The Future of Virtual Events: Translating Brand Visions to Virtual Settings
Virtual conferences might have become more prevalent due to the spread of COVID-19, but moving forward, they will remain an important part of the sales and marketing mix, especially for B2B brands.
Conferences and events have always been a platform for building brand experiences, demonstrating expertise, and engaging new leads while deepening current customer relationships. Once lockdown started, many conferences faced cancellation but instead pivoted to a virtual format. Webinars and virtual conferencing tools have been around for a while, but innovative technology in recent years has created a much more interactive and engaging virtual experience.
But how do you recreate the “community” aspect of an in-person conference? This is the biggest challenge for virtual events. While you can’t replace the chemistry that comes from in-person interactions, there are ways to make virtual experiences more engaging. Remember that people don’t just want to consume content—they want to participate in it. Instead of seeing this challenge as a drawback, look at is as an opportunity: Encourage online networking, create a virtual expo floor, book high-energy speakers and host live Q&As between speakers and attendees.
Virtual conferences may present several unexpected benefits for brands that particpate. Without the physical constraints of travel, speakers may be easier to book. Many influencers and experts are more willing to commit to live chats or video recordings rather than days of travel. Since you don’t need to book a physical venue, virtual conferences offer a more economical way of connecting with your audience. If more people are signing up, it likely means more leads. There’s now an unlimited number of “seats” you can sell to a global audience.
Even as the world opens back up and returns to physical events, virtual conferences will still have their unique advantages. Moving forward, marketers would be smart to integrate elements of these virtual events in order to allow more people to attend. Video recordings, for example, are easy to execute and will extend your conference content to be leveraged for future lead generation.
At Creativore we have helped our clients create successful webinars and virtual learning environments. Through that process, we have identified several key areas to address when designing an engaging, successful virtual event.
1. Set clear goals. In this sense, you should approach the planning of a virtual event the same way you would plan for a physical conference. Why are you planning this event? What do you hope to gain? The answers to these questions will help ensure that your event strategy aligns with your overarching brand vision.
2. Make it interactive. Whether you rely heavily on technology or not, your audience should have the ability to connect with others and fulfill the element of “community” they’ve come to expect from conferences. You can integrate live chats, Q&A sessions or polls and surveys that encourage your attendees to engage.
3. Work as a team. You wouldn’t plan and host a physical event without a strong team of people, and you shouldn’t plan a virtual event without relying on the expertise of those around you. Look for a partner who understands your brand holistically and can help translate that vision to a virtual setting.
It’s clear that virtual conferences will continue to be an important part of the sales and marketing mix even after the pandemic ends. While they might be limited in the traditional sense of community engagement, they still present opportunities for unique brand experiences, attendee participation and far-reaching lead generation.
If you need strategic or creative support in pulling off your own successful virtual event give me a call. Myself and the Creativore team are always here to help put big ideas that work on the table. Call/Text 417-353-5993.