During Difficult Times We Need To Be Creative (and Utilize TECHNOLOGY)
During this difficult time, we brought the current subject of the coronavirus and how it is affecting business to the attention of a few of our event industry friends Kate Patay, Kristin Banta, and Dave Merrell, in order to gain insight from their always wise experience.
We must be creative. We must think ahead and out of the box. Together we can put a plan in place to avoid future interruptions as much as possible.
“It’s sad to see our industry taking such a hit from this virus, which unfortunately seems to be “the new norm.” Financially, the impact of this is devastating because of mass panic and sensational headlines that have people afraid to travel and meet, but we can combat this with contingency plans, proper precautions with sanitization, and educating ourselves. It’s our JOB to figure out how people still meet face to face, so learning as much as we can and being proactive to prevent the transmission of viruses will be key. In the meanwhile, virtual meetings and technology can help us to still come together as we work towards clearer industry standards for this.”
“We cannot avoid taking deeper consideration to current health scares when planning our events as the current climate radically affects our industry, both domestically and internationally. We do have some options such as live streaming which allows for virtual attendance. However, we realize that this doesn’t take the place of human connection and the value of live networking. Smaller localized event strategies will most certainly become an interim solution. I sincerely believe that within six months this will be a controlled issue but at what permanent cost financially for all?”
“I believe something like this fundamentally changes the dialogue and direction of humanity. It stands to reason that it will affect our industry profoundly. While it is important to take a defense position currently, we also have to look at the opportunities that this might present. It is our responsibility as an industry to educate the public as to how to properly and safely continue to meet and celebrate. Part of that responsibility is leading by example. New technologies like 5G, RFID, AR, and VR provide a platform to allow real connection to continue when face to face cannot be achieved. It’s important for us as an industry to embrace these technologies as essential tools in our toolbox, as the experts of human interaction. In the short run, we hunker down and hope for the best. In the long-term, this is an opportunity for the Live Events Industry in that we are in a unique position to steer both the dialogue and direction.”
“Booking new business or asking your clients to postpone will be key to make sure your losses are not too great. Technology has always been there in so many ways – Dave and Kristin suggest live streaming — there are many broadcasting companies that offer this which provides added value while still helping to build your community and network. This will really help during a difficult time when events are being canceled. Small localized events as Kristin mentioned is great advice, and manageable. But as they all said, it’s worth looking into virtual meetings.
Ultimately, it’s critical to have a technology that allows you to sell your space remotely. If you are experiencing canceled events, a drop in new business, or need help with providing virtual walk-throughs to replace in-person on site tours, please contact me. We will onboard you as fast as we can so that you don’t lose out on opportunities. Having those bookings in your calendar for even a year from now will make you sleep better at night!
All in all, please be safe – be smart – but let’s make sure we all help each other!
