5 Factors to Consider When Planning Virtual Corporate Events

When surveyed, 72% of people said they expected to attend the same amount, or more virtual events this year when compared with 2021.

It’s safe to state, based on this response, that virtual events in the corporate world are here to stay. It can offer companies a range of benefits, including reduced overhead costs, no transport costs, and increased accessibility for all delegates. 

So when it comes to virtual corporate events, what are the things you need to bear in mind to make your virtual event a success? Virtual corporate events come with their own unique challenges and hurdles.

However, with a bit of forward planning, you can make sure your corporate event goes smoothly, without any glitches. Here are our 5 top tips to consider when planning a virtual corporate event, and what you can do to make yours stand out from the crowd.

1. Work With Virtual Event Professionals

In the same way that you would work with in-person event planners, there are professional virtual event planners that can take your virtual event to the next level.

They will have knowledgeable and professional virtual event planners who are confident and capable of planning virtual corporate events.

Whether this is a conference-based event or a team-building day, a virtual event planner will have plenty of packages and corporate event ideas for you to choose from. 

Brightvisionevents.co.uk is one virtual corporate event company that can provide expert event planning strategies and help from conception to event completion. 

It can be difficult to engage and retain audience attention for online events without the know-how and expertise. The last thing you want is to let your employees or attendees feel as if they are unable to participate or enjoy the event.

That’s why working with a corporate virtual event company is a sure bet to ensure your event delivers. 

2. Appoint a Competent and Engaging Host 

A compere or overall host for the virtual event is critical to make sure that everyone is aware of what they should be doing and at what times.

They need to be confident to talk to a number of people in a virtual setting, but not overbearing to the point where nobody feels like they can add to the conversation.

A successful virtual host needs to be acutely aware of how to facilitate the downtime and space between workshops or activities, and put people at ease in a virtual environment. 

Depending on the tone and purpose of your event, this can help you decide who would be a good host for the virtual event.

Work out if you want to achieve from the day or evening, and then make sure you have a host that can steer your goals to the forefront.

3. Choose a Reliable Hosting Platform 

Choosing a reliable hosting platform is key to making sure your virtual event runs smoothly on the day. Depending on the kind of virtual event it is, it might be that you need additional features such as online whiteboards or break-out rooms. 

Zoom and Microsoft teams are great for corporate virtual events as they have the extra features and settings for an online business environment.

Make sure to send out any key information such as meeting IDs and adjust the privacy settings ahead of time. This is to prevent any attendees from having problems finding or using the platform. 

It can be handy to trial run your virtual event at least a day before and catch any snags or problems. Your meeting or event host will need to have a reliable internet source and upload/download speeds to accommodate all of the users. 

4. Have a Schedule and Stick to It 

Send out a schedule to all of your attendees ahead of time so that they will know what to expect from your event. Make sure to have general run times for each activity or section in a clear and concise format. 

It’s also helpful to schedule regular breaks for your guests so that they can decompress and refocus for each segment.

Sitting in front of a screen all day can be draining for even the most engaging event, allowing people the chance to have a breather and stretch their legs. 

You’ll also need a moderator and person to check that things are running according to the schedule. It might be that certain speakers or activities will need to be wrapped up sooner if it runs the risk of cutting into other segments. 

One helpful way of doing things is having a polite 2-minute reminder that can be typed into the live comment section. This allows the host to wrap things up delicately, without having someone speak over or interrupt people. 

5. Provide Follow up Opportunities and Feedback 

After your virtual event, it can be great to receive feedback from some of your attendees to find out what they felt went well with the event and what could be improved.

Sometimes it can be hard to see what went well and what didn’t if you are hosting or participating in a virtual event. But your attendees will have seen first-hand exactly what worked with your presentation and what needs tweaking in the future.

Send out an email with a small questionnaire that you can collect data from and then use this to inform your decisions for any further virtual corporate events. 

Virtual Corporate Events: How to Be Successful

It can be a bit daunting to host a virtual corporate event if you’ve not had much experience previously. 

But recent technological advancements in the past decade have made virtual corporate events so much easier and streamlined to host.

Take advantage of all the technology on offer, get organized, and send out your invites with plenty of time for attendees to respond. 

If you’re interested in learning more about virtual events, please make sure to read through some of the previous posts on our website.