February 17, 2021 | By Lindsay Crafford
t’s
no secret that event marketing is no longer what it used to be. You’ve had
to move
events to the virtual world, which might’ve felt like the untamed
Wild West at times! You’ve also had to overcome attendee inertia about virtual
events, given that more than 85% of them prefer the in-person equivalent and
92% believe the in-person model to be better lead generators.
In
the virtual event landscape, many of the traditional rules regarding attendee
engagement and sponsorship ROI no longer hold. These circumstances might seem
intimidating at first – but they also present an opportunity. You can craft a
new narrative about your brand emphasizing resilience and fun while attracting
an even wider audience than you might’ve previously thought possible.
As
an event marketer, your responsibility is to deliver value to your sponsors and
ensure attendees are engaged. Creating moments of delight for participants
checks off both boxes! Here are five ways you deliver a successful virtual
event, according to Leigh Doyle, VP and Partner at Digital Journal
Group.
1. Ship swag
Whether
it’s a keyring, a T-shirt or a box of chocolates, attendees love the free
tangible goodies they can rack up at events. Why deny them this pleasure in the
virtual equivalent? Consider partnering with sponsors to create boxes of swag
and ship them to attendees before the event kicks off! Sponsors can include
branded materials and invitations to event-only dates to drum up excitement for
attendance. Alternatively, says Doyle, consider pairing a relevant influencer
with each sponsor to help curate elements of the box. Influencers can then post
about the kits to drive up interest and offering only a limited number of such
boxes can increase fear of missing out (FOMO).
2. Host a happy hour
Along
with the swag box, ship a cocktail recipe and ingredients so attendees can
participate in a virtual Happy Hour. A digital hangout can include the sponsor
logo on the screen the entire time to drive home the branding message while
creating a lively networking opportunity for attendees. Hosting separate events
for attendees with similar interests will lead to smaller, more focused and
impactful networking opportunities. Sponsored video games offer another
opportunity for engagement and ROI.
3. Arrange for attendee lunch
Doyle
suggests that attendees receive a custom sponsor code — “SponsorLunch” — to
GrubHub, UberEats, DoorDash or any method for delivery to attendees. The icing
on the cake: attendees save time and stay tuned into your events instead of
logging off to find lunch and never returning. Supporting local businesses is
an added incentive to a moment like this.
4. Get them moving
Don’t
allow dead air between sessions, Doyle advises. “Think through every second of
the content including the gaps that can occur in downtime or as segments
transition. That entertainment or playlist can be sponsored,” she adds. Invite
a big-name DJ to play music that attendees can move to. Arrange for yoga or
meditation sessions conducted by qualified professionals so participants can take
a breather. Deliver these mini events as sponsorship opportunities.
5. Share giveaways during sessions
Create
bingo games or digital scavenger hunts for your audience. “These can be brought
to you by a sponsor and come with a sponsor-provided prize,” Doyle says. During
the event sponsors can deliver virtual swag like passes for Spotify or other
audience-relevant goodies, Doyle adds. The sponsor’s brand name could unlock
the code for online use.
Virtual
events offer unlimited opportunities for attendee engagement, because you can
personalize moments of delight according to audience interests. The rules for a
successful virtual event are being rewritten: Sseize this opportunity to engage
your attendees in whole new ways and create lasting brand loyalty!
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Expertise and best practices for embracing
virtual events
New
to webinars and virtual events? We’re here to help! Check out our remote
work Resource Center with tips and tricks
on how marketers can master the shift while still driving demand and
engagement.
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