You can create a better Virtual Summit with proper design, planning, aspects, and other elements. It can be a little different when you need to plan a virtual event instead of a physical one. So, you need to know a complete procedure.
Hence, here is a comprehensive list of steps you can consider to plan a virtual event and make it successful.
How to Plan a Successful Virtual Summit?
7 Steps that can be helpful in planning a successful virtual summit are as follows:
1. Pick the Right Event Date Or Time
You will need to choose a proper date and time for your virtual summit. It should be as per your audience’s availability. Moreover, you have to pick the right date and time. If you choose a morning time on the weekend, it will automatically reduce your login count. So, consider a proper time or use social media polling to decide.
2. Plan The Content of Your Virtual Event
A.) Schedule Recording Time for Each Speaker:
You have to finalize the total duration of your virtual summit. Then you have to divide the total time into small sessions. Moreover, you have to fix a proper time for every speaker so that they can join and explore the virtual event.
B.) Film and Edit Each Speaker Session:
You may intend to create a pre-recorded session. But you will need a proper corporation of speakers to develop such a session. So, just discuss with experts, find the best place, collect all the equipment, and start filming. Don’t let the expert go nervous. Moreover, ask the speaker to practice well and create proper notes of the facts they would like to include in their virtual conference platform session.
C.) Insert Recorded Sessions to the Appropriate Place Privately:
You have to keep the recording safe and secure. It can be helpful in further promotion and marketing of our virtual event. Moreover, you can create a proper space for such recording on your website for on-demand video sharing. You can charge a bit of money or sign up for your pre-recorded videos.
D.) Decide on Free / Paid / Freemium:
You have to finalize whether you will make your virtual event a free, paid, or subscription-based event. Because it is the best way to tell your audience and get them at your event. However, you can define the charges and every condition to join the event in advance.
3. Decide Your Virtual Event Speakers
A.) Choose Your Speakers:
You have to search the speakers for your virtual event platform. It is necessary to search on various platforms. Moreover, you can look at Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms. You can find highly qualified industry specialists on these platforms. So, compare their skills and knowledge to shortlist the best ones for your event. Also, you will need to consider the relevance of your topic in order to choose the best one. You will need to send the invitations to the shortlisted speakers via email. However, share all the details about your virtual expo and ask for their availability. In addition, you can create a pre-recorded session for the speakers who will not be available. But you want it in your event.
B.) Create Collateral for Speakers:
You can create various FAQs, speaker releases, and other aspects to make your speakers shine in your virtual event. It can be beneficial to create a better engagement of the attendees throughout the event.
4. Create a Microsite as well as a Landing & Registration Page
You can create a microsite with the virtual summit platform. The experts will provide you with a microsite that you can use for the promotion and marketing of your event online. You can direct your attendees to a landing page on a microsite where they can get complete knowledge of your virtual event, from speakers to topics, to sessions, to duration. Also, you can add a link to your registration page on your promotional images, infographics, and others as well as your landing page. Moreover, you can direct them and make them register and log in to your virtual event.
5. Virtual Event Promotion
You have to prepare for your virtual event promotion with various infographics, images, gifs, videos, trailers, teasers, and more. Moreover, you have to create a good list of areas you will cover to market your virtual event.
- Identify your audience that can give you some profit
- Consider paid campaigns and ads
- Start posts and contests on social media
- Launch email marketing
- Create an event microsite with virtual conference service providers
- Use content marketing with a Press release and Guest posts
- Make an announcement at your official website
- Offer referral discounts
- Ask the sponsors and speakers to market on their social media accounts.
6. Launch the Virtual Summit Platform
You have ideated, created, designed, and promoted your virtual expo platform. Now is the time to launch your event. But before that, you have to run a test. Moreover, you have to take a test drive by clicking all the touchpoints, links, and other aspects. You can create a better experience by taking a test drive yourself. Also, you can ask for changes and betterment if you think any of the parts are not working correctly.
7. Take Follow-up After the Summit Is Over
You will have to ensure that the users have enjoyed your virtual fest platform experience. Moreover, you have to create a survey form with all the questions in it that can be helpful in knowing their perspective on your event arrangement. It is necessary to take the follow-ups as soon as the event ends. So, create a separate session for the follow-up submission. Also, you can pop up the survey form on the screen at the end of your virtual event. You can create an appealing survey or feedback form using the available online form builder. Additionally, you must be sending the feedback emails to the attendees by mail.
So, these are the various steps that can be helpful in planning your next virtual summit successfully. You can create a seamless and immersive event experience for all the users.
Hope, you will find this article beneficial in planning a successful virtual summit in 2022.
