The C word. It’s near impossible to avoid getting through a day without opening an email or reading a headline that is in some way impacted by Coronavirus. For the events industry, there are major implications and the effects have been significant - from cancelled conferences to closing agencies, this is a bleak time for our sector.
And for many of Coveted’s clients - the majority of them charities or non-profits - the cancellation of events results in loss of income and potential closure of vital services. For us as events managers, it’s a challenging time both professionally and personally, as we lose the structure that our events calendars and Gantt charts offer.
So what can we do at this time of uncertainty?
Communicate - Now more than ever, communication is key as there are so many uncertainties and your stakeholders will be unsettled and unsure.
With guests and sponsors, plan your communications carefully, be sure that you are clear about what you do know, what you don’t yet know or are uncertain of, and when you will be making future decisions. Consider how you can create personalised communications and continue to look after these key relationships, even if remotely
With clients, keep in touch! Their events may not be the priority at this stage but as the weeks progress and they are open to thinking about next steps, be sure to touch base and be able to offer support and advice about what actions to take. And when they’re ready to commit to new dates or events, you can be ready to take things forward
Pivot to digital - Whether working group meetings, training or even events themselves, consider what can be be recreated virtually. Although it’s a cultural shift for many organisations and individuals, this way of working is rapidly becoming the norm - and if you’re not moving online, you can guarantee your competition will be and you will be at risk at being left behind…
Upskill - There’s no time like the present to develop or improve your expertise to support your work, existing or prospective. With many events pivoting to digital, improving your tech skills and having an understanding of the technologies available for event hosts might be a
Collaborate - Whether it’s learning from and sharing with your counterparts - even your competitors. There may also be events or projects that you can work on together, to leverage your respective expertise or to take on new business opportunities together
Look after ourselves - There’s no doubt that during this time both our mental and physical health are at risk. So accept the quiet times when they happen, enjoy them, use them and do more of the things you love…because the crazy times will be back one day and we’ll wish we had more time to ourselves!
What’s your experience of Coronavirus? How is it affecting your day-to-day working life? Have you personally been involved with an event or project cancelled as a result of the virus? Get in touch to share your experiences or join our next #CovetedCuppa for the charity sector on 17 April at 12PM BST.