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Virtual event planning could be the next big thing in the industry but is unexplored territory for many. In a special instalment from Endless Events, we take a look at how to plan and prepare mind-blowing virtual events.

Ponder this – in a world where technology develops and improves at an impressive speed, it’s our job as event professionals to keep up with the motions. So why not be the one who takes the first step into more engaging, sustainable events that can connect thousands of people from around the world at lower costs and increased flexibility?

ESTABLISH VIRTUAL EVENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Just like with an in-person event, defining the goals and objectives of your virtual event is a crucial step in planning. At this point, you’ll want to define why you’re putting together this event, and what you’re hoping to achieve. What will your brand and attendees get out of the experience? What are your marketing and financial goals? During this process, you’ll also want to define your target audience clearly, since this is a stepping stone for many aspects of planning and execution. The better you can identify the personas, the more you can cater your virtual event to them.

DEVELOP YOUR VIRTUAL EVENT CONCEPT Developing the concept of your event is extra important when planning a virtual experience. This will help you make the right decisions, especially in a field that is relatively new to event planners. Start with ideation, and let your mind run free. Picture the theme you’ll want your virtual event to follow, and make sure you stand out! Learn from what others have been doing in the virtual event sphere – what did they do right and wrong? How can you draw inspiration from them? Market research can be a powerful tool here. A great way to give a visual representation to your event is to put together a vision board. Take everything you’ve done so far and make it into something more tangible.

CREATE A BUDGET A budget will help you clearly understand where to allocate money. It can help you decide where to splurge and where you may need to cut back when creating your virtual event. This should include the income, the expenses and the estimated versus actual expenses. Make sure you keep the budget updated and create an emergency fund – you want to be proactive in case last-minute expenses pop up.

VIRTUAL EVENT LOGISTICS Your virtual event also needs a date and time, as well as backup dates. When it comes to virtual events, you’re no longer just competing with other events taking place at the same time, on the same day. You’re competing with, essentially, everything – so consider what else that is going on and whether it’s a good idea to hold your virtual event on that date.

CONCEPTUALISE THE FORMAT OF YOUR VIRTUAL EVENT Perhaps one of the biggest mindset shifts

you have to make is considering the format you want for your virtual event. Do you just want a speaker talking to the audience? Do you want the audience to engage? Do you want attendees to be able to go from a virtual room to another? These are all things to consider. Webinars, live streams, web chats, panels and forums – anything is a possibility. But which one fits the goals of your event?

DETERMINE YOUR AV AND PRODUCTION NEEDS You still want to put on a show your attendees will remember for years to come, and virtual events have their own set of audiovisual and production needs that must be met. This is a good time to source a virtual event production company that is already familiar with the game and can walk you through the details. Once you have them booked, you’ll want to connect them with the talent, learn the lingo, and ask for a quote walkthrough. Go about this exactly the same way you would with an AV company for an in-person event. Be educated, ask questions, and look for the best possible deal.

BE MINDFUL OF YOUR TECHNOLOGY In virtual event planning, more than ever, technology takes the driver’s seat. This is where a big chunk of your planning will be spent, so make sure you have the right company by your side. Venue restrictions, rigging and so on won’t be the things you’ll have to worry about but rather things like platform integrations, cybersecurity, platform features, your event app and chatbots.

BE PROACTIVE ABOUT SPEAKERS AND CONTENT The content will be one of the stars of your virtual event, so be proactive about this! Ask your content creators for credentials, previous virtual event experience, and review their portfolios. If you think you found the right match, then it’s time to connect them to the production company.

The speakers are one of the most important parts of the show. And because you’re changing things up and going virtual, you will 100% want to ask them about previous virtual event experience. If it’s clear that they don’t know how to keep the audience engaged and only thrive in traditional settings, it’s best to decide on another person. You’ll also want to choose those who align with the purpose of your event and will add value to the experience as a whole.

FIND ENTERTAINMENT Having entertainment in virtual events is still possible – YouTube is ripe with DJs, bands and artists live-streaming for the entire world to see and enjoy together, even if they’re continents apart. Just because the audience isn’t physically there doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy it. Here, you’ll want to keep the audience in mind when choosing the entertainment.

VIRTUAL PLANNING TIMELINE

2 MONTHS OUT PROMOTE YOUR VIRTUAL EVENT Create hype: ask your speakers and influencers to post on their social channels about your event and let them promote your event and themselves by sharing what interesting topics they will be discussing. Also, send out all press releases to media outlets to spread awareness of your event.

1 MONTH OUT This is the stage in virtual event planning when you’ll want to start tying all the loose ends. Contact all the necessary people to confirm times and find out if there are any lastminute questions, concerns or needs. This is also the time to request payments, so that all pre-event bills are done and dealt with. Four weeks before the big day, designate a way to communicate virtually. Whether it’s a private chat room or a specific tool for your team, they need to be in constant contact with each other, particularly during a remote event.

DAY OF The day of your virtual event is finally here! So, make sure you have fun and have a comfortable space around you. Yes, it’s remote, but you won’t want the event to take place while you have a pile of socks on your desk or space! Make sure the atmosphere is pleasant and comfortable for you. Know and agree on who is responsible for what, and consistently check in with your partnerships. Use your event app to crowdsource and check your event’s hashtag for immediate attendee feedback. This allows you to make instant programme changes should you need to. And, last but not least, collect feedback from your attendees. The easiest way to do this is through your event app, but you can also administer online surveys. Give them some sort of incentive to fill them out!

POST EVENT Have a post-event meeting – the sooner, the better! Debrief with your entire staff, share all the data, and get all of the problems and successes out in the open to discuss. Review your event goals, whether you achieved them, and if not, document why. Make sure you keep notes of this meeting for future planning. Go over the budget by reviewing budget versus actual expenditures to calculate your return on investment. This is a good time to tie up postevent loose ends. Be sure to send sponsors the data from your event, store away the feedback and data you have collected, and use it to decide what worked and what needs changing for your next event. Finally, send thankyou notes to sponsors, speakers, donors, media and partners. For more tips, tools and resources, visit helloendless.com