How to Avoid Virtual and Hybrid Event Fails
When virtual and hybrid events became a booming industry practically overnight, there was a lot that event planners didn't know when organizing their events. It took trial and error (and event fails) until lessons learned became best practices.
We've definitely seen our fair share of virtual events fails over the past year. Some of the mishaps would have made you cringe and some would have made you laugh out loud. With these 5 lessons learned, you are bound to be headed in the right direction for a successful virtual event.
#1 - Choosing a platform before deciding your event goals.
Always decide your event goals and design the layout of the event before choosing a platform. It's important to find a platform that meets all of your needs rather than choosing a platform and then organizing your event based on what that platform can do. This will allow you to get the most out of your event and accomplish all of your events goals.
#2 - Having an overload of presentations/sessions scheduled without time for breaks
With virtual events, attendees are looking for more of an experience. They are on their computers everyday doing work, so attending an event that has a balance between work and play is their dream come true.
When planning your event, include fun interactive segments of entertainment (music, mixology, magic, yoga, etc.) spread out randomly throughout your event's schedule. According to Forbes article, a study on the scheduling platform Doodle showed that there was a "296% increase in group meetings for virtual-only happy hours, cocktail hours, wine/beer/drink social events," and a "100% increase in group meetings booked for virtual-only yoga, dance, exercise, workout, fitness, aerobics, and Pilates sessions."
#3 - Assuming your event will go off without a hitch
As we all learned in 2020…expect the unexpected. Make sure you test your platform multiple times before the event to make sure everything is running smoothly. You want you and your team to be total professionals of your event's platform so that you know what to do when something happens.
Also, make sure you do a sound check and run through with all of the speakers, hosts, entertainers, and anyone else who is involved in the event. This ensures that you can make any edits to their set up and answer any questions they may have. You don't want a CATastrophe like this one… watch here!
#4 - Not prepping your speakers, hosts, or entertainer
Make sure all of your talent is familiar with the platform you choose to host your event on. Double check that they had time to explore it or even do a walk-through with them. The last thing you need is your event host not knowing how to virtually bring someone on stage or unmute themselves. If your talent is music, you will definitely want to do a sound check. Every platform is a little different so you will want to ensure that musicians test their levels and don't get any feedback.
#5 - Not taking advantage of basic audio and visual improvements
It doesn't take a lot to significantly improve the quality of your audio and video. The easiest thing you can do is declutter your space or make sure you have a solid background. If you don't have anywhere in your home that is aesthetically pleasing, use a digital background!
You can also use a ring light or just a lamp to improve your lighting and make yourself clear and visible. If you have a microphone - use it! You can get a quality microphone for about $20 and it will make a world of difference. Again if you are booking music, it is highly suggested that they use a microphone.
Make your virtual event unforgettable…in the best way possible! Learn more about how EVA can help make your event a success at bookwitheva.com or speak with an event expert here.
