What not to do when planning a virtual event

Hosting a virtual event, like any event is difficult. Yes, there are much more cost effective benefits and a lot of time saved – but it is still an organised event, so planning ahead is truly the key to success if you want to see a good return on interest. Below, we look at some of the things you must consider before your event goes ahead, to ensure a smooth operation throughout the day.

Organisation

Plan ahead to get ahead. Once you’ve agreed a suitable date for your event to go ahead, start building a skeleton of tasks that will need to be completed, whether it’s acquiring exhibitors, planning marketing collateral or organising guest speakers. Set SMART goals to have every task completed within a reasonable timeframe, so you don’t end up with any last minute tasks. Oversights could directly affect how the event runs, so you’ll want to make sure everything is in place well ahead of time. 

Our partners, Loop Expo suggest two to three months to plan a virtual event. And if you need a hand planning your event, here’s a comprehensive event planning guide to help you get organised.

Picking the right platform

Choosing the right platform for your virtual event is essential – why? Because with such a diverse range of services and platforms out there in 2020, you could end up paying more than is necessary if you don;t consider what you actually need before looking in to different platforms. 

Create a checklist of what features you need, and then match up those needs with whatever the platforms you’ve researched offer. This way you’ll get the most tailored service too, for a cost effective price. 

Choosing the wrong sponsors

Most events tend to have a sponsor, depending on their size. But while many businesses will be happy to offer themselves up as a sponsor, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right sponsor for your event. A sponsor should complement the cause of the event. By getting sponsors in similar industries who offer similar services, you’ll be keeping you and your attendees focused on the niche you’re discussing on the day, as well as keeping operations running smoothly with minimal distraction. Be tactical with sponsors to maintain the theme.

Consider session times and content

Sessions/guest speaker slots should be kept short at your event, and the content of these sessions should be impactful. Keep your sessions and segments around 20 minutes long, to keep everyone engaged with the content of the entire event – you don’t want visitors to become bored – remember, it’s much easier to leave a virtual event than a physical event. So every aspect of it has to be relevant and powerful.

Don’t over-plug your company

Yes, you’ve organised your event – but it’s not about you. It’s about bringing value to others. Avoid lengthy pitching of your company, otherwise you risk putting visitors off. Pick the right time do it, and as we mentioned with other sessions and guest speaker slots, keep it short, impactful, and focused on the event.