Must the Show Go on? How to Avoid a Coronavirus Event Catastrophe

Major events such as SXSW, TED Conference and the physical portion of the Adobe Summit have been canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Companies are instructing employees to stay local and in some cases and not attend events with more than 100 attendees. At Pink Social Strategies, we have been working with our clients to make the best decisions for their conferences, events, and large meetings. Based on our many conversations, we’d like to share with you a few actions you can take if you have an upcoming event that is likely to be impacted by COVID-19.

Educate yourself-- Check the CDC website and your local government sites to get the latest and accurate information. You do not want to get caught up in the mass hysteria.  Without the proper information, you can’t make a rational and informed decision.

Not only do you need to educate your self on the outbreak, but familiarize your self with your insurance plans.  Did you buy an a la carte event insurance policy? What does that cover and what needs to happen in order for you to file a successful claim? In many instances, you won’t be able to claim the insurance unless your city or state declares a state of emergency.

Weigh your options— Can your event be easily converted into a virtual event? This may not be possible for all events.  For example, imagine a virtual networking event. A virtual event probably is not the way to go unless perhaps your audience is a tech crowd that would enjoy this as an option. Working with your team can help you to determine the best course of action. 

Can you reschedule your event? Before giving rescheduling the greenlight, think about the impact the date change may have on the venue, speakers, and other contractor schedules.  Another factor to consider with rescheduling the event is, ‘how far out do you push it?’ We don’t really know when this outbreak will be cleared up. To be on the safe side you should probably push the event until at least the fall.

Should you cancel the event? Well, the bigger question is, can you afford to cancel? As I said earlier in this post, you need to familiarize yourself with your insurance plan.  For many of us, we simply cannot afford to cancel the event, we don't have the funds to return and we’ve paid all of our vendors, etc. Perhaps you just have to go on with the show, if that is the case, take extra precautions and utilize a “no handshake” policy or “touchless greetings.”

The fear of the unknown is real! So be transparent and direct. 

-April Burks

Get ahead of it— Inform attendees of your plans.  Do not wait for them to ask you! Let them know how changes or cancellations will be communicated to them.  If you’re going to move forward with your event, let them know what steps you are going to take to prevent the spread of germs. If you decide to cancel the event, be very clear about the refund policy.  The fear of the unknown is real! So be transparent and direct. 

At the end of the day, you need to have a plan. You cannot approach this with a “whatever happens happens” attitude because that could be a costly and irresponsible mistake. Educate yourself, figure out what are your options and then craft a positive, clear and concise message to your attendees.

If you are interested in speaking with a member of the Pink Social Strategies team about a COVID-19 strategy for an event your organization is hosting, contact us at april@pinksocialstrategies.com.

Keep Calm and Plan On

Can we be honest? Event planning can be both extremely rewarding and utterly stressful. From prioritizing attendees’ needs, to making sure the caterer is informed of any last-minute menu changes—running an event can oftentimes feel like a never-ending sprint. Factor in a bit of self-imposed pressure to ensure that your event is a success and goes off without a hitch and you’ve got quite the heavy load to carry. How does one stay calm and composed when all, but nothing is seemingly in utter chaos around you? 

Here are a few quick tips to keep in your back pocket the next time you’re tempted to take refuge in the nearest coat closet for a pre-planning meeting meltdown. 

Do a quick check in with your mind, body and soul.

Be honest with yourself. Have you had any food today? How much water have you gotten so far? Our guess is that you may have neglected some seriously important biological components while you were busy taking nonstop phone calls from anxious clients and stakeholders. Listen carefully. The world will not stop if you take a lunch break. Or if you step outside for a quick powerwalk in the fresh air. Remember that taking care of yourself is important during times of great stress and anxiety. If you want to give your best in your work—to your clients—you must be at your best. As the old saying goes, “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” 

Remind yourself to go with the flow. 

As a planner, your middle name should be F-L-E-X-I-B-L-E. To keep yourself (and your clients) sane, remember to take everything in stride. Keeping your cool when things get hectic can be difficult, especially when one more thing goes wrong.  Remind yourself that nothing and no one is perfect. Utilize your critical thinking skills and the resources around you and encourage your team to do the same. If the problem isn’t one that can be easily remedied—improvise.

Set firm boundaries and stick to them. 

When planning an event, conference, staff retreat—whatever the reason for gathering is—it can be easy to try to be everything for everyone. You might find yourself being the after-work hours therapist for a frenzied client or may look at the ten missed calls on your phone from your hovering supervisor asking for finalized event details. In this arena, it is crucial that you set and stick to your boundaries. If you need to set your phone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ from 6pm to 7am each day, do it. Don’t be afraid to set firm boundaries around what you can and what you cannot or are not willing to do. This self-care practice is a small but oh so important step. Set them and keep them—you’ll thank us for it later. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Prioritize. Delegate. Repeat. Don’t be afraid to lean on your team in times of mounting tension and stress. If you can’t do it, say so. The sooner you speak up about a task that needs doing that you just can’t add to your plate, the sooner you can find someone who is willing and able to tackle it on your behalf. Remember that you are only one person, but you don’t always have to go it alone. Release the reigns and allow yourself the space to ask for what you need. 

As much as you can, expect the unexpected.

This should be the universal motto for event planners across the globe. From keeping your phone charger handy, to remembering your to-do list—for an event planner, preparation is key. Set reminders on your phone or on a notepad of things to remember day-of. And for your own sanity, don’t forget to charge your phone ahead of time to make sure lines of communication are open and ready for any emergencies or last-minute changes. 

3 Impactful Ways to Increase Attendee Engagement at Your Next Conference

Keeping your attendees engaged during the next conference you plan is essential to making it a success. Having happy attendees makes for a positive and exciting space for all (as well as a happy client). As the times change, so should your event strategy and approach. Conference guests should leave excited to bring back what they’ve learned from the event (aka practical value) and anticipating the next one. So, what sorts of things can you implement to boost engagement at your next conference? Here are a few unique ideas to strengthen attendee engagement that aren’t played out and will delight even the antsiest of guests:

Make your sessions a discussion, not a lecture.

We’ve all sat through a boring lecture before, at one point in our lives. We all know how off-putting it can be to be forced to sit quietly while someone presents information to you for 30 minutes or more. Change up the way your sessions are run by incorporating as much dialogue from, not only the presenters, but the guests in attendance too! People process information best when they are an active participant in their own learning—allowing room for questions, debate and open dialogue. Try incorporating a throwable microphone, like the ones at Catch Box. Having a toss-able sound piece gives presenters an easy (and fun) way to engage the audience and really make the experience more conversational.

 Send your guests off with swag that doesn’t suck.

Swag bags are basically grown up party favors. Make sure your attendees leave feeling like they’ve just come from the best party ever by finding unique and useful parting gifts to include in your conference swag bag. Portable phone chargers and phone pop sockets are, and will continue to be, all the rage amongst the millennial and Gen Z crowd—and they can be customized with your company/organization’s logo for future reference! It’s really a win-win. Fidget spinners and moldable dough (or silly putty) make great swag for long conferences, satisfying even the most fidgety of guests.  

 Amp up your networking opportunities. 

Happy hour…again? Yawn. Most conference attendees want to meet new people, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the status quo when it comes to planning your networking events. Why not try an activity that really gets your attendees up and moving, and more importantly, meeting one another?

1. Thinking about a conference on health and wellness? Why not throw a morning 5-mile run that allows participants to get their blood pumping while also meeting some fellow runners and wellness gurus?

2. Interested in spicing up your next foodie conference? Get your guests cooking by hosting a cake decorating lesson or an Italian cooking class where they can meet other wannabe chefs.

3. Why not facilitate a “speed-networking” experience that lets people meet others in a more intimate setting?

Not only are these ideas a fun way to get other attendees connecting, but they are fantastic ways to boost engagement and give your event social currency. Moral of the story is: don’t be afraid to switch things up and try something new.  In order to be innovative or a change-maker, you will have to take risks 100 percent of the time.

XOXO,

April

CEO and Founder

Pink Social Strategies