Live events are a great way to engage your audience, showcase your expertise, and build your brand. But how do you keep your live event attendees connected before, during, and after the event? Here are some tips to help you create a memorable and interactive live event experience.
When selecting a platform for your live event, you need to consider several factors, such as your event goals, budget, audience size, and technical requirements. Ease of use and accessibility for both you and your attendees is important, as well as the quality and reliability of audio and video streaming. Security and privacy of your data and content is also essential. Additionally, look for customization and branding options, engagement and interaction features (e.g. chat, polls, Q&A, quizzes, gamification), and analytics and feedback tools (e.g. surveys, reports, ratings). Taking all these factors into account will help you choose the right platform for your event.
Once you have chosen your platform, it's time to promote your event to attract and register attendees. You can use email marketing to send personalized and segmented emails to your existing and potential customers. Include relevant information about your event, such as the topic, date, time, speakers, agenda, benefits, etc. Use catchy subject lines and clear calls to action with incentives, such as discounts or prizes, to increase open and click rates. Leverage your social media platforms to create buzz and awareness about the event. Share teasers, previews, behind-the-scenes, testimonials, etc., using hashtags, tags, mentions, stories, live videos, etc., to reach a wider audience and encourage engagement. Invite followers to share the event with their networks and join the conversation. Additionally, create content related to the event topic with blogs, podcasts, videos, webinars, ebooks, infographics, etc., that educate or inform your audience. Include links to the event landing page or registration form in the content and optimize for SEO and keywords to rank higher on search engines and drive more organic traffic.
The next step to keeping your live event attendees connected is to engage them before, during, and after the event. You can use various tactics and techniques to create a sense of community, excitement, and loyalty among your attendees. For instance, send regular and timely updates and reminders to your registered attendees via email or SMS. Provide useful information such as how to access the event, what to expect, and what to prepare. Ask them to submit their questions, feedback, or preferences in advance. Create a pre-event survey or quiz to learn more about your attendees and their needs. During the event, encourage participation by using the engagement features of your platform such as chat, polls, Q&A, quizzes, and gamification. Acknowledge and respond to comments, questions, and feedback. Invite attendees to share opinions, experiences, or insights. Recognize and reward them for their involvement with shout-outs, badges, certificates or prizes. After the event send a thank-you message expressing appreciation for their attendance and participation. Provide a summary of the event and ask them to complete a post-event survey or rating. Share key takeaways from the event and offer additional resources such as a free consultation or discount code.
The final step to keeping your live event attendees connected is to keep the conversation going beyond the event. You can use various methods and platforms to maintain and nurture the relationship with your attendees. For example, email marketing can be used to send regular and relevant emails to your attendees, such as tips, guides, case studies, success stories, etc. related to your event topic. Social media marketing can be used to share highlights, photos, videos, testimonials, etc. from your event. You can also create and distribute content related to your event topic through blogs, podcasts, videos, webinars, ebooks, and infographics. By following these tips, you can keep your live event attendees connected and create a lasting impression on them. This can help you increase brand awareness and loyalty while generating more leads and sales for your business.