Go the Extra Mile

All of the extras people talk about when it comes to engaging audiences during an online event: polling, chat feeds, 1:1 networking appointments, giveaways, bonus content… is it all worth the extra work? The CMP* in me always defaults to “Do they support the goals and objectives of the event?” But as someone who recently hosted a successful 3-day online event experience, I say a resounding “Yes!”

People are craving in-person experiences. Since a lot of events are still in an online-only format, how do you foster community and meet that need? You have to help the attendees see how they can interact with each other digitally, how easy it is to interact with each other, and do the work to guide them through it.

So how do you go the extra mile? Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Open the online platform or event website a few days early so the attendees can become familiar with how it functions and check their technology. Make sure you have a way for them to contact “tech support” so they can get advice on ensuring their speakers work, checking their internet speed, or walking them through updating their browsers.
• Encourage participation by engaging in the chat, giving away prizes for answering polling questions, or have exhibitors in the virtual trade show offer pre-show specials.
• Release short “how-to” videos within your pre-event marketing campaign to show the attendees how to access the various pages of the website such as where they can find speaker bios and photos, session descriptions, or vendor information.
• During the event, use the down time during a break to interact live with the audience to show them you are actually watching/listening to them in the chat! Read some comments or call people out. People love to hear their names. It makes the experience feel that much more personal.

Do these things take a little extra effort? Sure. As you are reimagining your event from in-person to online, can it feel like another task on a never-ending list? Absolutely. Will you feel it in a couple of months. Probably not. But, will your attendees remember their experience for weeks or months to come and share it with others? Definitely.

Long story long…take a deep breath, pull up your bootstraps, and go the extra mile. You will be so glad you did!

*CMP is a Certified Meeting Professional designation by the Events Industry Council.

Have you added “extras” to your online event? I’d love to hear what you did,
share them here or email me!

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