The COVID-19 pandemic has changed events as we once knew them. Strict lock-down restrictions brought all gatherings to a complete halt, creating an unprecedented rise of virtual events.
Event marketers have also been hit hard, though 78% of US adults say they plan to attend as many or more live events when the threat of COVID-19 passes and it is safe to do so.
As the events calendar is usually planned months in advance, there are several things event marketers can do now as the markets begin to open up to ensure you maintain your brand name and reliability. The time and resources spent in planning an event are enormous and cannot go easily ignored.
Here are nine tips that will guide you as an event marketer to survive profitably amid the coronavirus pandemic.
1. Postpone Your Event
Your employees’ and customers’ health and safety are paramount. You may want to consider postponing events depending on the brand you are promoting and the logistics involved if you were to proceed and hold events.
Keep in mind that due to the social distancing rules, the numbers you initially expected are no longer possible if you are holding an in-person event. A considerable number of people are still hesitant to attend public gatherings. You’ll need to factor that in when calculating your initially anticipated ticket proceeds.
Ask yourself if it is economically viable for the company to hold the event with these new measures implemented or whether it makes better financial sense to postpone the event to a later date.
2. Upgrade Your Technology
If you have opted to resume in-person events, you will need to avail a wide range of protective equipment for your employees’ and participants’ safety, such as sneeze guards, protective screens, sanitizing dispensers, and exhibition stands.
For a full range of necessary technology upgrades that you may require to become COVID-compliant, visit Expocart.
3. Pivot to Virtual Events
Depending on the event’s functionality, pivoting to virtual events could be to your advantage. Times have changed drastically, and virtual meetings and conferences are becoming the new norm.
If your brand’s viability to an online audience would make sense, consider pivoting to virtual events as a more lasting option.
Your local reach for an in-person event is limited. However, you can reach an international audience with a virtual event, increasing your exposure.
The content you create for these sessions will remain online, making it a good reference point in the future.
4. Emphasize Signage
It is essential to keep reminding people of the general COVID-19 guidelines, and the best way to do this is through signage. Emphasize simple reminders like “wash your hands with soap and water regularly” or “keep a distance of at least six feet from other people” or “sanitize your hands here.”
Have as much signage as possible to act as gentle reminders and place them strategically to be visible.
5. Communicate Regularly
Communicate regularly to your potential attendees, sponsorship partners, employees, and other service providers as emphasized by PCMA.
These harsh economic times have brought a lot of uncertainty in so many areas. Consistent and regular communication about event updates and ongoings is paramount to keep your importance audiences in-the-know at all times.
With clear communication, you help eliminate the chances of your audience being let down or disappointed.
6. Monitor Statistics
It is crucial to monitor statistics of your in-person events vs. your online events, keeping track of turnouts as you determine what strategy is giving you the results you desire.
Other statistics you may want to monitor are the cost of in-person vs. online events for a comparative analysis to further determine which one is more viable.
7. Implement a Social Distancing Policy
Each organization has had to create a social distancing policy for its employees and customers alike. Implementing policies around social distancing (e.g. insisting on a no-handshake policy) has become a new way of life and is being embraced globally.
8. Be Flexible
Events marketing requires an increased focus on customer service – now more than ever. The experience strategy you create for agencies and brands requires flexibility to align with the COVID-19 restrictions.
9. Be Creative
With the increase of almost everything being virtually available, consumers are at a point of virtual fatigue, requiring way more effort from marketers to stand out in the heavily infested industry. From graphics to your promotional campaigns’ music to sponsor integration, your content must be of high-value to be catchy and draw the numbers.
Conclusion
Event marketing may have faced incredible challenges with the COVID-19 restrictions and ban on social gatherings, but with new ideas, you do not have to allow your business to come to a halt. Implementing some, if not all, of the above ideas, could ensure all is business as usual.
