Our first “Virtual Events 101” bootcamp was a great success. Here is our video on preparing speakers for your virtual event. You can also view the bootcamp recordings and experience our ER Virtual Conference software by signing up here. Here is the article that covers many of the topics in this video.
Lights, camera, action–if only it were that easy to present a virtual event! We’ve put together a list of 8 tips to help prepare your speakers for their virtual debut. 1. Create a speaker tool kit. Put together a packet of information for your speakers so that they know exactly what to expect: Include a calendar with any deadlines and practice sessions clearly noted. Provide access to any branded conference materials such as PowerPoint/Google Slide templates or virtual conference backgrounds. Send download and installation instructions for any conferencing software they will need to use. 2. Give equipment and setup suggestions.... Read more »
At a recent gathering of the Baltimore Tech Breakfast, I saw a demonstration of technology that could change the way A/V is used at events. The product is called SpeakerBlast and instead of using a central speaker system, it uses Internet connected devices as the broadcasting medium. So in lieu of the labor and expense of installing A/V hardware, the system sends the audio presentation through smartphones, laptops and tablets. A real life example of the technology was demonstrated at the Tech Breakfast. The most remarkable aspect of the demonstration was that the music always stayed in sync despite being... Read more »
LinkedIn is now the premier social media web site for business. If your conference is targeting professionals in business, education and government, LinkedIn is not to be ignored, although they have discontinued the app for creating events. There are still many great ways for your meeting to be promoted on LinkedIn. Post updates on your personal and organization page that link to your online registration form. Use headline terminology, such as registration for your conference “is now open!” Post status updates about meeting news such as speaker updates, the venue, and so forth. Have a LinkedIn icon on your online... Read more »
In a previous article Use Twitter at Your Conference we discussed how to use Twitter to increase attendee engagement. Assuming you have created a great hashtag, the general idea is to use this Twitter hashtag to create the “go to” place to get information about the conference. Continuing this idea, the conference does not need to stop being an important resource once the show is over. In fact, you can continue your attendee engagement long after everyone has gone home. Following the principles set forth in our previous articles, here are some simple things you can do with Twitter to... Read more »
In a previous article Use Twitter to Promote Your Conference we discussed how to use Twitter for generating buzz about your conference. Because Twitter posts (called a “Tweet”) are restricted to text messages of 140 characters or less, the tool is perfect for generating headlines and small news stories. While this is tremendous to promote your conference, Tweets can be used with great effectiveness to increase attendee engagement and enthusiasm at the conference itself. This, in turn, will make the meeting more memorable and help build your brand. Before reviewing techniques you can use, a couple of general issues should... Read more »
In case you didn’t already know, the meetings industry is considered the second most wasteful. Because of this, the industry has made a great deal of effort in the last few years to become more environmentally sustainable. A meeting that implements sustainable practices is called a “green meeting.” This phrase leaves some room for interpretation, but the upshot is clear – consider the environmental impacts through all stages of a meeting and seek to reduce negative consequences. Greening your meeting can be very complicated and difficult to understand especially in regards to things like travel, building usage, food and beverage,... Read more »
In the past few years, Twitter has become one of the most useful and popular tools for promoting events and conferences. Because Twitter posts (called a “tweet”) are restricted to text messages of 140 characters or less, the tool is perfect for generating headline and small news stories. Combined with links to websites, you can make powerful information about your show available to real and potential attendees in an easy-to-read steady stream. This stream is a great vehicle for generating buzz about your conference. The first step in making Twitter work effectively for your conference is to choose a great... Read more »
Though QR codes have been around since 1994 (when they were created by a Toyota subsidiary), in the last few years these codes have become one of the hottest marketing tools around. QR codes can now be found everywhere from online sites to stickers to tattoos(!) to lampposts. The main reason for this stunning rise in popularity has been the emergence of the smartphone and free, easy to use scanning apps. QR (or Quick Response) codes are simply a different type of bar code. When scanned by a reader the code typically returns a website URL. When using one of... Read more »
