The current reality is that many events, from business conferences to concerts, have been canceled from in-person and moved online. Virtual events are now commonplace and also important because of the intended goal behind them. The success of a virtual event is important to the host. How does one host a successful virtual event? Here are some useful tips that could help you with hosting your next virtual event.
Establish a Game Plan to Guide You
Before your virtual event can take form, you have to come up with a solid strategy. That begins with a clearly established goal and event concept. Start your planning early, whether the event is large or small. Think about the experience that you want your guests to have, how you want to present the event, be it live or on-demand, the time to put on the event, how you’ll promote it, etc. Put careful thought into what you want to achieve with your event and how you’ll go about it. Put your plan on paper first and let that be your guide.
Make Sure Your Timing is Perfect
Timing is everything no matter the event that you are hosting. Choosing the right date and time for your virtual event is crucial no matter the platform you’ll be using. A great turnout can make an event special, so do your homework and ensure that there are no other events that your potential guests may also be interested in attending on the date you have in mind. If your event will not only be for locals, keep time zone in mind and pick a time that works best for most guests. It’s a good idea to send out a poll on Facebook, for example, with the goal of identifying the preferred event date.
Put Effort into Promoting the event
The importance of promoting your virtual event cannot be understated. You need to have a great incentive that can draw attendees and be sure to highlight that incentive. If it’s a networking opportunity or a keynote speaker, the selling point should be efficiently promoted. Make use of the different platforms to share details regarding the event, like social media(Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and email. A fun thing to do is an event countdown that you can create on your IG. Don’t forget to also hashtag the event. Facebook is a great platform to create an event page with all the detail. You want to keep reminding people that the event is happening, keeping them engaged with pre-event promotion. You not only want them to sign up but to also be present for the event as well.
Foster and Encourage Engagement
What’s an event without some degree of engagement? Engagement will be a part of your virtual event if you foster and encourage it. There are a number of ways that you can encourage engagement, including creating mini-quizzes, live-tweeting and commentary, sending shout-outs, and spark conversation between attendees, taking questions, and incorporating surveys. It takes a lot of effort to keep an online audience engaged but it can be done. Keep the content interesting and exciting, and make use of interactive and fun features while live streaming.
Contact My Safe Meeting in Boston
For your next virtual event, let My Safe Meeting help you to make it a smashing success. We have the tools that you need to host an unforgettable online event. Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us help make your dream virtual event a reality. Give us a call at 978-267-1080 or fill out a contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
