Event venues are now open to 100% capacity in Texas! As more people receive the COVID vaccine and herd immunity builds, in-person events are making a bold comeback. Online events got us through a year of lockdown, but we’re ready for some face-to-face interactions. Don’t get us wrong, virtual events offer an accommodating accessibility that is likely to stick around. But for those of us who are ready to ditch the sweat pants and blouse pairings, it’s finally time to put a whole outfit together. The Go Savvy team is jazzed to get back to hosting in person events In Houston.
The Houston Event Scene Is Back
It's a breath of fresh air to see more in-person event invitations every time we check our email. Recently, we got to host a happy hour with a local networking group. Whether they were discussing business or not, it was clear that this small nod toward normalcy was appreciated by everyone. Being together meant more than any article, zoom meeting, or online course could ever provide. Although we are wanting human interaction after a year of virtual events, there are more benefits to in-person events than just meeting that desire.
The Face-To-Face Communications We’ve Been Missing
There is definitely something special about physically being around other people. As humans, we crave interaction with others. Needless to say, in-person events are breathing life into the dullness we were feeling from a straight year of talking through screens.
A Harvard Business Review article states that face-to-face communications are 34 times more successful than emails. To this point, it takes less effort to ask people for fundraiser donations in person than sending the request through text, email, or virtual meetings. Moreover, nuances of communication can really only be felt in face-to-face interaction as you naturally build a rapport by giving the other person your full attention. This isn’t to say that you can’t build relationships and business through virtual events. But there is a lot of benefit in the non-verbal cues that can only be seen in person. In fact, 90% of communication effectiveness is determined by non-verbal cues.
Although you can build relationships and do business virtually, body language is something you can really only pick up on in person. That’s because in virtual meetings, we only see the other person’s head and maybe their upper torso. By contrast, the body language used from head to toe all provides communication signals. When paying attention to another person’s body language, you can more accurately determine the direction a conversation is going and whether to pivot or build from what you have going on. When we’re communicating face-to-face with other people, we can use those non-verbal cues to our advantage.
Ready to start hosting in person events in Houston? Schedule a consultation with your Go Savvy event planners today!
What To Do To Start Hosting In Person Events In Houston Again
There are a couple things to think about when returning to hosting in person events in Houston. Let’s dive into those topics here!
Book Your Houston Venues Soon
In the course of just a few months, we have seen the Houston event scene significantly evolve. Many venues are nearly fully booked through the third and fourth quarters of 2021. Trust me, we asked. Not only that, we continue to follow up frequently to keep tabs on availability due to cancellations. It's what we do and why we’re so good at our job! But booked venues signal exciting things in the works! Many of the popular annual events that we’ve all come to love have officially announced their 2021 return, including:
Bayou City Art Festival
Comicpalooza
Houston Nutcracker Market
Oktoberfest
Kemah’s Summer Rock The Dock Concert Series
Texas Renaissance Festival
And more!
Who’s ready to start experiencing everything Houston has to offer again? Your Go Savvy team sure is! Do you have a venue in mind for your next event? Get in touch with Go Savvy to discuss your options.
Respect The Venue’s Decisions
While the newly unveiled CDC guidelines give us some maskless freedoms, it’s important to remember that venues usually have their own protocols. Texas has the green light to fill venues up to 100% capacity, but this doesn’t require venues to abide. For the safety of employees and guests, some venues may choose to top off at a lower capacity. Although not a legal requirement, venues may still require temperature checks, masks, and hand sanitizing stations. It’s a new normal we’re living in. Not everyone is ready to dive back into how things used to be. Suppose you encounter these rules when venue shopping, it's important to respect their choices. If the event your dream of hosting doesn’t center around pandemic-era safety measures, find a venue that suits your needs.
Proceeding to host an event with the intention of ignoring the venue’s rules can result in placing you in a negative light. Several things could happen, including a call to the police. The last thing you want is for your attendees to carry the memory of their host arguing with the police and venue owner over wearing a mask. Needless to say, this wouldn’t reflect well on your business either.
Think Carefully About Your Brand
As vaccine rates are increasing more than ever, people are taking action to attend in-person events. And we couldn’t possibly be more excited! So what does this mean for you? Your business or non-profit has a prime opportunity to host an incredible and engaging special occasion that will help build brand awareness and fresh leads. Not to mention uplifting your company culture’s spirit with engagement that’s been missing for a year (and counting).
The time has come to give it all you can and host an event to remember. And let’s face it, you’re going to need help. Why? Because you already have so much going on with an evolving “new normal” that your business must contend with in addition to basic operations. Oh and let’s not forget about balancing your personal life, health, and well being. This is where Go Savvy steps in. We handle all the details and planning so you don’t have to. This way, you can actually enjoy your event and engage in authentic interaction with your attendees. Authenticity is the root of what we do as we strive to help businesses grow through events.
The Time To Start Planning & Hosting In Person Events In Houston Is Now
With Go Savvy in your corner, planning your next event will be pretty simple. We’ve already been speaking with venues across the city and all the way down south to Galveston. Unsurprisingly, they’re already booking up through the end of 2021 and into 2022. At this rate, 2022 is bound to be short on venue options. If you have an event in mind, the time to start planning is now. Get in touch with your Go Savvy event planners to lock in your ideal venue. Let the planning begin!