Event planning has always required resourcefulness, but today’s organizers face an even sharper balancing act. Small teams often wear multiple hats, handling everything from ticketing to promotion on tight timelines and tighter budgets. Platforms like Brown Paper Tickets, a ticketing service offering digital tools for seamless and sustainable event planning, help simplify operations by reducing manual effort and giving organizers more space to focus on creative and strategic decisions. Still, not every tool is worth the investment, and not every task needs automation.
As digital platforms continue to expand in capability, many planners face the challenge of knowing where tech can genuinely add value and where manual methods still work just fine. Smart decision-making starts with identifying what matters most, such as audience experience, internal bandwidth, and the event’s size and scope.
Know Your Priorities Before You Pick a Platform
Before investing in any tech solution, planners need a clear view of their event’s core goals. Is it a fundraising gala with donor engagement touchpoints? A multi-day conference with layered programming? A neighborhood fair run by volunteers? The answers shape whether platforms that support live-streaming, CRM integration or advanced registration workflows are necessary or excessive.
Teams often default to shiny features that sound impressive, but simple tools can still be effective.
A Google Form and spreadsheet might handle RSVPs for a free local panel just as efficiently as a full event platform. On the other hand, a conference with multiple breakout tracks and attendee tiers could benefit from automated scheduling, real-time updates, and centralized dashboards. The tech stack should never outgrow the team’s ability to manage it. When too many platforms are used in tandem, coordination becomes harder, not easier. Decision-makers should assess how much time their team realistically has for setup, training and maintenance before committing to new systems.
Where Tech Makes the Difference
There are a few areas where technology consistently pays off. Mobile ticketing is one. With guests increasingly expecting digital access, mobile-friendly tickets, contactless check-in and automated reminders improve both convenience and perception. Event platforms that support dynamic pricing, tiered access or donation add-ons can also help organizers boost early revenue and tailor experiences to different audiences.
This is where platforms like Brown Paper Tickets often stand out, with tools that give small and midsize organizers flexibility without overwhelming them with enterprise-level complexity. Features like real-time ticketing reports, donation prompts at checkout and integrated promotional tools offer valuable infrastructure while keeping the user experience intuitive for both planners and attendees.
Another key area for tech investment is communication. Tools that allow for pre-scheduled email updates, text reminders or app notifications reduce no-shows and keep attendees engaged throughout the event cycle. Especially in hybrid events, platforms that support virtual components need to include chat features, streaming capabilities and feedback collection, all in one place. Otherwise, teams end up toggling between too many systems and losing the cohesion that hybrid experiences rely on.
When Manual Still Works
Not everything needs a high-tech solution. For single-track events, printed programs may still be easier to manage than building a mobile app. For local community events, old-fashioned posters and word-of-mouth may drive more engagement than digital ad campaigns. For day-of coordination, clear signage and walkie-talkies can work just as well as Bluetooth-enabled logistics tools, especially when budgets are limited.
Spreadsheets are still a workhorse for many planners. They can handle budgets, vendor lists, and volunteer schedules without adding new costs or complexity. Because they’re fully under the team’s control, updates, formatting, and customization happen on your own terms instead of waiting on a third-party platform. Of course, even simple tools need structure. A cluttered or outdated spreadsheet can create just as many problems as a buggy app, so it’s worth setting clear version controls, naming rules, and backup routines to keep things running smoothly.
Matching Tech to Team Capacity
Technology should support planning, not replace it. If a tool takes more time to set up than the problem it solves, it’s not helping. Smaller teams in particular benefit from platforms that offer bundled services, ticketing, communication, and data collection in one place, rather than juggling multiple systems with overlapping functions.
Compatibility is also crucial. Tools that don’t integrate easily with existing software or require steep learning curves often end up being underutilized. Before adopting new platforms, teams should look for free trials, demos, and reviews from other organizers working at similar scales.Many organizers have found success with platforms that offer robust customer support, short onboarding times and affordable pricing models. These features reduce the learning curve and allow staff to focus on the event itself rather than troubleshooting the tools behind it.
Tech That Grows with You
One of the smartest moves any planning team can make is choosing technology that can grow alongside their events. A simple community fundraiser can evolve into an annual tradition, then into a regional or even national series. Platforms that can adapt to different event sizes and formats save teams from having to start over each time their ambitions expand.
Scalable tools make it easy to add new features only when they are needed, such as more ticketing options, advanced reporting, or virtual components. This flexibility allows organizers to adjust on the flyby launching last-minute campaigns, creating different access levels, or adding digital content, without a full rebuild of their systems.
Equally important is avoiding tech that locks you into rigid workflows. When tools are modular, affordable, and compatible with existing systems, they give teams the freedom to experiment and respond to changing needs. The best solutions let you start simple, build steadily, and grow without losing momentum. In the long run, technology that scales is technology that keeps working for you long after the first event ends.
Strategy First, Then Software
There’s no single answer to whether tech is right for your event. Smart teams start by defining goals and working backward. The right platform saves time, supports storytelling and enhances both the guest experience and the planner’s peace of mind. But when used carelessly, even the best tools can complicate more than they simplify. Planners who combine clear priorities with a practical approach to tech are the ones building events that work, from the first click to the final applause.
