There is encouraging news for LeadingResponse clients in New York and New Jersey who stopped hosting dinner seminars last year. The Wall Street Journal reports both states are removing capacity limits on restaurants and indoor dining May 19.
However, social distancing and mask requirements remain in place.
What prompted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to act? Each cited increased vaccinations and decreased infections and hospitalizations as reasons for lifting indoor dining capacity limits, the paper reported.
Client of National Marketing Consultant Scott Brewer in upstate New York
Indicators of indoor dining recovery
Prior to New York and New Jersey announcing they were lifting capacity restrictions on indoor dining, LeadingResponse clients had already resumed hosting dinner seminars. And they’ve been experiencing pre-COVID RSVP and attendance rates.
“We are seeing numbers we used to see 15 months ago, returning with a vengeance,” said Scott Brewer, a national marketing consultant with LeadingResponse.
For instance, as of May 5, his client in Buffalo had 55 reservations for a May 13 dinner seminar titled, “Investing in Turbulent Times: Impact of COVID-19.” This client mailed 5,000 invitations, and the response rate was 1.18% seven days before the event.
Live Events are Making a Comeback
Meanwhile, Gwen Giordano, a LeadingResponse national marketing consultant, reports a client of hers in Long Island, NY, received 48 seminar RSVPs within 24 hours of the invitations hitting mailboxes.
“It’s trending to go much higher by the May 18 first event date,” she said.
At the same time, some are surprised by the response they’re getting. A client of Scott’s in Raleigh, NC, for example, hoped to get 25-30 people at a seminar. “He already has 60 reservations over two nights next week,” Scott said.
In other words, “the timing is right to hold live events.”
Get competitive with LeadingResponse
Are you in a financial, health, or wellness profession and would like to host dinner seminars?
As the nationwide leader in customer acquisition, we have the knowledge and experience to transform events into lead generation magnets and growth engines.
Get in touch, and let’s talk about how we can improve your ROI and increase your revenue.