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The world has experienced rapid digital transformation in the past year, and business is taking place online more and more. Not just with the everyday routine of digital team meetings, but also corporate events. There is a wide spectrum of business events, and it’s important to understand how to successfully translate them into an online format.

What types of event are there?

Let’s begin by exploring the various styles of business events. They revolve around educating or rewarding employees, or trying to promote your business further. For example, a product launch promotes a company, whereas a conference is useful for training and industry networking. Virtual events are a smart option for businesses. They cost less, reach a wider audience and are more sustainable. The style of your event will depend on the nature of your business.

Preparation 

However, small or large your event is, having a strategy is key. Ask yourself: what do you want to achieve from it? Then figure out how you’re going to achieve this goal. Make your agenda clear and concise, so it’s easily understood by everyone involved in the event. Not just the hosts and speakers, but the attendees too. It’s also important to prepare for tech issues. Test your equipment beforehand, that way you can resolve any issues before the event. 

Engage Your Audience

The attendees need to be at the forefront of your mind throughout the planning process. How can you make it appealing to them? You need to keep their interest throughout. Create plenty of opportunities for audience interaction. A simple way to achieve this is by running a Q&A during the event. This allows the audience to get involved and get the information they want from the event. You could allocate time to create small, breakaway, groups to open up further discussions. 

Team Communication 

Before the event, make sure to communicate with fellow organisers and any speakers. You want things to run as smoothly as possible. A rehearsal could help put nerves at ease and offer a chance to double-check that all equipment and software is working correctly. It could help you figure out if you need to account for buffering or delay times within the event’s schedule. Make sure everyone involved in putting the event together is confident about the proceedings.  

Online events aren’t going anywhere, so it’s vital for companies to get to grips with them and understand how to run them successfully. Do you have any tips for putting together a virtual business event?