Events can be a meaningful way to market a business, but they are also one of the more advanced, complex forms of marketing. If you are looking to run a virtual event for your business, there are a number of factors to consider that may help you get situated. Let’s talk about 7 tips for managing virtual events to make your next event run more smoothly!
Choose a Platform that Serves Your Purpose
There are quite a lot of platforms out there that can be used for virtual events, and they are not all created equal. First and foremost, you want to consider what online platforms will foster the type of event experience you want to offer for everyone involved. What features do you need? How do you want the attendees to interact with you or each other? Do you want to pre-record material or run it live? These are all questions to ask yourself.
Finding the right platform for you also needs to take into account data collection. What information are you trying to gather from those who participate? How does it integrate with the systems and other software you currently use? Can you find a way to do it that will be relatively seamless so you don’t have a ton of manual work to do in order to execute the event?
Craft a Program that Has Value for Your Audience
What does this event involve? Ask yourself what would happen “on stage” if this event were live. Although there can be other draws for the event in terms of selling tickets, the program of the event is the attendee experience and will help them determine if this event is worth attending. Perhaps you have education/continuing education opportunities, workshops, motivational speakers, entertainment, auctions, round-table discussions, Q&As, performances, games. How will you pace the event to ensure that people stay the whole time?
For virtual events, besides the platform itself, the program could be your biggest expense. Know up front if you have budget and how much. If you are trying to book professional speakers, auctioneers, entertainment, etc., you should expect varying levels of fees for their services.
With virtual events, consider how you are facilitating breaks. How often will you give attendees a chance to look away from their screens? And when you do, how will you get their attention back?
Your Event Has Many Target Markets
For the same event, there are many different target markets experiencing it. Staff or volunteers see the more administrative side. Attendees see what is happening in the program, and they are perhaps networking with each other. VIPs want exclusive opportunities within the program. Sponsors and partners are there to get in front of your audience and find new leads. Speakers, performers, or those who are delivering the program will see your event logistically with an operational lens. Vendors could be another contingent you are managing.
For the same event, there are many different target markets experiencing it. #eventmarketing #smallbusiness #smallbiz #biztips #business
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Each of these groups will experience your event in a completely different way, with different goals in mind. It’s important to remember that in how you prepare for the event, how you message to them beforehand, and how you work with them at the event.
Set Ticket Price According to the Purpose of Your Event
This is a big question, and there is not one correct answer to the ticket price question. It could very well be that event revenue is planned in your budget, and it is clear to you that you need to charge for registration. If you have run offline events in the past, consider if the perceived value of the event has changed now that it has gone virtual. If you haven’t run this event offline before, you can look to similar event models to get a sense of ticket prices, which are normally well-advertised.
If you are running the event for the purpose of list building – with the intent of upselling your products and services later – then you may find that a free event serves as a lead magnet for you and adds a higher volume of people to your list for you to nurture over time. Many people use webinars or online workshops in this way. However, I have seen the opposite logic for those with services that have higher price points, who may feel that they want a lower volume of leads that are more qualified, and choose to run their event at a higher ticket cost as a result.
Create an Engaging Event
One of the things that makes event marketing valuable is the forum you create for building relationships within your audience. (See here for a Marketing Tip of the Week all about Marketing Your Community from the Inside!) The more that people network and connect with each other, the stronger their relationships become, the more loyalty and reinforcement there is for your event and your brand. People teaming up will naturally start to hold each other more accountable to your mission or their learnings from your event.
So, how can you foster that at your event? How can you create space for connection? How can you generate content from all the types of target markets who are experiencing your event? What is the vibe you want your event to have?
When you have an offline event, it is far more obvious how to cultivate these opportunities. For virtual events, you may need to work a little harder to create a structure that allows for engagement. But…you’ve already done so much for this event, so why not put thought into area that could make all the difference for building long-term momentum for your business?
Think of Your Event As a Long Marketing Campaign
I encourage you to think of your event as a long marketing campaign begging for you to squeeze every last drop out of it. An event is the backdrop for your outreach, your reason for messaging, and it can be extended for months before and/or after the event takes place. (Read here for more on this). Tease what you’re planning, talk about the excitement around previous events, find ways to partner with other businesses to generate more and more content around your event, share the results and the impact.
Think of your event as a long marketing campaign begging for you to squeeze every last drop out of it. #smallbusiness #biztips #smallbiz #eventmarketing #business
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An event done well can be one of the more complex types of marketing, because there is more opportunity to capitalize on your outreach. Usually events take more effort and time to plan and may involve more budget than some other kinds of marketing, but because of that the potential for reach, awareness, and loyalty building goes up.
Don’t Forget about the Aftermath
Often when people are planning events, they thoroughly flesh out the timeline of what needs to happen in the lead up to the event, but they completely neglect what will happen afterwards. This is an issue.
Let’s face it. Events are a lot of work. There is a certain adrenaline rush that hits you as you get closer to the event, which means that as soon as the event concludes you will come down from that rush. That could feel like exhaustion, a need to sleep or unwind, or even getting sick.
After the event is the BEST time to market it. You just gave people a valuable experience, you collected content from them, and now it is a time to share it and get them excited about the next event you are going to run, the next campaign you are going to do, or whatever else is coming up for your brand.
After the event is the best time to market it. #eventmarketing #smallbusiness #smallbiz #smb #business #biztips
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So, don’t let the aftermath of the event pass you by. Plan a post-event checklist of things you know you need to do logistically or in terms of outreach. Having that plan will allow you to stay in execution mode until your event really is done.
Whatever event you have in mind, good luck with it, and may it be a great marketing opportunity for your business!
Are you planning an event and need guidance to make sure you are making the most of it? Book one hour with me here to talk through your questions or plans!
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