A Virtual Event is that where someone attends a session online instead of in-person. These kinds of events can be interesting and effective as long as certain strategies are followed. Whether it was an online exercise session, cooking class, webinar, dance party or conference; there is a possibility that some of these guidelines were not followed and hence unfortunately the event was not successful! Check them out and see where you may have gone wrong. Follow these tips so your future events reach greater heights of success and gain repeat customers.

 

1.     Inappropriate Date & Time:  Choosing an appropriate date and time is very important. Having a business event on a public holiday or weekend probably won’t get many takers. Similarly organising a virtual party on a work day will have little or no interest. Time of day is important too. You wouldn’t organise a dance party at 8am, would you? Timing is even more crucial if you expect people from different time zones to participate.

2.     Not Enough Lead Time: announcing to the public that you have an event tomorrow does not give people sufficient time to organise their day to fit you in. Besides which yours may not be the only event taking place and they may already be committed. Give sufficient lead time to get better attendance numbers. Advertise early and send reminders closer to the event date.

3.     Incorrect Marketing: were online marketing tools and advertising used enough? Know your demographic/ market segment and aim your advertising and marketing to that particular age group/area rather than doing sponsored ads to thousands of people who may not be your target audience. Incorrect marketing would be a waste of money and not get you the attendance numbers you’re looking for. Shortlist your demographic and target that group.

4.     The Incorrect Platform: there are so many virtual platforms available, some free of cost and some that charge annually or per event. The choice you make would depend on the number of persons attending and the features the platform provides. Using an appropriate one would mean not having people left out because of group size or session time limitations. For small meetings you may want to use freebies like WhatsApp, Skype or Google Hangouts and for large-scale events you could try Zoom, Cisco Webex or Huddle.

5.     Was it Boring: unlike an in-person event where people can move around, interact, take a coffee break, etc.; with virtual events people attend via the screens of their mobile device or laptop therefore content has to be king and that’s even more pressure to make sure that it is not only relevant but engaging too. Don’t make it a one-sided talk fest with a speaker droning on for hours. Encourage interaction with Q&A sessions, live content, polls, surveys or mini breakout sessions. If it is a long event, don’t forget to include breaks so people have a chance to stretch their legs or take a bathroom break.

6.     Not Sharing Resources: for seminars, meetings or conferences don’t forget to share relevant resources with the attendees at the start of the event or if possible, the day before the event so the participants can follow what’s going on or coming up. Even something as simple as an agenda will give people an idea of what to expect during an event. More importantly, don’t forget to share clear, step-by-step instructions of how to log in to the event.