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. 

 

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Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact