The challenge
Consolidating event management within a single platform
When DPW started, Gutzmann and his team relied on several point solutions to manage their annual event. They used Brella for networking and Eventbrite to sell tickets, and they built an in-house agenda tool.
“One of the pieces of feedback we got from customers was that we were using too many different apps,” Gutzmann said. “It was all scattered and fragmented. We took that feedback to heart and started looking for an all-in-one solution for event management.”
As Gutzmann began refining his criteria for a new solution, his top priority was building a better event experience for attendees.
“Our event has to be digital-first, and we have to deliver seamless experiences,” Gutzmann explained. “We had to rethink our tech stack because it wasn’t working. Having so many different apps for one event was confusing, so we started looking for one tool that could do everything.”
The solution
Choosing a feature-rich, all-in-one solution with an innovative roadmap
Gutzmann began scouring the market for potential solutions, examining platforms like Cvent, which was “too legacy and too clunky,” and Brella, which “tried to upsell us.”
Eventually, Gutzmann came across Bizzabo: “I came across Bizzabo because I follow INBOUND, and their agenda looked great. I found out they were using a widget from Bizzabo, and the agenda feature was my initial starting point with Bizzabo. In my opinion, it’s the strongest feature, and I started exploring the platform from there.”
After getting to know Bizzabo’s Event Experience OS and meeting the founders in-person, Gutzmann signed a contract with Bizzabo in 2022 and used the platform to power the annual flagship DPW event in October 2023.
The results
Taking DPW’s event strategy global with Bizzabo
In short, DPW’s flagship event in October 2023 was a resounding success, bringing together 1,250 in-person attendees and thousands of additional attendees who experienced the event virtually.
“We live streamed the event across three channels: Bizzabo, YouTube, and LinkedIn,” Gutzmann said. “The majority of people signed up through Bizzabo. The virtual experience was very solid; there weren’t any complaints or issues.”
According to a post-event survey with a scale of 0-10, attendees and sponsors agreed that Bizzabo elevated the event experience.
Because the OS includes all the features event teams need to plan, execute, and analyze events — and thanks to the platform’s intuitive design — Gutzmann’s team was able to get up and running with Bizzabo quickly.
Offering unforgettable experiences with the Klik SmartBadge™
For Gutzmann, one of the most impactful Bizzabo features was the Klik SmartBadge, a wearable tech solution designed to supercharge event networking and lead capture experiences.
Overall, attendees made 16,571 contact exchanges using the SmartBadge for an average of 14 connections per attendee.
“The smart badges were amazing,” Gutzmann explained. “People loved them. People talked about them after the event. It was a great experience — very memorable. Attendees had these cool badges they’d never seen before.”
Gutzmann and his team were also very happy with Bizzabo’s onsite services team and the check-in process.
“It was a very smooth process, with no complaints whatsoever,” Gutzmann said. “My team was very happy with Bizzabo’s onsite support staff.”
About half of DPW Amsterdam 2023’s sponsors used Klik Touchpoints to capture leads, share content, and connect with new prospects. Overall, attendees clicked Touchpoints 576 times.
“Sponsors got new leads without having to print hard copy collateral,” Gutzmann said. “It helps us make our event more sustainable, and sponsors end up with better data. Every sponsor who had a Touchpoint last year wants to do it again.”
For DPW Amsterdam 2024, Gutzmann is going all-in on Klik to ensure his sponsors maximize lead capture, retrieval, and overall ROI.
Creating a scalable event machine
After a successful DPW Amsterdam 2023 experience, Gutzmann and his team are maximizing their investment in Bizzabo to orchestrate multiple events around the globe.
“One central solution makes our work easier and brings more agility into our company,” he said.
After reflecting on DPW Amsterdam’s original website taking 12 months to build and carrying a sticker-shock price tag, Gutzmann sees the power in partnering with an easy-to-use, scalable solution.
Leveraging every tool in the box
DPW leveraged nearly every feature the Bizzabo OS has to offer, including the sponsor and speaker portal (“The sponsors really liked the portal,” Gutzmann reports) and the automated reminders to boost registration-to-attendee conversion rates.
Additionally, DPW leveraged Bizzabo’s mobile app for its 2023 event and saw a 90% adoption rate among in-person attendees. When surveyed after the event, 59.4% of attendees rated the app 7 or higher (with an average rating of 6.4) and 70.8% of sponsors rated the app 7 or higher (with an average rating of 7).
Although Gutzmann went with the container app in 2023 to test it out, he plans to go fully branded in 2024.
“We’re going to upgrade to make it a fully customized, DPW-branded experience,” he said.
The future
Maximizing investment by leveraging everything Bizzabo has to offer
Looking forward, Gutzmann and his team plan to unlock even more value from Bizzabo.
What would Gutzmann say to someone considering Bizzabo for end-to-end event management?
“I obviously eat what I cook; if I didn’t like the tool, I wouldn’t use it,” he said. “I’ve had a great experience with Bizzabo, and you will, too.”
