The discussion in this month’s #MeetGreenChat was designed to help one another and learn ways to reimagine events going through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. Our topic of discussion was around if your event was Cancelled, Postponed, or is Going Virtual. How Would You Reimagine Your Event Going Forward?
Q1 Let’s take a moment and check in with one another. How are you doing?
A1- Doing well all things considered! Such a challenging time for our planet #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
A1. I am grateful to be healthy, to have family who are healthy, and to be able to pay my bills. In these times, that's a gift. #MeetGreenChat
— Unwrapit (@Unwrapit_) April 1, 2020
A1) Hubby and I are maintaining fine and adjusting. What annoys us is the ignorance of others as they deal with the crisis. 😑 (We know we can't control them. LOL) #MeetGreenChat
— Sonia Harris (@harrisonia) April 1, 2020
Which situation are you currently in? Is your event continuing as planned, or has it been cancelled, postponed, or transitioned to virtual?
A2 Many are going virtual. It’s good to stay connected #MeetGreenChat
— nancyjzavada (@nancyjzavada) April 1, 2020
A2 Currently, MeetGreen clients are represented by all 4 of these scenarios. #MeetGreenChat
— Della Green (@MeetGreenDella) April 1, 2020
A2) They're a mix of these scenarios. #MeetGreenChat
— Sonia Harris (@harrisonia) April 1, 2020
Is there a silver lining to our current situation when it comes to the events industry?
A3- Likely the global movement to virtual: remote working, gathering, and even working out. Have seen some real innovation around new ways to engage in just the past two weeks. #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
A3. a) Instant sustainability achievements for the industry overall b) Proof that not all meetings need to be in person. c) Lots of opportunity for new players with solutions that fit in both the in-person and virtual realms. #MeetGreenChat
— Unwrapit (@Unwrapit_) April 1, 2020
@MeetGreen A3- I truly believe the events industry will come back stronger than ever! More focus on sustainability and attendee health. #MeetGreenChat
— Brett Silton (@BrettSilton) April 1, 2020
What kinds of questions help you to reimagine your event?
A4 Why are we meeting…is it education, community building, revenue generation, etc? How can we still accomplish the most important reasons for meeting in creative ways? #MeetGreenChat
— Della Green (@MeetGreenDella) April 1, 2020
A4: The needs of our attendees, and if virtual attendance is happening, how we can create a sense of community and connection. #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
A4) How do we reach our organization's educational objectives for ALL of our members and still comply with our bylaws (and crisis mandates)? #MeetGreenChat
— Sonia Harris (@harrisonia) April 1, 2020
What are your goals for reimaging your event? Broaden audience, revenue generation, a marketing vehicle, promotional, continuing education or something else?
Q6 The benefit to virtual events or hybrid events is that it increases your inclusivity for others who might not have been able to attend in person. #MeetGreenChat
— nancyjzavada (@nancyjzavada) April 1, 2020
A5. I believe the goal — for the vast majority of events — is survival & continued relevance. #MeetGreenChat
— Unwrapit (@Unwrapit_) April 1, 2020
A5- in my role, I am usually supporting our clients goals- however at present, keeping core community and stakeholders connected appears the highest priority. #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
Are you looking for new ways to enroll sponsors? What are some ideas new or creative ways to enroll sponsors?
A6: One great to way to engage sponsors is around sustainability! We are presently seeing carbon offsets gaining sponsorship traction, but believe this will be a key area of growth over the next decade. #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
A6. This is where Unwrapit could come in.. Just before C19 hit, we completed the prototype stage of our reimagined digital/non-material event gifting platform. Sadly, it's not built out yet. But we're seeing the need for it now more than ever. #MeetGreenChat
— Unwrapit (@Unwrapit_) April 1, 2020
A6. For other new & creative sponsorship ideas, see @larry_weil's article from last week, "Creating Sponsorship Revenue for Virtual Events" #MeetGreenChat https://t.co/z4bbAtN3o7
— Unwrapit (@Unwrapit_) April 1, 2020
If there were no restrictions, what would you REALLY like to do with your event? What are the possibilities?
A7- This may not be revolutionary, but would like to see a greater emphasis on hybrid events. Essentially keeping the benefits of the physical component but tapping into greater virtual accessibility. #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
A7. I would love to see every business or live event that's otherwise open to the public have a virtual attendee and virtual observer option. That would be a great evolution of the industry and can help some "attend" in a meaningful way without releasing the CO2. #MeetGreenChat
— Unwrapit (@Unwrapit_) April 1, 2020
A7) If there were no restrictions, I would love to have sessions during the annual meeting that help seniors who WANT to embrace and "do" the internet & social media in a non-judgemental space. Minimum prerequisites & resources would be shared in advance. #MeetGreenChat
— Sonia Harris (@harrisonia) April 1, 2020
During this time are you using new apps for communications or connecting with other? What are the names of these apps?
A8- One interesting twist is that since MeetGreen has operated virtually for many years, we have been using many of the standard communication connectivity tools prior to COVID-19. So much of our software and apps remains the same #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
When considering going virtual, what platforms would be viable to use for events?
Reposting as A9. We'll be participating in tomorrow's virtual braindate for #eventprofs, hosted by @e180labs. I believe they built the virtual braindate feature in the last few weeks. So very new, and very exciting. #MeetGreenChat #MeetGreenChat
— Unwrapit (@Unwrapit_) April 1, 2020
What are the benefits of doing things differently for your event?k
A10- The sky's the limit! It could be something like a large savings related to carbon impact (global impact) or even just by re-energizing yourself or team through fresh thinking (personal impact). #MeetGreenChat
— Eric Wallinger (@EricWallinger) April 1, 2020
A10 The benefits to virtual, which seems to be the main way we are reimagining right now, are revenue generation, community building, education, inclusivity, and it's easier on the planet! #MeetGreenChat
— Della Green (@MeetGreenDella) April 1, 2020
Thank you to everyone who joined! The discussions around reimagining your event were interesting and I am so glad you were able to join and participate! The next #MeetGreenChat is May 5th at 11 AM PT. See you then!
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