We find ourselves in an ever-changing world. I am here to share some of my wisdom about how to confidently book events in this period of flux. Thursday 1st October 2020 is the date currently etched into the brain of every event professional. The milestone date, the government, will allow business events to restart, assuming infection rates remain stable. That said, even after 1st October, it’s likely there will be natural nervousness when booking events. We are all learning to navigate through a tentative terrain. Fortunately, I’ve rounded up my essential advice to ensure you can book events with confidence.
Book a COVID-19-safe venue
It is hugely encouraging that most venues have responded to COVID-19-safe measures amazingly well. Steps are in place to ensure you, and your guests can feel as safe as possible when attending events. Measures include but are not limited to:
- Having a large enough space to ensure one meter+ social distancing, wherever two metres isn’t possible.
- Using larger tables with fewer people to ensure social distance is maintained.
- Ventilating areas as much as possible.
- Sanitiser stations available throughout and employing touch-free procedures to minimise face to face contact.
- Venues and caterers have also found some fun and inventive ways to ensure guests are fed in COVID-19-safe ways too. For instance, individual bento box lunches from ChandCo is one of my favourites!
- I would also recommend considering out of town venues with ample parking, allowing for delegates who are apprehensive about using public transport.
Negotiate a flexible contract
I’m delighted that many venues and suppliers are offering flexible contract terms. For your peace of mind, I would highly recommend negotiating a no-fee cancellation or no-cost postponement clause before signing any contracts for your next event. In fact, go one step further and get the guys over at Eventify to source the perfect venue, as well as look after all of the negotiations. They will make sure you get the best value, flexible deal on the market.
Tech Tech Tech!
With all the potential uncertainty, it is prudent to plan for a few delegates not being able to attend. Perhaps to self-isolate or maybe they are not comfortable with travelling. Whatever the reason, consider a technically sophisticated venue that can turn your live event into a hybrid or entirely virtual event. From experience, I know Cavendish Venues have got some brilliant technical solutions to cover most eventualities.
Provide a welcome pack for your guests
Face coverings are becoming more widely worn and mandatory in many public spaces. How about providing guests with a little welcome pack upon arrival? Contents could include a mini anti-bacterial gel, a branded face mask and a leaflet highlighting the COVID-19 measures in place. You could even pop in a lovely hand cream to combat the anti-bac. Not only does this reassure your guests that you are implementing a COVID-19 risk assessment. Whatsmore, delegates have everything they need, just in case, they have forgotten to bring their own. I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost count of the times I’ve had to run back home to pick up a mask!
Overall, the ever-resilient meeting and events industry is doing everything possible to bring live events back safely. I’m positive you can book your next event with confidence. The team at Eventify are ready and excited to help. They will make your next event a reality, and take away any worries about booking, planning and COVID-19 compliance. Get in touch today, and put your mind at ease.
Diary of a Party Girl
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