It’s been a difficult couple of years for event planners, marketers, and attendees alike. We all miss the excitement of the in-person experience — getting a fresh cup of coffee in the morning, chatting with colleagues, and networking in the lounges, even the effort of finding a private location to take a call.
People have had an almost endless number of event invites in their inboxes for years. They may attend just the finest ones and leave the others. That is no longer the case. Everyone is looking forward to receiving their first post-pandemic invitation to an in-person event. They desire it, for the chance to be together once again.
Being one of the first to organize an in-person event will have certain hooks. However, there is a tremendous benefit: your event may have a huge impact. People recall their initial experiences. You may provide your audience with unforgettable experiences, establish trust, and captivate a new crowd of dedicated champions if you’re ready to take the required measures, such as re-imagining your event activities and working out how to create a safe environment.
Here are some knowledge gained and recommended practices for organizing an in-person event in 2022.
Planning Logistics
Remember that people in different parts of the country have distinct realities while planning logistics. Different cultures have different approaches to the pandemic, and local and state COVID-19 rules range. Furthermore, the pandemic has had varying degrees of impact on particular populations. As a result, local events should be governed by local norms and circumstances.
As a result, national organizations that normally create operational rules for their Affiliates will want to include both universal processes that support all events and possibilities to adjust to local market conditions in their planning. Here are some common safety precautions to think about by onsite event management software:
- You should plan ahead of time to prevent circumstances that might result in long queues or crowds of acquaintances. Consider how to handle registration areas, food, and beverage distribution, and facilities, as well as high-density locations like events, starting lines, sponsor booths, and children’s activities.
- Look for ways to reduce touchless interaction, such as individually packing food, ensuring that attendees are registered ahead of time, and adding touchless choices.
- Consider sending out event day incentives (such as t-shirts) and supplies ahead of time. To guarantee that items reach in time for your event, consider global supply chain challenges and shipping schedules. This is an example of how even the best-laid plans may backfire if you aren’t prepared.
Attendee Registration & Event Check-In
This process is perhaps the most confusing for participants, especially if the event requires registrants to provide evidence of vaccination. While mobile apps are simple to upload images of a vaccination certificate and personal information, this adds an extra step to the check-in procedure once at the conference.
Pay attention to the event notifications you get in the days leading up to the event. Most likely, you’ll be given specific instructions on how to stay up to date on each phase of the procedure. Your event check-in experience will be clunkier than it has to be if you lag.
For the sake of clarity, they aren’t tough tasks, but they are new, different, and unique. They will seem more complicated than required if they are not caught up upon arrival.
Onsite Event Management Software
Onsite event check-in apps are causing a lot of breakage in the events sector, and they’re completely changing the way event planners use technology to organize their events from start to end. For both event planners and attendees, the traditional check-in process may be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Event organizers and their visitors now have a solution for a quick, stress-free check-in process by using onsite event management software.
Simply, the onsite event check-in app allows you to search for visitors by name or confirmation number, scan tickets, and view any pre-event responses or preferences.
Onsite Check-in & Onsite Badge Printing App
To put on a great event, make sure your registration process is on point, which includes getting the most number of people through the door in the shortest amount of time. Your event will be more flexible, cost-effective, and professional with onsite badge printing app. You’ll be able to simply collect attendance information with onsite badge printing app, which allows you to connect your event registration solution to the data in real-time.
Re-engaging Attendees
If some attendees walked out when your event became virtual last year, you’ll have to work harder this year to reengage them in your in-person event. Participants, particularly endurance athletes, miss in-person events and will gladly return if they realize your event will be held again in person. Make sure lapsed participants from the previous two years are included in your recruitment efforts so they don’t miss out on the exciting news. Re-engaging participants is similar to the typical recruiting and retention effort that we conduct. All of the recruiting, follow-up and management aspects still apply, so make sure this is a key component of your strategy.
Must have a Back-up Plan
Event planners always go with a backup plan. There’s a chance you have more than one. We hope for the best and prepare for the worst, whether we have a plan B or a plan for each letter of the alphabet. Being adaptable and having a backup plan go hand in hand. Given the pandemic’s unexpected nature, it’s critical to give oneself choices rather than being stereotyped into one strategy.
Sanitization Units
Luckily, the days of sanitizer scarcity are behind. Hand sanitizer should be easily available around the venue as you prepare for your on-site experience. There are also a variety of options available, ranging from individual sanitizers at each seat to touchless stands placed around the event.
Another strategy for event management professionals is to advertise their business or the brand of their sponsor is to using sanitizers. For both sanitizers and stations, you can build personalized logos and graphics, which is another COVID-friendly and practical freebie for your attendees.
Key Takeaway
This step-by-step approach to returning to in-person events will help you arrange a community-driven, in-person event securely and successfully.
Are you ready to get started on your event planning? To learn more about Eventdex’s in-person and hybrid event management platform capabilities that can help you host a memorable shared experience, contact our team. For enquiries about Eventdex onsite event solution, please contact sales@eventdex.com
