Readouts from the Remote Haute Dokimazo Event Industry COVID-19 Strategy Session

1. HAUTE
DOKIMAZO
STRATEGY
SESSION
COVID-19 EDITION
On Monday, March 16th, amidst government shutdowns, voluntary and
involuntary quarantines, and an event industry in turmoil, almost 90 event
professionals came together for the first-ever remote Haute Dokimazo
Strategy Session.
Despite not being able to hug each other, the care and love for humanity was
palpable throughout the experience. The ability to share, vent, commiserate,
and then focus on solutions bonded participants and helped them feel a
glimmer of hope in these trying times. Read on for the impressive outcomes of
this special event.

2. CEO SESSION
HOW TO KEEP YOUR COMPANY
ALIVE AND POISED TO THRIVE
The CEO session at the Haute Dokimazo Strategy Session was attended by a
dozen CEOs from event and marketing companies and they all had one
anchoring thought: How do we get through this?
From business pivots to belt-tightening to leading with positivity, the
conversation focused on the people. The fundamental backbone of a company
is financial stability, so the leaders agreed on one solid principle: never do work
without a PO in place.
All appropriate cost-cutting measures should be taken to protect the majority
of workers, and partnerships should be put into place to ensure you are ready
for the shift to virtual events.
Lead with compassion, when communicating with employees. Be authentic.
Ideally, you can project stability for the whole, while prioritizing and pivoting
the business to stay intact.

3. Get ahead of the curve. Hope for the
best, but plan for the worst. Begin belt-
tightening measures, while prioritizing
what expertise can pivot, what should
be put on the back-burner, and how
talent can be used to support client
needs.
Use event industry's unique perspective
to help with accurate messaging, rather
than trying to paint with a broad brush
about larger global concerns.
Don’t do any work without a PO.
This is an opportunity to think
differently. If you sit still, the company
isn’t going to make it.
Find the right vendors to help you
execute virtual events.
Virtual events: Ask your partners how
to enhance the virtual experience so
you can charge what you need for
attendees to feel that it was worth that
money.
What you should communicate with
your employees and clients in a time of
crisis when you don't have the
answers:
Prioritization
Authenticity
Stability
Vulnerability
Business
Virtual Events
Employees
CEO Session
HOW TO KEEP YOUR COMPANY ALIVE
AND POISED TO THRIVE
PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS
It’s always something in business
so what does a pivot really look
like amidst COVID-19, versus any
other business challenge?
Concerned that clients and are
moving to virtual in a hurry,
without enough regard for
whether virtual is the right
platform for the message that
needs to be delivered.
How do we fold into the budget
the additional costs of using the
right livestream/virtual
experience with limited cash flow?
How do we maintain culture,
accountability, and engagement
with newly-remote teams?
Business
Virtual Events
Employees
IDEAS/SOLUTIONS

4. VIRTUAL
EVENTS
WHEN EVERYTHING'S GONE
VIRTUAL, HOW DO YOU PREPARE?
Events have moved online, but a recent study by EM Blog showed that over
40% of event professionals have never executed an online event. Discussion in
this session began with the definition of an online event, versus alternatives
(like podcasts and other mediums).
In a world of digital events, be sure to plan, practice, and set presenters up for
success. Offer a digital or real background to them. Make sure they are using
similar or identical technology (headsets/mics), and have a back-up computer
ready.
This group actively brainstormed additional engagement ideas to pursue
during a virtual event (captured in the notes on the next page), as well as
exploring how to ensure value for sponsors with a pivot to online.

5. Virtual Events
PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS
How do you make sure content
translates well to virtual?
How do you drive engagement
virtually that replicates the context
you normally get in-person?
Boosting morale for teams who are
not used to being remote
How do you combat fatigue from
being on a computer all day?
What do we mean when we say
virtual events?
How do we differentiate between
virtual events?
What happens when money is tied up
with no end in sight?
Ex: Postponed shows with no set
dates yet
Value for sponsors if going virtual?
Content
Engagement
Definitions and Differentiators
Funding
IDEAS/SOLUTIONS
Interactive Webinars
Virtual summits
Group-led/Hosted/facilitated
discussions
Make sure speakers are using the same
equipment and on a hard line internet
connection. Mail them a webcam, mic,
ring light, and adapter for ethernet +
cable
Send backgrounds- digital or physical
Have a back-up computer and co-host
VR Headsets (Can be hard to scale)
“Beam” in a speaker
Gamify + partners can sponsor prizes
Bring in performers, teach a magic trick
Send gift cards to use w/local
restaurants vs in person catering
Virtual badge scans in exchange for
donations
Volunteer virtually
FUN breaks: groups stretch, "What's in
your house" scavenger hunt, Introduce
your pet!
Virtual wine tasting - Mail wine early
Cooking class: celeb chef w/ meal-in-a-
box
Online Escape Rooms
Partnership for leads - data is King!
Provide value for low costs for partners
Virtual Expo Halls
Virtual Event types:
Quality Control
Engagement ideas:
Funding: Value for sponsors if going
virtual?
Direct Mailers
Podcasts
Web series
Print media (magazine, physical
newsletter)
Alternatives to Virtual Events

6. MESSAGING
IN THE TIME
OF COVID-19
USING TIME FOR NEW
MESSAGING & MARKETING
To stay in business, you need to sell. To sell, you need to market. To market,
you need messaging. How do you adjust your messaging to drive value and
solutions in a world where 1) buyers are focused on core hierarchy of needs,
and 2) no one is buying anything at all.
The focus right now, and the core message to the market, should be one of
support, empathy, understanding, and relationship-building. Money will follow,
but support is needed most right now.

7. Implement process that you have been
too busy to do
Strategic management program
Researching alternative event
solutions – virtual platforms
Gain new skills
Experts aren’t always the best
moderators, so find your skill and
transpose it to other things
Drop silos and have people cross over
to other roles – share talent, resources,
abilities, & solutions… so everyone
succeeds
If one person fails we all fail – lets help
everyone succeed
More empathy
Gather virtual events that are free
(MPI, etc) and share with community
Educate others
Help clients figure out what to do
immediately and then using next couple
of weeks then do marketing
Not appropriate today
Making use of the downtime
Supporting each other
IDEAS/SOLUTIONSPROBLEMS AND CONCERNS
How do you create a
communication plan with
sensitivity (i.e. not trying to
capitalize on the current situation)
How do you market yourself and
products?
How do you keep client positive
about postponing (instead of
cancelling)
How do have empathy when
money is required for your
business to stay open
How do you market strategy
services now?
What will happen when there's a
lack of inventory – will a
reschedule even be possible this
fall?
Using time for New
Messaging & Marketing

8. THE BUSINESS
OF BUSINESS
GENERATING PIPELINE WHEN
MONEY IS TIGHT
In a time when companies are not spending money, how do we generate
pipeline and ensure current and future revenue to keep our businesses alive?
How do we engage clients for future business, and then how do we prepare for
when the spigot turns back on?
Right now, the focus should be on partnerships and collaboration. Marketing
messaging with this focus are winning right now. Be respectful of space and
time right now, but communicate openly, honestly, and often. Focus on
internal initiatives so you are poised to strike when the irons are hot again.

9. PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS
How can we engage our clients?
Can we have them pay deposits?
Can we have them engage for the
future?
We don't know how long this will
be, how do we plan for the future?
Nobody is buying any non-
essentials.
Who is your ideal client and how do
you connect to them now and build
for the future?
How do you fill the revenue gap?
People aren't signing new contracts
right now, is now a good time to
connect – or is it pushy?
Who do we need to stay in touch
with – who do we want in our
pipeline?
How do we manage when everyone
starts rebooking?
Biz dev
Pipeline/revenue
IDEAS/SOLUTIONS
Brainstorm with artists and clients about
future. Create together.
Let others know what you are doing. Share
your knowledge.
Be transparent, educate your teams,
showcase talent virtually
Give people a reason to smile.
Provide clients with helpful tips on WFH
“Radical Transparency” – none of us know
what to do or expect.
BE HUMAN.
We are humans who want to be connected
to other humans.
Don’t keep people in the dark. Provide
understanding where you can and what’s
next.
Send hand written notes!Stay in touch with
Ops, Sales and Clients- we all need each
other!Send tips to clients on how to
entertain kids at home.
Be respectful if you know someone is in the
middle of a hurricane
Make sure you take sanity breaks.
Get to know WHO they are – are they really
the right customer at this time? Take the
time to understand who they are and what
they really need from you.
Collaboration
Communication
Space
Generating pipeline
when money is tight

10. CONTRACT
CANCELLATION
AND
NEGOTIATION
HOW TO CREATE WIN-WIN
SCENARIOS
Force Majeure. Cancellation clauses. Attrition. All the penalties and legal
arguments around who owes or doesn't owe money are earning the attorneys
a lot money right now!
This conversation included people on both sides of the table: venue and
planner. They agreed that right now, above all, being real, honest, kind, and
human is the best course of action. Show your cards and explain how much
you can give and be receptive to how much is needed for both parties to stay
in business and live to book an event again.

11. When are people cancelling through?
What we are seeing through corporate and DMCs:
March – gone
April – gone
May – some cancellations
June – some cancellations
July and August – minimal pickup / smaller numbers
Fall – more coming through the fall.
Contract Cancellation
and Negotiation
IDEAS/SOLUTIONS
Be human. Be kind. Be honest and open.
Be vulnerable and be authentic/transparent in communication.
Work in good faith to find mutually agreeable solution.
Get legal involved as a last resort if creative solution can’t be found.
Empathize and find a creative solution on a case-by-case basis.

12. THE PEOPLE
IMPACT
HOW TO HELP EMPLOYEES WITH JOB
LOSS/WAGE REDUCTION/MORALE
It's unavoidable: when there is no business, there is no money to pay
employees. If we can't bring in new clients right now, how do we do right by
our most valued assets: our people?
One company created job sharing options. One company banded together to
work on minimum wage to get through the tough times. One company took
out a loan to cover payroll for a few months. And all companies are working
hard to communicate transparently, try to keep morale up, and work together
to find creative solutions for clients that might bring in money for the company
to stay afloat just a little bit longer.

13. How to help employees with job
loss/wage reduction/morale
IDEAS/SOLUTIONS
Job sharing to keep benefits
Take draw instead of taxes as owner
Contractor option for employees
0% interest loan
Promote brand and what you’re doing during this time
Food Stamps / Assistance Programs
Share funny videos / positive news
Buy bulk food to share
10 Ways to save $$
Virtual happy hour
Check in on each other!
Virtual group workouts
Be empathetic and understanding

14. THE
BALANCING
ACT
TIPS FOR WORKING FROM HOME
WITH KIDS
Full time job, school's cancelled, you've cut back on the lawn service and the
housekeeper. You have more to manage inside your house than ever before.
Here are a few tips for managing your new life while staying productive.
"I will survive!"
-Gloria Gaynor

15. Communicate plan w/kids ahead of time
Stack calls/meetings on strategic days
Designate work area
Let kids know not to interrupt when on call
Start day early, end day late
Walk around block during calls
Breathe and have empathy for others
Give kids projects ahead of time
Feed kids ahead of time
Prep attendees ahead of time; seed thoughts/questions
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