How to Develop a Communication Strategy for Event Organizers

Developing effective communication for your event is one of the key steps in ensuring its success, yet it often goes underrated. If you are an event planner and haven't developed your communication strategy, now is the best time to get the ball rolling. Read on to unlock how you can develop a communication strategy that will keep your team connected and engaged. 

What Is a Communication Strategy in Event Management?

In event management, a communication strategy outlines how to effectively communicate with your team, stakeholders, staff, and other people involved in the event. It helps foster a collaborative environment where everyone is on the same page, leading to smoother operations and enhanced productivity. It also prevents mistakes from occurring, and if a mistake does happen, it is addressed immediately.

How to Develop a Communication Strategy for Event Management 

Different organizations or event planning teams can have their own style in developing their communication strategy. However, there are primary steps that are generally followed. Below, we discuss these steps in detail.

1. Identify the People Involved in the Event Planning Process

First, identify the various groups that need to be addressed. This may include the event planning team, clients who are hosting the event, vendors or suppliers providing essential services, attendees, and any volunteers or staff working at the event. By identifying these people early on in the development of your communication strategy planning, you can understand their specific needs and concerns, which are crucial to preparing targeted communication. For instance, when communicating with clients who provide funding for the event, you may want to include budget breakdowns and key decisions when writing messages for them. Meanwhile, when communicating with staff and volunteers, you may want to focus on detailed instructions about their responsibilities and any potential issues that may arise during the event.

2. Choose a Centralized Communication Channel 

It's crucial to establish a central digital location for all team members to share information and updates. This approach helps streamline collaboration and ensures that everyone is on the same page and stays productive. As per a McKinsey Global Institute report, using social technologies can help companies boost the productivity of knowledge workers by 20% to 25%.

StaffConnect’s centralized communication channel is an example of how you would want your communication channel to be. This platform features different communication options, such as live chat in one location, allowing you to connect with your team in real time and collaborate more effectively. It also features a shared timeline where you and your team can post updates, share photos, and interact through likes and comments. Additionally, it enables you to create a separate timeline for client communication, ensuring that all interactions are organized and easily accessible, fostering a more professional relationship with clients. 

3. Set Communication Flow 

A communication flow refers to the structured flow of information within an organization or team, outlining how messages are sent, received, and interpreted. It helps streamline the process of information sharing, ensuring that messages are effectively conveyed and understood. It also allows for quicker responses to any challenges that may arise.

Depending on your event or team, you should decide on the most effective communication flow. For example, suppose you are managing a large-scale event like a national conference and working with a lot of outsourced staff. In that case, you may opt to designate specific representatives from each department, such as logistics, marketing, and attendee management, to report back to the event coordinators.  Meanwhile, if you are managing a smaller event and working with an internal team, you may opt for a more streamlined communication flow approach, where you can involve everyone in a group discussion. 

4. Prepare Communication Guidelines 

Effective communication within your team is crucial for success, but it’s important to strike a balance. Along with fostering open communication with your team, it is essential to maintain professionalism and respect. As per a study, given the significance of nurturing positive relationships, a culture of trust and respect is essential for enhancing work engagement. One effective strategy to maintain respect within your team is to establish clear communication guidelines. These guidelines help ensure that interactions remain respectful and constructive.

Your communication guidelines may include instructions on message structure, specifying how communications should be constructed for clarity and effectiveness. Additionally, consider drafting how to appropriately address individuals. It is also crucial to establish rules that uphold professionalism and regulations that protect information privacy. 

5. Decide on the Frequency of Communication

Deciding on the frequency of communication in event planning is essential for clarity and consistency. Through regular updates, you can keep team members, vendors, and stakeholders informed, preventing misunderstandings and improving coordination. It also maintains engagement, encourages timely issue resolution, and fosters collaboration. 

In event planning, the frequency of communication depends on the nature of the event, the event planning stage, and the urgency of the messages. For instance, during the event budget screening stage, daily check-ins with event stakeholders or hosts might be necessary, whereas event staff may only need weekly status updates.

Despite setting a frequency of communication, it’s important to assure your team that communication channels are always open and they are free to reach out when unexpected instances arise. This will help foster a culture of openness and trust within the team, enhance collaboration, and encourage proactive problem-solving.

6. Have a Backup Communication Channel

In event management, errors can occur in various areas, including communication. To mitigate potential issues, it is essential to establish a backup communication channel. This preparation ensures that important information can still be relayed effectively, even if primary communication methods fail.

StaffConnect provides multiple communication methods to keep your team informed. It offers various options, including SMS, push notifications, and email. These channels enable you to send messages or information to your staff, ensuring effective communication even if one channel malfunctions. 

7. Evaluate Communication Strategy and Make Adjustments as Needed

After the event, it's crucial to collect data that can help you assess your communication strategy. These data can include speed of communication, staff engagement metrics, and the effectiveness of the channels used. Some strategies you may consider for data gathering are post-event surveys, in-meeting evaluations, and one-on-one interviews.

After data collection, analyze the results of the feedback and, based on the result, identify which areas need improvement. For example, if feedback suggests that communication was slow or ambiguous, think about increasing the update frequency or changing to a different communication channel. 

Elevate Your Communication Game Using StaffConnect

Still in search of a communication channel that will elevate your communication strategy? Look no further than StaffConnect. This all-in-one event management platform centralizes discussions, updates, and resources to keep your team informed and engaged. With real-time notifications for urgent announcements and dedicated channels for each team, like logistics, marketing, and operations, you can streamline conversations and enhance collaboration like never before. Additionally, StaffConnect offers more tools for event scheduling, timesheets, GPS Check-in/out, data gathering, payroll, and more. 

Discover the benefits of StaffConnect in more detail! Schedule your free demo today to see how we can enhance your overall event management experience.