The success of a business activity depends on many factors, including site, programming and location. But an often overlooked element can determine whether an event thrives or barely survives: choose a date.
Each meeting competes for time on the attendee’s calendar. Overlapping with holidays or major industry activities can be disastrous. To ensure you choose the best date for your business activity, Skift meetings have created the following resources:
For planners, choosing a date is not only logistical, but also tactical, and can directly affect the bottom line of the event. The point is clear: don’t just select the date, choose the correct date.
For example, some holidays are forbidden areas for conferences – for example, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Rosh Hashanah and New Year’s Day – and other holidays have become unexpected opportunities.
Michael Dominguez, president and CEO of United Luxury Hotel International (ALHI), shared an example of a conference panel specifically requesting the U.S. presidential day weekend, an era traditionally considered unconventional business activity. Surprisingly, attending was not suffering.
“From the pandemic, groups need to meet, they seized the opportunity in terms of dates and patterns, and they found it wasn’t harmful to attendance,” Dominguez said.
The backlog of postponed events during the pandemic has led to compressing calendars and forcing planners to explore alternative dates. result? How attendees watch the evolution of the holidays. While some people are still fine, given the high number of attendees, some seem to be feasible.
The planner’s message is clear: don’t just select the date, choose the correct date.
Factors to consider when choosing a date for a business event
- Get to know your audience: Understand the cultural, religious and industry-specific preferences of the target population.
- Adapt to changes: The pandemic shows that flexibility leads to unexpected opportunities. Rethink traditional scheduling “rules”.
- Utilizing data: Resources such as global databases of national and religious holidays help identify potential conflicts and ensure planners do not inadvertently follow important compliance. Another useful resource is the time and date listing of holidays and compliance in the United States
- Communication as early as possible: After setting a date, communicate with them as early as possible to maximize participation and avoid conflict.
- accommodate: If the meeting is held during the holidays, consider dietary restrictions. For example, if you have a meeting on Passover, some attendees may still attend if you can offer a kosher food option.
Apart from holidays, it is crucial to consider industry-specific factors. Are there major trade shows or competitive conferences nearby?
Make sure the date you are considering has no regional significance. In some cultures, even auspicious or unlucky days can affect attendance.
President Donald Trump’s execution order is designed to reduce diversity, equity and inclusion programs may affect holidays, such as MLK Jr. Day, JuneTeenter, Holocaust Day, and more.
