It’s no secret that 2020 has not been a year for business as usual for any kind of event. Many organizations have events they’ve put on for years, even decades, that suddenly have to be reinvented from the ground up – sometimes in just a few short months! I’ve been in the weeds with our clients who are being fast and flexible to “virtualize” their events. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way:
Recreating an event virtually is going to be different work, not less work.
- You don’t have to worry about packing enough pens, finding electrical outlets, or people getting lost navigating the venue. But don’t drop your guard.
- If you’re an event planner, you’re used to coordinating every detail in order for the day-of to go smoothly. Virtual events are no different. You’ll still need to have a schedule that accounts for what everyone’s doing (for basically every minute of the day)!
Good news! A lot of your in-person event work will easily transfer!
Luckily, we usually don’t need to reinvent the wheel (or delete those carefully constructed master spreadsheets). The same detailed information and organization you usually coordinate – like schedules, contact information, session descriptions, speaker materials, etc. – are incredibly important and still serve as the foundation for the event’s content.
People love creative ideas!
- Trying something new in your event can feel risky, but now’s the time! You’re already getting creative and reinventing your event, so embrace the opportunity to bring in fresh ideas.
- We’ve all been stuck inside for months and going through this crisis together. Now more than ever, people are excited to try new things and be understanding about the challenges behind putting an event together.
- We’ve tried out a bunch of ideas to bring that “Wow!” factor into an event. Here are some ideas that have gotten rave reviews (from attendees and sponsors alike!):
- Breakout of the screen with Snail Mail – Send out a “swag box” of sponsor freebies, snacks, t-shirts, etc. so your attendees have something that completely stands out from the digital space.
- Don’t stick to just one platform – No single platform can do it all. Integrate specialized platforms and services to bring in features that aren’t found just anywhere, like – virtual networking tables, a social wall that aggregates social posts from your hashtag, or advanced whiteboarding.
At Taoti, we also know that organizing and creating a virtual event is not easy, even for the most seasoned event planner, and we are here to help! We have our own virtual events platform, which can be customized to your event’s needs and a team of experienced digital professionals to help run the show (regardless if it’s a one-day event or a whole week). Let’s work together! We’d love to set up a time to chat with you and get started making your virtual event a success!
