5 Top Tips for Virtual Events Organisers

At Investis Digital, we have a wealth of experience in producing virtual events. We help our clients achieve the best outcome whatever their budget. Virtual events organisation is still a rather new field, to help you with any pitfalls here are my top tips for you as a Virtual Event Organiser.

Tip 1 - know your audience 

For in-person events, it has always been the case that you simply invite all stakeholders to your internal town hall, marketing event, launch, AGM, CMD or results presentation; the same is not true for online audiences. 

It would be tempting to think of your audience as one ‘thing’. You want to make your event inclusive or maybe it is too difficult to subdivide your audience. However, you will run the risk of a scenario where one size doesn’t quite fit all and instead of a catch-all, it could be a lose-all. So, make that ‘thing’ a persona! 

Does your audience have different levels of digital literacy? This may be the part of the audience you want to earmark for in-person attendance. 

Not all questions from all attendees may be relevant to the rest of your audience. In fact, you should give each part of your audience the ability to ask questions, but the level of interaction can be different. Through our On-air by IDX (webcasting) and Virtual Events platforms, you can gather written questions from your audience. You may either want to have those posed during the show, or you can gather them and engage your audience further after the show with either a personalised reply, or a most-asked-questions follow up email. 

For a more engaging questions function, you could add a conference call. Ideally, this will be for a smaller part of your audience, such as analysts. Analysts will usually ask a question and will do so in a professional manner; they will also be used to the functionalities of a conference call. A conference call is also a great way to provide backup for whatever technology throws at you, or in this case, at your listeners. Remember, many of your audience will be working from home with no immediate access to IT support. Our team of experienced producers and virtual events managers can help you minimise the risks, speak with us! 

The most engaging way to ask questions is, if not in person, then via a video bridge. The speakers and the questioner can see each other and interact normally. After several years of remote working, you may think that most people will be used to Teams, Zoom or a comparative service. When it comes to your event however, we want to make sure that that perceived assuredness is indeed correct, which is why we offer and recommend our briefing sessions in the run-up to your event.

Tip 2 - plan ahead! 

Whatever your timeframe is, we will of course endeavour to support your event. However, we strongly suggest a pre-production time of four to six weeks. This will allow us to get to know your requirements and make the most of your virtual event. 

There are simply too many questions to ask in just one meeting. Is your audience in a particular region? We will test to make sure no restrictions apply to receiving a stream. Are you planning for an internal audience? We will get in touch with your IT team to ascertain your colleagues can watch the event without issues. 

What information does your audience expect from the platform? We want to make sure the right signposting is in place, not only within the platform but also in the communication before and after. 

Remember, we can provide any part of a live show, from cameras to staging, our Connect.ID Live Studio and lighting, to moderation for small or large venues. We assemble the right team of experts for your event, but we want to make sure the right person and the right equipment is secured. A good rule of thumb is to secure the main components right away, if any fine tuning is required, this should be finished at least one week before your virtual event. The closer we get to an event, the greater the likelihood of increased prices for crew and equipment. 

Not sure if you might have last-minute requests from your presenters and stakeholders? Wherever possible we will support you. It is always a good idea to present to those stakeholders early in the process.  

Tip 3 - find your budget 

Your Client Director here at Investis Digital will guide you through the process to make sure we provide you with a representative quote. If you are not sure or if you are looking to try something new, we strongly recommend that your budget is 10% over the quote to make sure that whatever your stakeholders throw at you, we can facilitate. 

Our Virtual Event Managers, Producers and Technicians are happy to be involved in the process to understand your aims and outcomes, and to provide an informed quote. Speak with us! 

The more we know about your project, outcomes and audiences, the better we can help you! 

Tip 4 - small changes can cause a big issues—plan accordingly 

Complex virtual events require meticulous planning. You may think that a small change shouldn’t have a big impact, but all technology has its limitations. There is a huge difference between seven lapel microphones and eight, which may require another audio engineer. Your printed backdrop has arrived, but now you need to add two more presenters to the stage, suddenly the camera picks up the ceiling, floor and maybe even that light switch by John’s head. It’s usually much easier to take away than to add.  

To help you stay within budget the venue, number of speakers, date and time should ideally be fixed right at the start of the process. 

Take a breath, be flexible and we will make your event a success! 

Tip 5 - get the most out of your event (pre, during, and post) 

So, now that you have thought about so many moving parts, how do you create interest in your virtual event? Is it over when it’s over? We offer strategic partnerships to get the most out of your communications, and our team of experts helps you achieve your ambitions. Digital Strategy is more than website integration, social media, live quotes during the show, highlights videos, but we do all of that too of course! 

Get In Touch 

There is so much more a virtual event can be than a live stream and replay. Our platform is designed to hold a large variety of engaging content, content that has real impact in both the virtual and the physical world. Contact us—we’d love to show you more!