Firstly, we would like to say that our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by the Covid-19 Virus. We can appreciate and relate to the substantial impact this isolation is having on not only small businesses, but larger corporations and organisations as well. Here at Big Foot Events, we feel extremely lucky to still be working and planning ahead with our clients, booking high-quality live entertainment for their future events.
With everything going on in the world right now, and as we are not able to work together in the same environment due to self-isolation, we have been finding new ways to communicate, not only with each other as a team, but also with our lovely clients. And that’s when we came across the new and popular trend of ‘Virtual Events’ – what’s that you ask? A virtual event is an online event that involves people interacting in a virtual environment on the web, rather than meeting in a physical location. You can think of it like Skype – but a lot more fun!
You can host a business meeting, conference, team briefing or something more large scale such as a training session, live concert, summit or even a product launch with thousands of attendees. In fact, with a Virtual Event, you can host any type of function, party, or business affair for a fraction of the cost of an ‘in person’ event, due to not having venue, catering, and production costs. And the best thing about this upcoming trend is that you can plan, coordinate, and host your event from the comfort of your own home.
Want to join the ‘Virtual Events’ world and host your own? Here at Big Foot Events, we have put together a ‘go to’ list of tips on how to host a successful Virtual Event.
1. Create a strategy
Just like when planning an ordinary ‘in person’ event, you need to have a game plan of what you are going to do, how you are going to do it and when you are going to do it by. Whether it is a big spectacle or a small function, whether it is going to be online or offline, whether it is going to be live or pre-recorded, every event needs a strategy. What do you want to get out of this event? Brand exposure, lead generation or just a fun social event for staff and business associates. How do you want to promote it? Through Social Media or just through your website. Do you plan to collaborate with a partner? Ask yourself these questions before you dive into the execution of your Virtual Event.
2. Choose a time and date
Again, just like planning a regular ‘in person’ event, choosing the perfect date and time for your event is crucial to its success. It sounds incredibly simple, but before deciding when to host it, do some research first. Check to see if there are any other events happening at your chosen time and decide if that event will impact your events attendance. You should also take into consideration the different time zones, especially if you plan to go Global.
You need to choose a time that will work for all invitees. However, as this could prove tricky, we suggest targeting local individuals or businesses that share the same time zone as you. You can always record or live stream your event and put it on your website and Social Media for people to watch at a time that suits them. It may be worthwhile hosting multiple Live Streaming and Virtual Events for different time zones to reach a broader audience.
3. Make sure you have the correct equipment
Making sure you have all the equipment necessary to not only host your event, but make it run smoothly is essential. The great thing about ‘Virtual Events’ is that you do not need high tech and expensive equipment, in fact, all you need is a laptop, tablet or phone as well as a microphone and camera – It can be that simple. If you want to create something more unique and interesting for your attendees and highlight your business in a creative way, then add lighting and sound systems to enhance your viewers viewing experience. The last thing you want is technical issues that may cause a negative experience for attendees, resulting in a bad reputation or a lack of interest for your business. Therefore, make sure you test run and check your equipment works perfectly before the day of your actual event.
4. Engage with your audience
It is essential to engage with your audience; not engaging will cause people to lose interest in you and tune out, or worse – click off your event. There are a few simple but effective ways to connect with your audience virtually, including through the chat feature on your Live Streaming platform. Ask questions and prompt people to respond in the chat.
Incentivise people to watch your live stream, seminar, podcast, webinar, training class or product launch until the end with a prize or special announcement. Encourage live tweeting with branded hashtags and include polls and quizzes for added interaction and fun. Ask for questions or simply shout out names of people who are just tuning in, and at the end, you should ask for feedback. Do not forget to have some rules for chat moderation if you are hosting a big live event with many attendees.
5. Promote your event
Promoting your event is key to achieving success. There is nothing worse than putting hours of effort into planning an event – virtual or live, and not promoting it properly and having no one turn up – or in this case, not tune in. It is crucial to implement a smart marketing strategy. Whichever way you choose to get the word out there, make sure you highlight the key selling points your event has to offer attendees.
It could be a noteworthy speaker, skill sharing, an opportunity to network, and more. If you are just wanting to find a unique way to connect with your employees, then make sure you send a clear invitation stating the date and time – and why they should want to attend. Promote using Social Media, Website and Google ads to target a specific audience quickly and effectively. You could also use LinkedIn’s InMail ads for a more personal approach rather than a generic sponsored ad. One thing that is a must is promoting your event through your chosen Streaming platform. This will make it easy for people to access your event details and generate ‘walk up’ leads – equivalent to when people walk up to your event out of curiosity.
With the above tips on creating a successful Virtual Event, you can generate a unique way of showcasing your company to potential new customers and raise brand exposure or keep connected with staff, business associates and existing customers.
Take a look at Big Foot Events website for corporate themed event packages and source alternative virtual live entertainment.
