There’s no denying it: a virtual event strategy is a must-have for event marketers. As we adjust to the new normal of shelter-in-place and self-isolation, it’s more important than ever that we seek out moments of human connection. Still, it can be difficult to make the change, even for seasoned professionals. So why change up your event strategy to switch to virtual? We’ve got the answers you seek below!
The good news is that many event planners are hopeful that in-person meetings can be rescheduled for later in the year. But this is only a part of the puzzle. Supplementing this with a virtual event strategy allows you to think both short and long-term about your marketing strategy. Virtual events give you a quick way to generate leads and stay top-of-mind with clients. They’re flexible, scalable and adaptable: pretty much the ideal when it comes to rolling out points of contact quickly and efficiently.
By focusing on rescheduling your in-person events for later in the year and focusing on virtual events in the meantime, you are building out your entire events strategy for the year. You’re adapting for the longterm, but you’re also not sitting on your thumbs hoping the current moment resolves more quickly than projected. What’s even better is that the more virtual events you throw, the better you’ll get at throwing them.
The current moment might have us all living that work from home lifestyle, but that’s not the only reason to book a virtual event. Since they’re done over the computer, it doesn’t matter where in the world your prospective guests are. Virtual events are highly convenient, requiring no travel coordination and almost negligible scheduling considerations. This is doubly true if you’re hosting something like an on-demand webinar. Interested parties can simply request the asset and view it on their own time. It’s not a substitute for face-to-face interaction and direct contact, but it’s still a powerful tool in your marketing toolkit.
Another benefit to virtual events is that your reach becomes unlimited. When you expand your invitee list to those outside of any geography, you will see your responses skyrocket! Not only will people more willingly commit to an event that doesn’t require being away from home or the associated costs, but they are more likely to show up and engage with you and your brand. Since all of our virtual events have an interactive element involved, participation will go up and be far less intimidating than during an in-person event.
Additionally, nothing scales like a virtual event. Webinar, presentation—it doesn’t matter. As long as there’s interest, any number of people can connect with your content in an online event, meaning the sky is truly the limit for the savvy virtual event planner.
You can adapt your event data collection with only minor tweaksA big hurdle in making the switch to virtual events is concern over event data collection. What metrics should I track? How do I know if my event was successful? But there’s good news. Chances are good that with only a few minor tweaks, your virtual data collection can basically be the same as your current strategy. Metrics like clickthrough, open rate and registrations translate just as well to URL events as they do IRL.
Additionally, some metrics like engagement are even easier to track in online events. Live polling, Q&A sessions and in-broadcast surveys are all great ways to see what’s resonating with your attendees and what’s not. What’s more, this also allows highly invested attendees to signal themselves for follow-up marketing, sales calls and more. Just remember, when you host a digital event, it’s more important than ever that you align your goals with your stakeholders. Knowing your success metrics always helps aid data collection. As with any other event, don’t forget to follow up with attendees within three days of the event concluding. The longer you wait, the more valuable specifics you and your attendees are likely to have forgotten.
Many of us are working online for the foreseeable future. But for many teams, this has already been the law of the land for a long time. The good news about virtual events is that they’re just as good for remote teams as they are remote clients. It’s easy to host a fun and engaging event for your team regardless of where you all call home. Whether you want to book a crash course in creating a peerless remote team or a virtual succulent terrarium class, there’s lots of options when it comes to booking an online event to show your coworkers a little appreciation. Even if you can’t travel to be in the same place, virtual events are a great way to raise team morale and get you connecting like never before.
This is uncharted territory for a lot of marketers. We want you to know that we here at Kapow are dedicated to finding unique solutions for your events. Get in touch with Kapow’s event experts now to book virtual events like those above or receive additional options that are certain to delight. Be certain to check back frequently for more marketing tips, tricks and strategies.
Join thousands of companies who have booked online events with Kapow.
Find Your EventSign up for insider tips, exclusive content and event suggestions in your city.
