Innovating with Virtual Events: The Playbook

Virtual events have been growing in popularity over the last few years, and recent events (like the COVID-19 lockdowns) have propelled them into the spotlight like never before.

Enterprises are beginning to really see the value in virtual events like live video broadcasts and remote training camps. 

They’re learning that this can be an incredibly effective way to reach huge numbers of customers at scale, with logistical ease and relatively low overhead costs.

In this virtual events playbook, we’ll take a look at why virtual events are so valuable, some examples, and how to create experiences that will leave an impression on your audience even when they aren’t physically present.

Why Host a Virtual Event?

The most obvious current reason to host virtual events is a simple necessity. The COVID-19 lockdowns have grounded millions of us in our homes and prevented any kind of travel or gathering in groups.

This is the perfect opportunity to invest in virtual events, allowing you to reach your audience and make one-to-many presentations while still adhering to the rules of lockdowns.

However, even in easier times, there are lots of advantages to virtual events. These include:

They’re highly scalable and flexible

It’s easy to add extra people to a virtual event. You don’t have a limited number of seats or floor space, and you don’t have to work within the usual physical boundaries.

Joining virtual events is as simple as signing up and connecting, which means it’s incredibly easy to simply add new attendees. The ease of access also means people are less likely to drop out or be unable to attend. 

A flat tire might stop you from reaching a store or mall miles away from home, but not a virtual event.

They’re more eco-friendly

Concerns about the environment and our impact on it are becoming a major part of doing business. 

Virtual events and presentations have the potential to save a lot of energy, thanks to a reduced need for equipment and space, and the fact that people can attend from home. 

Traditional shopping requires people to jump in a car or bus and travel miles to a crowded shopping center, where they may or may not make a purchase. Fortunately, virtual events are much more sustainable.

They’re cheaper

This reduction in travel and removal of venues has another benefit: virtual events are much cheaper to host and attend. 

Sales teams can present and demo products to lots of customers at one time, wherever they are. This is much more time- and cost-efficient than separate 1-1 interactions.

There are still some costs involved in virtual events, but they’re much more affordable.

They allow Conversational Selling from a distance

Let’s break those concepts down a little bit.

Conversational Sales and Marketing are approaches to selling that focus on building relationships and nurturing customers over time using conversations. Chatbots, live chat, and video broadcasts are just some of the tools to help with this.

Conversational Sales and Marketing are an extremely effective strategy for connecting with customers and growing your business, and virtual events help maintain this approach even when people are physically separated.

It’s worth taking the time to build and host virtual events. They show your audience that you’re still interested in them and committed to building and cultivating your relationships, and they’re extremely personal by nature.