Everything changed for event marketers in the past few months. All gatherings were brought to a halt by the strict covid 19 restrictions. There was a dramatic increase in virtual events. But after a long time of no physical gatherings, many people are looking forward to attending more events to return a sense of normalcy.
Planning and marketing an event during this pandemic requires a lot of caution and consideration. Promotional merchandise items have become part of marketing. You have to use every tool available to ensure the event is a success. Events are usually planned for a long time in advance, giving the marketer time to develop strategies and solutions for a COVID-safe event. These are five tips you can use for your next event.
1. Embrace Technology
Body temperature screening was initially considered very extreme, but today it’s a necessity in any event. You should consider upgrading the technology you use, especially if you are resuming live events. You have to embrace every touchless technology you can get; you need to provide contactless solutions at the event.
Starting from ticketing to check-in, event members have to feel safe. Another interesting trend that had a huge boom thanks to COVID is hybrid events. These are usually organized because a limited number of people can attend in-person events. In that case, the majority of attendees will follow the event via a hybrid events platform. You have to keep up with the emerging trends and technology to help you set up COVID-compliant events.
2. Maintain Regular Communication
Your event attendees need information; when they don’t get it, your silence will fuel many rumors. You should become an expert in proactive and consistent communications. Keep them in the loop with what you plan to use to keep the audience safe during the event. If you have a team, ensure everyone in your organization is aligned with consistent messaging.
Use different platforms to reach everyone. Post on Facebook and other social media pages regularly and engage the attendees personally when you need to. You also have to be careful and avoid content that can create concern. Be truthful but also tactical with your marketing approach. It’s also wise to avoid images of big crowds, hugging, and handshaking in events on your platforms.
3. Emphasis Social Distancing
Encouraging the audience to maintain distance is one thing, but you also need to ensure the venue complies with the social distancing policy. If you encourage people to attend the event, it’s part of your responsibility to ensure they are safe from the virus. Adopt a no-handshake policy at the event. Attendees will only ignore the social distancing rules when there is a lack of clarity and also because of social norms.
That is why you need to emphasize the policy by coming up with more specific event guidelines. The official guidelines can vary depending on the venue and type of event. If there are any changes or additional measures in place, you have to communicate with the guests.
4. Signage is Crucial
It’s important to remind the attendees of the COVID-19 rules on-site: signage is the best way to do that. Have simple reminders like “cover your mouth and nose when sneezing” or “wash your hands regularly” posted all over the venue. You can also use the signage to tell them what to do in case of a COVID-19 emergency. There is no limited number of posters you can use; it all depends on how big the venue is and how many people will attend.
Use floor stickers to remind people to keep their distance and other COVID-relevant signs. Use them to politely remind attendees as much as possible to comply with regulations. Using the signs can also be beneficial to your event marketing business. Include your logo on the signs and use the opportunity to brand yourself.
5. Pivot If You Need To Pivot
Analyze current trends, news, and past performance and pivot if you have to. If you are used to marketing international events, you should consider regional or localized events. Find out if there are guests under any travel restrictions. If there are, monitor the situations daily or weekly and adjust your tactical marketing accordingly.
You have to be flexible because the pandemic came with a lot of surprises. Postpone events if you have to and tell the audience why. Be ready to handle virtual events as well; sometimes, you won’t get a chance to market an in-person event because of lockdowns and restrictions.
Conclusion
There is no telling when covid 19 will be a thing of the past, but you have to adjust to fit the changing times until then. Event marketers are among the most affected by the pandemic. Be creative and embrace emerging trends and technologies to boost your business. Learn everything about the virus to provide accurate facts to your audience.
