Here’s some interesting news: about 42% of businesses are planning to hold their next big event – online. Not great news for hotels and airlines, but in terms of cost savings for businesses, the news couldn’t be any brighter.
Why do virtual events? It’ll save you money – and it’s extremely convenient for all who decide to attend. And we’re not talking a Webinar or Telesummit. We’re talking almost anything you would do with a typical event you can now do online. The biggest reason to hold a virtual event? Build your customer and potential customer lists. Because the more customers, prospects and interested parties you can get who are willing to be on your list – the better it is for your business.
But before you hire someone to plug you in to the technology that you’ll need to hold virtual events, let’s take a look at some tips that’ll ensure success.
The worst thing that can happen is that you host a party and nobody shows up. Well, the same thing can happen with a virtual event. What will make people show up? Design it for the audience, not for yourself. To get it right, ask! Reach out to your list and ask what they’d like to hear. Learn what issues are keeping your target market awake at night, and design an event to meet those needs.
Next, create a virtual event plan. This is how you’re going to let your people know about your event, what marketing channels to use and how much it will cost you. Channels include all the usual suspects; Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other online communities. If it seems like it’s going to be quite costly, find yourself some joint venture partners. Here are some examples:
• Ask your speakers to promote your event
• Ask people in your network who have their own audience to promote your event
• Find and ask people you don’t know who have big lists to promote your event – it’s added value for their people
Finally, you need to plan out your virtual event. You need to invite speakers, get their content or create special materials. You have to let people know about the event, so you’ll need to create marketing copy and design materials and email invitations. You may even need to create a shopping cart, and an RSVP program. Plus, you’ll need to plan on contacting attendees after the event.
You’ll probably need some outside help, from web and graphic designers to event planners and virtual assistants. But if you do it right, you’ll reach your goal of building your list – and possibly making some money in the process.
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