Everyone who’s been to even a small or medium tradeshow or conference knows how busy and chaotic the atmosphere can be. Between the crowds, music, microphones and more, it’s easy for the message to get lost in the din, whether your own as an organiser or those of your exhibitors and sponsors. Hosting a virtual event gives you the fresh opportunity to use technology to put communication at the forefront.
If we have learned anything from the internet memes of the pandemic, we have learned that virtual meetings and events can be just as chaotic as the real life thing, if in different and unexpected ways. Here are a few ways you can ensure your virtual event is about communication over chaos.
USE TOUCHPOINTS
To begin, be sure that you have mapped out the customer’s full virtual journey, from browsing exhibition booths to attending keynote speeches. You, your sponsors, your speakers and the exhibitors need clear touchpoint messaging at every point along this journey. Perhaps run your event through a focus group beforehand to ensure that everything is easy to interpret virtually.
MAKE SURE ALL COMMUNICATION IS LEVERAGED
Have you ever been to an event and stumbled upon a few exhibitors or sponsors that don’t seem to belong? Unfortunately, when customers attend a virtual event, their attention spans might not stretch as far as they would for a live event. When attending in-person, they have often spent time and effort travelling to the show, and because they’re there in person, it’s easier for them to interact, and are more likely to explore the entire floor.
At a virtual event, they could have distractions at home that have them leaving their computers periodically, maybe even for long periods of time. They also have the option to be more picky about who they engage with, ignoring the rest. This is why it’s extremely important that all exhibitors, sponsors and speakers booked by the event organisers are on brand for the event, and that they are presenting content, products and services that are on message.
This is especially important for event sponsors who don’t quite line up with what the event is about. Encourage them to work on campaign branding specific to your event to ensure all communication is leveraged without losing any return on investment.
FILL YOUR EVENT WITH THE UNEXPECTED
Just because your virtual event seems less tangible, doesn’t mean it has to be! Keep it exciting and engaging for your delegates. Maybe you hire a local musician to play a virtual show during lunch time. This kind of entertainment provides mental health breaks for your customers, and will keep them on your platform for longer. Competitions, product and service discounts and free trials are all excellent digital versions of what people are used to getting at a real trade show. This also encourages guests to visit all exhibitor and sponsor booths to see what’s on offer for them today, while becoming familiar with their products at the same time.
Would you like to try your hand at hosting a virtual event, but aren’t sure how to get started? Book a demo for a tour of our flagship product, Virtuworx, the ultimate virtual and hybrid events platform.
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