My big AHA's from 2020
/No doubt, I was a skeptic.
I just didn’t believe virtual events could be as powerful and productive as the in-person events I had so passionately been creating for my clients for the past 4 years.
But in-person events were no longer an option, so I knew I needed to embrace virtual for the sake of my business and my clients’ businesses and their clients’ businesses.
So I dug in, did some research, learned from some industry experts and began producing virtual events for my clients within a matter of a few months. All while homeschooling my 3 boys.
I’m so glad I decided to make that pivot instead of sticking my head in the sand, waiting for the world to go back to normal again.
Instead, I helped my clients generate hundreds of thousands in revenue while equipping and inspiring their people, and I watched the birthing of new ideas and connections through the spark of collaboration.
I also had a few valuable realizations that I’d love to share with you:
People are showing up.
With everything that was happening in the world at the time I started to pivot to virtual events, I wasn’t convinced that people would make the time to show up virtually, let alone be active and engaged.
I thought the distractions of life would probably over-power their motivation to learn and that if they hadn’t traveled to a hotel ballroom somewhere, they wouldn’t take the event seriously.
Yet, once I saw the smiling faces rapidly populating my screen and filling up the chat with excited greetings and anticipation it hit me--we all need this right now. We need to gather with our people, even on a digital platform, to share ideas, encouragement and seek help with our challenges.
Sure enough, show up and engagement for virtual events was at a record high in 2020, and the trend still continues. That is partly due to the fact that there have never been more people hungry to learn and searching for solutions and inspiration online. However, there are also some key strategies you can use to increase show up rate and enthusiasm, which I’ll share in a separate post.
Bottom line, your audience needs you right now, and they also need each other. Hosting a virtual event is the perfect way to encourage and inspire your community, and they’re most likely waiting for you to extend the invitation.
Not all event programming is created equal.
Please don’t assume you should recreate one-for-one your in-person event in a virtual setting. Not everything translates well to virtual.
You need to plan for shorter presentation blocks (ideally 30 minutes each) with a lot of opportunities for interaction in between sessions. Sometimes you can get away with a 45-60 minute presentation if you allow for Q&A at the end or if you engage your audience in a worksheet activity throughout.
One element from in-person events that can shine in a virtual setting is breakout rooms. Allowing breakout sessions frequently throughout a virtual event to allow for discussion and networking between attendees is wildly popular and greatly increases the feeling of connection and community amongst your audience members, which typically leads to increased enrollment.
So think outside the box when starting to plan the format for your virtual event. Get creative with how you can present your content in an engaging way and integrate many opportunities for your guests to mix and mingle.
Virtual events have leveled the playing field.
If you have ever considered hosting an event to grow your business, increase your status, and unite your followers, there has NEVER been a better time to get in the game than right now.
Most people are too intimidated by the cost and risk involved in hosting an in-person event, which is understandable considering the hotel room block, the food and beverage and the A/V expenses just to name a few. However, you can host a virtual event for a small fraction of the cost of in-person.
Where hosting a live event used to be reserved for those with the financial means, now anyone with a laptop, webcam and a microphone can accomplish the same result. And because of the global reach of the internet, you can expand your audience to include people from all over the world whom you may have never reached otherwise.
Another awesome benefit of virtual events is that it creates equal opportunity for your guests as well. Everyone has a front row seat at a virtual event.
Being face-to-face with your audience, albeit digitally, creates a unique and paradoxical intimacy that is lost at traditional in-person events where as a presenter you can only usually see and connect with the first few rows from stage. However, virtually, you can see the faces of every single participant, and they can feel seen by you as well, which creates a greater connection.
Typically at in-person events, the presenter must guard his or her time and access so as not to be overwhelmed by the crowd. But with virtual events that barrier is removed and more guests have the opportunity for direct access to the speaker.
All in all, virtual events have provided a beautiful opportunity for you to connect with your audience like never before.
So, I’m not a skeptic anymore.
I’ve witnessed first-hand the power, profitability and accessibility of virtual events and how they have been a game changer for my clients and their followers.
If you’d like to tap into the power of virtual events for your business, I have a resource that can help.
It’s called The Virtual Event Checklist, and it outlines everything you need to consider/plan/do to execute a flawless virtual event, plus it’s organized as a 6-week timeline, which is really all the time you need.
I can’t wait for you to check it out and start hosting your own events.
You’ve got this!
Christy
