Planning an international event is no small feat. You need to consider various factors, such as what platforms you’ll host it on, the agenda and schedule, how you’ll keep attendees engaged, what you hope to achieve from the event, and more.
If you want everything to run smoothly, you need to account for some specific challenges during the planning stage. Here are five common challenges and how to deal with them.
Coordinating Across Time Zones
Planning international events means hosting participants, vendors, and teams from across the world. You might host your event online (or partially online), and finding a time that works for everyone will be tricky!
You’ll need to deal with this problem by working with tools like world clock apps, which show the time in various countries simultaneously. This will allow you to find a time slot that is convenient for everyone involved. You can also use calendar and scheduling apps to find overlapping hours and let participants vote for times that suit them best.
Managing Cultural Differences
Culture is another important consideration – traditions, beliefs, and social norms. These might not sound relevant to a business event, but being tolerant and accommodating of one another’s cultures is always something to think about.
Take care to show that you understand the other cultures within the group and make accommodations and adjustments when necessary. This could mean avoiding scheduling events over traditional holidays and being sensitive to social norms, greetings, and cues. Be open to learning as you go!
Navigating Language Barriers
Language is a big part of culture, and it will certainly play a role in planning an event with global attendance.
Start with the basics and consider whether your product or brand messaging translates well (grammatically as well as culturally) into other languages and contexts. Depending on your audience, you may also need to invest in translation or interpretation services and equipment for your event.
Handling International Logistics
The logistics of an event can always be frustrating and stressful. Throw the “global” element in the mix, and you’re set up for a massive task! Whether it’s transporting materials and equipment or ensuring the safe arrival of personnel and attendees, you need to make sure everything is in place.
The best way to navigate these types of challenges is to simply start planning and organizing your event well in advance. Having these plans in place early allows you time to account for any mishaps that may come up. Additionally, you could consider hiring an on-site logistics coordinator.
Budgeting for Currency Fluctuations
Finally, keep in mind that fluctuations in the exchange rate might impact your budget or your attendees’ trip budget. This is especially relevant if you’re dealing with multiple currencies for one event. A drop in the value of your own currency could spell disaster for your event budget.
To navigate this, prioritize having a contingency fund to act as a buffer in case anything goes wrong, and make use of forward contracts that allow you to “lock in” an exchange rate for dates in the future, securing your expenses.