse into the world of event integrations, but not to worry, as we will delve deeper.
Want to know about event integrations and technology? Stay up-to-date with tools, trends and insights throughout Event Technology Week!
