1. Hybrid Events Are the Future

The integration of in-person and virtual elements has become essential. Hybrid events not only increase accessibility but also allow events to reach a broader audience, fostering inclusivity and engagement.

2. Health and Safety Protocols are Non-Negotiable

In the face of heightened viral outbreaks, enhanced hygiene measures, social distancing, and prudent mask mandates are an imperative. Prioritizing the health and safety of attendees not only ensures their well-being but also builds trust and confidence among participants. Every organized event should have policies established for the health and safety of all participants, including what to do if there is an illness outbreak of any kind or a high risk security situation.

3. Sustainability is a Priority

Event planners are focusing on reducing environmental impact. Sustainable practices, such as digital invitations, eco-friendly décor, local sourcing and leftover food donations to charity, are becoming standard, reflecting a growing awareness of the importance of environmental responsibility and support of our local communities.

4. Technology Enhances Engagement

Embracing technology has revolutionized attendee engagement, a critical factor in event success. Event management software, virtual platforms, and live streaming have become indispensable tools, creating interactive and immersive event experiences.

5. Flexibility and Adaptability Are Key

The ability to adapt to changing circumstances is crucial. Event planners must remain flexible, ready to pivot and adjust plans as needed. This agility ensures that events can proceed smoothly, even in unpredictable situations. Using an experienced professional event strategist is more critical now than ever before.

6. Emotional Connection Drives Success

Events that foster emotional connections leave a lasting impact. Prioritizing meaningful interactions, personalization, and creating memorable experiences are essential for building lasting relationships with attendees and participants. Memories are created by focusing on the five senses. What can you do to activate those five senses at your event?

7. Community and Collaboration Are Powerful

Building a sense of community among attendees and collaborators enhances the event experience. Encouraging networking, collaboration, and shared experiences fosters a strong sense of belonging and mutual support.

8. Continuous Learning Fuels Innovation

The event industry is continuously evolving. Event professionals must embrace lifelong learning, staying updated with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices to innovate and deliver exceptional experiences.

9. Data-Driven Decision Making

Analyzing data and attendee feedback is vital for improvement. Event planners are increasingly relying on data to make informed decisions, optimize event experiences, and tailor future events to meet attendees' expectations. As the saying goes, “Data is king”!

10. Agility in Crisis Management

Preparedness for unforeseen challenges is essential. Event planners must have robust crisis management plans in place, enabling them to respond swiftly and effectively to unexpected situations, ensuring the safety and satisfaction of all participants.

In conclusion, the events industry has come a long way since the onset of the pandemic. The lessons learned during this period have reshaped the way events are conceptualized, planned, and executed. Embracing digital technology, prioritizing health and safety, incorporating sustainability, enhancing audience engagement, and cultivating resilience are not just trends but enduring principles that will shape the future of events.

As we move forward, these lessons serve as guiding lights, illuminating a path toward more innovative, inclusive, and effective events. By building on these foundations, the events industry is poised to create experiences that inspire, connect, and transform lives, ushering in a new era of event excellence in the post-pandemic world.

But...

We are a people that overcome. We always have, and now is no exception. Despite the difficulties, entrepreneurs and companies are finding and creating innovative ways to continue to stay afloat during this difficult time.

You would think that event planning would have been an industry that completely stopped in light of COVID-19. But this has been a time of tremendous opportunity and as a result, the virtual event planning niche became commonplace overnight.

Now, nobody would argue that a virtual event has quite the same synergy that is created in a live one. It is not always ideal, but as a alternative solution, it can fill the gaps until we can meet in person again. Virtual events are different from live events in many ways but one thing stays the same: The human connection. We have adapted to this change, but we still crave connection. A virtual event can be done in a creative, professional, and engaging way for participants, even though many participants are probably still on lockdown.

So, how can a business or company plan a successful virtual event in the age of COVID-19? Below are ten tips for hosting a memorable virtual event.

1. PLAN, PLAN, AND PLAN SOME MORE!

It may not seem like it on the surface, but planning a virtual event is as complex as planning a live event. While some elements are the same, the way that they are executed is not. You’ll find that you’ll trade time normally spent on logistics for venue coordination, food/beverage, housing, etc. for technology, content and engagement planning. You can expect about a 1:1 time-tradeoff for the amount of time it takes to plan a live event as compared to planning a virtual event.

2. START WITH THE "WHY"

Just like for live events, you need to know your “why” in order to build out an appropriate strategic plan.

• Why are you holding this event?
• What are your goals and objectives?
• Who is the audience and what are their motivations, triggers, and needs?
• What do you want the audience to Feel, See and Do during and after the event?

Once you have the goals and objectives defined, then you can build out the strategic tactics to get there.

3. DO I NEED A THEME?

Even virtual events need branding! Just like for a live event, you will want to have a theme that carries forward through all touchpoints. From the save the date, to registration, to the content shown during the event, and post event survey, the entire event should look cohesive.

4. WHAT IS THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM TO USE?

If you are not a technology guru, engage your trusted AV partners and Technology Directors for input and recommendations. Do you want a low-cost platform like Zoom, which has the ability for 1:1 interaction, breakout rooms, etc., but may lack the quality and security you need?

Or is security, control, and the quality of the signal more top of mind, in which case you want to go with Hosted Live Stream technology? Research the platforms that are available that best fit your particular event, budget, and client needs.

5. CONSIDER YOUR TECHNOLOGICAL HARDWARE

What sort of technology do your attendees have? What kind will they need? Will they be participating from a mobile device, laptop, tablet, or desktop computer? Make sure that whatever platform you choose will work easily on any device.

Also consider: Do you need to ship any devices out to your speakers because they don’t have what they need at home? Do you need to send any of your speakers a light so that they show up well on screen? Do your speakers have a good microphone integrated into their device? And what about a quality camera? If not, plan to ship them equipment ahead of time.

Make sure everyone presenting is well equipped to do their part well. And once they have the equipment, make sure to set aside time early to test, rehearse, and mitigate for any platform, hardware or navigation issues before you are live on screen.

6. WHAT ENVIRONMENT DO YOU WANT TO CREATE?

Think about the environment you want to portray. Just like in a ballroom, the event environment matters, and it sets the tone for the entire attendee experience.

Are your speakers sitting on their living room couch with a bookcase in the background (or as the case may be, piles of stuff?) Are they sitting in the home office with a branded physical or virtual background? Or are they coming to you from a professional stage location that looks like a live event “set”?

Consider your branding, your audience, your purpose, and come up with a suitable background for your speakers to use that will create the environment you desire. You could even mail them pop-up branded banners to use as a backdrop.

7. CREATE ENGAGEMENT AND MAXIMIZE YOUR CONTENT

I recently heard that most people have a 7-minute attention span as it relates to watching online content. Knowing this, what are you doing to keep people who are viewing online active participants? Is your content engaging, or just “death by Powerpoint” with a talking head?

Consider integrating in a mobile or web-based app that allows your attendees to engage with living polling, Q/A, chats, word clouds, social timeline engagement, and other fun elements to keep them paying attention! Include engaging presentations with movement, animations, video, etc. Switch up colors to create different moods. Use music to add energy throughout the meeting.

Consider a “host” for the event… a terrific speaker that can thread takeaways together throughout the event. Can you play a game? There are content providers out there that can create games like virtual Jeopardy to reinforce key learning. You can even do virtual Escape Rooms these days to encouraged team bonding!

8. GIVEAWAYS - ARE THEY DEAD?

If your group enjoys giveaways, send them a gift box before the virtual event that is either useful or fun. Useful items like water bottles, mugs, coffee cups, comfy socks, chargers, journals, and great quality pens are always good. Fun items could include hand clappers so that you can do a group virtual video clap, goofy hats and glasses to do a group online photo, fidget toys, coloring books and other things to keep their hands busy while they listen and think.

Now, there are some people who are anti-giveaway. They perceive that we are just filling up landfills with junk. If that is a concern, you could consider telling attendees that in lieu of giveaways, you are making donations to a charity and allow them to vote on which charity they want their donation to go to during the virtual event.

9. FOOD AND BEVERAGE - CAN YOU STILL INTEGRATE IN FOOD?

You bet you can! Send out snacks in branded gift boxes (popcorn, power bars, tea bags, ground coffee). Provide a discount code to a national food delivery service so that everyone can place an order for lunch delivery.

Over the lunch break, break people out into smaller virtual meeting rooms of 6-10 people for roundtable discussions. Have some open-ended questions prepared and a moderator assigned for each “room” to help guide the discussion.

You could work with a wine or mixology service to deliver a bottle of wine or cocktail mixers and have a virtual happy hour at the end of the day. This is a great way to include networking in a virtual event!

10. POST EVENT REPORTING AND ENGAGEMENT - ISN'T THE EVENT OVER WHEN IT'S OVER?

No! Learn from what you do at your online events, and expand your reach to your audience beyond the initial engagement. Many technologies will provide you with reports after the event. You can get a list of attendees, and see how long they spent on each page, which sections got the most engagement, etc. This helps you plan better for the next virtual event. You should plan to engage your attendees with a survey after the event to find out what they loved, what they hated, and what you can do better next time.

Record all of the content. This can be posted later for attendees that were not able to attend so that you can expand the reach of your event. You can also parse out recordings into segments that could be posted on a website as on-demandeducational content for customers or prospects as appropriate.

While live events are not happening right now, there is no reason why you cannot produce a very compelling virtual event to engage with your audience. The key, just like with live events, is to plan, plan, plan. And think through the entire user experience to deliver a flawless, magical event.

Now is the time to plan your Virtual Event! Contact us now to schedule a free 30-minute consultation about your event needs. Learn more at www.wendyporterevents.com or contact us at wendy@wendyporterevents.com.

Wendy Porteris the Owner/Chief Events Architect at Wendy Porter Events, LLC, and a national award-winning event strategist. Connect with Wendy onher Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Event planners tend to create events indoors, and many times this is appropriate. However, sometimes, it’s nice to get out of the ballrooms and conference centers and create unique experiences that accomplish the same ends. I once had a conversation with an executive who told me if he had to go to one more meeting in a ballroom without windows, he was going to lose it.

I reside in Minnesota, and I simply love where I live. It’s a beautiful state that has so much to offer! But unfortunately, since we are "Up North" and winters are snowy and cold, we too often get a bad reputation before anyone has the ability to experience its wonders! Many people simply do not know how many incredible opportunities there are to experience this beautiful place - and they can do it in the most unique and memorable ways.

Those of us that live here know the abundance that Minnesota offers. Summers in Minnesota are rich with culture and nature. We have lakes, rivers, woods, and the countryside to enjoy. Spring and Autumn are both alive with beauty, activity, planting and harvest, rest and rejuvenation. It’s easy to feel grounded when you really dive in and experience Minnesota.

And when it comes to wintertime, despite the cold, winter most certainly does not slow us down! When the snow arrives, we take our jackets and hats out of storage, dust them off, and go about the business of enjoying the beauty and wonder of winter.

And we’re good at making the most of winter.

It was with all of this in mind, I collaborated with a friend of mine, who is an expert in the great Minnesota outdoors, and we came up with the idea for Minnesota B.O.L.D.

What if we took event planning to another level?

What if we used our combined event planning and MN outdoor skills to create one-of-a-kind experiences?

What if we focused on helping people really experience all that Minnesota has to offer?

And get them out of closed-off ballrooms and into really cool spaces!

That was where the idea of Minnesota B.O.L.D. began. It stands for Brilliant. Outdoor. Learning. Destinations. We examined all there is to do here and created local, unique, personalized, memorable experiences that take place in really inspiring locations. It was something that was relatively unexplored territory for corporate event planners - this was almost like vacation planning!

But was the idea going to take off?

Well, during the week of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis in January of 2018, I had the opportunity to find out how well this concept was going to be received. I was able to pitch the idea of Minnesota B.O.L.D. to the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee. They loved it, because it fit perfectly with their brand, Bold North, and they then decided to market it under their flag to all the Sponsors, 32 NFL Clubs and VIPs attending Super Bowl LII.

About a week before the Super Bowl, the Host Committee contacted me to ask if we could find a Minnesota B.O.L.D. experience for the crew with Verizon. Verizon is a major sponsor of the NFL, and they were in town to set up and run all the tech for the big game. They also ran the entire outdoor Nicollet Mall experience in downtown Minneapolis.

The Verizon Experiential Events Team wanted to have a memorable Minnesota experience doing something unique that they had never done before, since they were all from New York City. Initially, they wanted to experience ice fishing, as that isn’t something that is very common where they live. I thought that would be fun, so I got in touch with my ice fishing contact.

Unfortunately, due to licensing guidelines, I would have needed a full 21 days to get a group fishing license approved. Otherwise, each person would have needed to get a personal license independently, by standing in line at local gas station. And I knew that with the schedule this crew had, that was not going to work.

I only had 5 days! So, I went back to the drawing board.

I thought:

What is something uniquely northern?

What is an experience that they probably have never had before?

What is there to do that is FUN in January and February in Minnesota?

What is an unorthodox event that will rejuvenate this crew?

Furthermore, what is something we can do in a short, half day experience?

What did I come up with?

Dog sledding!

I contacted the coordinator of the group to see what they thought and the response was overwhelmingly, “Yes!”

On the day of the event, I met the crew at their downtown hotel with breakfast and coffee at 7:00 am in a luxury Mercedes Sprinter van. We drove for about 45 minutes to the dog sledding event. They spent a full 3 hours with the dogs going sledding, learning the ropes of harnessing the dogs and driving the sleds, playing in the snow, enjoying the fire pit, and having a great time. With a fresh coating of snow, 28 degrees and clear blue skies, it was the perfect day for dog sledding. They were able to relax and take a well-deserved break from the immense pressure of work.

During the event, I kept their coffee warm, took pictures, and kept them company. We had lunch on the bus while we were returning to the city, and they were able to get back to work that afternoon to continue preparing for the Super Bowl. What an honor it was to serve this group of workers! I watched them connect and rejuvenate throughout the morning, and they really enjoyed themselves.

That morning, the lead executive for Verizon told me that the dog sledding event was perfectly executed and was the highlight of their trip - and this was the crew that was charged with running the Super Bowl!

I’m excited to be offering and coordinating more Minnesota B.O.L.D. experiences - it was everything I was hoping it would be!

How would you like to create a unique experience outside the mainstream ballroom?

Contact me for a consultation, and we can create a custom plan for you and your company! And get outside!

Wendy Porter is the Owner/Chief Events Architect at Wendy Porter Events, LLC, and a national award-winning event strategist. Connect with Wendy on her Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

When Wendy attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, she majored in Mathematics and German, with a plan to go into International Business. Event management wasn’t anywhere near her radar, and it certainly wasn’t a program one could choose to pursue as a major back in those days. 

After graduation she landed a role as a Marketing Manager at Fingerhut, the granddaddy of direct mail marketing, which hired a lot of Mathematics majors for their marketing positions. Her first corporate event didn’t come until 13 years later.

Simultaneously, in 1997, Wendy opened her first side business, Wendy’s Whimsies, a floral company, based out of her home. This was her first introduction to owning a business and hosting events. She made and sold flower arrangements, wreaths and other products to local wedding customers and gift boutiques, attended indoor and outdoor art festivals to sell her wares, and hosted two annual artisan boutiques out of her home for almost a decade.

Following a short stint at a publishing company, Wendy was then offered a Marketing Acquisition Manager position at UnitedHealthcare, while also continuing to pursue Wendy’s Whimsies. While working at United, her first event was handed to her in one big file folder, with little guidance on the steps to take to execute the tradeshow. She not only learned how to execute that event, she mastered it, and ended up running the UnitedHealth Group Sponsorship of the AARP Life@50+ Event for 13 years. The booth ended up being 13,000 square feet at its largest, including an 80-foot semi-trailer mobile clinic that looked tiny in the booth, and 130 staff, including C-level executives, to train and wrangle during the three-day conference. 

After a promotion to the Director of Marketing Services / Events for UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, Wendy’s team took on even more, including: product launches, CEO leadership conferences, national sales conferences and incentive events, VIP client events, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) events and 500 annual customer town hall meetings that took place all over the country. And more trade shows. Life was extremely busy, but exhilarating! 

In 2011, Wendy planned a VIP event for the top UnitedHealth Group and AARP executives at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. After a glorious dinner on the Target Terrace rooftop, catered by Wolfgang Puck, the group headed downstairs to the Clive Davis Theater to hear stories from Ken Ehrlich, the Grammy Producer for the last 30 years. While riding in the elevator with one of the guests, Amy, a Business Development Director at AARP, turned to Wendy, and said, “I would never miss a Wendy Porter Event. You create the most amazing events. Every detail is considered − from when you first arrive to when you leave. It makes me feel energized and inspired. You should start a business – Wendy Porter Events.”

And so, after a corporate downsizing, Wendy took the leap and did just that. Wendy Porter Events, LLC was founded in November 2015.

Who is Wendy now? Wendy has become a nationally award-winning event producer who can start from scratch or seamlessly jump into your corporate culture to help execute a flawless event. Her 22 years of experience include 1700+ events and over $100 million of budgets managed. 

Over one million people have now experienced a Wendy Porter Event. She brings her creativity, accountability, and passion to each and every event she produces. Wendy is a leader, relationship builder, and strategist. She strives to put on memorable events that leave a lasting “WOW” impression. As she likes to say, “Wendy Porter Events uses our brand of magic to create yours”, which has become the tagline for her successful business.

If you are interested in experiencing the “Wendy Porter Magic”, please contact us at wendy@wendyporterevents.com to learn more.

This article was magically handcrafted by Shelby Neumann.

Wendy Porter is the Owner/Chief Events Architect at Wendy Porter Events, LLC, and a national award-winning event strategist. Connect with Wendy on her Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.