Any event, whether it’s a real-life or virtual event, needs to be well planned and managed to maximize success and leave your audience wanting more.As part of the virtual event management process, it’s important to first consider the fundamentals of a successful event:
- MarketingEvery event needs good marketing, virtual or not. If you don’t have effective, targeted promotion to reach your target audience, you won’t achieve the attendance you want.
- ContentContent is king in a virtual event so you need engaging speakers, compelling keynotes and sessions that are relevant and tailored to your attendees.
- EngagementIt’s critical to keep your attendees engaged throughout your virtual event, otherwise you’ll lose them.
- DataTo measure the success of your virtual event, you need data. By measuring engagement and capturing the data of your attendees, you can gauge your virtual event’s ROI.
So now let’s look at the topic in more detail - here’s our top 10 guide to successful virtual event management:
1. Planning
Every event needs a strategy, no matter the size or whether it’s a virtual event or an in-person one. Consider the following:- What are your goals and metrics?- What data do you need to track?- What is new or exciting?- Will the event be live?- What is the experience you want to give attendees?- Will the event be free or paid?- What are your key messages?- How will the event be promoted?- What’s the best time?- Will the event require registration?Asking yourself the right questions at the right time is key to successful virtual event management.
2. Relevance
Right now, you need to work even harder to grab people’s attention with all the virtual events taking place across the globe. Your event needs to be relevant in the current climate, so make it topical and timely. A key question in any virtual event management process is: 'Is the content of my event applicable right now?
3. Timing
People lead busy lives, so your event shouldn’t run any longer than needed. Break up your event into manageable chunks so you keep your audience’s attention. Looking at a screen is different to seeing someone in-person so keep your sessions as concise and compelling as possible. Consider when people will need breaks and food.
4. Research your technology
When it comes to video conferencing software, there is a lot of choice. A key part of the virtual event management process is to find video conferencing software that’s easy to use, visually compelling, maximizes engagement, as well as the ability to customize how your virtual event looks and feels. We recommend spending time looking into your virtual event software to make sure it’s easy to use, has all the features you need and that its security is up to the job! At Remo, we know how important it is to shape how your attendees interact with each other at your virtual event, offering a unique and unforgettable experience. And, you should be able to try before you buy - the good news is, you can sign up for a Remo free trial right now!
5. Speakers
As part of the virtual event management process, speakers are a huge consideration. They need to be compelling and they need to keep people engaged. Then, brief your speakers carefully on what’s expected of them, how the event is running and other specific details about the event. Ask speakers to rehearse in front of you beforehand.
6. Differentiate
It’s important to make your virtual event relevant but you don’t want to copy what others are doing. You want your event to stand out and be memorable, so listen to your audience and consider the insights you have about what they want. Be bold and unique, but meet the core needs of your audience.
7. Event communication
As there are so many virtual events taking place right now, people can easily forget they’ve signed up to yours! A key thing to remember in virtual event management is making sure you follow up with communication to remind people to attend. Pre-event and post-event communication is critical to success!
8. Involving attendees
Just like an in-person event, guests need to feel involved in a virtual event. It’s no good just streaming content at people, you need to find ways of getting people involved in the conversation. You can encourage people to chat, take part in Q&As and you may want your attendees to have individual conversations at their table. Your video conferencing technology needs to support that!Technical issues can happen, especially now with more demands on the broadband network than ever before, so be prepared. A key part of virtual event management is planning for different eventualities. Have back-up hosts available in case one person’s Wifi drops out and make sure your video conferencing technology provider is reliable. Don’t assume your guests are video conference whizzes so make sure you pick a platform that’s easy to use and have support on hand.
10. Follow up
Successful virtual event management includes fast follow up afterwards. Your data is critical, so refer to the goals and metrics you outlined in your planning process and measure the success of your event based on that.Find out how Remo can be a key part of your virtual event management, by having a guided tour or check out our FAQs.
