Like plenty of other event agencies in the UK, Hampshire-based In2Events has had to deal with a lot of event cancellations in the last few weeks, but it wants to paint a clear picture of resilience to its clients.
"Yes we’ve been affected by this and everyone jumping on the bandwagon," said Gavin Farley, cofounder and director In2Events. "But when situations like this arise we need to continue to work through them to be stronger when we come out the other side.”
“Events have always been an important function of the marketing mix and whilst mass hysteria is causing us to re-think some of our activity we shouldn’t be stopping it altogether.
“The media is certainly not helping with the situation and as an industry, we should take a pragmatic approach. We aren’t saying ignore guidelines, and obviously urge clients to take the necessary precautions, but companies should continue to work through this crisis and will come through it in a better position because of it.”
Farley reiterates the event industry’s sentiment that cancelling events based on fear and widespread hysteria isn’t pragmatic and will have a substantial long-term negative affect on the industry.
“The strongest companies are the ones that pull together and work through a crisis rather than stopping altogether,” added Farley.
However, in the event that cancellations are necessary, such as in Italy at this current moment with the nation on lockdown, there are other, tech-focused avenues event planners can look at.
“The power of face to face is second to none, but in the event that cancellations are necessary other channels can be equally well received. Webcasts and streaming particularly are useful tools at our disposal to ensure communication with customers and prospects doesn’t cease."
Stay up to date with the lastest coronavirus coverage and find out how it's affecting the events industry through our dedicated coronavirus hub.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
