How to prepare for events in 2021
With COVID numbers rising at an alarming rate, it sometimes feels as if we will never get back together for face-to-face setting for business events, conferences, conventions and meetings. But the news of the vaccination schedule has encouraged me to believe that brighter days are ahead for my favorite kind of business, the events business.
After working with organizations, companies, individuals and makers for nearly 25 years, my team and I have put our heads together to offer this advice on how you can prepare for meetings and events in 2021.
Five things to think about:
- See you next summer. 2021 events will come back early in the year, but large live events will not be viable until summer. Vaccines will then likely be available to most of the population, and people will be craving in-person gatherings. However, there will still be concerns about gathering safely in real life. We will be like Punxsutawney Phil coming out on Groundhog Day and looking around to see how much longer he needs to hibernate. However, plan to have a third less people attend, and twice the expense in your budget. Also, book your venue dates now as all venues will have tight calendars.
- Shake it up. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is to adapt and get creative. Toss your old event models out the window and shake up your event formats. This is the perfect time to break the mold. “Predictable” is so last year. Used to have a 3-day conference? How about a couple of half day spotlights, a pop-up virtual event or fireside chat instead? Or a meet and greet with a celeb, live-streamed course on leadership, cooking, demos, or behind-the-scenes access to your business and more. It’s all shorter, more bite-sized and focused on real engagement that provides value. Create easy ways for your attendees to interact. Your audiences will be more forgiving than they ever have for experiments gone sideways and you’ll get points for trying.
- Stay on your toes and engage. This is no time to hold back. Your audience misses you and if you stay dark, they might not be there when you get back. Don’t delay in finding new ways to adapt. It’s your time to step up and shine. Engagement is the key no matter the format. Attendees need to feel like they have been part of a larger experience with their tribe or they will move on. Time for an offense strategy, not defense.
- Hybrid is not simple. In the same way that Zoom is not like real live events, hybrid is not just about adding a Livestream. It takes thoughtful engineering to connect both attending and virtual groups in meaningful ways. Take a step back instead and create a year-round approach that engages your audience with both digital and live options. Digital doesn’t need to be tied to a live event and combining formats often fails miserably (and expensively). Consider a series of smaller live events combined with a digital series for the best of both worlds.
- Keep your eye on the goal. Whether digital, hybrid or in real life, make sure you understand your event objectives, strategy, audience needs and expected results. If you don’t have a clear vision, need ideas or are not sure how to manage your event, call in a professional. At the end of the day it’s always about cultivating relationships. No matter the platform, focus on providing value to your audience and you’ll be ready for 2021!
A successful event is built on a foundation of a million little details, and just like you would hire an architect to create a design for a house before you build it, you need a plan for an event prior to sending out the invitations. We like to start with establishing a goal for your event, and now’s the best time to create a plan grounded in goals, strategy, tactics, and budget for 2021.
Like any aspect of marketing, you want your event to reflect your brand and to serve the needs of your targeted audiences. I hope that Maine businesses will come out of hibernation in 2021 and start interacting face-to-face because that’s where business really takes off and accelerates.
Conversation, iteration, education and inspiration are all the elements of a successful business event and I, for one, am eager to start planning spectacular gatherings for 2021.
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