Online events like webinars or meetings aren’t a new concept but our collective struggle due to the pandemic has forced individuals, businesses, and institutions across the globe, to think of new, creative ways to move everything – from our everyday lives, ordinary business processes to important events – into the virtual world.
Going digital came with a lot of challenges but also brought many advantages, with event organizers getting more and more creative, finding amazing digital alternatives to in-person concepts.
Staying connected both internally and externally – with clients, partners, etc., is crucial for businesses across industries. And this necessity for communication has inspired some virtual event ideas that can not only bring the desired results but even help exceed the expectations. Thanks to this, you can host any type of event online – inspiring some organizations to make this transition permanent, and others to move online partially.
1. Stay True to Yourself
When organizing your virtual event you should focus on your brand and the message you are trying to convey, before even considering your audience’s expectations. Always keep in mind that the event, with its objectives, as well as everything that surrounds it – the marketing strategy, the format of the event, the technological tools, the content, etc., will have an influence on your audience’s opinion of your brand and the services or products you offer.
While virtual events will allow you to make changes, improve your strategies, learn more about your audiences, and grow, maybe even in previously unintended directions, when you stray too much off course too soon, can harm the relationship you have already built with your client. So, make sure that your event aligns with who you are, what you stand for, and what you sell.
2. Make Your Event Memorable
Remember that small details can be the difference between a successful event and something that feels like a waste of time. A digital event can feel impersonal, which translates into an unengaged audience.
Before organizing the event, you need to think about how your virtual event can offer an experience as memorable as if it were held in person. For this, you must decide which aspects of the physical event you have to transfer to the virtual one, as well as incorporate things that are unique to a digital event.
3. Personalize Your Events
The search for good virtual event ideas has created a whole new type of demand, giving rise to many new kinds of services. For instance, to make your events more personal, you can send attendees products they can use during the event, provide meals, and so on. This can also help keep sponsors content since one of the reasons companies decide to sponsor events, is to promote their products.
4. Include Entertainment
The moments before and after the event are often part of what makes it special and worthy of remembering. This is why you shouldn’t focus simply on the main part of the event. Instead, make it possible for attendees to engage and communicate, and truly get something out of the event, as if they were there in person.
Your virtual event shouldn’t only be about what you are selling or the message you are trying to convey. Offering something more, something fun or relaxing, even unexpected, can make your event feel more complete. This can be a competition, a performance of some kind – concerts, improv or stand-up comedy, illusionists, live art presentations, and so on.
5. Prioritize Quality
Competition in the business world, regardless of the industry you are in, is immense. And with so many things offered online in recent years, keeping the attention of someone takes a lot of effort and commitment. It also takes true respect towards your existing and your potential clients. This is why quality should be one of your priorities. The same goes for any type of organization, and whether the event is for profit or not.
Anything that becomes a part of your event should be made with quality in mind. Videos whether they are pre-recorded or live streams should look good, the tools should work fast, attendees should be able to easily navigate through content, and find what they are looking for. Of course, a good idea would be to use an event management platform like EventMobi to make your event more secure, and professional. Most importantly, to have a successful event, the content you offer, regardless of the format in which it comes, should be valuable to your target audience.
Conclusion
While nothing can truly replace in-person communication, there have been positive outcomes from the move into the virtual world. It allowed organizations to experiment with new ways to do things, especially when it comes to hosting events. It allowed companies and institutions to find new ways to stay connected and reach an even larger audience for important events – whether it’s a corporate one, educational event, a presentation, launching a new product, or anything else.
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