Industry Trends & News
Event Planning for the Future: 6 Things to Consider
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June 26, 2020 Admin · Posted by Cvent Inc. Event Planning for the Future: 6 Things to Consider Unexpected. Unprecedented. For meeting and event planners, 2020 has been unlike any other year. While you plan every day for the unknown, the “new normal” you’re facing has been met with cancellation, re-scheduling, strong pivots from in-person to virtual events—and that’s just the beginning. As you prepare for the next phase, one thing is for certain: when you’re event planning for the future, there are 6 things to consider right now. This mind-shift is going to mean adding more action-items that need your attention…and some of them might mean trudging into areas that are unfamiliar. In this post, we’ll touch on many of the areas that should (and will) be on your checklist moving forward, including how new regulations will have a significant impact on your day-to-day planning. New regulations and the new normal While in-person events will return, they probably won’t be like anything we’ve experienced before. As the industry cautiously begins to find its footing while virtual events continue on, planning for in-person and hybrid events will present a new set of challenges—many of which may be out of your control. Still, being informed will put you in a better position to succeed—and help you sleep a little better at night. Sourcing in the new normal Finding the perfect venue just got a little more complex, and the competition is sure to heat up as the summer months go on. This means not only keeping up-to-date with venue availability, and preparing for the unexpected, but also ensuring the venue you choose is the right fit for your organization with new regulations that vary from state-to-state, and hotel-to-hotel. Considerations you’ll now face include:
Travel and the planner: new questions to ponder Travel is still one of the great unknowns. What used to be a fairly mundane process has become more complex and ultimately, more challenging. Gone are the simple days of trying not to put an executive on a red-eye, or procuring an aisle seat in first class—now most of your concerns will center on safety. Here a few things to ponder:
Once onsite, your event set-up and logistics will be quite different. A few areas to consider:
A new focus on event insurance beyond cancellations, earthquakes, tropical storms, and flooding…an unpredictable global pandemic means your alignment with your venue should be tight as a drum when it comes to insuring your event. The truth of the matter is, we’re all uncertain about what may happen next, and this is why planners and organizations are moving cautiously when it comes to their meetings and events. After all, events are a large investment. Procuring pitfalls and solutions Meeting spend matters for any organization, whether you're in the Fortune 100 or plan for a small non-profit. Make sure you have a “procurement playbook” at the ready so you can be confident knowing that your venue and vendors are working closely with and meet all of your organization’s criteria in regard to safety, risk, etc. If you’ve built a relationship with various venues already, your’e ahead of the game. Leverage those valuable connections by keeping them in the loop with all of your criteria, because you can be sure that once the flood gates open for in-person events, venues will be slammed. Mitigating meeting and event risk You’ve worked hard to get back in the business of in-person events, but is the chance of cancellation on the table? Even in the fall? Assessing all cancellation risk in “high,” “medium,” and “low” categories and meeting with finance, legal, and procurement will ensure you are covered in every scenario. Mark the dates of when those key decision periods are so you can inform and suggest the best move forward plan. |
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