Meetings + Events
The power of gathering people
The power of gathering people
Find out how many people will fit in your room or what size room you need for your number of attendees.
Step 1
Choose a Room Layout type:
Step 2
Enter one of the following to determine the other:
Room Size:
sq.ft.
Capacity:
NOTE: This is a starting guideline only. Accuracy for your particular event cannot be guaranteed.
Metro Toronto Convention Centre Appoints Kathy M. Haley as President & Chief Executive Officer
The world’s first national convention bureau celebrated its 60th anniversary at IBTM
Air Canada Named World's Leading Airline to North America at World Travel Awards
By Sandra Eagle
The speed and ferocity of the Coronavirus pandemic and changes it has brought to our day-to-day existence has made communications with delegates, stakeholders and sponsors essential and should express the right tone and nuance that builds trust and will encourage business to flourish when this event is history.
For those without a ready-built crisis communication plan, now is not the time to build one, but Ignite has gathered some timely tips to help with the communications you need to be sending out now to keep your brand strong.
Alex Plaxen, MTA vice-president experience strategy for Nifty Method Marketing + Events, based in Washington, D.C., hosted an online webinar about crisis communication on March 16. Among other things, the company does vulnerability audits and creates crisis communication plans for clients.
Communication in the time of a crisis takes a different tone and nuance and you do need to set out some decision-making guidelines:
Who will speak on behalf of the organization
What will they say
How often will they address the audience
Why would they speak
A core idea of crisis communication is message mapping—the main objective that you consistently demonstrate through all communication. Without saying it your message should express:
Your brand is trustworthy
You can count on us to do what is right and in the best interest of our stakeholders
There are three key messages that you need to communicate:
1. What is the scenario: explain you are monitoring the situation, empathize with your stakeholders and be transparent about your decision-making process. Transparency lets people know that you can be trusted.
2. Support your key message: give links, consolidate information about your events, and let people know you are monitoring key government agencies like Health Canada or federal and provincial guidelines for meetings. If you have created a landing page on your website or have created a blog post, keep up-to-date information at the top, but keep previous posts on the site. Deleting previous messages can lead to mistrust.
3. Empathize: let your audience know you understand about their investment in your event, that cancellation has in impact on their business goals and that everyone’s health and safety is your number one priority right now.
Communicate in a timely manner, let people know about refunds or that information will be available shortly and that decisions are not taken lightly.
During the webinar, planners were asking about events they have planned in the future. Plaxen advised that there is a bit of sensitivity right now about marketing future events, but not if it will be online. He says “tell your attending how you are monitoring the situation and following the proper channel of health advisories.” He also advised that you should have a refund policy in place, “if you don’t, it will put a stop to registrations right now.”
other articles in this section
Five Cool Things at…the Destinations International Annual Conference
Tips for the Accidental Meeting Planner
How Destination Vancouver is Building a Social Procurement Strategy
The Dilemma: The Rising Cost of Events
Event Profile: Raising funds and spirits
Green Business = Good Business
Case Study: Testing event restrictions
Case Study: Virtual Awards Show
Case Study: A hybrid event for meeting planners
Case Study: Canadian Event Industry Awards
Case Study: 100-person virtual mentoring event
Event spotlight: ConferenceDirect meets at Caesars Forum Las Vegas
By the Numbers: October 2020 Edition
Grab the Mic, Grow Your Business
Should you give interns a turn?
Back to Business: Insights from the MTCC
Back to Business: Insights from byPeterandPauls Hospitality Group
Back to Business: Insights from Industry Associations
Must-haves for the New Reality
Back to Business: Insights from White Oaks Resort & Spa
Back to Business: Insights from Casa Loma Escape Series
Back to Business: Insights from JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka
The new reality for... Speakers
The new reality for... Caterers
The new reality for... Team Building
CanSPEP Connext Conference Kit
How to turn delegates into social media brand ambassadors
The new reality for… CONVENTION CENTRES
Your Event Contract Questions Answered
There's No 'i'solation in Team
New Direction in a Time of Need