Virtual events are becoming more popular and necessary in the current situation, but they can also be challenging to plan and execute. One of the key elements of a successful virtual event is the theme, which can set the tone, attract the audience, and create a memorable experience. But how do you choose a theme that works for your virtual event? Here are some tips and ideas to help you out.
Before you decide on a theme, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your virtual event and who you are targeting. What is the purpose of your event? Is it to educate, entertain, network, or sell? Who are your ideal attendees? What are their interests, needs, and preferences? How do you want them to feel and act during and after the event? These questions will help you narrow down your options and choose a theme that aligns with your goals and audience.
I call this step in the process "Determine the Why". Simon Sinek is famous for "Start with Why" but you need to figure that out first. Ask questions of yourself and others to get you there. About the audience: -What do you want your audience to start doing, stop doing, or continue doing? -How will it make their life better? About your goals: -What are you trying to accomplish? -How will it make my life better? About your events: -What have you done before? -What worked well or didn't? -How can this theme be used throughout the event as a metaphor?
Once you have a general direction, you can start researching and brainstorming for potential themes. You can look for inspiration from various sources, such as industry trends, popular culture, seasonal events, or social causes. You can also ask for feedback from your team, partners, or previous attendees. The key is to be creative and original, but also relevant and appropriate for your virtual event. You can use tools like mind maps, mood boards, or online platforms to organize and visualize your ideas.
Once you have a list of potential themes for your virtual event, you need to test and refine them to determine which one works best. Evaluate each theme based on criteria such as how well it fits your goals and audience, how easy it is to implement and communicate, how engaging and interactive it is for attendees, and how unique and memorable it is compared to other virtual events. Additionally, you can conduct market research or surveys to get feedback from potential attendees and see how they respond to your themes. After analyzing the results, you can eliminate, modify, or combine your themes until you find the one that is suitable for your virtual event.
Once you have chosen your theme, you need to plan and execute it effectively. This means that you need to incorporate your theme into every aspect of your virtual event, such as the name and logo, the design and layout of the website and registration page, the content and format of the agenda and sessions, the speakers and moderators, the marketing and promotion, the technology and platform, the engagement and interaction of attendees, and the follow-up and evaluation. It is essential to ensure that your theme is consistent and coherent throughout the event, and that it delivers the value and experience that you promised to your attendees.
Consider how your attendees will engage with your event theme. This means looking at how they will interact on your event platform, share on social media, as well as pull the theme throughout the year. The best event themes not end on the last day of the event. Rather they inspire your audience well beyond the final sign off.
To give you some ideas, here are some event theme examples for different occasions that you can use or adapt for your virtual event. For a virtual gala or fundraiser, you can choose a theme that reflects the cause or mission of your event, such as "A Night of Hope" or "A Celebration of Heroes". You can also add some glamour and fun to your event by selecting a theme that mimics a famous movie, such as "The Great Gatsby" or "The Hunger Games". For a virtual conference or summit, you can choose a theme that showcases the topic or industry of your event, such as "The Future of Work" or "The Power of Data". You can also add some intrigue and excitement to your event by choosing a theme that plays with a mystery, a challenge, or a game, such as "The Secret of Success" or "The Escape Room". For a virtual workshop or training, you can choose a theme that emphasizes the learning or skill development of your event, such as "The Masterclass" or "The Bootcamp". You can also add some fun and creativity to your event by selecting a theme that relates to a hobby, a sport, or a passion, such as "The Cooking Show" or "The Art Studio". For a virtual networking or social event, you can choose a theme that fosters the connection and interaction of your event, such as "The Coffee Break" or "The Speed Dating". You can also add some diversity and culture to your event by choosing a theme that explores a different country, a cuisine, or a tradition, such as "The World Tour" or "The Oktoberfest".
For general team bonding, it can sometimes be challenging to gather so many people on one call, especially if your team is globally dispersed, so find something that your team truly enjoys and use that as your main “theme,” but switch it up each month or quarter to maintain engagement. For example, our team started out with a Wine Club (selecting a different type of wine each month) and evolved it throughout the year, ending with a “Making Spirits Bright” finale that explored all types of holiday drink (not just wine-based) and appetizer recipes. We used the last session of the year to gather and share our favorite seasonal recipes and I made a recipe book with all the recipes and contributors’ names for the team to walk away with.