3 Benefits of Virtual Corporate Events
In person events are becoming a thing of the past. Although being able to talk in front of a crowd has many positives, there are huge benefits to hosting a virtual event.
Increased engagement
Increased reach
Reap the benefits of using technology
Don’t talk AT your audience, talk WITH them
Audience Engagement
Most virtual event platforms have polling and chat functions. If you aren’t already using these features during your meeting you need to. Polls are a quick and effective way to gauge your audience and build data. Consider using polls to:
see what your audience is looking for in future events,
measure if your employees are aware of your business goals, or
do a quick check in to see how everyone is feeling in our new virtual environment
To make your virtual event engaging you must use the chat function. Your event should be a two way conversation, not clicking through slides and reading word for word. You want it to feel organic and conversation like. When asking for engagement in the chat, make an effort to have the audience member feel heard. This could be a simple shout out like “John shared a great point…” or “Thanks for the comment Jane”. Incorporating the chat in your presentation will make your audience feel recognized and valued.
You may need to come up with creative ways to drive engagement. I’m not suggesting calling random people out from your participant list. Yet, a small incentive (like a giveaway) can give people enough of a push to make an effort to contribute. I recently planned a virtual event with engagement incentives. The host announced the chance of winning a prize based on participation in the chat. The chat function was blowing up throughout the presentation! It was nice to see the community engage with each other and learn together.
Check out “Tips to Make Your Presentation Engaging”
The World is at your Fingertips
Increased Reach
The biggest benefit for virtual events helps both the audience and the presenter(s). In person events have constraints. Venue capacity, event location, and access to your audience limit in person event success. You may see larger attendance numbers for your virtual event than you would in person. Offering an event on a virtual platform allows audience members to join in from anywhere. I've been to meetings that connect people from the UK, Singapore, and many sites in the US.
Additionally, virtual events increase the ability to have diverse presenter representation. If you're located in the Midwest and you want to invite a speaker from the West Coast, the cost and time commitment is astronomical. Virtual events cut this impact and create flexibility for bringing in external speakers. I attended a virtual conference in 2020 where I heard from speakers throughout the U.S. and even in Asia. This would not have been possible with an in person event.
Leverage Technology
Since you're already using technology for your event, you might as well use it to its fullest extent. Virtual events make it easy to track metrics on your performance. A few examples are:
how many people registered for the event vs actual attendance
polling response rate
chat activity level
speaker ratings
attendee retention
As much as virtual events allow join-ins from around the world, some people aren't going to be able to make it. Virtual platforms allow you to record and distribute the event. Having the material presented available at all times promotes further engagement. You can also break up the recording into a series of videos to share or repurpose for future events.
The ability to share information in real-time is a huge benefit of technology. Let's say someone asks a question about what your company is doing to be innovative. In person, a speaker would respond to the question and move on. Virtually, the speaker can answer and also share the link to an article or press release in the chat. This can spark further conversation and information sharing.