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Short and long term event cancellation

With COVID still impacting numerous nations to varying degrees, event cancellations are still an unfortunate regular occurrence.

On Tuesday, I ran across a prominent us event with the following message for every page of their website:

"The 2021 (EVENT) at (LOCATION) has been canceled."

I'm paraphrasing the above by obfuscating some event details so as not to embarrass any organizations. My goal is to pass along a critical tenet when canceling one's event.

Too many event organizers simply post a message to their website, social media, and perhaps send out a press release. The previous items should be considered a bare minimum.

It's imperative to have a plan in place that covers both short-term and long-term considerations.

A short-term consideration should be leveraging a dedicated team member to monitor and address social media comments regarding your event cancellation.

Two days ago, a renowned local arts festival canceled its 2021 event. That event is being eviscerated on social media with zero response (to date) from event organizers.

Long-term considerations include letting your event supporters know what they can expect in the future. e.g., not leaving your cancellation notice for six to twelve months after your event was supposed to occur. What's next and what should people expect? Give people a little hope for the future!

After months or years of work, canceling your event can be devastating.

How your organization handles the cancellation of your current event has a tremendous impact on the future of your event.

Make sure you have a well-thought-out process in place for both the short term and long term.

Here are some additional articles on planning and promoting a successful event: