For most businesses, transitioning back to in-person events after almost two years of virtual events will be a big adjustment. Successful events, in-person, virtual or a mix of both – have one thing in common. They focus is always on the attendees. The key to unlocking your event channel and accelerating revenue is to turn the traditional view of events inside out. Rather than focusing on the goals of your organization, put the focus on the needs of your attendees.
Event technology platforms can help you capture and understand the needs and preferences of your attendees and deliver highly personalized event experiences. Having a reliable event technology partner to ease the burden will be essential for the success of your next events. Although virtual events were able to keep the conversation going, nothing can match the advantages of face-to-face interaction of in-person events. There are a few suggestions to assure success as businesses prepare for their upcoming events, whether they be virtual, hybrid, or entirely in-person.
1. Communication
Your communications plan is one of the most important components of organizing a successful event. The COVID policy for attending the event should be explained to guests before they even register for it. Regardless of your decision, this has to be stated and consistent across all channels, whether you decide to need confirmation of a negative test, immunization documentation, or nothing at all.
Your complete safety strategy should be mentioned in your emails, social media postings, registration website, etc. in addition to the pre-screening standards. This guarantees that potential attendees will be presented with a clear and consistent safety strategy at every touchpoint. Prior to the event, it is crucial to be consistent with attendees so they feel more at ease knowing you are up to date on CDC recommendations thanks to these communications.
2. Consider the Mode
It might become more and more challenging to decide what would work best for you when there are so many alternatives available for hosting an event today. While there may be some “webinar fatigue,” virtual and hybrid events have gained popularity after 2020.
Implement the Hybrid Model
A hybrid event has numerous benefits, including a wider audience reach, a fallback for last minute changes, and the opportunity for participation for people who don’t feel comfortable attending in person. It is crucial to select a virtual hosting platform that will suit your demands while organizing a hybrid event.
Host an All In-Person Event
Even while hybrid events are a growing trend, entirely virtual events have advantages of their own. Staying virtual enables you to collaborate with a virtual hosting platform and significantly reduces planning anxiety. When compared to a hybrid event, staying virtual reduces the cost of the event when accounting for overhead costs such as space rental.
3. Always Have a Back Up Plan
What should your “Plan B” look like because it may turn out to be your “Plan A”? Returning to in-person events, there can still be unforeseen circumstances that cause an event to become hybrid or virtual. Your speakers must receive training and get ready to convert to virtual. Having a partner for virtual events means you have the tools to educate your speakers on the platform and to arrange prep calls to make sure they are at ease using the equipment.
4. Use Technology to Your Advantage
Event technology has become an even more important aspect of the event management process. Planners have relied on event platforms as a means of venturing “outside” of their four walls, trying to reach much larger audiences. Event management software has the power to elevate your virtual, in-person, and hybrid events in many ways. To host successful events, event planners need to select a provider they can trust with event management processes. Check out our “Why Choose an Enterprise-Grade Event Management Solution?” blog post to learn more about choosing an event management software.
5. Post in-person Events Follow Up
Let’s assume that your event runs smoothly. What now? You used effective communication strategies, you discovered a trustworthy partner to help with the online component of your event, and the attendees felt secure there. After guests have viewed your material and engaged with your business, your connection with them does not end here. It is now time to nurture.
An excellent method to see how participants felt about the event and get the information you need to make changes for future events is to send out a survey in the days after the event. Continue sending pertinent information and nurturing your connections along the client journey to maintain engagement.
Ready to Start Planning Your Next In-Person Event?
Certain is the leading enterprise event management and intelligence platform that helps data-driven marketers integrate rich buying signals and attendee insights to improve sales and marketing outcomes. Certain’s end-to-end event management software will enable you to seamlessly incorporate the most important features for your events. Contact us for a free consultation with one of our event experts.