If you run a remote company, then virtual events should become a key component of your growth strategy. It’s the perfect way to increase your reach and connect with potential customers all around the world. The virtual events industry is growing rapidly, as well: it’s expected to be worth more than $400 billion by 2027.
Get in on this trend now while more people are looking for online sessions that help them solve their problems and achieve personal growth. If you’re stuck for ideas, here are 23 smart virtual event tips to get your creative juices flowing.
1. Start with an Amazing Office Setup
When people attend your online events, they want the comfort of knowing that they’re dealing with a professional. Make sure you’re operating from a dedicated and professional office space, such as those you’ll find on Anyplace Select. This will help you avoid technical issues and host a slick event.
2. Build Excitement with Previews
To maximize attendance at your virtual events, you’ll want to build some excitement to create momentum before you go live. A great way to achieve this is with previews. These are short videos before the main event, where attendees are given a sample of what the event will be like and can decide whether it’s for them.
3. Hold a Q&A Session
These events aren’t webinars. As such, they should always include an element of audience participation. A Q&A session is the easiest and most direct way to communicate directly with your potential clients and customers. This can be part of the preview or at the end of the main event.
4. Build in Customization
If you have any tech knowledge (or work with someone who does) then you can really make events your own. Add in as much customization as possible so that guests get more control over their sessions. They could choose which speakers to listen to, who to chat to, and whether to sign up for your products and online services.
5. Hold 24-Hour Marathon Events
Every year or so, it’s good to host an event that gets people talking. 24-hour marathons are hardly a unique idea but they require serious work, dedication, and planning on your end. As a result, clients will take your event seriously and be more inclined to attend. 24-hour events are also good because they allow guests to drop in and out throughout the day at their own convenience.
6. Utilize Breakout Rooms
The best in-person events have opportunities for small groups to break off and so guests can network more deeply with one another. Why not use this same strategy during a virtual event? Zoom uses breakout rooms where you can split people into small groups to have more engaging conversations. This helps everyone to feel involved in the discussions being had.
7. Open Your Event to the World
Virtual events have the added advantage of potentially being accessible to everyone. Make sure that they are. This means ensuring that anyone with a disability or impairment can access your online event and also checking that it’s made available to everyone, regardless of location. If you fail to do this, not only are you failing to reach as many people as you could be but you’ll also come across as a closed and exclusive brand.
8. Get People Moving
Staying fit and healthy as someone who works from home is essential but often difficult. Guests at your event probably spend their workdays sitting at a desk already. By beginning the session with a quick workout or hosting an online fitness program, you can help to raise energy levels and leave your guests full of positive emotions and self-confidence.
9. Bring in Charity
People are always willing to go the extra mile when charity is involved. Show that you’re a socially conscious business by holding events where all the profits go directly to a good cause. This helps to build a strong relationship with your community and encourages more people to get involved.
10. Always Aim to Educate
80% of people join virtual events for educational purposes. Therefore, whatever else you do, make sure your attendees leave the session with new knowledge. Even if the event is fun and light-hearted, adding an educational aspect offers real value for the participants.
11. Hold Competitions with Prizes
The best way to incentivize the involvement of people in your event is to host competitions. The competition could involve art, writing, product design, or just about anything else. Let your customers come up with creative ideas for you and then reward them with prizes.
12. Create an Escape Room
If you want to create an experience that’s guaranteed to be fun and exciting, then an escape room is a great option. Of course, these are usually physical rooms. However, it’s possible to use the wizardry of modern technology to create a virtual escape room. Just make sure it eventually leads to your online services.
13. Host a Murder Mystery
Murder mysteries are always a lot of fun. There are plenty of them online already but you could create a bespoke one around your brand. If you’re a 100% remote company, then this is a great team-building activity you can host. Opening it up to the public just makes it even more fun.
14. Invite Secret Guest Speakers
Guest speakers can get people through the door but a surprise guest does more to impress your audience. When non-attendees see on your social media what they missed, they’ll want to catch the next one in case another great speaker ends up on the video call.
15.Transition to Live Events
Pre-recorded content is okay in some contexts but don’t be afraid to conduct live events as well. Many brands are scared of this, thinking they’ll make a mistake that harms their image. In reality, these little technical errors only help you appear more human and relatable. Embrace the occasional chaos of a life event.
16. Design a Themed Scavenger Hunt
Similar to a murder mystery, scavenger hunts generate excitement as people solve clues to uncover secrets. You could create your own, leaving your company’s products throughout the virtual trail. In the end, give the winning participants exclusive access to your services.
17. Send Out Physical Merch
The world of in-person events is full of merch. It’s common for guests to receive a goody bag on arrival, full of pens, stickers, and anything else with your brand name on it. This is a great way to network with other entrepreneurs. Virtual events often lack this perk but why not simply send out physical merchandise to anyone who buys a ticket for your event?
18. Create Virtual Gifts for Attendees
Of course, you don’t have to stick to physical goodies. Virtual events are perfectly suited for digital gifts. You could offer vouchers for your e-store or a free online consultation for anyone who tunes in and listens to an entire talk. This acts as a great incentive to get more people through the virtual door.
19. Opt for Quality over Quantity
Internet users are busy and probably worried about their screen time. Don’t bombard them with poorly designed virtual events. It’s a hard balance to strike correctly but always err on the side of hosting fewer events with more content over many events that lack substance.
20. Throw Brand-Related Trivia Nights
Quizzes are a lot of fun and it’s easy to fill a weekly trivia night. To ensure this benefits your brand, make a themed quiz. If your company deals in sustainability, then create a quiz with questions about animals and the environment. If you’re a remote-first company, then consider a trivia night all about digital nomadism. Don’t forget prizes for the winners, which could include vouchers for your online store.
21. End with a Call to Action
These virtual events should be conducted in line with your remote career goals. As such, like any good blog post or email newsletter, it’s important to end them with a call to action. Once the event ends, how will you keep your guests interacting with your business? This is what a carefully crafted call to action helps you accomplish.
22. Don’t Forget to Promote Your Event
Promotion of the event is crucial and you should spend at least two weeks doing this. It’s not just about letting people know that your event exists but hyping it up and building excitement. Encourage your followers to put it in their diaries and to expect great things.
23. Check Your Audience Engagement Analytics
Virtual events are pointless if you aren’t analyzing their effect on the business. Collect as much data as possible to check how these events are helping you reach your business goals. For instance, how many people attended, what are their demographics, and did they sign up for your services?
There are endless possibilities when it comes to virtual events. Utilize the strategies and ideas above to host online sessions that wow your customers, bringing a smile to their faces and value to their life. For the best results, invest in an events team that can be dedicated to throwing the best and most fulfilling virtual events.
Where to next? Find flexible month-to-month rentals across the globe on Anyplace.
