WHAT SHOULD THE EVENTS INDUSTRY EXPECT IN 2021?

Being the year that 2020 has been, it is natural for us to be waiting for 2021’s fine events and the finer festivities that come along with it. Though 2020 was a year for virtual events, we’re sure 2021 is all set to have the best of both worlds. For event planners and venues, that means making the most with what you have now without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Let’s look at a few insider insights that can help you plan better, execute better, and deliver better.

1. Continue to focus on your virtual event strategy –  Event planners might want to keep continuing to focus on the on-going virtual event strategy for time being. With the vaccines coming in and the trials running successfully around the globe, we might see the light of live events starting from the 2nd quarter. Even with that, the planners will have to upgrade facilities and daily operations to match health regulations because apparently, they are likely to remain the same for a while.
2. Strategize how you’ll manage the travel boom- It’s potentially true that business travel will fully recover, and maybe even be greater. As a result, demand management and policy will be hot topics for event expenditure as soon as travel restrictions go away. What you will ought to do is keep an eye out for what matters most to your key accounts.
3. Define what “high-value content” means for your audience- Since a lot has been lost on the education front in 2020, this year will have to make up for the most. As a result, 2021 will see more and more edutainment events taking place. Zero-in on what goals matter most for your audience right now or in the immediate future. What you can do is bring in speakers who have already achieved them or provide materials that give people all the tools they need to succeed.

4. Get in the mindset that hosting a virtual meeting is an art form- We’ve been quite resistant to host online events in the pandemic but it is a wise idea to get in the mindset that hosting these events ismore of an art form and you have to make it as smooth as possible. Make sure you always test your equipment ahead of time and book a meeting host with a lot of charisma and energy. Also, be sure to do two or three engagement-boosting activities throughout the course of the meeting such as polls, surveys, and Q&As.

5. Create multiple backup plans- We all know that regulations are changing day by day, which means that event planners need to prepare for the unexpected. Brief clients and stakeholders on changes you anticipate based on what your city or state has done in the previous six months. Create an outline for your team that summarizes what needs to happen if your event must be postponed, moved online, or canceled last minute.

As we reflect on the changes made in 2020, the event industry is all set to slay it in 2021 with more knowledge and experience of how to operate during these times. Make the most out of every opportunity and have the fast-mover advantage by following these insiders.