The demand for virtual events is growing. This makes sense; since the world has spent a long time dealing with a major pandemic, many want to move their events online, even if the laws in their country relax to the point where physical events are once again possible. If you’re yet to host a virtual event, you should give it a try; they can be just as rewarding and fulfilling for all concerned as regular physical events can, but with the added bonus of not needing to visit a cramped meeting space. Here’s how you can host your very first virtual event.
Define your event
First, you need to have a clear idea of exactly what your event is going to be. Are you hosting a virtual seminar? Would a live stream be an appropriate format for the event? It’s important to clearly delineate parameters before you start planning in earnest. Try writing a simple, paragraph-long synopsis of what your event is going to be. List who’s speaking, what interactive workshop elements there will be (if any), and what schedule your event is going to adhere to. This will help you to get a clearer picture of how to run the event.
Gather funding
Many people don’t even realise that they will need funding for their online event to go ahead. Just because it’s virtual, that doesn’t mean you won’t need to pay for it; you’ve got speakers to reimburse, after all, and there could be other expenses involved, like paying for employee tech or even buying refreshments for people. With that in mind, you’ll need to accrue funding. You could dip into the company coffers if it’s a corporate event, or if it’s at personal expense, you could even consider taking out some quick loans to help you cover the cost.
Recruit talented speakers
It’s a good idea to reinforce the authoritative nature of your event, especially if it’s a professional workshop where you’ll be teaching a skill. That’s why you need to recruit talented, well-respected speakers who are experts in their field. It’s not easy to find good speakers; they’ll naturally command a fairly high price and could be in demand, so you might need to plan quite far ahead. Still, it’s worth it, because people will take far more away from your event if you manage to instill a sense of authority and reliability by having knowledgeable speakers.
Include interactive elements
With no face-to-face contact, virtual events can quickly grow stifling for attendees, even if the event is about a subject in which people are interested. Including interactive elements in your event can be a great way to get people motivated and bring them back on board. Quizzes are a good way to start; they’ll test whether attendees have been listening and can help people feel like they’re involved. You can even offer prizes for good quiz results if you like. Other options include interactive games, Q&A sessions, and workshops for the skill you are trying to teach.
Pick a good time for your event
Nobody is going to want to attend your event if you start at a ridiculous time; whether that’s incredibly early in the morning or far too late at night, people will turn away because it’s not convenient for them. You’ll need to pick a time that works for everyone. Of course, this can differ from person to person, especially where different time zones are involved. That’s why you should talk to your prospective attendees and ask them what sort of time would work for them. A good rule of thumb is to start somewhere around when a regular working day would begin, because then, people aren’t changing their schedules too much for the event.
Incorporate moderators
Unfortunately, virtual events can occasionally get out of hand in the same way as physical ones. Moderators are an important element of your event; they’ll stop disputes from escalating, eject bad actors, and generally keep everything running smoothly. Unless your event is incredibly small or for charitable causes, you’ll want to pay your moderators a reasonable wage as well. If you’re a moderator, be aware that your duties may extend beyond simply chaperoning the event; you might also need to prep speakers and generally contribute to the running of the operation.
Get ready for hitches
Technical hitches are part and parcel of running a virtual event. You’re essentially depending on dozens of people’s laptops, webcams, and other equipment to run smoothly without issues for several hours, which is unlikely to happen. Be prepared to help troubleshoot attendees’ problems if you can. If possible, try to hire someone to work IT for your virtual event so they can help to remotely diagnose tech issues and solve them before they get too bad. This way, you’ll keep your attendees happy and focused on the matter at hand.
Talk to participants after the event
The only way to truly learn how to run a virtual event is to try running one. After your event has finished, you can talk to the participants and ask them what they enjoyed and what they didn’t enjoy about your event. Look at it this way: if the event was good, participants will likely be enthusiastic and will want to provide feedback. If it was bad, they’ll want to tell you what went wrong so that you can do better next time. Try not to take feedback personally; people don’t have any grudges against you and are just trying to improve the event experience, so be professional!
