Meetings can be unpredictable. A hurricane could storm through your destination city. A key flight for attendees could get cancelled. The power in your conference venue could go out. All can mean disaster for your event, which is why meeting planners need to have a back up in place. In the event of a crisis, here are five tips to help you steer your event away from failure and back toward success.
Monitor the Weather
Monitoring the weather can help you plan ahead for everything from a light rain shower requiring you to bring a reception inside to a tornado becoming a threat to attendee safety.
Make Contacts Upfront
Being well connected can make it a lot easier to find alternative venues and locations in the event of an emergency. Point contacts at the local CVB can often help you find alternative ways to host your meeting.
Offer Discounts or Vouchers
If it’s possible in your budget, offer a discount or voucher if you need to change a venue or flight. Attendees will appreciate the extra effort you made to accommodate them during an emergency.
Create a Team
Appoint members of your team to be responsible for fielding questions if changes occur, and create a unified response beforehand to avoid misinformation. One person you trust should be allowed to provide statements to the media if needed.
Purchase Cancellation Insurance
If your event accommodates refunds, cancellation insurance can help cover everything from extreme weather to accidents to cancellations. Coverage can also be arranged to match your budget or your event’s specific needs.
