How to Market Your Event to Build Attendee Confidence

June 15, 2021

Ryan Costello

Ryan Costello is the co-founder of Event Farm and Chief Strategy Officer of MemberSuite. Hehas been an event producer and experiential marketer for more than 15, years, workingwith some of the largest brands and agencies in the world including Nike, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Adobe, JP Morgan Chase and dozens more. 

The vaccine is here, and we are close to moving past this pandemic nightmare. It’s clear that in-person events are on the horizon, and event planners, like myself, are looking forward to hosting them again. However, whether or not attendees are ready to attend again is another question. 

In a recent survey conducted by Event Farm, we asked event professionals, “What is your primary concern when planning in-person events amid the COVID-19 pandemic?” 76% of respondents cited attendee safety as a concern. Let that sink in for a minute: Attendee safety. 

Being in the events industry for more than 20 years, I can completely relate to that concern. The pandemic turned our industry upside down in a blink of an eye. Despite my eagerness to get back to “normal,” I understand there exists real fear, worry and concern on the part of attendees. So how can we ensure that our guests feel safe at our event during a pandemic? 

Here are some tips for how to show your attendees how serious you are about their safety and reassure them that they can come to your event with confidence. 

Event Venue Selection and Promotion

Researching and making informed decisions about event venues is more important than ever before. Ultimately the chosen venue is an extension of you. It’s the place you sourced, vetted and deemed worthy of hosting your guests. 

Leading up to your event, use it as an opportunity to share with your attendees why you chose the venue you did and the special precautions they are taking to promote safety. 

Hearing from the event organizer about venue safety precautions will provide on-site assurance and demonstrate how every aspect of the event environment is thoughtfully designed with attendees' safety and well-being in mind. Things that will be top-of-mind for your attendees are: ventilation, venue and seating layouts, eating areas, adjusted room capacities, etc. 

Code of Conduct 

A safe event can only happen when every person involved does their part to make it safe. Ensure a smooth return of your in-person event by encouraging all staff and attendees to agree and follow a safety-driven code of conduct. 

Communicate with your guests what kind of behavior they can expect and what other safety measures they must observe. This will help to address questions such as: Are masks required during the event? How often are common areas being sanitized? What are the social distancing protocols? 

Creating this shared sense of responsibility before the event will convey that teamwork is essential to success and affirm that safety is a priority. 

On-site Communication Plan

As an event planner, you understand how important it is to communicate with your attendees during an event. But with current fluctuating conditions, an on-site communication plan is essential not only for engagement but also in disseminating safety information and protocols. 

Familiarize your attendees on how you plan to communicate with them during the event and what kind of messages they should expect. We highly recommend having a text messaging system in place as we’ve found that is, by far, the highest adoption/read rates of any other solution. 

Moral of the Story: Be Human

The best advice I can give that applies to all event organizers is to BE HUMAN. Think about what you would like to know before attending an in-person event and what safety measures would make you feel comfortable and confident attending. 

 

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Here at Mandalay Bay, venues are inviting and innovative. As one of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has recently undergone an exciting upgrade. This renowned venue now offers everything your business needs, with a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, as well as an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're searching for a venue that is both inviting and innovative, Mandalay Bay is the place to be. Mandalay Bay is committed to investing in a new wave of enhancements, not only in the convention space but also throughout the entire resort. With new restaurant openings and remodels, spectacular entertainment, and updated rooms, Mandalay Bay promises to deliver new and exciting experiences to its guests until 2024. To create a truly effective conference venue, Mandalay Bay has carefully considered what businesses require. The right technology, capacity, and inspiration are essential to take ideas to the next level. The refreshed Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been designed with your business in mind. Every room is equipped with newly-upgraded technology, enhancing our ability to support bandwidth demand and overall data capabilities. Additionally, the addition of 10 new digital walls provides bigger and more dynamic ways to display customized content messages. Mandalay Bay offers world-class conference space and service. The venue options range from ballrooms to ample pre-function spaces, catering to teams of any size while accommodating multiple large groups simultaneously. Our certified planners work collaboratively with you to understand your specific event requirements, anticipating your business needs and offering the best-fit solutions. In addition to providing exceptional conference facilities, Mandalay Bay is also dedicated to sustainability. We strive to give our guests an unforgettable experience while minimizing our impact on the environment. As part of our sustainable energy efforts, you'll find refillable water stations throughout the property, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles and reducing unnecessary plastic usage. Mandalay Bay is proud to offer an upgraded and enhanced experience for businesses seeking a venue that combines innovation, convenience, and sustainability. Whether you're hosting a conference, meeting, or other business event, Mandalay Bay's refreshed convention space, world-class service, and commitment to sustainability make it the ideal choice. Come and discover the new wave of experiences awaiting you at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. Wherever your organization is going, getting there starts with being here.