Insight: Issue 04 (22nd July)

That feeling when you can finally get your hair cut after 4 long months in lockdown. . .

Ahhh.

Now that we’re vaguely presentable again, it’s time for today’s event news. We’re bringing you: our very own survey on the state of the events industry; the ABCs of virtual events; 10 resources for event marketers navigating COVID-19; a roadmap for reopening venues; a reminder to familiarise yourself with new event guidance from the government; and just when you thought festival season was done for…#TogetherFestival happens.

Take our events industry survey

There’s no denying that our beloved events industry has taken a serious beating over the last 6 months; with our news round-ups painting a picture of sweeping event cancellations, followed by an unprecedented, industry-wide pivot to virtual. Now, as lockdown is easing and we’re all wondering ‘what’s next?’, we’ve created a short-and-sweet ‘state of the nation’ survey to take stock and find out how our industry is doing.

Our hope is that by gathering and sharing this info, we can help our fellow event profs figure out how events will look in 2020/21—so that, ultimately, we can come out of this crisis stronger than ever. Whatever your role within the events industry, we’d be grateful if you could fill in the survey and share it among colleagues: http://cameron.events/events-industry-state-of-the-nation/

The ABCs of virtual events

While we’re on the topic of the ubiquitous ‘virtual pivot’…Did you know, nearly 60% of virtual meeting organisers have no formal strategy for virtual conferences, while 19% say they aren’t sure whether they have a strategy at all. And you know what they say—when you fail to plan, you plan to fail…and all that jazz.

But fear not! With One10’s ultimate guide to virtual meetings and events, failure is not an option. This 29-page downloadable guide takes a workbook-style approach, leading you through the basics of defining your audience, goals, objectives, and budget, before moving onto the nitty-gritty of logistics and strategic planning. Some of these steps will be very familiar to planners, but that’s exactly the point; just like with face-to-face meetings, virtual meeting planners need to begin with the fundamentals. Or ‘the ABCs’, if you will.

You can get stuck in and download the guide here.

10 resources for event marketers

COVID-19 hasn’t just changed how we host events; it’s transformed how we market them, too. That’s why the Bizzabo Blog have rounded up a list of the top 10 resources for event marketers in 2020. On this list, you’ll find *deep breath*…

1. How to LEAD the way through COVID-19 and beyond—a data-driven framework that stands for Long-term, Engaging, Agile, and Decisive.
2. The COVID-19 event outlook report—a snapshot of findings from a survey of 400 event & marketing profs, designed to gauge the impact of the pandemic.
3. 4 stats that point to the future of events after COVID-19—aka, the ‘new normal’.
4. Cancelling your event: 8 examples from leading brands—for pointers on best practice.
5. Postponing your event: 5 examples from leading brands—ditto.
6. Pivoting to virtual events: 10 examples from leading brands—ditto again.
7. Virtual conference guide—a robust resource for your own virtual pivot.
8. Virtual events 2020—a list of can’t-miss events that are taking place online over the coming months.
9. ‘(Almost) IN-PERSON’ on-demand—watch Bizzabo’s own example of their first-ever virtual gathering.
10. Comprehensive guide to coronavirus & events—Bizzabo’s ‘one-stop shop’ for all things related to COVID-19’s impact on the events industry.

…*phew*

MIA’s roadmap to reopening

One for all our venue partners—as part of their commitment to supporting the industry, the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) have developed a ‘roadmap to reopening and operating safely’ based on extensive national and international research. This roadmap is designed to help venues ensure the safety of both staff and clients throughout the entire customer journey, whilst also guiding them through complicated risk assessment preparations. But, just as important, it should also help venue operators build up their confidence about reopening.

You can download the roadmap here.

New govt guidance for the events industry

One for UK event planners—as you’ll know, new government guidance on resuming events during the coronavirus pandemic came into effect on Monday 20 July. But these updates can be a lot of info to take in at once, so if you need a refresher you can find an overview of the new guidance here. It’s split into the following sections:

• Where we are now
• Assessing risk
• Workforce planning & support
• Operational guide & checklist
• Deliveries, distribution & visitors
• Training & compliance
• Next steps

Things are changing day-to-day at the moment, and the government will be updating this advice regularly, so keep checking this link for updates.

Support the #TogetherFestival

Last for today, one for *literally everyone* in our industry—if you miss events as much as we do, and want them to resume safely *and soon*, you should know about EPIC’s Together Festival.

EPIC (aka, the Event Producers Independent Committee) have been working hard to build support for a new festival that would celebrate the lifting of social distancing, whilst giving the public a chance to remember the hard work and selfless efforts of all emergency services and essential workers in Scotland. They’ve been in regular contact with leading members of the events industry, as well as healthcare professionals and the Scottish Government, to develop a safe, considered, and innovative plan of action.

But to make all this happen, they need our help. The EPIC team are collecting signatures from working members of the events industry who believe that organising the Together Festival would not only have a positive impact on those attending, but on the events industry as a whole. So go on, show your support and stick your signature on the letter.

Peace and love,

Team Cameron