1. Determine The Agenda
Break this out for each group of stakeholders
2. Create Your Plan
While learning may be the most important thing to your audience, the opportunity to interact will keep them engaged. Make lecture time shorter so you can structure these opportunities into your event.
Discussion meeting or webinar
If interactivity is key, a discussion based Zoom meeting is the bread and butter. They work especially well for friendly audiences where participants already know each other. Some clever event organizers are inserting Zoom meetings inside larger virtual events – which allows them to keep attendees at more of a distance during presentations but then gives them the option to break it up with deep dive break out groups.
Paid registration is fine as long as it is based on the value of the content.
1,2,3 Day Marathon Meeting or Short Sprints
There’s a growing movement to spread online conferences out over days, weeks and even the year. A very successful show about the technology behind digital events is called Office Hours which uses a webinar format to discuss all things production, including Zoom meetings, every day.What about sponsors?
- Are sponsors clearly marked with a different product type?
- Can they chat?
- Is there 1-1 appointment setting?
3. Find Out Who's Helping
As the host, it is up to you to assign event roles. At a minimum. you’ll want to have a co-host to handle the chat room, tech support and it may also be nice to have them try Zoom’s spotlight video if that’s what you’re using as well as the ability to start and stop recording where appropriate. Practicing often and early at every stage of the process will ensure that hiccups will be uncovered and erased in time for the event.
What is nice to have and must have in terms of tech consultants...
"It depends on the particulars of your event, but having someone who knows the platform and works in it daily is worth their weight. They will know when new updates are scheduled to roll out. How those changes will affect your event...Most importantly though, in a pinch they will know where controls are from muscle memory.
Also don't undervalue a professional that works with many clients. You might well benefit from suggestions they make based on other companies successes and failures. "
"It depends on the particulars of your event, but having someone who knows the platform and works in it daily is worth their weight. They will know when new updates are scheduled to roll out. How those changes will affect your event...Most importantly though, in a pinch they will know where controls are from muscle memory.
Also don't undervalue a professional that works with many clients. You might well benefit from suggestions they make based on other companies successes and failures. "
4. Think Through Your Registration
A registration gate is a must for security and marketing reasons, rather than sending or worse, posting links willy-nilly. Keep it simple. Each question asked is going to reduce the response. Find out which platforms have this built in or work best with the registration software you’re using (like Salesforce) – or simply keep them separate and import registration information prior to the event.
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5. Ask Us Advice
Contact Us
DigMeetings parent company Travmar has helped thousands of meeting and event planners over the last 30 years and would be happy to put our experience to work on creating a successful and fun digital event.