A key part of planning and hosting a public event is adapting to changing circumstances. In 2020, the events industry faced new challenges like no other. Many companies had to cancel public events due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and turn to virtual meetings as a substitute.
While a computer screen doesn’t replace the numerous benefits in-person meetings provide, you still need to consider certain factors of hosting one.
Hosting your first post-pandemic event may seem challenging. However, you can ensure it takes off successfully by following these tips below.
1. Review Public Ordinances
Federal, state and city officials have responded differently to COVID-19 across the U.S. Yet, one thing they have in common is a concern for public health safety and citizens’ privacy. With these two goals in mind, they should be at the top of any event planner’s mind.
Ensure you follow the legal guidelines before you host the event. You may need to have your guests sign a waiver that states the health risks of their attendance. It would help if you also recommended social distancing to prevent any contraction of illnesses.
That way, guests are still aware of the risks involved, and you can practice safety measures to ensure public safety is in place.
2. Consider Good Hygiene
Whether it’s flu season or you’re concerned about the pandemic, promoting good hygiene is crucial. Gatherings can be problematic when viral illnesses are spreading around. However, you can boost guests’ confidence by following a few tips:
- Integrate hand-washing stations at the event.
- Provide easy access to hand sanitizers or hand one out to every guest.
- Create a seating chart.
- Assign drink refill pitchers to individual tables.
- Serve meals to guests rather than using a buffet.
- Individually wrap food packages.
You could also consider requesting that guests wear masks at the event if social distancing isn’t possible. But with these systems in place, you can ensure guests remain safe and enjoy their event experience.
3. Communicate a COVID-19 Policy
While planning your event, consider others’ feelings. It’s important to remember that the general public and several professionals haven’t been to large-scale events within the last year or so. Therefore, they may have concerns about attending an in-person event.
To ease their concerns, be transparent about the safety measures you have in place. You can build a website for your event and post a COVID-19 policy that attendees can read.
Additionally, you can communicate your list of precautions via email. Let guests know any steps they’ll need to take before attending the event. For example, they could present a negative COVID-19 test one day before the event.
4. Utilize Technology
Even if the event is entirely within a physical space, you may still need to leverage technological solutions. That way, you can minimize contact between attendees and staff and reduce areas with heavy traffic.
Some of the technology solutions that can help include:
- Online event registration and check-ins.
- Contactless scanning with face recognition.
- Mobile event apps to reduce human interaction.
In-person events use these technologies as a new way to network. You may consider choosing a venue partner that can provide these accommodations. Or, you can host a hybrid event so guests may choose to attend in person or virtually.
5. Promote Your Event
Approximately 88% of marketers say content marketing is the most effective way to build trust and brand awareness.
Without promotion, you may not get attendees to show up since they wouldn’t know about the event. Therefore, planning a successful marketing strategy is essential. Yet, if your budget is on the lower end or you need creative ways to increase awareness, here are a few tips for promoting your public event:
- Incentivize your audience with an early bird discount for those who sign up for the event early.
- Create a landing page and post all of the details about the event. Ensure you include videos and photos, an FAQ page and a link to your social media pages.
- Promote your event through your content marketing channels.
- Use email marketing to reach your current audience and offer subscriber discounts.
- Create a hashtag specifically for your event.
- Post in social media and community groups to advertise your event
There are various ways to promote your event. Yet, ensure you advertise in the coming weeks instead of waiting until the last minute. That way, you guarantee more sign-ups and attendees.
6. Host Your Event Outdoors
If the weather permits in your area, hosting an event outside can be a valuable experience. For example, the sunny Los Angeles has a lot of event spaces you can choose from where you can host your event outdoors or even indoors.However, if you have concerns about the weather, your attendees may still enjoy a space outdoors to break up their day and ensure guest safety.
Keep in mind that some functions may require a stage for guest speakers. You could consider setting up a platform stage if it suits the live event.
In a post-pandemic world, outdoor venues allow you to reap all of the benefits while guests can still maintain a safe distance.
7. Create High-Quality Content For Your Event
It’s imperative that you keep the event engaging through high-quality content. Many people are still reluctant to attend in-person events. Meanwhile, others have had great experiences with virtual events.
Therefore, high-quality content will make your event worthwhile and enticing to attend.
While promoting your event, ensure you give context about your event to your audience so you gain interest and more registrations. It helps to aim for exciting content people want to learn. Otherwise, they may not like to attend a physical event.
Plan Your First Public Event Successfully
While organizing a public event in the “new normal” can be challenging, you can make it successful by following these tips. People are still following health and safety protocols and social distancing in today’s world. Yet, you can incorporate the right policies and ease everyone’s concerns without sacrificing your attendees’ experience.
