If you’re in charge of planning events for your organization, you understand the common problems and mishaps you’re bound to run into. That’s why the right tools are essential to have on your side.
However, your tools can be more detrimental if they’re not properly integrated. If your staff spends time manually transferring data between events processes, you risk data silos and important information falling through the cracks.
Event management software (EMS) is any solution that helps organizations tackle event management in a more intuitive way. By investing in a comprehensive solution that can handle each step of the event planning process, this ensures that you don’t waste time finding and configuring other tools.
Additionally, your EMS should easily integrate with your database or constituent relationship management system (CRM). This ensures that all event data is centralized in your organization’s CRM, eliminating the chance of inaccurate or duplicate information.
To really optimize your system processes, aim for an EMS that is 100% native to your CRM. This means that you don’t have to go through a complicated and timely integration process. Many organizations use Salesforce and then build onto that CRM as needed with Salesforce apps. One example of a commonly known Salesforce-native EMS is Blackthorn.io.
What is Blackthorn.io?
Blackthorn.io is an event management software solution for many industries. Originally known for its payment processing software, Blackthorn.io has recently branched out into event planning as well. As a Salesforce native app, this solution has this advantage and can keep your important data centralized and accessible.
With event registration capabilities, Blackthorn Events helps facilitate the registration process for your attendees. With its customizable forms and automated email communications, it’s a platform built for your basic event management needs. Additionally, its integrated payment processor ensures that all financial data is safe.
Why should you be considering alternatives?
If your organization depends on Salesforce, it makes sense for you to consider Blackthorn.io as the top contender for an EMS. However, you have to remember that Blackthorn.io is new to the event planning world, and doesn’t quite have all the functionality a growing organization might need.
Don’t fret if researching the best solution sounds like a lot of work. In this guide, we’ve compiled a list of viable Blackthorn events alternatives for you to review.
Our favorite Blackthorn Events alternatives
Read from the top or click around! Think about your organization’s highest priorities and check out these Blackthorn events competitors.
Our Favorite Blackthorn Events Alternatives
Fonteva Events
Fonteva Events is a comprehensive, all-in-one event management solution. 100% native to Salesforce, Fonteva Events is intuitive and easy to use, providing a streamlined solution for event registration, event marketing, post-event reports, and more.
Built for the Salesforce platform, your staff doesn’t have to worry about a long and complicated integration process. Additionally, with your EMS and CRM working together, you can easily plan and host events in one system. Your staff has access to real-time event data wherever and whenever they are, making sure that everyone stays on the same page.
What makes it stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
Fonteva Events helps your organization manage the entire event lifecycle with these intuitive features:
- Customizable registration forms. Make sure that your registration form asks questions that are pertinent to your event. You can even make certain fields optional, which shortens the sign-up time. Provide multiple ticket options for different engagement levels, as well as discounts or personalized pricing. Each registrant’s personal details and payment preferences will be automatically saved to your CRM, meaning no manual entry for your staff!
- Event microsites. With Fonteva Events, you can create a branded and aesthetically pleasing microsite that works in conjunction with your main website. Use the event microsite to highlight event activities, share relevant details, post-event changes, and sell tickets and merchandise.
- Comprehensive management tools. Easily keep track of setup, speakers, vendors, sponsors, and even your venue all in Fonteva Events.
- Report compilation. With your CRM and EMS working together, you can easily compile effective reports. Fonteva Events also allows you to build your own reports, ensuring that you track the data metrics that are most important to you.
- Fair pricing. You won’t break the budget with Fonteva Events. With its fair and predictable pricing, your team can fully focus on planning your event without stressing about costs.
Book a demo with Fonteva to see our powerful platform in action.
Cvent
Cvent is an event management software solution that has a wide range of features. While it targets niche industries like education, hospitality, and hotels, the platform is flexible enough to be used with any type of event. However, if you are in one of these industries, Cvent will probably have more use to you than otherwise.
Though it requires an integration process, Cvent can work with Salesforce to centralize your data. However, it might not work as well as a solution that is fully native to your CRM.
What makes Cvent stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
Cvent can simplify life for your staff with these top features:
- Flexible registration page templates. Cvent offers a library of registration page templates. This way, your staff has some guidance as they consider what fields to put in their forms. From there, you can customize it to your brand and event.
- Cvent Payment Services. Never worry about payment and keeping finances safe with Cvent’s own integrated payment processor. You can easily collect fees as well as automate refunds!
Eventbrite
Eventbrite is a popular online event management solution that all organizations can take advantage of. Easily create a branded event page and post it on their online platform. Customers can either scroll through Eventbrite’s website and see if any catch their eye, or they’ll be redirected to a specific event listing from another source. From there, registrants can sign up as well as purchase tickets.
Eventbrite does have a Salesforce integration, but it entails a long process and might not be worth it for those wanting to get their event listing out there fast. However, if you continuously use Eventbrite, integration is likely necessary.
What makes Eventbrite stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
Eventbrite is a top Blackthorn events competitor for those who plan something larger than the average event, like a music festival or multi-day conference. With these features, you can plan your large-scale event with ease:
- Partnerships with top platforms. Eventbrite partners with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify to help you target your audience. For example, if you’re planning a concert, Eventbrite works with Spotify to promote your event to those who listen to the artist, listen to similar artists, or are in the event’s area.
- Real-time sales tracking and management. Eventbrite can give you updated reports whenever you want. This way, from the Eventbrite mobile app or online website, your staff can access pertinent data and keep track of their large-scale event.
ePly
For organizations of any size, ePly is a viable event management software to help with your online registration. With ePly, you can spend less time focusing on your registration form and more on your actual event. ePly will automate almost all tasks related to registration, helping your staff track payments and engagements easily.
With an integration, ePly can work with your Salesforce CRM. You’ll set your team up for success with your event registration data centralized. However, this may not work as well as a 100% native solution.
What makes ePly stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
With a branded conference and event app, ePly stands out as a Blackthorn events competitor. A mobile app that both iPhone and Android users can download, ePly can:
- Personalize the attendee experience. From the app, people can access a unique personal itinerary. Not everyone is going to want to experience your event in the same way.
- Provide an event directory. From the mobile app, attendees can utilize a directory to search and find attendees, sponsors, speakers, etc.
- Streamline social media posts. Oftentimes attendees will document their time at your event through social media. From the mobile app, consolidate all of the social media posts into a single stream and increase attendee engagement.
Eventzilla
Eventzilla is an all-in-one event management software for your registration and marketing needs. With a simple and easy-to-use interface, this is the solution for organizations with a less experienced event planning team.
Eventzilla has integration capabilities with Salesforce, as well as other products and event tools. While this ensures your data is centralized, finding software that is entirely built for your CRM is still your best bet.
What makes Eventzilla stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
From conferences to fundraisers to social events, Eventzilla is a great solution for any organization’s event, especially for those who don’t have as much experience. Eventzilla’s features can help you:
- Create beautiful event websites. Your staff can create a branded event website in just a couple of minutes with Eventzilla. All the pages are also mobile-friendly, ensuring that anyone can access the site, no matter where they are.
- Automate waitlists. Having so many registrants that you need a waitlist should be a great thing for your event. However, it can also add stress and confusion for your staff who has to manually track attendees and move them if your event changes size. With Eventzilla, that whole process is automated.
Whova
If you’re looking to increase attendee engagement as well as facilitate networking, Whova is a capable event management solution to look into. Whova targets organizations that constantly find themselves in a time crunch, offering fast solutions to common problems.
Whova does have an integration with Salesforce, but if you’re truly running short on time, then the multi-step process might not be best for you. However, you can easily export all event data reports with one click!
What makes Whova stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
Whova is a top Blackthorn.io alternative due to its award-winning event app. Attendees can download your event app to access:
- Up-to-date event information. Make sure everyone is on the same page by posting event updates on the mobile app! This way, all attendees have the same information at the same time.
- A personalized agenda. Often, your attendees will want to visit different vendors and activities during your event. Let them view a personalized agenda so they know when things are happening.
- Live polls. Increase attendee engagement by pushing live polls on the mobile app. Everyone will get the notification at the same time and can choose to participate or not.
Eventsquid
If you often find yourself missing pertinent data or getting inaccurate data, you’re likely not using a very good event registration tool. Eventsquid is an event management solution known for its powerful event registration features.
However, Eventsquid cannot integrate with Salesforce, which can be a huge deterrent if your organization has a large data flow. If your organization doesn’t depend on Salesforce or has another system to store data, Eventsquid could possibly be very effective.
What makes Eventsquid stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
With its event registration automation, Eventsquid stands out as a Blackthorn.io alternative. The entire process for staff and registrants will be easier with these features:
- Flexible registration form. With Eventsquid, you can customize any form you want, utilizing text boxes and drop-down menus. Additionally, you can offer single, group, guest, and minor registrations!
- Additional organization offerings. Offer more than just event tickets in your registration form. Eventsquid can offer your registrants additional goods, services, sessions, and even donations, all in your form.
Regpack
Though not a complete event management solution, Regpack provides a flexible and valuable event registration tool for all occasions. Though Regpack cannot integrate with Salesforce, it can still streamline the registration process and help increase attendance. However, if your organization deals with large amounts of data, it might be better to look for a native solution.
What makes Regpack stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
Regpack’s registration software has many unique features that make it a top Blackthorn events competitor. To personalize the registration process, Regpack offers these experiences:
- Seamless registration process. Regpack can embed itself right into your organization’s main website or event registration page, offering a smooth experience for users. Additionally, you can choose from Regpack’s templates as a guide and then further customize the registration form to fit your event.
- Conditional logic software. What makes Regpack’s registration forms so unique are their conditional logic capabilities. This helps to individualize every attendee’s experience by adapting the form as it is being filled out. For example, answering a question in a specific way could cause the form to expand with additional questions or to get smaller with questions being removed. Additionally, Regpack’s conditional logic can send automated emails based on “triggers” from the form’s answers.
Splash
Splash is an event management solution that offers your organization robust marketing tools. While Splash is not the most comprehensive solution out there, if marketing is your event team’s weak point, it can be something to look into.
Additionally, Splash can integrate with Salesforce, keeping all of your event data accurate and in one place. Though it’s better to find a more complete solution that’s native to your CRM, Splash can still be useful in some situations.
What makes Splash stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
Splash’s extensive marketing tools make it stand out as a Blackthorn.io alternative. With its features, you and your staff can easily:
- Filter and segment communications. Using either Splash’s intuitive filters or customizing your own, you can easily identify your target audience by segmenting communications recipients.
- Automate and customize emails. Splash lets your team send out personalized emails with data from your registration form. You can automate event invitations, reminders, follow-ups, and more.
- Access a customized dashboard with event data. From the Splash platform, your staff can visually see all of the important event metrics within a dashboard. Pick and choose the insights and trends that matter to you and better determine the success of your marketing strategy.
Doubleknot
Doubleknot is an extensive event management solution for anyone trying to plan an event or program. While any organization can take advantage of Doubleknot’s software, its features are especially useful for niche cultural establishments like zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, nature centers, botanical gardens, and children’s scout councils.
Though Doubleknot doesn’t integrate with Salesforce, it does have its own CRM solution. This means that you might have to do a lengthy data transfer before you really start to feel Doubleknot’s benefits.
What makes Doubleknot stand out as a Blackthorn Events alternative?
Since Doubleknot’s platform is specifically designed for the needs of cultural organizations, it is extremely effective for creating specialized events or programs. If this is something you’re interested in, Doubleknot is a top Blackthorn events alternative with these features:
- Customize any event or program. Whether your organization is planning a one-off event or a year-long program, Doubleknot lets you customize it to really fit your unique branding.
- Extensive promotions. If your program or event is an annual occurrence, you can boost registration with early discounts, member discounts, and coupon codes. Since your constituents likely already know about the program, they’d jump at the chance for a discount!
- Waitlist management. Don’t worry if you are at event capacity with Doubleknot. Doubleknot can set up a waitlist for any of your programs as well as automatically clear the waitlist as space in your program becomes available.
Additional Resources
As you can tell, Blackthorn.io is not the only event management solution out there. Even though it seems like an obvious solution as it’s native to Salesforce, it still doesn’t have all the management capabilities that other solutions may have.
100% native to Salesforce, Fonteva Events continues to be the best Blackthorn events alternative. With no CRM integration needed, your organization can immediately take advantage of its extensive features. Fonteva has been around for a decade and understands the full scope of event planning, which is why the platform accounts for the entire event life cycle.
Make sure your event planning team has all the resources and tools they need to succeed. If you want additional resources, check out these guides:
- Top Salesforce Apps for Nonprofits and Associations. Curious about other Salesforce apps that can help your organization? Read this guide for the top Salesforce apps.
- Association Management Software: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide. If your organization is an association, this article will give you insight into the right association software with event management capabilities.
- Linvio Events Alternatives: 10 Other Software Options. Is your organization dependent on Linvio, but open to alternatives? Read this guide for another list of event management solutions.