Take a quick snapshot of today’s virtual events, and it’s clear that the way we engage, interact, and collaborate with our colleagues and peers has changed. Forever. Moving your organization forward in a post pandemic, hybrid, or remote working environment is a new paradigm. One built from an always-on potential connection. But one that needs to be built with the strongest of cores to succeed. Virtual events give all stakeholders a seat at the table. A chance for everyone to be seen and heard. It all starts with identifying clear event objectives. Here are the top 5 ways to make the most of your virtual event.

Identify Your Virtual Event Objectives 

Whether you’re delivering an internal virtual event for your team – or an external product launch for prospects and customers – your goals and objectives play a huge role in building, promoting, and running your event. And if you don’t define your purpose clearly from the outset, there’s no way to effectively identify whether you’re succeeding. Start by setting goals that are realistic. What priorities should attendees be coming into your event with? What value do you want your audience to walk away with? Will a clear mission have been established when the event concludes? Does the outcome of the event set your team up for success moving forward? Once your objectives are set, now it’s time to have a clear agenda for your virtual event and start connecting your audience to their run of show.

Have a Clear Event Agenda

Ensuring your audience gets the most value out of your virtual event starts with a clear and well thought out agenda. What needs to be discussed? Who are your speakers? Are presentations needed? How will your audience and speakers interact? A clear agenda will eliminate down-time and distractions from the mission at hand.

Starting and ending your virtual event with powerful keynote speakers will help ensure excitement resonates throughout, from beginning to end. The agenda should also include break times, allowing everyone to recharge and then regroup. A clear agenda will let your attendees know how they can make the most of your time together.

The Right Tech & Tools to Optimize Your Virtual Event

The right setting, tech and tools are the last things you need to be worried about preparing for an event. At Jugo, all the tools you need are provided. From onboarding to making sure everyone can be seen and heard, to chat functions, launch poll questions – and even live audience Q&A with speakers on stage – the right tools and interaction dynamics allow you to get a feel for the room moving forward. Sentiment, experience and real-time insights all play a critical part in how you continue to shape your virtual event – both in real-time and post show.

Effective performance management

Jugo provides your speakers with a unique viewing dashboard, taking the pressure off your executives from having to ‘host’ – and instead, able to focus on being a keynote speaker, interacting with the attendees or tracking the progress of the event. Understanding how you’re going to manage all of your performers – and this should include your audience participation – proactively, will keep you cool, calm and collected when you go live. Consider things like speaker briefings, best practice guides, pre-loaded generic audience welcome messages and troubleshooting for those pesky technical last-minute queries, and you’ll save a lot of time and potential frustration.

Name Your Virtual Event Value Proposition

Your virtual event’s value proposition is arguably the most important element your attendees need to know. Your value proposition lets attendees know why they should attend and why it is a ‘can’t miss’ event. The value proposition should be crystal clear, excite and motivate engagement – well before you’re live.

While your content and messaging is, of course, critical to communicating this – don’t underestimate the power of good design. What does your registration page look like? Your agenda? What about your virtual stage? All of these visual components help support how your potential audience interpret and judge your written proposition.

If you’re looking for a few more virtual event tips – including why the ‘Medium is the Message’ – have a click through our other Resource articles (you can even book a demo with one of the Jugo team!)