The events at the time of social distancing

Working of Event Organization

 

The organization of events is one of the items that, as a rule, weigh more on the annual budget allocated in marketing and communication by companies, both by large brands and by SMEs: this is because a "live" event involves a great effort of resources both internal and external, as well as a series of living and concrete costs - such as location, catering, materials, and entertainment - which have a considerable weight.

The organization of events, therefore, is a complex activity made up of many different sub-activities, some purely concrete and logistical, others more commercial and digital. First of all, it is good to define the difference between a proprietary event and an external event: both formats have pros and cons, as well as different organizational efforts.

The proprietary events are those organized entirely by a company, developing its own format, according to its own marketing purpose. It could be a press conference with journalists to present their own product, as well as a half-day of free training for their customers on the use of a new application or service, or even a more relaxed moment, such as an aperitif for networking and allow the sales force to get to know new prospects.

The organizational effort is obviously greater, because it is necessary to take care of every detail - from inspections to identify the correct location to the invitations - to set the day up. The fact of choosing independently, however, usually allows good savings because each element can be customized, both as branding and as adherence to a set budget. The internal events also belong to the proprietary ones, that is, dedicated to the resources of the company itself, just think of annual conventions, team building activities and motivational parties related to specific anniversaries.

External events, on the other hand, can be a good solution for those who have no way of managing the most expensive organization of a proprietary event: this happens through sponsorship, that is, paid participation, whether it is a fair or an event more sales-oriented, with the formula of one-to-one meetings between potential prospects/suppliers, or even with the possibility of holding a speech during a vertical conference on a specific topic

  

 

The events at the time of social distancing

 

But then, today, within the place for the first time since the modern world remembers a strong practice of social distancing, must we renounce this acquisition channel? If the traction provided by the events is so strong, then it is unthinkable to delete them from your marketing plans : you need to understand how to make them evolve and make them digital, thanks to the many opportunities and levers made available by technology, communication and social platforms sharing.

Let's take a concrete example: a company for 2020 had a cycle of 4 free training events dedicated to its most loyal customers, a press conference with industry journalists to present a new product and a company convention to communicate news, company numbers and progress to employees by C-levels.

Now, all these appointments can no longer be seen as a moment of a physical encounter. But why erase them altogether when they can be converted back into their digital equivalent?

As well as e-collaboration platforms, chats and shared work management tools are allowing many service companies to keep work continuity running smoothly through the smart working model, then the same way events can and must go through digital channels that can not only avoid their cancellation, but absolutely preserve their effectiveness, thanks to tools now available to everyone.

Microsoft Teams, Skype, Zoom and Whereby are just some of the excellent tools really within everyone's reach which, combined with a good fast connection, can become the perfect virtual space in which to make speakers, guests, moderators, students, teachers "meet", institutions, stakeholders and employees.

Here's how the 3 traditional formats go digital :

•            Everything that is training can be used as a webinar - whether it is the deepening of an expert in the sector or a frontal lesson at university level, the so-called distance learning is now a reality and will be increasingly strengthened and spread over time ;

•         A press conference can be managed remotely without great difficulty, we are often seeing it these days also at an institutional level. Inviting journalists into a virtual press room and allowing them to ask questions and get answers is a simple process, which requires only a technological basis and a little moderation;

•         Corporate conventions and internal institutional communications can be carried out through direct social networks. They are certainly something very delicate today, given the situation in which many companies are forced to close or reduce hours. Therefore, if a press release released on an intranet is too cold, it is possible to maintain a more direct relationship thanks to Social: a direct one on a corporate channel such as LinkedIn or Facebook, if the message is public, or on an internal social tool such as Workplace, if the message is for the exclusive benefit of the employees, it makes the voice and will of the company arrive much easier inside the homes of the employees.

    Courtesy :  Best corporate event planners in Lahore