HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR GUESTS DURING A PANDEMIC

For the past 10 months there has been a lot of uncertainty around event planning and venue booking. Events are being changed last minute, transformed into virtual activations, or cancelled entirely. As an event planner or coordinator communicating with your attendees is one of the most important things to do during a pandemic. Right now, attendees are expecting event professionals, planners, and event venues to be informed, active and proactive about safety measures for Covid-19 to reduce the spread and keep them safe. Venue management and event management are key as how you handle (or mishandle) an event will stick with your attendees and impact future events.

Below are some key elements to keep in mind when communicate with your event guests:

GUEST LIST MANAGEMENT

Whether you had a private guest list or an open-to-the-public setting, communicating event safety measures with your attendees during COVID is going to keep them safe and keep them interested in future events. Depending on the type of event (and the type of updates!), your guest list may include attendees that have RSVP’d no or tentative, but it will always include any yes RSVPs.

• PRIVATE GUEST LIST

Your event isn’t open to the public, so you know exactly who to contact to inform about safety measures, pre-event preparation and communicate promptly when plans change. In general, you don’t have to communicate with attendees who have already declined to attend your event—especially if you’re cancelling your event. They already weren’t planning to attend, so they won’t care if you’ll have hand sanitizer all throughout the venue or mask requirements. On the other hand, if you are postponing your event or moving your event online—send them a new invitation. In the invitation, recognize that they already declined to attend, but ask if this new date or format will change their mind. Worse case, they decline again, but they know you were thinking of them. It goes without saying that you should definitely update any guests who have not yet responded, responded tentative, or responded attending.

• PUBLIC EVENTS

Instead of having a specific guest list, you may have a public ticketing system that allows anyone who’s interested to attend your event. So while you can contact attendees who have signed up or purchased tickets, letting interested, potential attendees know can be tricky. That’s where lots of online and social media updates come in! However you were sharing your upcoming event—share your updates, policy changes, safety measures for COVID-19 and cancellations the same way. Plus, directly communicate with confirmed attendees.

• EVENT UPDATES

While your attendees don’t need to know every detail immediately, they do need to receive regular updates leading up to the event date. The two most important elements are to communicate often and clearly. Even if you don’t know what your event will look like—don’t let that stop you from communicating with your attendees during COVID! Be honest with them, and let them know when they can expect more information.

USE EMAILS AS PREFERRED COMMUNICATION METHOD

In general, you want to keep communicating with your attendees using the same method. That way, they know where to look for information and updates. However, if you’re making last-minute changes or cancellations, some methods (like a mailed notice) may take too long. For urgent communications, always send an email first. Your guests will receive the information quicker, and you can confirm that they have received and opened the email. Of course, if you want to send a follow-up in the mail, go for it! Just don’t rely on that as your first attempt. (And do mention your email in your mailed notice, just in case they didn’t see the email.)

CREATE A SUPPORT HUB

While your email should cover the major, important event updates, you can’t answer every attendee question in your email. But you can create a support hub where they can get all those answers. It can be a simple landing page with some FAQs or a Twitter account devoted solely to event-related changes because of COVID. For small, private events, you might consider giving out your personal email address or number for one-on-one answers. Then, in your email, let attendees know how they can contact you with questions and get more information.

ESTABLISH SAFETY MEASURES FOR COVID-19

Before you make any changes, discuss safety concerns with your team. Do you need to lower the capacity? Maybe you need to enforce social distancing or stock up on masks and sanitizer to provide to attendees. Figure out national recommendations, and then make sure you’re complying with your local laws, too. Once you have a solid safety plan in place, communicating with your attendees is your next step. Make sure the venue management is on the same page with you and your event planning team. All of the members of the venue and planning team should be aware of the most up to date safety measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and keep attendees safe.

Safety measures can be communicated to guests via email prior to the event, as well as upon check in. Make sure to post notices at any entrances, and in well-traveled areas, like restrooms or common areas. Sometime guests don’t read emails and don’t listen to staff guidelines when they check in.

Upon entry make sure to set up multiple stations where guests can receive masks and sanitizer and ask questions, too. Think of it like your in-person safety hub! The easier it is for attendees to get the safety information they need, the safer everyone will be.

HOW TO DELIVER SAFER EVENTS IN THE FUTURE?

How will COVID change the landscape of events for the future? While you’re at the event, take notes on what does and doesn’t work. Notice what areas your team is struggling with, and what frustrates your attendees the most. We encourage you to send follow-up emails to your attendees. Ask them for feedback—what worked, and what didn’t? What do they wish was done differently? Then, let them know how you plan to mitigate future events during COVID. Or, if you don’t know, tell them that! Use their feedback to come up with a plan and keep them informed as those details unfold. Remember—the key is to keep everyone safe, and rushing can lead to missteps and compromises.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Communication during any event changes is important. Your attendees will be looking to you for direction and answers, so the more clearly you can provide those answers, the better. Don’t be afraid to email them a few times leading up to the event date, and follow up with them after. Clearly post any safety measures for Covid-19 and instructions in your emails, on your website, at the venue, and anywhere else you talk with your attendees. Your guests will thank you later!

Feel free to contact us with any questions on how to safely host your upcoming events. Piovra Group team of Pandemic Compliance Advisors can help you execute a smooth event respecting the most recent CDC guidelines and keeping your staff and event attendees safe.