A closer look at building confidence and resiliency through planit inc.’s meet well. meet safe. initiative

Safety standards and technology have changed at warp speed over the past few years, and, in turn, ushered in a new age of event planning. planit inc. has risen to the occasion through the creation of our meet well. meet safe. initiative.

In the simplest of terms, meet well. meet safe. is a fluid event strategy program formed in 2020 based on considerations of health and safety. It has since evolved and is tailored for each client’s specific needs.

Ultimately, the detailed planning, preparedness and flexibility that we’ve built into meet well. meet safe. is what makes it successful time and time again as we tackle new challenges in the meetings health and safety landscape.

Crossing T’s and Dotting I’s with Extensive Planning

Our detailed checklists cover all bases and help maintain clarity and confidence for all from start to finish. We always aim to protect the brand, stakeholders, attendees, conference staff, event partners and venue.

Our checklists and conversations not only include the basic details of event size, location and ideal format but also take into consideration the current health and safety standards and regulations, the crowd and traffic flow, potential touchpoints and viewpoints of attendees, technology, food and beverage, and more, including associated costs.

Remaining Flexible During Uncertain Times

The cornerstone of flexibility is the readiness to adapt and overcome the challenges presented by an ever-changing world.

Technology has been a guiding light with higher usage and overall acceptance of video conferencing as a social norm in the past few years. Purely online virtual events and mixed online and in-person hybrid events have helped many organizations best any challenges and turn them into opportunities.

At in-person events, QR codes, electronic tickets and interactive websites can provide touch-free experiences. Boxed, individually packaged food and beverage options also are a tool to reduce contact.

For example, planit inc. harnessed the power of today’s technology and touch-free tools for the 2021 ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference, an annual event that offers hundreds of Midwest professionals an empowering and impactful day full of learning, inspiration and connection. The event was planned using meet well. meet safe. as a hybrid model with a virtual and in-person component. The virtual format allowed for more people to safely attend from the comfort of their home or office, with access to the video recording provided for 60 days following the event.

The in-person aspect of the event had a live Q&A panel and networking. This required close work with the audio-visual professionals involved in the event to produce an equally top-notch experience for guests, both in-person and online. Every step of the way, the ICAN event website kept attendees informed.

At the end of the day, the hybrid format of ICAN expanded event offerings and met attendees at their comfort level, with the utmost level of safety and consideration for all involved.

Preparing for Last-Minute Changes

Even pre-pandemic, keynote speakers fell ill, and bad weather prevented or delayed travel. Curveballs can happen and having contingency plans to quickly shift as needed results in the best possible outcome for all involved.

One of the most crucial components of meet well. meet safe. is communication. We feel it is important to maintain transparency and keep internal and external parties “in the loop” before, during and after your event.

Sketching out the who, what, where, when, why and how of your event communication strategy ahead of time can save the day. Successful navigation includes a robust, pre-planned communication strategy, a predetermined avenue for communication with internal and external audiences, and key messaging to communicate effectively while keeping your brand in mind. Channels for communication could include a dedicated event website for external audiences and an online, internal communication and/or project management platform.

Gaining the meet well. meet safe. Seal of Approval

In addition to ICAN, another example of elevating safety while keeping experience in mind is the 2021 Orion National Ascent Conference, an annual, in-person gathering for professionals in technology and finance.

The organization behind the event, Orion Advisor Services, partnered with planit inc. to enhance safety protocols, resulting in increased confidence for attendees and reduced liability for organizers.

Together, we used meet well. meet safe. to create preventive guidelines that prioritized a healthy space, a customized emergency action plan, and more. The detailed event strategy also included a comprehensive website to share safety precautions and procedures externally.

Orion Ascent met all our standards for attending with assurance and confidence and was one of many organizations to earn our meet well. meet safe. seal of approval, signaling the highest standards of practice and precaution.

The event and strategy was highlighted by RIABiz, an online journal covering the financial advice business.

What events do you have on the horizon? planit inc.’s detailed guidance ensures your event’s success in an ever-changing landscape through our time-tested meet well. meet safe. initiative.