What’s Going Out Of Style: Paper Guest Lists

Earlier this year, hundreds of photographers swarmed outside a swanky venue in New York City, hoping to get a shot of an exclusive star-studded party. The famed high-profile fashion gala, with a $25,000 per ticket price tag, only allowed top fashion and entertainment A-listers through its doors. As soon as the guests arrived at the event, they were checked in seamlessly by a team of PR reps on iPads before being whisked off to join the cocktail party indoors. The ease in which these celebrities checked in can be attributed to the industry’s steadfast shift to digital event management systems. In this case, Launchmetrics Events commanded the show, with over 1,000 guests using the app—traditional methods are what’s going out of style for fashion events management.

Today, event planning software has become the norm in organizing New York Fashion Week, exclusive galas, company luncheons and even weddings. Going digital has been fashion’s most recent move, and we’re not surprised to see it used to facilitate the industry’s never-ending stream of events.

We spoke with Launchmetrics’ Customer Success Representative, aspiring techno DJ, and resident Events expert, Mark Brewster, about how event management is streamlined via technology.

What’s the reason for paper guest lists going out of style in the event management process?

Brands and PR agencies still using paper guest lists and physical face books are not giving themselves the tools to make their event management process easier. Why fumble and flip through massive pages of invitees when you can digitally manage your invitees list and upload face books to an iPad app in the palm of your hand? Easy-to-read reports can be generated automatically to save time and effort. Also, party crashers like this guy could easily slip into an exclusive event in the flurry of flying papers.

What are some pain points of brands and PR agencies today, and how does event management software help?

What’s going out of style in event management is the need to do everything manually. That’s why Launchmetrics Events is an essential and central hub of any team’s invitee list. Moving digitally proves for an updated and efficient experience. You’ve got a digital invitees list, interactive seating chart, the ability to upload documents, and a fully functioning barcode scanner. Post show data is saved in both the mobile app and on the web. What more do you need to manage your front of house? What more do you need to run an event?

Do you have any real-life examples?

A couple of months ago, I was providing on-site technical support at a museum benefit dinner and after-party… the interface was so simple and easy to pick up that the staffers were checking in invitees within minutes. After the first event, they just handed over their iPads to the agents managing the after-party; the new crew took the iPads and immediately started scanning away.

Any cool, new features people might not know about?

Tables. The chart builder launched this summer allows you to completely customize your seating chart. You can add any shape element and choose the number of seats at that table. You can even add a runway. The ability to create fully customizable tables opens up a plethora of event types that can be managed digitally.

What are some general best practices for event planning?

I think that the number one rule in mind should be to plan ahead and start your event management early. I understand that this is way easier said than done, especially when there are multiple upcoming events. However, by having time on your side, you can fully utilize the Delivery Response tools which allow teams to know whether invitees have successfully read or failed to read an RSVP Invitation Template. Knowing exactly who to remind or follow up with can make the difference of having a key influencer at your event or not.

Who uses digital event management systems? Is it just for Fashion Week and PR agencies?

Digital event management software can benefit all types of organizations. We train PR agencies, brands, museums, non-profits, and more on how to use our technology. While the highest levels of usage seem to occur during NYFW, if you look on GPS Radar, there are all types of different events that happen all year round! The software has proven it can take on even the largest of events. From Fashion Weeks, to award ceremonies, and exclusive galas, there is no event that is too overwhelming for the technology.

It seems that what’s going out of style in event management is inefficiency, and the fashion industry truly can benefit by adopting digital event management systems. No wonder the 2016 Met Gala’s theme is an ode to technology: “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.”

Thanks Mark!