Returning to in-person events
Conferences and events have long been a staple in almost every industry, but COVID-19 brought these in-person networking and professional development opportunities to a halt. While many organizations pivoted to hosting virtual events, which still provide valuable learning opportunities, it’s just hasn’t had the same feeling or impact. There is great news for people with ZOOM fatigue. In-person events are BACK!
This week, we helped the Small Business Association of Michigan put on the 6th Annual MI Hidden Talent workshop.
This was the first time this longstanding event was in person since October of 2019. While the event was a tremendous success and it was exciting to see how happy attendees were to be attending in-person, I couldn’t help but reflect on how different the event planning process was.
While the fundamentals of event planning haven’t changed, the considerations that go into an event certainly have. While these won’t be the same for every single event, taking these factors into consideration could be key to making sure your event is a success. They include:
Budget changes: Many companies are budgeting less toward sponsorships and funding to send people to professional development events. Especially during this transition period back to events, it may be necessary to adjust your sponsorship levels and benefits, and potentially even lower the cost of the event to make it possible for people to attend.
Attendee numbers: The return to an in-person event may not draw as large of a crowd as it did before the pandemic hit. Keep in mind when planning your event that not everyone is comfortable attending an in-person event yet, many companies are dealing with staffing shortages and might not be able to spare staff to attend, and as mentioned above, and may not have budget to send attendees. To account for these factors, it may be beneficial to look for smaller venue options or venues that have various room sizes. The last thing any organization wants is a large event room that is only half full.
Safety precautions: Event attendees will have varying comfort levels due to COVID, so keep that in mind when planning. Regardless of what safety precautions you decide to have at your event, be completely transparent about this when planning your event. Be sure to include any safety details or rules on your registration materials and website, so attendees know what to expect. Letting attendees know what to expect ensures that the event will be safe and beneficial for everyone.
Live streaming/hybrid options: Some organizations may want to ensure people who cannot or are not comfortable being in-person can still participate. This is where live-streaming or hybrid event options come into play. Live-streaming simply allows others to watch the programming, while hybrid options make it possible for people to participate both in-person and at home. Keep in mind though, these options can add significantly to the cost and logistics of the event, so think carefully about the value-add before including these options in your event.
We hope these considerations will help ensure your future events in this transition time are successful. And remember, our team proudly offers event planning services, and would be happy to assist your organization in planning your upcoming event.