Virtual Corporate Event Planning: Navigating the Shifting Platforms
There’s a song playing on the radio somewhere. A familiar crackle mixed with the show-stopping tunes from the 1940s — some Bing and some bluesy jazz mixed with a little Sinatra for the rebels. Those tunes hold a depth and entertainment value that doesn’t easily get by us in 2020. We still long for good old magic that elicited such feeling and formidable strength.
Progress has brought us to streaming music, listening to ads unless we’ve upgraded, and wondering if the bandwidth can hold everything together without dropping someone or some thought. Sometimes, we long to go back. And sometimes, we do.
Meetings and events have become the latest feeling to be put on the progress train, and that train isn’t slowing down. When 900 event professionals were surveyed, 21% responded that they were unsure when live, face-to-face (F2F) events would return or would not plan live events until 2021.
How tragic for those who thrived in the lights, the drama, and the energy of a corporate event. While not as attractive, virtual event planning will remain a permanent part of our culture.
COVID-19, Moving Us to Virtual Event Planning
While planners and business professionals alike have dealt with the grief over lost contacts, networking moments, and that ultimate dream vacation reward, we are all taking a look at the next few months and — dare we say it — years until everyone feels safe enough to resume business as normal in the events world.
Like music streaming services, virtual events are here to stay. But hosting virtual events doesn’t have to keep your attendees waiting in live-chat waiting rooms or listening to ads on repeat. Virtual events can elicit magic of their own, bringing out unique features and unlimited creativity in your planning endeavors.
We know, innately as humans, during a crisis that when people are engaging and connecting with each other, mountains move, and ideas come to life. Companies can effectively and strategically use the virtual platform to accomplish their event objectives! Businesses must deal with this upheaval, capitalize on creativity, and keep their employees and marketing agenda moving forward in 2020. How corporate executives and event planners innovate today will impact how events operate in the future.
By curating a sleek and strategic content strategy, you’ll engage your attendees and have the potential to impact them and your business long-term. Your strategy should include everything you’d do for traditional meetings or events, plus some — planning for ROI, choosing the right tech platform, making the event easy to market, crafting a full-fledged social media campaign, adding some live elements, preparing your speakers for success in the virtual environment, and nailing attendee engagement by inviting attendees to collaborate.
Just like we go back to our favorite albums to find some of the best moments in music, event planners will return to the live arena and breathe a collective sigh of relief on that day. We can come back stronger and better by utilizing these practices.
What seems intimidating at first can turn into an evening set on smooth jazz as you coast into a virtual event. With the right planning partner and a solid plan for calculating ROI, finding the right platform, preparing your speakers, and engaging your audience, you can see many positive results with your virtual event planning!
How can we plan for ROI in a Virtual Event?
Event ROI is a straightforward, methodical process that gives your event structure, outlining how your event should impact the attendees, what information the executives are looking for, and how you will obtain data. While adding ROI to the virtual event planning mix can initially seem intimidating, remember the value you're bringing to your business. Plan for a return, gather the right data from the event and interact with your attendees post-event. And then create the reports. Giving your executives tangible proof that the event was essential will add security and strength to your future event-planning endeavors.
Which virtual events platform will best meet my needs?
With 50+ platforms to choose from, be sure to know exactly what you’re asking the tech to deliver before deciding on a platform. Whether it’s an online conference or virtual expo, consider which of these environments will best suit your objectives:
General sessions (consider some live elements) and video conferencing breakout sessions
Mobile app for higher engagement and pre and post-event engagement
Virtual exhibit hall (if the conference includes an expo)
Virtual team builders, gamification, and “out of the box” team connection
Post-event attendee engagement
Creative elements
Virtual Game Night or Happy Hours - For companies that are forced to work remotely (and are not used to being apart), game night or time to relax with other staff can greatly benefit team morale!
Virtual Class - From wine tasting or a cooking class to a group workout from home, there are multiple possibilities for a fun team-building experience.
Artist Appreciation - Live music or live-streaming stage performances, virtual tours of museums, and art galleries can showcase various talents.
With the many creative directions, you can take for your event, hone in on how your attendees will interact and provide the best user experience with the right tech platform.
How can I prepare the speaker for success in live and pre-recorded sessions?
While many speakers are accustomed to the crowds and feeding off the room's energy, speaking directly to hundreds of people that he or she cannot see may be a foreign and strangely silent experience. You’ll need to choose a speaker that has experience with virtual event technology or can be coached to learn.
If your presenter speaks from a stage to an empty room, they will have very different issues than someone from their home office. Be sure to have your breakout presenters prepare their surroundings.
How’s the lighting? Try to find a natural source or use a halo light ring to bring your face to life.
What does your background look like? Be sure it is clutter-free and neutral.
Is what you’re wearing professional for being on camera? How will the color affect the attendees?
How is the camera positioned on your face? Be sure you are centered in the frame, have a flattering angle of the camera, and are at a good distance from the recording device.
Are your phone and tablet turned off? Try to eliminate the possibility of distractions or disruptions to your presentation (email notifications, app notifications, background noise, etc.).
Are your notes prepared so you won’t have to look away from the camera for a long time? Practice over and over until you are comfortable with your setup and the video medium!
These are just a few simple ways to be sure your presenters are ready for whichever virtual stage they find themselves on!
How do I engage the event attendees?
Your attendees are the central focus of the event experience. Whether they stick around for the entire conference or leave mid-way through to answer an email is contingent on planning well and utilizing the right engagement tools with excellence!
As you bring your attendees through the event experience, consider every aspect of online engagement.
Virtual-specific event registration. As you prepare for their registration, don’t forget to consider any legal needs and contracts you’ll need for an online event!
Pre-Event Festivities. How can you bring your attendees a little joie de vivre before the work of the conference begins? Consider a pre-event party with a facilitator to keep the conversation moving, themed elements, and raffle prizes. Plan accordingly, and you can create joy-filled moments when your attendees need them most!
Timing and variety of Video Elements. As you look at the content, break up longer segments into bite-sized pieces enhanced by music, graphics, and other interactive moments woven between monologues. Screen fatigue can set in quickly, but those events that keep things moving and changing will keep the attendees alert and ready for the next piece.
Choose the right online host or moderator for the event. The host is the glue that holds an event together, keeping attendees engaged with clear communication and authentic energy. Authenticity is the game's name — speakers and facilitators must be comfortable with the material and plan to naturally engage with the audience with care and enthusiasm.
Think like a TV producer to help people stay “glued” to your event. TV producers have the ability to keep their audience engaged. Ideas to consider include designing easily digestible content, keeping sessions to an hour or less, and taking breaks between sessions while communicating these breaks clearly.
How can you bring all of this to your next event?
Remember Bing and Sinatra? They lasted through the decades because they sang about life and what mattered. When you think of the great music and larger-than-life personalities that dominated radio, you think of the great stories. Stories take us back, and they also move us forward. As we step into this new era of online events, how you craft your stories in this new medium will carry you through until we “meet again.” And we’re here to help you navigate the storyline and bring some music back to your meeting and events through virtual and hybrid meeting solutions.
As you begin to plan your next event, be sure to check out our articles on ROI and event planning. Now more than ever, you'll need to strategically plan your ROI goals from the beginning to the end of the process. If you want to dive in deeper on ROI and Events in 2020, join us as we collaborate with Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Jack Philips, Ph.D., of the ROI Institute to bring you a training session on Wednesday, June 3rd, at 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Central Time. You can sign up here: Protecting Your Meetings and Events Budget in Difficult Times - Seven Actions to Take Now.
