You're hosting a virtual event. How can you make sure it runs smoothly?

Before you search for the right platform, take the time to do some soul searching. Identify what you really need versus the nice to haves. Some platforms have many bells and whistles- but they maybe more than you need. Make sure you create a punch list before you compare apps. Ensure your new platform meets what you truly need.

To make sure a virtual event runs smoothly, I prefer to pre-film ALL the interviews and presentations. And have the speakers available to do either a brief intro or Q&A live. As there are various virtual summit platform options, choose one that's easy for the attendees to sign up for and email collection. Specific virtual summits and funnels will help with the backend (upsells such as lifetime access) and further marketing (retargeting, tagging, email & SMS marketing) Before the virtual event, releasing snippets of the speakers will build anticipation for your audience. You can give early bird offers and special offers.

A few ideas to consider for a smooth online event: SPEAKERS: Ensure you have an onboarding session with all speakers a week before the event, ask them to connect 15mn minimum before the start of the event, send them an outlook invitation to block their calendars, ask to receive their presentations before the event and run them from your end AUDIENCE: Send your promotion at least 3 weeks before, aim to register 3x more people than expected to guarantee the turn out you wish to reach, engage with the audience during the event with live polls for example, plan for a moderator to handle Q&A in writing and prioritize those to answer live I am sure other contributors have plenty of other great tips! Good luck!

All these recommendations are valid, but once you ensure the tech is solid how do you keep the virtual audience, watching on laptops, from clickbait and YouTube? I suggest changing the way you think about the entire event. If the greater part of your audience is watching from off-site, the challenge is to keep them engaged. Don't think large on-site event, wide stage, and traditional speaker support. Think multi-camera television show with host(s)with a studio audience. Speakers are "on-camera" personalities or guest experts. The off-site audience is the primary audience. Short segments, conversational "dialogue," no speeches (people communicate in phrases not long formal sentences). Lots of video, animation, graphics (not PPT), and music.

Choose a platform that is secure, inclusive and easily accessible to your target audience. ALWAYS run test shows before finalising the platform, to understand user experience backend AND as an attendee!

A useful frame for anyone presenting virtually is to draw inspiration from and/or think like a TV show/presenter. As outlined above, to ensure you gain and keep attention you’ve got to keep things moving. Keep things diverse. Keep the audience engaged by changing the tone, visuals, dynamic range etc every few minutes at least. Have your speakers think creatively about how they can add more diversity and creativity to their presentation.

Ensure that your speaker does not rely on too many slides - visuals are great to support your speaker's perspectives while bullet points can be more distracting. Guide your speakers to wear the "right" clothing (consider the background / is a green screen being used or a company logo?) - discourage speakers from wearing too many accessories like bracelets, which could produce unnecessary noise when moving hands. Record your speaker and let watch themselves - do they feel that they connect to their online audience? Do they keep "eye-contact" or do they have to admit that they look down onto their script too much.

Don't use speakers that are not experienced in online content delivery. Your CEO may be a great guy that everyone wants to meet, but if he doesn't stand out during your event, there is more damage than benefit. Choose speakers accordingly.

-Tailor content to your audience, keeping it relevant and engaging. -Use visuals, animations, and interactive elements like polls and quizzes in the content. -Use storytelling, real examples, and case studies for relatability and memorability in your content. -Provide the speaker with clear guidelines on format, time limits, and event expectations. -Offer support, conduct rehearsals, and ensure speakers are comfortable with technology. -Verify equipment, internet, and advise on creating a professional background. -Boost speakers' confidence, share engagement tips, and emphasize time management

It’s very important to check in with your guests or speakers to be sure you’ve been as clear as possible about their role, while giving them a chance to share their preferences in how the event flows, and making sure they are comfortable every step of the way.

-Develop a detailed landing page with event specifics: date, time, agenda, speakers, sponsors, benefits, and registration details. -Utilize diverse channels for promotion, including email marketing, social media, webinars, podcasts, videos, and collaborations with partners. -Develop a social media strategy with consistent posts, event teasers, speaker highlights, and interactive content. -Regularly monitor the performance of your promotion efforts. Use analytics tools to track website visits, email open rates, and social media engagement. -Simplify registration, removing unnecessary steps for a user-friendly experience. -Send timely reminder emails with essential updates to registered attendees as the event date approaches.

Marketing is one of the most important part of your virtual event. You must promote it underwrite, platforms, and social media, and get your speakers and guests to promote it today audience as well. Make sure that youyou have simple, yet effective lending page and registration form and make sure to send reminder 48 hours in 24 hours before the event.

Gracias por tu interés en promocionar y registrar asistentes para tu evento virtual. Aquí tienes algunos consejos para asegurarte de que tu evento tenga una buena asistencia y que los asistentes se registren de manera eficiente: Crea una página de destino atractiva. Dise?a una página web o una landing page dedicada a tu evento.

Also It's crucial to monitor and measure the performance of your promotion and registration campaigns. Use analytics to track engagement, click-through rates, and registration numbers. If certain methods are proving more effective, allocate more resources there, and be prepared to make adjustments based on the data. This iterative approach ensures that your promotion efforts remain targeted and impactful, leading to a well-attended and successful virtual event.

As etapas de um evento s?o pré,durante e pós evento. Sem as duas primeiras bem executadas, o seu evento está bem fadado ao fracaso. O que s?o boas práticas de pré-evento: Pelo menos 20/30 dias de divulga??o antes do evento Sequência de convites para o público direcionado Aquecimento dos participantes inscritos com e-mails personalizados. E durante o evento, você precisa levar a sua audiência para o ambiente e deverá como citei acima, ter um storytelling de cinema para reter sua audiência.

Triple check your tech. Then check it again. And when something goes awry, which is almost certainly will, stay authentic and be real with your audience. People are delightfully forgiving online when they see you as a human doing their best. Some of the best connections and conversations are born in a tech crisis.

Test your camera, microphone, and speakers to ensure they work properly. Check your internet connection and use the platform's testing features if available. Adjust lighting for visibility and ensure any additional hardware, like headphones, is functioning well. Choose a professional and non-distracting virtual background. Ensure good lighting to avoid shadows. Test it beforehand to ensure it doesn't interfere with your appearance. Consider the formality of the meeting and adjust the background accordingly.

Se debería de tener por lo menos dos conexiones a internet de diferentes compa?ías por si hay una caída de se?al en la principal. Los problemas surgen siempre el día del evento sobre todo si es con público por saturación de red, el día de prueba estamos sólos y nunca hay problema. La línea de internet debe de ser solo para nosotros y no compartir con nadie, lo ideal sería que la contrase?a solo la tenga el técnico. Debe de haber siempre al menos un técnico en el evento, aparte de los cámaras, realización etcétera.

Have a tech rehearsal the day before or even the morning of the main event. The Talent Manager should look at each participant and have them adjust for lighting, framing and audio. Avoid wireless networks if possible. Use a Lav mic or other mic besides the laptop microphone. An in-ear monitor of some sort (ear buds, etc) goes a long way in avoiding accidental feedback.

If you want to run a successful virtual event, you need to pay attention to the technical aspects. Here are some tips to avoid technical glitches: - Have a backup plan and equipment ready in case something goes wrong. You don't want to lose your audience because of a faulty camera or microphone. - Test everything before the event: your instruments, your speakers, your platform. Don't assume that everything will work smoothly. You need to be prepared for any scenario. - Network is crucial for live events. Make sure you have enough bandwidth and prioritize streaming traffic over other types of traffic. You don't want to have buffering or lagging issues during your event.

Engagement is crucial in virtual events. Plan interactive elements like Q&A sessions and polls to keep the audience involved. Have a skilled team to manage these interactions smoothly. Good lighting and clear audio are essential for maintaining attendee attention. Post-event, send a feedback poll to gather insights and gauge success. This follow-up is vital for understanding your audience's needs and improving future events. Remember, active engagement and thoughtful follow-up turn one-time attendees into loyal participants.

1. Choose a reliable platform and test multiple times in advance, check all technical aspects, including audio, video, and internet connectivity. Also, choose a user-friendly interface. 2. Share a crisp communication with attendees informing instructions to join and participate along with the agenda. 3. Design engaging content to keep the interest going from polls, Q&A, live chats, and other interactive elements. Do set realistic timeframes for sessions and breaks. 4. Always have a back up plan for unforeseen incidents, or technical glitches. 5. Prep the speakers and do a dry run in advance including checking equipment and presentations beforehand to avoid delays. 6. Take feedback from different stakeholders to ensure smooth execution.

At the start of any event virtual or in person you should set the scene and let the audience know the event schedule and encourage audience participation. This may depend on the event but a great event moderator should encourage audience interaction throughout.

Under promise and over deliver. For example, include an unadvertised gift in the follow-up mail to attendees (e.g., a coupon from a friend or colleague's business). Being asked for feedback can be annoying (and, in my experience, the folks with something to say don't usually wait for the invitation, anyway). However, most folks won't mind liking or sharing if it's easy to do. In the end, the sales volume is the only feedback that determines the success of a commercial endeavour.

O engajamento do público é um ponto muito importante. Utilize recursos interativos, isso pode incluir: enquetes, perguntas e respostas ao vivo, sess?es de networking virtual, entre outras op??es.

Despite the initial and essential peak of virtual events during covid and the more recent shift back to live events, we are only just skimming the surface on what is possible with online events. Stay curious and keep experimenting as those who deepen their skills with virtual events over the next 12-18 months will be positioned for wild success over the next 5 years.

Do what’s right for you and your audience. There’s an array of platforms available that all have different pros and cons, any number of tools and engagement techniques and an ever changing landscape of trends and hot “must-do’s for success” But there’s no silver bullet, no magic works-every-time formula for a great event, because every event is different, every audience engages differently and looks for different experiences. So do what’s right for you and your audience. That and employ a really awesome technical director to make sure it’s delivered seamlessly, of course. ;-)

Engaging your attendees and effective follow-up are key to virtual event success. Here's how to maximize this opportunity: Strike While the Iron is Hot: Inform your sales team that attendees are most engaged during the event. It’s the prime time to identify potential leads. Qualify Leads Effectively: Track attendee duration – did they stay for the entire event or leave early? This insight is gold for your Business Development team. Feedback Follow-Up: Always act on feedback. It’s a learning opportunity, not just a formality. Measure Success Beyond Excitement: True success is in the numbers. Always analyze KPIs to gauge the impact of your event. Remember, the real value of an event is found in thoughtful engagement and strategic follow-up.

Don’t forget a call to action! Keep it simple without over complicating your ask, but have a plan for providing the next step on how the attendees can to continue to engage with your organization. Your call to action needs to specific, simple, and urgent. Look beyond just “email us with questions” or “follow us with social media”.

Yes, I agree it’s good to be prepared and be on a really good platform. However, I write down 2 to 3 word notes and speak extemporaneously. For me,, that works best! I surprise myself & sometimes I even surprise my audience. I don’t read a script per se & sometimes amazing things come out. Not always, but, that’s always the way I did my stand-up comedy. I Wrote few notes on a piece of paper that I would memorize (hopefully) What Just in case once I knew the two or three word subject matter, I just spoke from my heart.