Find out what you need to do to manage a cancelled event while keeping your reputation - and sanity - in check.
The venue is booked, attendees are registered, catering is locked in - and your event is cancelled. Despite all the efforts, sometimes things don't go as planned and events get cancelled at the last minute. This can be a disappointing and stressful experience for everyone involved. That's why it's important to have a plan to manage event cancellations effectively.
With the right steps, you can minimise the negative impact and ensure a smoother process for all parties involved. So, if you're facing a last-minute cancellation, don't panic - there are ways to handle the situation gracefully and professionally.
Firstly, review your client contracts, including any cancellation terms and conditions. Determining the reasoning behind the event cancellation will help provide clarity on the many questions swimming around in your head, including;
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Make sure everyone in your organisation and involved in your event is on the same page regarding the cancellation of your event. If you don’t already have a blanket cancellation message in your crisis communication plan, now is the time to get one drafted, approved (if necessary), and published. An official cancellation message will help you maintain consistency in your messaging and convey that the cancellation was not due to poor planning or disorganisation.
In the case of event cancellations, it's always best to overcommunicate your message. Publish your cancellation message on your event website, social media channels, event-specific social channels, and all event-related emails to volunteers, staff, attendees, and stakeholders. Depending on the size of your event, you may also want to update any media outlets that have publicised your event so they can help you spread the word. People (attendees or otherwise) will likely have questions regarding your event cancellation, so with all announcements, include at least one way to get in touch.
Once the decision has been made to cancel an event, you need to ensure no further ticket sales or event promotions take place. This involves allocating time to close off all avenues for ticket sales, including any third-party channels used for selling and promotion. If you find yourself too overwhelmed by to-do's, delegate this task to a colleague capable of taking the reins.
It's best to provide attendees a minimum of 24 hours' notice, but the sooner you inform them of the cancellation, the better. This is particularly important if attendees are travelling to attend and need time to adjust plans,
Send an email and app push notification to event attendees as soon as possible, and if you can, reach out to them with a phone call. Some people don't regularly check emails, and there's always the risk your message may be sent to spam, so use all reasonable means to relay this information.
Don’t stop at an event cancellation notice – keep event attendees in the loop with regular updates and information. This improves transparency and trust, while making attendees feel included.
When managing sudden event cancellations, it can be challenging to keep track of all the necessary tasks. In situations like these, having a single reference point can make all the difference, and that's where your un-do list comes in handy. Your un-do list essentially serves as a reverse to-do list, which can be extremely useful in ensuring all aspects of your event cancellation are handled appropriately.
To make the most of your un-do list, assign different tasks to team members. This approach ensures every task can be completed efficiently and quickly, with each team member ticking off assigned responsibilities as they go along.
Once you've announced your event cancellation, keep a close eye on any social media accounts and hashtags related to it. This way, you can quickly respond with your approved cancellation message whenever necessary and keep social audiences updated.
Once your un-do list is complete and all steps have been taken, take some time to reflect on the event cancellation and how it was handled from all angles. Don't worry, we all face unexpected challenges and it's tricky to get right the first time.
It's always a good idea to see if there are any ways you can better prepare for future events. While we can't control everything, it is possible to minimise the risk and impact of event cancellations with prior planning, preparation, and team communication.
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Free Event Cancellation Email Template
Finding out an event has been cancelled can be disappointing for ticket buyers. That's why it's important to communicate with transparency and friendliness. In your cancellation email, cover all the key points - why the event is cancelled, when and how ticket buyers can expect a refund, and who they should contact if they have any questions. Try to anticipate and answer any main questions attendees may have to make things easier for everyone and avoid an influx of messages after the communication goes out.
Subject line: Body copy: [Greeting], We're reaching out with a heavy heart to let you know that we've had to cancel [event name]. This decision comes after [cancellation reason], and although it was tough to make, we know it’s necessary. We can't tell you how sorry we are for any plans this might disrupt. We're already on top of refunds and are processing them through your original payment methods. We understand that waiting for a refund is less than ideal, so we're pushing to wrap this up swiftly—expect everything to be sorted within [insert number] business days. Stay tuned for updates on refunds and any other news related to the event. Should you have any questions or need assistance, contact us at [contact info]. We're here to help and will get back to you within [insert number] business days. Thank you for sticking with us, [Sign off], [Company name] |