Every single one of our clients is being affected by the Covid-19 outbreak in some way or another. We specialise in supporting festivals, venues and artists on their digital marketing activity, and we are sharing our clients’ pain, worry and shock at how the events economy as a whole is being affected by the outbreak.
This is the advice we’re offering to our friends and family in the events industry, and anyone in the wider business being affected by the outbreak.
1. Stay Safe!
We’re not doctors. Please check and follow government and medical advice on the situation. Be sensible, look after yourselves and your friends and family. Your health and the health of your loved ones is more important than any business activity.
Please check the NHS website and the Prime Minister’s Office website for the latest official advice.
2. Maintain Focus
We are deeply involved in promoting events, festivals and recorded music with our clients, so we have a broad view of the challenges the industry as a whole is facing.
The no.1 piece of advice we’re offering right now is maintain focus, be one step ahead and be ready to pivot your digital footprint quickly to react. Don’t get caught without a plan if restrictions on movement and public gatherings are going to affect you. Have a party line ready and be ready to put it out there.
3. Maintain Communication with your Audience
Be transparent
At a time like this the importance of communicating with your audience is paramount. All of our clients inboxes on all platforms are inundated with questions from ticket holders about whether or not their event is happening, and what the cancellation and refund policy is. Have your answers ready and ensure your FAQ’s are up-to-date.
If your public-facing policy is to follow government guidelines and your event is still happening – say it.
This means if people are trying to decide whether or not to buy a ticket, they will have the necessary information to make that call.
Maintain engagement
At this unprecedented time, a lot of people are at home, online and looking for alternate things to do within the walls of their own home. Utilise this time to keep your fans and customers engaged, make sure they keep you in the forefront of their mind.
Change your objectives – there should be less emphasis on selling tickets and more on building brand awareness and connecting with your audience.
Live streams, Spotify playlists, new mixes, previous content – this is a window to really interact with your fans – it may not be selling tickets to events, but keeping them engaged will inevitably work in your favour in the long run. It could also be a chance to gain new fans in the interim.
EXAMPLE: Maceo Plex had to cancel a multiple shows at the weekend, so live streamed one instead for those who have missed out.
Diplo is promising daily live streams in the wake of the quarantine situation.
Tom Hanks’s wife and musician Rita Wilson has made a fun Spotify playlist whilst they’re both in self-isolation, transforming the situation into an opportunity to promote her music.
Basically don’t stop talking to your fans, keep them engaged, think outside the box, and maintain your social presence.
4. Stay Positive!
Don’t let the virus infect your confidence and affect your ability to manage your communications effectively. The crisis is going to affect sales, so it’s important to make sure that when the crisis is over that your followers remember who you are and you can move back to a sales strategy – stay positive and keep talking to your followers.
