BEST PRACTICES IN EVENTS MANAGEMENT

(Asian Perspective)

Gonzales, Julie Marie

Manuel, Joel Stephen
Mateo, Jeraldine Mae
Mendoza, Mclen
Pagtalunan, Albert
Sangalang, Manuelyn Dianne
Texon, Mikki Ella Joy

Virtual Event Best Practices for International Audiences

What is a virtual event?
 A virtual event is any organized meet-up that takes place online rather than in a physical
location.
 Virtual events can range from small question-and-answer sessions to large-scale
conferences with thousands of attendees.

Best practices in planning a virtual event:

1. Event Timing - The timing of a virtual event is vital in order to reach a global audience
and you need to be mindful of timing as part of your event strategy.
 A good time frame that would be inclusive to many international constituents
would be to begin at 8:30 or 9:00 AM EST.
 Thursdays and Fridays are the best days to host virtual events for Asia-Pacific
countries.
 You should consider recording the session at your originally scheduled time, and
then post it online or send it out for international audiences.

2. Event Content - The content of virtual programs is very important as you can focus on a
variety of topics for a larger audience.

Here are a few tips on content that international audiences prefer:

  More content-based opportunities such as panel-discussions and talks by experts
and faculty.
 Asia Pacific audiences are open to content that is reflective in nature, like
humanities and arts, but their preference is for content that is more applied within
their specified area.
 Emerging international social and economic issues which are top of mind for
many including macro-economic and microeconomic issues as well as social
issues related to inequality and post-COVID recovery.

3. Communication - Communications vary globally, and therefore must be top-of-mind

and part of your program strategy when sending any type of communication to attendees.
 Communication for Asia Pacific audiences is best done through social media
channels, such as WhatsApp for Singapore and India, and LINE for Taiwan.
 It is best not to only promote events with international audiences via email, but to
take advantage of the various social media used by international constituents.

4. Internet Restrictions - Internet access differs between various countries. Practices that
are legal in one country could be off limits in others.

Specific Features of Event Management in Asia

The Asia-style trends:

1. Cultural differences
 Hierarchical relationships - Due to the strong impact of the Chinese hierarchical
tradition, it’s critical to understand that work relationships in Asia are more about
respect than friendship.
 Teamwork - Individual achievement is clearly a buzzword in the U.S., but Asian
organizations are still very attached to collectivism and working in a team.
 Patience is a must - Business people in Asia tend to make very thoughtful
decisions and are also very likely to delegate their decisions or discuss them with
managers before saying a final “yes”.

2. Inviting people
The first impression starts with a proper invitation. So how do you make it “proper” if
you’re powering an event in Asia? First of all, we recommend finding a local partner who’ll
guide you through the invitation etiquette.
Here are several rules you should follow:
  89% of organizations in Asia use email to communicate with their clients, which is
why it’s perfectly reasonable to choose email as a channel for sending event
invitations.
 Apart from the key details like date, location, and event theme, it’s a good idea to
mention the guest of honour (if you have one) in your event invitation.
 Specify the dress code. In countries like Vietnam, people may prefer to sit on the
floor to eat lunch.

3. Choosing a venue
To pick the right space that resonates with your budget and event vision, consider
the following trends:
 Go to popular online platforms to search for venues
 Use the power of emerging economies
 Pick business hubs to plan a luxurious event

4. Catering features
Food services are an important part of cultural idiosyncrasies specific to event
management in Asia. Especially if it’s your first visit, diving deep into the local restaurant
culture is a must. If you’re catering to a local audience, making food choices should be less of a
challenge.

5. Entertainment
There’s one secret weapon you can utilize in Asian event management – local
entertainment activities. From Cirque Shanghai to contemporary Japanese dance, there is a huge
range of amazing traditions that can be aligned with your events in Asia-Pacific.

6. Volunteer management
Any event is a message tailored to a specific audience. But not every event professional
knows how to make good use of this statement. In addition to being a passive consumer, your
audience can also actively participate in Asian event management. If people are passionate about
the message of your event, they will be passionate about helping you to communicate it.
REFERENCES:
How to host a successful virtual event: Tips and best practices. (2020, July 28). Social Media
Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/virtual-events/
Specific features of event management in Asia. (2018, August 8). GlobalSign.in.
https://www.globalsignin.com/blog-events/specific-features-of-event-management-in-asia/?
fbclid=IwAR1tGr9Hy5J8XSd6QmYI6p4MFA5hu-7E4-2peF7AEFfN4ytmGm6bErL5VNc
Virtual Event Best Practices for International Audiences. (2020, September 1). CMU - Carnegie
Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/student-affairs/slice/pdfs/virtual-event-best-practices-
for-international-audiences---9.1.20.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3sNbvQz5wrZigRT23NGXDcKDo5-
Oj9XG-dVpJhsBSXXiTG7_7rGh7zjSU