Everything you Need to Know About Attending and Hosting a Virtual Speed Dating Event

Whether you’re struggling to make romantic connections or eager to round out your professional network, virtual speed dating is an excellent way to meet new people and make lasting connections. In this article, we’ll define virtual speed dating, touch on the benefits of virtual speed dating, and teach you everything you know about hosting a successful virtual speed dating event.

What is virtual speed Dating?

Speed dating is all about meeting new people efficiently in a relaxed and friendly environment. A virtual speed dating event is where people gather in an attempt to find a match. This can work in both personal and professional settings with some organizations choosing to embrace the speed dating format to make professional connections or get to know their teammates. Similar to the way in which you would participate in a speed dating event in-person, the principles remain the same online. The only difference is that participants are meeting via a telecommunications tool like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Remo, as opposed to meeting in person.

The core idea of speed dating remains the same whether it’s in person or online. Each attendee is given a few minutes to chat with their match and switches to a new match when the time is up. Group sizes tend to vary however it’s important to have enough attendees, so everyone has the opportunity to connect with as many people as possible during the event. If two guests like each other, they can exchange information and connect again in the future. At the end of the event, participants are expected to have made new connections that can be built upon to build future working relationships.

What are the advantages of virtual speed dating?

Are you intrigued by the idea of virtual speed dating but aren’t completely sold? The following advantages might provide you with the information you need to jump in headfirst.

1. Speed dating saves you time and money

Gone are the days of meeting in person and being inconvenienced by flights or events in different time zones. Virtual speed dating saves you time and money, so you no longer have to be inconvenienced by in-person events. Instead of traveling and spending money, virtual speed dating provides you with the opportunity to meet personal or professional connections from the comfort of your own home without traveling to a venue or worrying about costly expenses. Virtual speed dating events also provide you with the opportunity to make multiple connections in a limited amount of time without wasting hours of time on one person.

From the perspective of an event organizer or facilitator hosting a virtual speed dating event is much easier than hosting an in-person gathering. Instead of securing a venue, worrying about catering and entertainment, you can simply choose a meeting platform and market your event. The possibilities when hosting a virtual speed dating event for both personal and professional connections are endless.

2. Speed dating is less awkward

We’ve all had terrible interactions when it comes to fostering connections. Whether it be with a date or a professional connection, we’ve all run into a scenario where our interaction hasn’t gone as planned. You may have gotten together with someone only to realize you had nothing in common or suffered through a long period of award silence. Speed dating eliminates the risk of awkwardness by creating a structured environment that speeds up all interactions and encourages participants to use their time wisely. With so little time to waste during your 4-5 minute interaction, you will be forced to discuss all important details upfront. As a result, there’s less wasted time and less awkward silence. This also gives you the opportunity to learn more about the individual before you invest more time into cultivating the relationship.

3. Virtual speed dating works

The most important benefit to note is that speed dating works! Virtual speed dating is a proven way for parties to come together and make connections. If you’ve been struggling to meet people, or eager to connect with other like-minded individuals, speed dating is a great way to add people to your network.

What are the rules of virtual speed dating?

To make sure the virtual speed dating event runs smoothly, there are certain rules everyone attending must follow – otherwise those that are eager to make connections won’t get the most out of the event. So, what are the general rules of speed dating?

• Every ‘date’ or interaction will run for approximately 4-5 minutes, which should give guests a chance to learn some key information about that person and determine whether they might be worth pursuing the relationship further.
• When the time ends, you must make guests aware that it’s time for them to switch to the next participant.
• After each date, it’s important to encourage guests to exchange contact information. This can be done by providing one another with a link to their LinkedIn profile or Remo profile.

How to host a virtual speed dating event

Before the event:

1. Select a virtual events platform

The main feature of your event is going to be the virtual events platform. When choosing your virtual events platform, it’s important to choose one that allows you to create a customized floor plan that helps set the mood. This way you can create a romantic atmosphere if you're hosting an event for guests to make romantic connections, or a more professional setting if you’re hosting an event with the intention of bringing people together to make professional connections.

2. Organize the logistics

When hosting a virtual speed networking event it’s important to not forgo the logistics. This means getting clear on the details like how many guests will be attending, if the event will be free or you will be selling tickets, and the date and time for the event. After you’ve hammered out these details you can get to work on creating a marketing strategy that helps you get your event in front of your intended audience.

The number of guests, ticket prices, date and event name, is one of the most fundamental aspects of hosting a virtual speed dating event. You can hold a virtual speed dating event at any time. But why not have it on a day over Valentine’s weekend? If you choose to move forward with hosting a paid event, you will have to determine how you’re going to sell tickets. Consider leveraging Ticketmaster for a seamless guest experience.

3. Market your event

If you intend to engage individuals outside of your personal network for this event, you will have to create a thorough marketing plan that helps yield sign-ups. This means creating unique social media channels, and a landing page where potential participants can learn more about your event. If you plan to keep this event within your personal network, you can move forward by posting the event on your personal social media channels and circulating event information among friends.

4. Communicate with guests and network prior to the event

Communication from start to finish is key. This means communicating with guests as soon as they’ve signed up as well as when the event finishes. To kick things off, you can send everyone that has signed up an email with all information pertaining to the event. You can include some conversation starters and icebreakers that guests can use for inspiration during the event.  

To kick things off before the event, you may want to consider hosting a pre-event networking social where guests can get to know one another in a waiting room or lobby. Leveraging a virtual lobby will provide guests with the opportunity to mingle, roam around the lobby, and get to know each other casually before the virtual speed dating event officially kicks off.

During the event:

1. Welcome the guests to the event

As the event host or facilitator, it’s important to welcome the guests as soon as they’ve arrived. You can use this time to cover the ground rules and explain how the event will work from a logistical standpoint. It's important to use this time to make guests feel comfortable and at ease.

2. Explain and implement virtual speed dating logistics

This is when you as the event host or facilitator will take the time to split guests off into pairs. Each interaction should last anywhere between 3-5 minutes and guests will be encouraged to use this time to get to know each other on a more personal level. To keep things running smoothly, assign each guest a number starting from 1 onwards. Allow the odd numbers, i.e. 1,3,5 etc. to remain at their virtual tables. When it’s time for guests to move on to their next connection, encourage all guests that have been assigned an even number to move to the table to their right.

Take your virtual speed dating event to the next level with Remo

Remo is an all-in-one immersive platform that was built to help people make genuine connections. With Remo, you can create virtual speed dating events that are just as impactful as in-person interactions. For the first time ever, you can use an online tool to mimic in-person interactions like walking around, meeting in a fun environment with one of Remo’s custom floor plans, or even finding a match.  

Interested in taking your virtual speed networking event to the next level with Remo? Get started with your FREE TRIAL today or click here to learn more about how Remo can help you create an engaging online event for your guests.