Did you know that 80% of people join an online event for educational purposes? The next biggest reason is networking.
Are you thinking about jumping on this trend of virtual events and using it to your business advantage? That’s a great idea.
If you are new to online event planning and wish to build a successful virtual event, then there are certain things you need to be aware of. Keep reading to find out what they are.
Create the Event with Your Audience in Mind
Too many virtual event organizers forget that the event should be created with their audience in mind. If you like talking about cats, but your audience is filled with dog people, there is a mismatch here that should be addressed.
Always think about your audience’s interests and needs when event planning. It could help you avoid a lot of wasted time and effort. For example, if you have a lot of hearing-impaired people in your audience, ensure you have live captioning included in your event.
Promote Your Event
People nowadays have a hundred things pulling their attention at all times of day and night. They aren’t free of distractions even when they are sitting on the toilet seat.
That’s why you have to ensure you promote your event with gusto for a few weeks before the actual event date. It will also show you whether there is actual interest in your event topic or not. And you can modify it given enough time before the event.
Have Interesting Slides
There are many different formats you could use to hold a virtual event but to hold people’s fleeting attention during an online event, make sure you have lots of visual cues, like a PowerPoint presentation, images, or videos.
This way you don’t have to worry about losing your audience’s attention midway. It will also ensure that they stick around for your sales pitch.
Sell While You Teach
This brings us to the next point. Do not sell only at the end of your virtual event. Ensure that you are selling throughout your presentation or event, so that people who have to leave early or who come in late, still get the benefit of your sales pitch.
Many people know that event organizers only sell at the end of virtual events, so they stick around for the first half and log out for the second half. Don’t lose out on potential sales, because you were too shy to pitch your product throughout your virtual event.
Don’t Forget about the CTA
You will need to have a solid call-to-action (CTA) when it comes to online events. As you aren’t there in person to influence, persuade, and sell, you will need your presentation and CTA to do that for you.
For example, if you want them to sign up for a limited-time offer or an online course, then ensure that you share that link repeatedly throughout the event, and in the follow-up email.
These are some things to remember about a good CTA:
- It’s straightforward to understand
- It’s easy to buy
- It’s a great deal that saves them time and money
- It’s something they can’t get anywhere else
- It’s only available during your event or a limited time after (24 to 72 hours after your event)
With this, you are well on your way to increasing your sales and improving your brand reputation.
Always Leave Time for Q&A
No matter how clear your presentation is, people are always going to have questions at the end of it. And as there are no stupid questions, you will need to be patient with your event attendees and answer all questions, no matter how long it takes you.
Remember, the more goodwill you can generate through your event, the easier it will be for you to sell your products to all attendees. Also, you are the expert on this subject (presumably), so of course, you are going to be able to answer questions better than anyone else would be. Take advantage of this.
Cater to Different Timezones Where Planning an Online Event
The miracle of online events is that you are probably going to have attendees from all over the world. This means you have to be careful in choosing the time that your event is held. You have to pick a time that makes it convenient for people from most time zones to join (it won’t be possible to cater to all time zones, but do the best you can with this).
One easy way to do this is to figure out which country most of your followers or audience is from and pick a time suiting the majority. Also, think about your inclinations when building an event – you don’t want to hold an event in the middle of the night if you are not a night owl.
Always Send a Post Event Survey and Gather Data
The more information you can gather about your event attendees, the better it is for your next event. You can send them a survey with questions like:
- How did you find us?
- What did you find most useful about the event?
- Would you attend an event like this again?
- Do you have any feedback for us?
- Anything you would have liked done differently?
- And more
All this data can help you create an even better online event next time around, making your event planning easier.
Are You Ready to Hold Your Business Event?
Online meetings are becoming ever more popular, especially as our world moves towards remote work and entrepreneurship. If you are interested in hosting an online event, then use our tips above and build the best event possible.
Also, don’t worry about making mistakes the first time around. The more you hold these virtual meetings, the easier it will become for you to find the perfect mix.
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