A busted pipe, inclement weather, or maybe a rerouted highway due to road construction; there is always the chance an unfortunate event may suddenly present itself with only moments to go before your big event’s kick-off.
Unpredictable and frustrating surprises can set the tone of the evening even before your guests step onto the property. Giving your guests a heads-up before they’re faced with an unexpected obstacle will go a long way in creating a giving atmosphere once they make it to the venue.
How can your organization stay ahead of breaking news? These three tactics will transform your news-gathering strategies and help you keep your attendees up-to-date with the latest news affecting your event.
Find your most active channels
Staying consistently active on your own social media accounts, before and during the event, is one of the best ways to reach your community on the night of your event. Getting your attendees in the habit of checking your timeline for updates will encourage a habit they’ll rely on event night when news is breaking.
Which social networks you choose to utilize most often will be up to you, of course, but each one has its own ability to provide you a different way to deliver your news. For instance, your Twitter account is the best place for headlines and links, but not in-depth information. If commentary of longer length needs to be added to the message click over to a network like Facebook. There are an endless array of suitable social network sites and familiarizing yourself with them prior to your event can be very useful when news is coming fast.
Monitor the most accurate news sources
Seek out reliable social media networks and websites that you trust most to provide a full reporting of breaking news. Include a local source to stay on top of events that are happening near the venue and a national news for those events that occur outside your area but still impact your event. Oftentimes, you’ll be able to share the news directly from those websites through social networks, providing a full account with all the important details in near real-time.
Utilize your online guests list
Greater Giving Event Software comes with a great tool to reach your guests through email. Simply pull up your attendee list and prepare a mass email that will go out to all your guests at once. This method is best used when a lengthy, formal message is needed to go out to all your guests, as in a rescheduling of the event. Include important details, websites and social networks they can connect to for additional information, as well as your contact information in case they have any questions.
Keeping your guests abreast of the latest news affecting an event is an important job of the event planner.
Failure to get the word out about unexpected disruptions will affect attendance numbers; frustrate those who are able to make it to the venue; and discourage further contributors from becoming active members of your community. So make sure to have a communication plan in place to be prepared for any kind of unexpected surprise that might come your way!
