The acceptance of the virtual stage required virtual event organizers to adopt new skills and technologies to stay a step ahead in this digital world. Online events can be a little tricky and complicated to plan and execute. But, with the right virtual event platform, you can conveniently elevate the level of your online events to make them highly engaging and memorable.
Today, various industries and businesses have adopted this digital format of events to continue interacting with their potential customers or audience. Hence, this is why we have observed a notable uptick in virtual business events and virtual corporate events. Through these events, it becomes easier for brands to leave an impactful impression on the audience.
What is a virtual business event?
In the past two years, we noticed the valuable shift of the event industry into a virtual sphere. Since then, there’s no looking back as virtual events have taken an uphill walk. Hence, this is why several businesses have adopted the online stage to continue hosting virtual conferences, virtual summits, virtual AGMs, webinars, etc to ensure their existence.
What are the types of virtual business events?
Webinar
It is one of the simplest forms of virtual events that happen over the Internet or a secure online meeting platform. Platforms that include live chat, audio, and video functions make way for real-time interactions. Webinars can be held in the form of training sessions, workshops, seminars, video presentations, and more. Webinars can also be accessed as pre-recorded content to extend their availability to the attendees depending on their convenient time. It makes way for the content to be set up or repurposed based on the demand and requirement. Business professionals also consider hosting webinar + which is the extended format of webinars and is a great way to add more value to your online webinar.
Virtual summits
A virtual summit is an online event that brings different industry experts, business leaders, and speakers on board. The selection of a dynamic virtual event platform makes it easier to gather people from multiple remote locations. With the summit happening virtually, it becomes easier to gather people and have expert talks or discussions on mutual topics.
Virtual conference
An online conference is a virtual gathering of audiences, guests, and experts who meet to have relevant discussions on vital matters. The main motive of hosting these virtual conferences is to earn more leads, boost brand value, relationship building, demand generation. You can host a successful virtual conference with the integration of tools like live chat, business card exchange, B2B meetings scheduler, and virtual networking tables that help recreate the experiences of an in-person conference.
Virtual expo/exhibition
We all know how impactful were those on-site expos and exhibitions for brands and individuals. But, in recent times, companies have shifted to a virtual stage to boost their brand value. Via a virtual exhibition and expo, it becomes more convenient for brands to showcase their new products, features, and services to a global audience. These events can also include customized booths to earn more sales and lure more people towards their brand.
Virtual fair/festival
These types of events allow brands to connect with a large segment of a virtual audience at a time. For example, virtual job fairs, virtual career fairs, virtual trade shows, and virtual fests are supposed to serve the needs of the attendees and exhibitors in their way.
What are virtual corporate events?
Virtual corporate events are organized by companies and enterprises to get their entire team together at a time. With the use of engaging tools and ideas, virtual corporate events are effective ways to encourage meaningful interaction with your employees or potential customers.
What are the types of virtual corporate events?
Seminar
Seminars are one of those events that are organized for education attendees, be it students, employees, or customers. It is more like an educational workshop or conference. But, the major difference between a seminar and a conference is that a seminar usually has one speaker, while conferences include multiple guest speakers. A seminar is also hosted to earn more potential leads and customers.
Retreats
Retreats are similar to a team-bonding activity where you get to connect with your customers more closely. It is generally an event that takes place for multiple days and includes different workshops or seminars. This kind of online event is more like moments where you relax, learn, and strategize things.
Milestone
It is one of the excellent virtual corporate events that is held to bring people together to celebrate notable wins. It could be for celebrating departmental goals, corporate anniversary, or something similar to that. So, basically, this event is an exceptional moment to recognize the successes, and hence the name milestone.
Virtual product launch party
An online launch party is one of the greatest examples of a corporate event that is hosted to launch the company’s new product, website, or the revelation of the product’s newest features. To gather more audience during such events, it is important to create more hype and buzz about it on different social media platforms. For example, we all noticed the big product launch event of Apple.
Fundraising events
We all know that fundraising events are commendable moments for everyone to contribute their part. Such events are held to raise money for donations or charity purposes. To make the most of such events, you can integrate this during your other online events like virtual Christmas parties, virtual new year celebrations, virtual trade shows, or many more.
Appreciation events
Appreciation events are special moments where the corporates take out their time to thank their customers, employees, and partners. It is more like a virtual holiday party, virtual dinner party, or something like a music festival. The aim of the virtual event organizers is to make each attendee feel valued and appreciated.
How to plan a virtual business event?
To continue the survival of each department, businesses have come up with several unique ways to host a virtual business event. Let us learn about the essential tips and ideas for hosting an online business event;
Understand your target audience
Just like other events, you need to know who would be the target audience that you’ll be entertaining at the event. A clear understanding of your target attendees will help you plan the event in a better way. Basis this understanding, promotion & marketing also become an easier task.
Create an impactful virtual stage
Business events welcome people from various designations, so, try creating a stage that leaves a lasting impression on everyone. Consider making a compelling landing page with attractive images, designs, and videos. You can also add the name of popular speakers or exhibitors to draw more participants. To convert the landing page viewers into applicants, make sure to mention the date, time, and registration link of your event. Besides this, look for virtual event solutions that can create a dynamic lobby, 3D designs, GIFs, and more to take your attendees in awe.
Choose the right virtual event platform
A virtual platform is a tool to take your online event in the right direction, so there should be no compromises while selecting your venue partner. Some key features that you should look for in a platform are;
- 100% secure
- Customized branding
- Easy navigation
- Customer support
- Data analytics
- Engagement tools
- Social media integration
- Networking opportunities
Include multiple speakers
To eliminate the boredom, make sure to keep short sessions or different speakers that would help in spicing up your virtual business event. Each guest speaker will have a different mindset and expertise which will help in keeping the attendees engaged differently. Besides this, try conducting frequent live polls, surveys, and Q&A sessions to make the event more interactive and engaging.
Keep the audience engaged
The code to making any virtual event a success is to ensure that attendees find it super interactive and stay hooked all the time. You can think of including exciting games like spin the wheel, tic-tac-toe, temple run, word games, crosswords, and a leaderboard challenge to lure more people to participate in these fun activities. Create meeting rooms, networking lounges, or chat rooms to encourage private and group chat options in real-time. It is a great method to replicate the experiences of a physical event. You can also use virtual photo booths, a social wall, and feedback forms to drive more audience engagement.
Promote networking opportunities
It is important for people to find value in your event. So, try including features like AI-based recommendations that will enable attendees to connect based on their mutual interests and concerns. You can also leverage business card exchange and B2B meetings scheduler to let people connect even after the event is over. Features like virtual networking tables and a live chat tool make way for fruitful interactions and communications.
Create a marketing plan
To increase the ROI of your event, it is essential that more people know about it. So, it is important to create hype about it on multiple social media platforms and practice email marketing to make sure your potential customer join your event. Try posting content, images, and videos with event-specific hashtags about your event on a regular basis to keep the audience notified.
Check the technical aspect
During virtual business events and corporate events, it is vital to keep a strong technical infrastructure. It will help you ensure there are no technical glitches or errors. Try to back your event with excellent technical customer support that will help improve the platform experience for the attendees.
How do you run a virtual corporate event?
Be clear with your business goals
Before planning and strategizing your corporate events, your virtual event expert should help you with identifying the goals and objectives of hosting the event. Once you know the reason behind taking your corporate event online, it becomes easier to create a roadmap towards delivering a unique and realistic event experience.
Determine your budget
Every event planner needs to be very clear with their event budget right from the beginning. It helps them determine the event features and virtual event platform. Creating an estimated budget in advance will help you utilize the funds thoughtfully.
Create specific deadlines
With various aspects involved in the event, make sure to set deadlines for each section and allot every team member their responsibility. With event goals and budget in place, it is important to ensure that the event planning and set-up are complete within a set duration.
Know your potential audience
Any event can turn into a successful occasion, only when you know your target audience and their expectations clearly. So, it is important to understand who’ll be your event audience and promote your event accordingly.
Pick a theme for your virtual corporate event
After event planning, budget, and goals are set in place, you need to check on steps should be taken to make the event super exciting and unique. You can ask your event planners to get a little creative and pick features like a 3D virtual stage, gamification, a social wall, a photo booth to recreate the experiences of an on-site corporate event.
Include engagement tools
After you have successfully planned your event and you are set to get your virtual attendees onboard, make sure to incorporate the best tools and features like AI matchmaking, live chat, screen sharing application, audio & video tools, and more to keep them hooked and involved at all times. Besides this, remember to keep shorter sessions to prevent your event from getting monotonous.
Promote your event
It is essential to advertise your event to let more people know that it is happening. Leverage the company’s social media pages and platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote the event. Consider posting attention-grabbing content, images, videos, and graphics to draw more registrations.
Best Virtual Corporate Event Ideas
With so many virtual corporate events happening each day, let us walk you through some of the best ideas that can make your event stand out;
Virtual MasterChef Team Building Event
It was an exceptional team-building event, where you can select one host and send a list of essential ingredients and supplies. On the main day or while the event is live, you can choose a dynamic virtual event platform where everyone will log in and connect. Then, they would begin cooking the same dish, with the host guiding them with dos and don’ts. Besides the cooking competition going on, you can also keep a virtual dinner celebration followed by the same to make it even more enjoyable and unique.
Professional Development Workshop
It is one of the best traditional corporate events that can be attended by speakers, learners, and business professionals. With industry experts on board, you can get them to speak on influential topics and share insights that will be helpful for each attendee.
Final word
The last two years have come as great learning for humankind; we have started appreciating connections and bonds more than ever. In recent times, we were compelled to find an alternative for in-person events. And, while looking for one, the global event industry came with the idea of virtual events.
Is your brand one of those that are still a bit skeptical regarding virtual events? Then, you should consider hosting Virtual Corporate and Business Events. It will help to stay a step ahead of your competitors and continue leaving an impactful impression on the audience.
