Live events are back! Are you ready to press play on your event planning?
Since the government announced their roadmap for getting back too normal in England, Bien Venue have been receiving a number of enquiries for face-to-face events. This is an extremely positive sign that confidence is growing ahead of the return of live events.
This guide explores some of the key questions and topics for you to consider for your future planning for the return of events.
Live Events – New Considerations
Organising an event is stressful at the best of times combined with a new way of thinking about event spaces and layouts for your hybrid or in-person event in a post lockdown time. This means there is so much more to consider than before!
The professional team at Bien Venue will be here to guide you every step of the way, working consultatively with you.
Here are some of the key questions to consider:
- Have you reviewed how your event is structured? – layouts, event timings and refreshment breaks may need to be adapted.
- Is your preferred location suitable? – it is no longer just about where your delegates are coming from and the distance from the nearest mainline station. Many delegates may now prefer to drive to an event, is your chosen venue easily accessible?
- Can you host the event nearer to your target market rather than all delegates travelling closer to your office or into a city centre?
- Could your event be run as smaller, regional events or as a roadshow rather than a larger national event?
- Does a hybrid format suit your meeting or event? Hybrid for many is key to their future event strategies and Bien Venue can support with this type of event.
- We recently covered this topic in our blog Bien Venue Review: Virtual & Hybrid Events. The blog explores this style of event along with tips for choosing the right event format and the do’s and don’ts to making your event a success.
Bien Venue can offer you the support you need to plan and hold an event effectively and effortlessly, working consultatively to pro-actively make recommendations on both the logistics and location for your planned conference.
We have covered these topics in previous blogs: Choosing a perfect meeting venue post covid – 4 steps to consider and The benefits of using an event agency in the new norm
Read, Steady, Plan!
Our recommendation would be to start the planning now and look to book in your events early. Everyone will be resuming planning for events post May/June and some venues already have high demand from previously postponed events.
Since the announcement we have already received enquiries for summer parties, team away days, roadshows, team building, training workshops, company celebrations / fun days, and conferences – so these types of event are going to be popular.
The Venue Perspective – Ready from May!
Conference and event venues had all implemented detailed and thorough COVID-19 reopening policies. Many venues have followed the Meeting Industry Associations (MIA) Roadmap to Reopening guide which outlines the recommendations for venues to open securely.
Whilst this will change in line with new guidelines for the return of hospitality (from Step 3 of the roadmap in England) Bien Venue site visited a number of properties in 2020 and were encouraged that the steps venues had taken would make delegates feel safe once on site. Venues have risk assessments available for bookers to review ahead and build into their own event risk assessments.
This was covered in two of our recent blogs
One thing Bien Venue can assure you is that any venue our team propose will be capable of hosting your event, giving both booker and delegate the confidence to return safely and securely to a live event.
Changes to the roadmap dates?
Many venues have adapted their terms and conditions to update, include or clarify their force majeure policies, many have now included a pandemic clause.
Venues are also offering more flexible terms and Bien Venue work with our venue partners to both negotiate the best terms but also once contracted to keep you updated on key timelines.
Delegate Confidence?
When business events return, venues will be ready, companies will plan events, but the million-dollar question is will delegates feel confident attending?
With the progress of the vaccine rollout, zoom fatigue, working remotely for over a year and the desire for people to meet people in person, we believe the return of live events will be positively embraced by the majority.
If this is a concern for you and your delegates are not engaged then a hybrid approach, a rural venue or roadshow may be the best approach to get the best return from your event.
Do we need a backup plan?
We would certainly recommend it, especially as the roadmap is ‘earliest dates’ so there is potential for steps to be delayed – but it all depends on when you are hosting the event!
Let’s put it this way – you would not plan a summer BBQ without a wet weather option and in the initial months of the new normal, planning an event will be the same.
Bien Venue’s team of consultants will offer you pro-active advice and recommendations and can support with guiding you to a suitable contingency plan.
Social Events, Incentives and Christmas 2021
There are many who want to arrange an incentive as a thank you to their hard-working team, a summer team social or a Christmas party having missed out in 2020.
We are encouraging our clients to start to look at these events sooner rather than later as we envisage demand to be high so it is best to pencil in your preferred dates!
Its also never to early to look at your social events calendar for 2022!
Bien Venue: Our Team Is Your Team
As always Bien Venue are on hand to support you with the above, not only with our free venue finding service but also with our professional advice on how your event may look post lockdown. Bien Venue liaise with the venues on the best layouts, safeguarding measures, and how your event will work with any measures put in place by the government.
Bien Venue are offering a safe knowledge that you can plan your future meeting & events, incentives, social events and corporate travel with us in confidence.
Kerry Edwards, Managing Director – Bien Venue Ltd
When you are ready, our dedicated team are ready to support plan your events.
Let the countdown commence to the return of live meeting and events.
We hope you have found this a useful tool for when you start your future planning and as always if Bien Venue can assist in any way whether it be to discuss a new enquiry or discuss your future planning contact sales@bvevents.co.uk
This updated guide was written after the government had announced its roadmap (Monday 22nd February 2021) for the easing of restrictions in England – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021
Please note Events in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Europe will be subject to local restrictions and guidelines. Bien Venue can advise on these if you are looking to plan an event in one of these locations.
Bien Venue is a boutique creative agency dedicated to providing a venue sourcing, event management, corporate entertainment, and team building service of exceptional quality. Our re-identified strapline alongside ‘Our Team is Your Team’ is ‘Event Management – Professional, Pro Active with a personal touch’.
We specialise in managing event and conference schedules for clients within a variety of industries, with a speciality in the education, association, and training sector. It is not just workshops, training, conferences, or off-site meetings. We can arrange but also away days, networking, hybrid events, summer parties, Christmas celebrations, private dining, team building and incentives. As well as the management and venue liaison for schedules of events and managing clients preferred venue supplier list. We also offer accommodation booking platforms for both corporate bookers and event specific allocations of bedrooms.