If Tabari’s latest post was Avengers: Infinity War, this post is Avengers: End Game. Thanos has snapped his fingers with the Infinity Stones and half the world is turned to dust…or at home due to stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders. As employees are getting used to the “new normal” and working from home, now is a good time to take stock of the event(s) you had planned and look toward next steps.
Here are a few things you can do to ensure your postponed event gets back on track.
Decide if your event can be held virtually
If you have the ability to host a virtual meeting, panel or happy hour, you may not need to reschedule your in-person event. Using platforms like Zoom can help you connect with your audience face-to-face while still practicing social distance. And everybody can bring their own drink of choice.
This keeps your organization front of mind with your audience – while saving money on a venue and the cost of drinks and food.
Keep in touch with vendors and sponsors
Not every vendor or sponsor will be able to commit to your event again. Keep all of your partners updated on a new date, once decided, and how you plan to keep everyone safe and healthy, and ask if they are still interested in participating. Don’t assume.
Reschedule for post-quarantine
If you can’t have your event virtually, reschedule as far out as you can. Just because your state may hit its peak this month, doesn’t mean May will be safe to have events. We recommend staying flexible when deciding on a new date and following all guidelines set forth by the CDC and other governing bodies to keep employees and guests safe and healthy at your in-person soirée. Once a date is set and vendors and sponsors are confirmed, you can work on your PR and social media campaigns and timelines to get things back up and running.
Stay Engaged
Don’t forget to stay engaged with your audience while you are rescheduling your event. Have fun with them on social media by asking questions, sharing polls or behind-the-scenes WFM images, and most importantly, keeping them informed on key decisions. This will help your audience feel like you haven’t forgotten them in these crazy times and they may be more willing to partake in your event, knowing they were being thought of throughout the process.
In these uncertain times, we all have the capability to be superheroes by staying at home, but that doesn’t mean that we abandon all hope for the future. So plan your events because the Avengers (health care workers, epidemiologists, first responders) are on the case!
About Scooter Media
Scooter Media is a full-service communications agency in Greater Cincinnati specializing in public relations and social media. For more robust media relations advice for events, see our blog post “Tips for Making Your Event a Media Relations Success.”
