How to Take Your Design Industry Event Virtual
Virtual events are not only a replacement to previously planned in-person events, but they are also a great opportunity to connect with a larger community in a more personal - and cost-effective - way.
Since February, bde & co. has developed, executed, and/or hosted virtual events including webinars, factory video tours, global award announcements, product launches, town halls, panel discussions, roundtables, CEUs, press reviews, and even a five-week fellowship program with Be Original Americas which reached 3,400+ registered students across more than 30 countries.
We’ve worked with our clients to identify their marketing and business goals and develop virtual event strategies that match these aims, staying focused on the possibilities that come with trying something totally new. And, through these experiences, we’ve learned valuable insights into what makes a successful virtual design industry event. Here are a few tips and we’d be happy to discuss more with you - get in touch here.
1. Select the Right Platform.
There’s more than just Zoom, we promise! Although Zoom is a great option, and likely already familiar to your audience, there are a number of webinar tools including GoToMeeting, Webex, and more, all with their own unique features. Will you be dividing attendees in breakout rooms? Need seamless screen sharing? Expect a lot of attendees to join by phone? We’ve taken the time to research each platform’s full capabilities to make them work to the advantage of our clients’ needs.
2. Build your presentation to be visual.
The design industry is a visual one, so why should virtual design events be any less visually exciting? Beyond industry expectations, though, beautiful imagery and pre-recorded or live video goes over better than text-heavy slides, and interesting aesthetics keep people engaged. Remember, although getting to your virtual event will be a breeze for your guests, you’re likely competing with all the distractions and comforts of home for their attention.
3. Practice. And then Practice Some More.
Virtual speaking can be strange, even for a seasoned presenter. You won’t have the “energy in the room” or real-time feedback of a traditional live audience that you or your speaker may have relied upon in the past. We give the presenters we work with tips on body language and cadence to draw the audience in. Practicing beforehand will also help ensure that you feel comfortable and confident going into the event. And practice includes rehearsing the technical side of the presentation too. Our team goes through each step and how each function will be used including Q&A, chat, survey, video pins, presenter, screen share, and more so all is smooth prior to going live.
4. Promote your Event, and Follow-Up After.
By starting with a clear purpose for each virtual event, we build a target audience. The benefit of connecting with this audience virtually is it removes limitations like travel and lodging, but just because an event is taking place doesn’t guarantee attendees. This requires communication of the benefits and personal follow-up with the target audience to make sure they show up. And signing off shouldn’t be the end of the conversation, either. Contacting your audience afterward is an important step, both in staying top-of-mind and in establishing your virtual event as a meaningful experience. Bonus: Consider sharing a recording of your presentation or the live transcript as a great way to extend the event to those invitees and registrants who were unable to attend.
5. Have a Stellar “Backstage” Team.
We tend to think of webinars like stage productions, and just like any in-person event, a successful webinar has a team of people working in the wings. You want your speaker(s) focused on presenting, not on troubleshooting tech or all of the backend tasks such as question moderation, screen sharing, setting up breakout rooms, and more. The less the audience notices these transitions, the smoother the event, and the more successful the backstage team is.
Are you considering holding a webinar or virtual event? bde is here to help. From ideation and consultation to organizing and running the event, from promotion to follow-up, and design to direction, we’re here to help you drive results for the good of your organization.
Get to know our work by checking out our designer & manufacturer talks, hosted by bde & co. president Beth Dickstein.
When you’re ready to start imagining new possibilities, get in touch here. We can’t wait to work with you.
