he return of live events is underway , but it might be a while before we really see it start to pick up . However , that doesn ’ t mean we can stop thinking about innovative ways to get people back together . Brands and companies will be putting a lot on the line for their first events , but they have to be careful with their image and the need to balance the risk between the demand for an in-person event and the possibility of someone testing positive for Covid-19 . Making sure events link back to the brand ’ s marketing , sales or business development objectives is crucial , and will mean our event strategy will be more important than ever .

measures and reduced venue capacities are going to affect how many people you can get in front of . Can we capitalise on a hybrid set up to engage a wider audience in more locations ? Choosing the right venues and suppliers to work with to deliver this is going to be key .

Content is king Content needs to be engaging and straight to the point , whether we will be streaming our events outside of the live setting

or not . Spending prolonged periods of time in enclosed spaces will make attendees less comfortable with attendance .

Stretching that budget Budgets have been cut as companies try to save costs wherever they can , and this often means events and marketing is first to take a hit . It ’ s time to get even more creative with our budgets , making events efficient and flexible to maximise ROI while still curating a

meaningful experience for attendees .

It ’ s good to be green Green matters were a key discussion point pre-covid , so let ’ s not forget to build sustainability into our new live and hybrid event strategies . There has been a rise in single use plastics and disposables within hospitality for hygiene measures but are there more sustainable ways to ensure safety . Let ’ s set the example to other industries and show

innovative approaches to staying green .

Safe and secure Progress with Martyn ’ s Law may have been delayed due to Covid but venue security should still remain an important part of an event strategy and can play a part in putting attendees at ease . This should also link to cyber-security , when we are streaming content to a large audience online , are we confidence it is secure ?

We have had a bumpy ride these last six months but all being well the return to live events is upon us and we can take this opportunity to be truly innovative with our return and bring them back better than before .

Small but mighty Social distancing

Above : Rachael Kenny

Making sure events link back to the brand ’ s marketing , sales or business development objectives is crucial .