Whether you’re having a poor internet connection or lack of attendees, problems are sure to arise while executing an event. While you should always hope for the best, it’s smart to plan for the worst to be sure you’re one step ahead of any potential problem. Here are some tips for outsmarting a disaster so your online event goes off without a hitch.
1. Event Objective
There is one true metric for a successful event that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Money? Numbers? Attendance?
Nope. Because online is different to offline, you just cannot beat the metric of ENGAGEMENT. If any of your key stakeholders experience true engagement you will find you had a super uber successful event. Sponsors will be happy, the accountants will be happy and the delegates will be happy.
Engagement is where people stay connected, they experience and they share. Engagement is the catalyst for future momentum.
2. Manage Attendee Expectations
Managing the expectations of your participants, should be one of your highest metrics or goals to ensure delivery of a successful event. As you know it can be hard to catch attendees attention virtually, so it is imperative to ensure your topics, content and presenters are all engaging.
The goal is to keep them engaged through out the entire event, so you do not have the dreaded ‘disconnect of death’, where your attendees see others leaving and it causes a mass exodus.
So, know your attendee and what they are expecting to receive from your event. Do this, and you will have successfully engaged with your attendees.
3. Have Killer Content
Content is of course so important to any event. However an online event requires special focus on what you are delivering. Remember the number one goal of any online event is engagement, so your content must be engaging.
Special mention must be made of timeliness and speakers being on topic. Speakers who rattle on for too long or who do not cover what was expected, leave a terrible taste in your attendees mouths. So just ensure you reiterate the importance of content and keeping it real, on time and on point and your event should hit its goal.
4. Check Twice – Cut Once
A speaker test is a MUST. Hands down one of the most important tips to a successful event. If something is going to go wrong it will happen with the tech. So ensuring the speakers and the tech team know and understand the tools they are using, will eliminate 80% of potential issues.
Don’t let speakers string arm you into believing they have done it before and they don’t need to do a test, the amount of times people have promised they are all over it, then created a mess is amazing. This is your event. Make it a rule and help everybody enjoy the successful outcome.
5. Is that a question?
As we know, engagement is the key – so how easy is it to involve our delegates with a simple Q & A.
A Q&A allows the delegates to ask the speakers questions that relate to their speeches. The interaction creates interest and connection between the viewers and the speakers. You can moderate the content but you can also learn so much from the questions being asked.
Remember knowledge is king and knowing what your delegates are wanting to know, helps us to not only in this current event but can help shape future events as well.
6. Manage your time
At a physical live event, it is easier for a speaker to pad out the time a little if you need time shifted. Unfortunately online is a little different. Peoples time-value gauge is a little messed up. At a physical venue, it is easy because you have their undivided attention. They are kind of forced to sit and listen. At an online event, you have so many different things grabbing for their attention. So, it is imperative to stick to the time allocated and ensure the event runs to schedule. A simple overtime speaker can cause a disgruntled viewership and cause people to leave.
Remember this event needs to move like clockwork. Keep it on time and keep people engaged. Simple.
I wish. Speakers can be funny things and forget their information is actually only a single piece of your event and it is an event as a whole people are interested in. Sometimes you can remind them of that gently and they can see the light.
7. Sponsors/Exhibitors
Sponsors and exhibitors can contribute to your online event more than the revenue it could bring. It also helps your online event a lot more engagement and promote to gather more attendees to join. Besides, participants can also have room to engage with your sponsor within the event is running live.
8. Use a speaker/host
A virtual host plays a vital role as it acts as a conduit between the production team, speaker and the participants. A host can demonstrate how the software/technology works to ensure participants get the most from their experience.
Also, a virtual host can look over the questions and comments coming in, and he/she can also scan a poll result.
9. Know the difference of live and online event
When organising an event you should know that there is a significant difference between online and in-person events such as the attention of participants during an online event is a lot shorter and people can’t have a random chat with others.
When you are hosting a sequence of the in-person conference and make it into a 3-day virtual event, it can be hard to sustain the participant. I suggest to cut down the content and break down the number of days you will run a virtual event.
10. Choose a right online platform for the specific event
There is a broad factor to consider when choosing the right platform, depending on the event. But there are key factors that you should look after in general.
Choose a platform that has the integration of tools to be used,
networking, can offer insights about participants and make sure the platform provides a branding option. In short go for a platform that provides a wide variety of planning promoting and tools.
Choosing the right platform will integrate easily into your workflow and highlight your company’s brand identity.