Virtually Right

Hello there! This one comes after so much thought and even I am excited scribbling this one through. And, while I do that I'm thinking if what we do as creating experiences as marketers and as an engagement with our audience at large, we choose what's the right model to create this outreach. We see a world of options around us. And then we're faced with a crisis... cutting down options to just a few 'remote' campaigns. For those who love the thrill of being in the 'eye of the storm' a.k.a physical events, may agree that there's nothing replacing the experience of building an event and seeing it culminate with a venue full of smiling audience and the gadgetry with lights and sound making a scene. Wow! just saying that out loud gives me goosebumps. Yikes! Wonder if that's an addiction :). Anywho...what we do now, while we tackle a global crisis and still have intentions to market ourselves, we create digital experiences. With a timeline to hit the audience on periodic intervals and on various platforms. Probably leading up to 'more information' at times or to create a Live/Online/Virtual Event. Did you notice how even that boils down to L-O-V-E? lol...

It's a different ball game. I must admit that it has been much much easier said than done. It is exciting in a different way. All planning is structured to give a smooth experience to the audience and to position your content in the most appealing manner. You can't gauge reactions of an audience while they see your set for the first time and when the lights go out to bring the suspense to the fore and boom! What you can do, however, is plan crisp content bites so that the spectator remains awake. You provide a host of options to click and make way through a simple UI and treat the attendee with digital structures and chatbots. So it is a screen, to imagine for yourself that through the duration of your 'Virtual' engagement, the audience is glued to their screens and having a gala time. For sure there's hope in the middle which motivates to prepare every little detail well, knowing that it will make a difference in the big picture.

More because no matter how much you rehearse, and plan, there's always something which is left for you to believe in the ultimate force i.e the Almighty. You know everything in the 'plan' is dependent on rolling out well. The networks, microphones, quality of video and the clicks to be made as clockwork, the script being laid our like poetic jingle and the culmination of it all in every session with a polite 'thank you'. I had never imagined this to be almost a regular for such a long time in the year. and I've just finished my second virtual conference. Learnt a whole lot. It takes some determination to get a virtual conference through. no questions! and this isn't self-praise, but the acknowledgement of great teamwork across organizations. The beauty of events are that when there aren't many flaws for people to look back on, you've done a decent job. And that's what I say to the team that worked, we pulled off a stunner! with blood n sweat ;) (well almost) we did it.

There's one more bit which clouds while we're planning events of this kind. The EXPECTATIONs. There's something peculiar about this word, which sounds like it's the ask from oneself but it's also something which depends on others and is connected to your own realization/experience. if it doesn't hit a jackpot, it isn't fulfilled. I've seen expectations being built, re-structured and despite some speed breakers being fulfilled. This journey isn't an easy one. It's a difficult symphony to manage because the orchestra needs magic. So, I wrap this up with a huuuuuge thank you to all those who made it possible. My colleagues, partners, customers and audiences. I'm not naming anyone because that demands tags and I might miss out on a few :P. Even though it seems like it's over, we all know it was the start of another freaky endeavour. Wishing all the luck for the next nightmare and I hope that the background score has a grand entry but more importantly a happy ending.

Kudos!