Return to Live Events in Light of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic put a screeching halt to live events in 2020 as strict quarantine and social distancing measures were implemented to contain the health crisis. A year later, we now see different cities across the globe easing restrictions as vaccines are gradually going into production, making it possible to finally return to live events in light of COVID-19.
Still, not everyone is keen on going out and attending live events. If you’re an event organizer or marketer thinking of bringing some live events back on schedule, here are some tips that can help you do so smoothly, successfully, and safely.
5 Tips on Returning to Live Events
1. Plan early
The key to any event with or without a pandemic is advanced planning. Starting the preparations months before your intended event date allows you to get everything in order and come up with contingencies.
Remember that COVID-19 has put most industries and businesses in disarray, so your usual venue, suppliers, or sponsors may not be available to help you this time. Be sure to look into such things and set aside time to find alternatives. Also, schedule your event late in 2021 as it’s the common belief (and hope) that the virus would have been contained by then and that’s when everything could finally return to normal. You also have to plan the number of attendees in relation to the venue so as to avoid getting the event too crowded for safety.
2. Prioritize top-producing events
If you have lots of events planned, better prioritize those that many people would be interested in attending. Consider reviewing your past events and looking at the ROI or sales, then making a list of all those events that saw a high attendance or conversion rate.
3. Consider events with hosted buyer programs
Everyone likes free stuff, so one way to convince companies and businesses to participate in your event is to sponsor part of the expenses or to treat them to VIP experiences. Free lodging, free meals, or even shouldering 50% of the travel expenses could convince high-quality decision makers to support your event and attend in person.
4. Add some incentives
What’s in it for me? That’s what we normally think about when we get invited to an event. If there’s no value in showing up, people are likely to skip it. Hence, when planning your event, make sure to let your target participants know the value that your event could bring to their businesses and themselves.
To sweeten the deal, throw in some incentives too. If you’re targeting top prospects, invite them to meet with you or schedule a quick catch-up in exchange for some tokens, like a nice dinner or a special gift.
5. Mix digital with face-to-face events
No matter what you do, there’s a big chance some of the people you want to see in your event won’t be there—and that’s ok. The best way to still reach them is by taking the event online. By adding some digital events to complement the live one, you have a means to reach those who can’t leave their homes and attend in person.
Talk to us if you need a bit of help making live events happen. Blink is a trusted modeling agency in Las Vegas and our team of models and organizers is always glad to be of assistance, whether it’s livening up a trade show or taking care of the necessary details for a successful and fun event.
Still, not everyone is keen on going out and attending live events. If you’re an event organizer or marketer thinking of bringing some live events back on schedule, here are some tips that can help you do so smoothly, successfully, and safely.
5 Tips on Returning to Live Events
1. Plan early
The key to any event with or without a pandemic is advanced planning. Starting the preparations months before your intended event date allows you to get everything in order and come up with contingencies.
Remember that COVID-19 has put most industries and businesses in disarray, so your usual venue, suppliers, or sponsors may not be available to help you this time. Be sure to look into such things and set aside time to find alternatives. Also, schedule your event late in 2021 as it’s the common belief (and hope) that the virus would have been contained by then and that’s when everything could finally return to normal. You also have to plan the number of attendees in relation to the venue so as to avoid getting the event too crowded for safety.
2. Prioritize top-producing events
If you have lots of events planned, better prioritize those that many people would be interested in attending. Consider reviewing your past events and looking at the ROI or sales, then making a list of all those events that saw a high attendance or conversion rate.
3. Consider events with hosted buyer programs
Everyone likes free stuff, so one way to convince companies and businesses to participate in your event is to sponsor part of the expenses or to treat them to VIP experiences. Free lodging, free meals, or even shouldering 50% of the travel expenses could convince high-quality decision makers to support your event and attend in person.
4. Add some incentives
What’s in it for me? That’s what we normally think about when we get invited to an event. If there’s no value in showing up, people are likely to skip it. Hence, when planning your event, make sure to let your target participants know the value that your event could bring to their businesses and themselves.
To sweeten the deal, throw in some incentives too. If you’re targeting top prospects, invite them to meet with you or schedule a quick catch-up in exchange for some tokens, like a nice dinner or a special gift.
5. Mix digital with face-to-face events
No matter what you do, there’s a big chance some of the people you want to see in your event won’t be there—and that’s ok. The best way to still reach them is by taking the event online. By adding some digital events to complement the live one, you have a means to reach those who can’t leave their homes and attend in person.
Talk to us if you need a bit of help making live events happen. Blink is a trusted modeling agency in Las Vegas and our team of models and organizers is always glad to be of assistance, whether it’s livening up a trade show or taking care of the necessary details for a successful and fun event.