As we continue to transition into the ‘new normal’, the interest for booking venues and events is showing signs of increasing. But, how is it possible to find your perfect venue while there are restrictions in place and how about the ongoing changes in regulations? In this article, we will show you what you can do to start planning your events either virtually, in-person or hybrid event.

How I can find the perfect venue with restrictions in place still?

Since times have changed, so has the way we source your perfect venues. Many venues have taken to showcasing their venues online. Virtual tours have become a new way of showing the options and providing ideas for clients. It’s quite effective and convenient as you can go to the venue without leaving your working space.

Of course, other venues start to provide limited visits meaning people can individually visit venues to see what they look like. Just like with real estate, venues have had to come up with creative solutions that are in line with the restrictions and guidelines from the government.

How many people can attend events?

This is one question most have in their mind. The new norm limits the attendance to provide enhanced safety for the attendees as well as the staff hosting the event. How many people can attend your event depends on the size of the venue as the social distancing rules are implemented.  However, with the right tech you can add a virtual attendance option that enables more people to attend and enjoy the event but in the virtual capacity.

What about safety?

In the beginning, people will be cautious, as this global pandemic has proven, it is going to take time to gain confidence again, but as we are social creatures we will need that face to face interaction.  The most frequently asked questions have been how can safety be enhanced to make attendees feel safe.

Here are a few ideas:

Temperature measurement:

Attendees body temperature is measured either with a hand-held device or by a camera that alerts if someone has an abnormally high temperature.

Requiring a negative test result:

Some organisers have been pondering about whether they should require a certificate that states the person has been tested for COVID-19. As some people can carry it without symptoms it is one option to consider. However, would the attendees be happy to take a test is a whole different thing.

Limited attendance:

How many people can attend is up to the size of the venue and how they can implement health and safety regulations.  It is an option to consider having virtual attendance to enable the ones who couldn’t get to the venue physically to attend the event. Also making sure that necessary hand sanitisers and facemasks are set up and potentially sent out prior to the event.

How do I market my event?

Depending on the purpose of the event it’s good to plan ahead and ensure the attendees will feel safe. A team-building event or Christmas party for staff will most likely be completely different from a networking event or a conference. It is worth considering how you will host these events, will alcohol be served, maybe send out a survey to your contacts and colleagues, what would they feel comfortable doing? Communication is definitely king here. Along with having everything clear about your plans, safety measures that are in place will provide peace of mind to your audience.

This year many events have been taken online to enable people to be connected and socialise. There are some brilliant ways in bringing your audiences together, team activities and specific goody bags that will reach your delegates so they still have a sense of belonging to the event. We’ve been working on a number of options for our client’s events and so would be delighted to offer guidance as to the options available to you currently.

We’ve had numerous enquiries about venues available from spring 2021 onwards which is encouraging.

Are you planning to attend any in-person events soon or are you planning to host an event?

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have and help you to find the perfect venue for you that makes you, the staff and the attendees feel safe and comfortable.

If you would like some support to search for venues for your events, do get in touch: hello@sheeredge.co.uk or call: 0330 223 3176

The post Finding your perfect venue during uncertain times appeared first on Sheer Edge Events.

What is the goal?

Why do you want to host the event in the first place? You may find this obvious, but many people lose sight of the goal of their online event. This then creates mixed messages and no way to really define what success looks like. It’s important you keep your goals clear. Do you want to get new business, create awareness, or build loyalty? Having a clear goal will help you keep focused on what is important and plan your event to achieve its aim.

Why should people attend?

We’ve all got busy lives, so we are very picky about what we choose to attend. There must be a compelling reason for people to register and of course show up. What is the big reason to attend? What is in it for your attendees? Having a truly clear benefit of attending will help people quickly decide if the event is for them. People are also more likely to show up for the event if you can clearly and concisely give people a clear reason to attend.

Who is driving the event forward?

It is great to share the workload in putting an event together but who is responsible for driving the event forward? You know the saying “too many cooks”, well this can be just as true for an event. All too often tasks are shared but nobody takes responsibility for the delivery of the event. Who will take responsibility for when registration numbers are hit? Who will keep updating attendees? Who is ensuring all the tech is tested? All very simple things, yet, many events suffer ‘bumps’ in the road as a result of the shared workload with unclear responsibility.

What comes next?

Every event should lead to something else. Now that you’ve created and run your event, what comes next? What is your plan to follow up? Having worked in the event management industry for most of my working life, I’ve met a lot of clients who have run events and not thought through how they plan to use events as a launchpad. They build up lists of attendees with no plan for future events or follow up.

Online events can be very low cost to operate but time-consuming to plan and market, it is important to put focus and energy behind your events if you want them to be successful.

If you would like some support to run your virtual or hybrid events, do get in touch: hello@sheeredge.co.uk or call: 0330 223 3176

The post The biggest questions you need to ask when planning online events appeared first on Sheer Edge Events.

There have been many polls on social media where the question is if the employees should be able to continue to work remotely or not. Many participants prefer remote working as it has been given them more time for family and other priorities. 

But how about when we need to have our team at the office? How do we make them feel welcome, safe and at ease after this unprecedented challenge? 

Here are a few ideas on how you can get your staff to team up for productivity. 

Do your groundwork: 

Prepare the workplace on time so it’s in line with the safety regulations. Social distancing and hygiene are extremely important when having your staff back at the office. You can also do some small scale upgrading to show you want your team to feel good at work. Showing what you’ve been up to via an online meeting is a great way to show that you take your team and how they feel as a top priority. Have you thought about getting your team involved in upgrading the workplace and how it can work best? Brainstorming together is a great way to get them excited about returning. 

Help the old and new employees bond:  

There’s nothing worse than starting cold without knowing anyone or not knowing how your colleagues are going to react to seeing you after a long break. If you’ve been hiring new staff it’s important to get them to bond with the existing members of your team. You could have online team building activities and internal networking event take place to get everyone know each other beforehand and share ideas and experiences. A friendly, casual get together helps also existing employees feel more confident and positive about returning to the office. 

Throw a welcome back to work ceremony at the office: 

Welcome your team back to the office with some treats and motivational speech or speaker to start the first day off well. 

Those who’ve been impacted more than others by the pandemic will be more cautious about returning but showing you understand them and care can make the transition much easier and comfortable for them. You may want to have a support person for your staff available so they can process issues they may not be comfortable opening up about to you. After all your team is your most important support and help so you want to ensure they feel safe, happy and productive. 

Future team activities: 

It’s important to ensure your team continue to feel valued. There is nothing quite like feeling appreciated for all your hard work. Send a survey around to your team whether they are still working remotely or on your premises. What team day out would they enjoy? 

There are many team building options available that do not require attending mass gatherings and that can be tailored to you and your team’s needs, such as secluded venues where you can self cater and create your own entertainment or hire it in, or animal sanctuaries where you can have your own area for catering/sleeping arrangements and get involved helping out with the animals while you’re on site. There are still many options available even during these uncertain times to make your team feel special and well thought of. 

What have you done to prepare your team for post-lockdown work and return back to the office? 

For ideas and advice on getting your employees team up for productivity, we’re happy to talk with you and share ideas and tips on where to start with this. 

You can call us on 0330 223 3176 or email: hello@sheeredge.co.uk 

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