Virtual Event 2021 and Beyond with Sheri Bennefeld
The world was flipped on its head in 2020. This time last year, events were canceled or moved virtually in waves. Now that we can see a clear light at the end of the tunnel, most people ask the big question: what comes next? A recent survey found that 93% of event organizers plan on investing in virtual events going forward. Most event marketers, 97%, believe we will see more hybrid events in 2021 than ever before (Bizzado).
Sheri Bennefeld has been producing online events for over ten years, making her a uniquely qualified expert in virtual events. Sheri’s company, Way Beyond Ordinary, creates both virtual and live event experiences. She has helped many companies in the last year pivot from live events to virtual and has hybrid events she is working on for the Fall. She answered some of the most common questions about virtual events and what to expect in 2021 and beyond.
Why are virtual events important?
We still need to meet. We’re human, social creatures. Virtual events allow us to gather safely. We also need to continue to do business, learn, and connect through networking. These needs will not go away. And we’re so lucky to have a lot of new options now.
How to get started when hosting a virtual event?
The same rules apply to event planning, whether virtual or live. Always start with the needs and desires of your audience. Determine what they are most comfortable with. I’m a big believer in keeping it simple. Your content and your delivery are far more important than production. So, start by designing a value-packed curriculum or agenda. Then determine how to best deliver the content engagingly and effectively.
How do virtual and in-person events differ in planning, execution, and experience?
The most obvious difference, of course, is the venue. Either way, I always begin with the objectives for the event. The audience size and space requirements. In a virtual event, space requirements are about platform limitations. The platform is the venue. You’ll need to determine the best platform for your needs. Say in the case of an online retreat or course. You’ll need to do your instructional design first to determine what requirements your platform must-have. For example, if you are going to have breakout sessions, you need a platform to accommodate that. When it comes to the experience, our job as a program host is much tougher in the virtual world. We’re competing with so much real-life noise and distraction. We need to be very strong facilitators, and skilled program designers to keep and capture attention. Attention spans are shorter than ever, and virtual event hosts need to find ways to manage attention. It’s the greatest asset of our attendees.
What are the best practices to keep in mind for virtual events?
Begin creating your audience experience before the event even begins. You do this through pre-event correspondence, setting expectations, building excitement, and sharing early content.
Think of your webcam space as your stage. How would you show up on stage at a live event? Would you come in half-dressed, sit behind a computer screen, present in front of a messy closet? No. Of course not. So, take the same care with your virtual stage. Set a stage, stand when possible, invest in some lighting, invest in a good webcam, invest in a good mic. These things matter if you want to stand out and deliver a memorable and engaging experience. An experience your attendees will talk about and share. When creating an event, I always think about the experience I want my audience to have and the story I want them to tell. There is no better marketing in the world than having your audience tell their friends and family about their experience.
What are some activities or tools that can make virtual events more engaging?
Creating engaging virtual events takes the same planning and design as live events. Breakout rooms are a great way to create engagement, and the key to their success is good facilitation. Once people leave the main room, you have no idea what’s happening. So, as a facilitator, it’s your job to give great instructions and design interesting and valuable activities. I also love activities like a scavenger hunt. It gets people up out of their chairs and active. When they return, they also are encouraged to engage by sharing their finds. Other tools that help; worksheets or handouts, journal prompts, chat - both public and private. You could assign learning partners and have them share in private chat. Sometimes participants are more comfortable engaging in small groups. It’s a great way to start your program and get people used to communicate with each other.
How can you make virtual events valuable for attendees? Sponsors?
Deliver amazing content that will change their lives! The goal of any event is to either entertain, change behavior, mindset, or skill level. Your content needs to be solid, valuable, and desired. You need to attract the right audience for that content. And you need to deliver the content in a way that engages and helps your audience retain the information. Planting information into long-term memory doesn’t just happen. That’s where good program design comes into play. The key to creating an event that brings value to sponsors is attracting the right audience and aligning the right sponsors. When sponsors are aligned, it’s easy to give them more FaceTime with the audience. Involve them in program delivery. One great way is to have sponsor or vendor breakouts where attendees have a chance to learn from sponsors. Not be sold to, but to learn from and engage with. Creating relationships with sponsors will lead to mutual benefits. I like to open virtual events with a rolling slide show. It sets the tone and gives people something to look at as they enter the event. This is a great place to showcase sponsors, highlight upcoming events and call out special guests.
Are virtual events here to stay?
Virtual events are not going to go away. We will continue to see them evolve. New technology is coming up all the time that makes it easier to gather virtually and gives us more flexibility.
Will virtual events replace live/in-person events?
We’ll never stop meeting in person. There are some things we can’t replicate, like the personal energy you get from being in a room together. I anticipate that we’ll see fewer mid-sized events. Large conferences will come back. They will look different and have a hybrid element to them. Many meetings that were formerly live, we’ve learned that we can do well virtually. The cost-saving to business will dictate a lot of those decisions. I do think that smaller, more intimate events like retreats and workshops will return to live. That said, many event hosts are finding that they like the virtual version better. They can reach a larger, more geographically diverse audience. I can see these hosts doing both.
If you are planning a hybrid event, how do you get enough in-person attendees?
That’s tricky right now. With space restrictions in place, the experience in the room is very different. We can’t have rotating table group discussions, for example. People are spaced out, so conversations are a little more awkward. The good thing right now is, venues are very accommodating to the spacing requirements. You are able to book an entire ballroom for a 50 person event. This also gives us a lot of room to play. You need to get creative with how you facilitate activities. Attracting the live audience requires new marketing tactics. People want to know that safety precautions are in place and their welfare is being looked after. Put that out there, right in front of your audience. There is also a unique scarcity element at play. With limited live seating, these seats become more desirable.
What do you think the future of virtual will be?
I think it will be widely varied. From Virtual Reality conventions to small video and audio group discussions. I think we’ll see more movement in virtual and more ways to interact. I also think we’ll see a more intentional personalized set design. We’re all on stage and the space behind your face is your stage, we’ll start to see more intentional use of that space for personal and professional branding.
