event planning tips

It's hard enough to plan an event in the perfect circumstances as there are a million things to take into consideration. Throw social distancing and CoVid-19 into the equation and you're facing what seems like an impossible task.

Even with extreme measures like most of the country being in isolation and quarantine, it's possible to plan an awesome event.

Check out these event planning tips for staying safe and healthy in this uncertain and unprecedented new reality with the coronavirus.

Event Planning Tips for the Socially Distant

It's an absolute nightmare when you plan an event, you dream of its success, put in all the hard work to organize every little detail and no one can come. This can be a huge concern even when the economy and circumstances are ideal, but now that the entire country is socially distancing and taking strict measures to try to reduce the harmful impact CoVid-19 has, it's critical that everyone does their part to help keep themselves and everyone else in the country safe.

This can only be done by following the advice of the experts and government officials who are fighting the pandemic. While it may seem like it though, the world doesn't stop completely because of a new virus. Birthdays and anniversaries still happen, businesses still need to survive, life goes on even if it is at a distance.

In fact, it's more important than ever for us to find ways as a society to still connect, to still plan for the future and find exciting events to look forward to. Social and networking events don't need to be cancelled, just redefined and envisioned. You may have to postpone certain events but others just need to be reimagined and if you think outside the box, you can still plan and carry out a successful event.

Consider Social Distancing The New Norm

While we would all love to think this is going to be over in a few weeks, realistically, no one knows when and if it will ever go back to business as normal. If you're planning for events now or in the near future, expect there to be some form of social distancing recommended as a safety precaution.

This may mean delaying some events, others may just need to be re-envisioned. Take the event online and find ways to be social in a world where we can't physically be in large groups. The researchers informing world leaders on the Covid-19 virus estimate measures may need to continue in at least small or rotation fashion for more than a year. While this is the worst-case scenario, it is a possibility that even when emergency measures are lifted, it doesn't mean they won't need to be imposed again before this situation is resolved.

You can't put your plans on hold indefinitely though, and in fact, it's times like this that finding ways to connect and events to look forward to is crucial to the mental health and wellbeing of everyone. So it's a great idea to plan events, just don't set yourself up for disappointment by planning a lavish wedding or business expo expecting to bring hundreds of people together in one place within the next few months.

Travel is also something you'll want to take into consideration. If you plan a physical event, even after local or national travel bans are lifted, you don't want any international invitees to be excluded because of international restrictions.

If you do rebook, consider using all local vendors not only because they'll be able to provide service in the area but also because local and small businesses are going to be hardest hit by this pandemic and the measures the world has had to adapt to fight it. You'll be supporting them and be able to enjoy and give exposure to a struggling business to everyone that does attend.

Real-Time or Drop-In Virtual Gatherings

Just because you can't physically gather doesn't mean you can't have a meeting of the minds. There are various tools available across every social media platform that make it possible to have virtual parties, groups, meetings, and concerts all from the comfort of your own home.

People can gather information and network or they can let their hair down and party without ever getting off the couch.

The purpose of your event will determine which online forum or platform is most suitable to meet your objectives.

Networking and Business Events

Business may not be as usual but that doesn't mean you can't continue efforts to network even if you're on complete quarantine.

If you had a physical event planned to network with other businesses or professionals in your niche you can still hold it with a few tweaks to the format and an online awareness or marketing campaign.

Some events that are often successfully held online include:

  • Workshops, lectures, and presentations
  • Interviews, project meetings, and contract negotiations
  • Conferences, Educational symposiums, and networking virtual lunches

You can still connect with your team, clients, and vendors by setting a live event for them to attend online. You can troubleshoot and conduct project management with productivity platforms and tools.

It doesn't all have to be about business, it can be just about supporting and connecting with one another. There may be ways that you can provide support or offer solutions in this time of uncertainty for everyone.

Social Event Planning Tips

Whether you are looking to keep up your social connections as a brand or you're planning a personal social event you can do that online too and still have a great time. If you have a physical event planned, you may want to even have this option as a back-up option for when holding an in-person gathering isn't possible.

If you decide to plan a physical gathering in hopes that the coronavirus will be ancient history when the date rolls around then you may want to keep these event planning tips in mind.

People May Take Time

It may take time for people to feel comfortable travelling, staying in hotels or gathering in large groups. Some won't be ready to run to Disney World the day the social distancing measures are lifted and they may not be ready to attend your event either. Don't take it personally but take this into account when you do plan the event.

Make sure you give people plenty of space when they get there. You don't want people crowded into a conference room so tightly they can't even turn their head to sneeze.  Whether you're planning your wedding or a business expo, you'll want to make sure you give people enough time to recover from the effects of the pandemic physically, mentally and economically.

Many people will not have the stomach or the wallet to head out on a conference cruise or a destination wedding after the stories of all attendees being quarantined and unable to dock in a port for weeks on end.

Business May Take Time

Businesses are going to need time to recover and many are going to be overwhelmed with eager consumers wanting to make up for lost time once the social distancing recommendations are lifted.

Many business owners are still trying to keep things running so if your event is in the future, you could start researching options now. Book dates for vendors and locations for events as soon as you know when you want to have it. None of us know when this will be over but when it is people will be booking everything they've been putting off and rescheduling everything that was cancelled.

If you have details you can take care of now, check with potential vendors and see what arrangements can be made. Make sure that you know the policies on refunds, cancellations, and deposits. You don't want to be on the hook for the full cost of expensive contracts that can never be fulfilled. If the event has to be cancelled because of government recommendations for social gatherings, or due to economic or medical reasons.

Ensure you know your rights as a consumer and or as a business.

Virtual Events and Online Groups for All Occasions

You can use Facebook, Youtube, Slack, and many other platforms online to connect in realtime or through messaging. You can even plan a virtual Netflix movie party in RT together. It even offers real-time messaging features so you can chat with everyone on your laptop while you all enjoy a movie marathon together even though you're socially distancing.

If you want to connect but not necessarily gather everyone together at once you could create a group chat or social media group where people can stop in and read messages left by other members. They can also leave messages, send media or collaborate on projects together no matter where in the world they are.

Be Safe and Get Creative When Event Planning

It's turned into a completely new reality in just a few weeks and there's no concrete answer on when that is going to change. Hopefully, the event planning tips we've shared will help you connect and continue to focus on the positive things in life like as event your planning to celebrate the end of the covid-19 pandemic.