Since the COVID-19 pandemic, companies are understandably shifting their focus to virtual events in place of in-person events to continue engaging with their partners and customers.
Of course, “going virtual” is easier said than done, especially if the teams normally responsible for traditional events are now expected to organize it with the same expectations in place. A healthy of dose of reality-based honesty is critical as these transitions occur.
Be Honest with Yourself
Expectations and goals for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) may need to change. Previously, the most important metric for events was likely attendee registration, and perhaps attendee satisfaction after it concludes. But in the virtual landscape, it’s less about registrations—though they’re still very important—with an increased focus on real-time audience engagement.
Virtual events create external factors that cannot be controlled; for example, the user might drop from the event if they’re called on for parenting duties. Or worse yet, the user drops from the event because the content isn’t relevant or interesting to them.
In many ways, virtual event organizers have a less captive audience, so it’s wise to adjust expectations to accommodate for a host of potential distractions.
That’s why virtual goals must put an extra focus on what’s important to the attendee. If the content is relevant to the user with easy access for them to engage via chats or social media, it can help retain engagement throughout the course of the event. Allowing users to choose from various topics within the event, and even participate in break-out chat sessions with like-minded users, will go a long way in providing value and increasing audience activity.
One benefit to moving to an all-virtual event can be an increased pipeline. Due to travel and cost limitations, attendees who might not have been able to go in person can now join. So an honest look at the company’s prospect list, and perhaps organizing a paid promotion campaign, could open doors for new customers.
Be Honest with Attendees
As noted, goals must be defined through the lens of the attendee. That also means honestly conveying the event’s content and its objectives.
If you’re planning for the event to be a nonstop sales pitch for your company, make sure that’s apparent before attendees register. Also, if that’s your plan, you should call us or go back to the drawing board.
Assuming the event will feature valuable content of interest, we recommend considering these tips to improve transparency and overall attendee satisfaction:
Honest Promotion: No need to bait-and-switch for pre-event communications. Make the attendee’s expectations clear about what they will see and learn. As we mentioned, here is a great opportunity to build brand equity with prospects who wouldn’t normally attend the in-person event.
Easy Registration: Require only essential information from the attendee. If the registration process resembles an online job application (yuck), it’ll be a hard ‘nope’ from potential customers.
Schedule: Providing a bird’s-eye view of the event’s itinerary is essential. We recommend keeping it detailed yet easy to digest. It’s best to have this available for users as they are deciding whether to attend.
Simple and Consistent Messaging: Virtual events are new for many of us, so designing a simple, easy-to-use experience in your brand’s voice will build trust and engagement.
Earlier Reveals: Many events feature product launches or big announcements. Knowing that your audience may drop off, we recommend making those pivotal announcements earlier in the presentation.
Keep it Short(er): Drawn-out speeches or lectures can cause attrition, so consider shortening each segment and allow discussion afterwards for users who want to keep that conversation going.