In today’s globalised economy, chances are that your target audience is spread across cultures and countries. While managing an international event, you will inevitably run into differences in language, culture, and even water taste. Catering to foreign attendees requires additional efforts on your part so the message doesn’t get lost in translation. Here is what you should keep in mind when you take on the challenge of inviting guests from outside the UK.
Establish the right tone from the get go
Research your target audience and the cultural background of your international attendees. Informative and to-the-point communication might be appreciated in the West, but is frowned upon in other cultures. Depending on who you’re talking to, invitation and outreach might need to be personal or the opposite, follow a required hierarchy. Get familiar with the appropriate speech, and use specialised consultants if necessary.
A warm welcome
Are you doing enough to make your guests feel at home? Reach to them even before their journey starts. Consider anything that will lessen the stress of traveling, especially if they’re flying for long hours – and in coach! Put yourself in their shoes. How do I get to the hotel? To the venue? Where’s the nearest Starbucks? For extra points, provide this information in their own language.
Note: You may also enjoy reading ‘5 promising British event agencies for 2018.’
Communication
Review the material for your event from a multicultural point of view. Is your marketing appropriate in every detail so you don’t send the wrong message? You don’t want to end up like this poor festival and endorse a sexual organ by mistake. Hire interpretation services if necessary.
[content_band bg_color=”#E8F6D2″ border=”all”] [container]Need merchandise for an upcoming event? We can help. Printsome’s T-shirts are produced locally ?? and from the best-quality garments. Our delivery services work all over the UK and can adapt to most deadlines. Learn more![/container] [/content_band]Culinary culture clashes
While international cuisine offers many delights, the choice of food and beverages can derail your planned event if you don’t pay attention to the details. Certain religions prevent people from eating certain kinds of meat (or entirely) and others don’t allow to drink alcohol. Just to be sure, tell catering or the chef to label food and list ingredients.
Agenda
Different cultures have different concepts of punctuality, keep this in mind when scheduling. In Germany being 15 minutes late is considered rude, while in Venezuela nobody will notice if you arrive an hour after the agreed time. Plan accordingly and whatever you do, don’t get mad if people show up late – or too early!
Formal vs Casual
Flip-flops, t-shirts and pink shades might be acceptable attire for your start-up’s hackathon, but for your event with international attendees, it’s probably best to err on the side of caution. When in doubt, lean towards formality. We often associate casualness with a relaxed, easy-going state, but at your event, it can cause discomfort. Your guests my assume that they didn’t understand the dress code and feel awkward. It might sound counterintuitive, but in this case, formalities and protocol may help everyone relax.
Note: You may also enjoy reading ‘6 of the best websites with event registration services.’
Don’t go over the top!
Customising your event for international attendants can create an immersive experience they can appreciate, but go overboard and you run the risk of becoming a suck up. Unless you’re dealing with the king and queen of Bhutan, don’t stress over every single detail. It’s a fine line you have to walk between catering to your international attendees and isolating them. After all, they’re travelling and part of the fun in travelling is getting to know a new place. Organise a tour of the city for your new friends. Anticipate how much they want to mingle as well and introduce them to the locals.
T-shirt Printing for Events
Thanks to our five years of experience in the apparel-printing industry, we were able to design a platform catered towards the needs of event planners and brand managers who need efficient solutions. Printsome’s T-shirts are produced locally and from the best-quality garments.
From the moment you get in touch, one of our printing experts in either London or Glasgow will answer all of your questions and find efficient solutions to your needs. It is our mission to help you reach your goals.
We ship all over the UK with flexible delivery services that can adapt to most deadlines. Fast T-shirt printing has never been this easy. Need to to print in bulk? We got you covered. Why worry about inventory or logistics when we can take care of that? To find out more, simply visit our website by clicking on the banner below.
