While the COVID-19 pandemic has altered so many aspects of the business routine, nowhere has the change been more apparent than around virtual events.
It appears there is no end in sight for this shift, but this moment of uncertainty opens the door to possibility.
As I’ve noted previously, most employed Americans (54%) say they are not ready to attend large conferences or work events. Candidly, this unwillingness is not a surprise; however, it does have ramifications for operations for the rest of the year.
As home-based businesses have shown for years, remote working does not result in diminished productivity, a lesson small, medium, and large organizations learned amid the pandemic. The same holds true for events and conferences, which have migrated online in the wake of COVID-19 with positive results.
I believe many organizations will likely employ a hybrid approach for their events for the foreseeable future. Here are some of the critical lessons from virtual events amid COVID-19.
1. Pivot quickly
Perhaps the most significant takeaway is the notion that businesses, when pressed, can pivot quickly. As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic began to pick up steam, organizations quickly canceled in-person events and meetings and moved them online.
So many organizations found success with this approach.
Even when the world reopens, it seems likely organizations will continue to keep virtual meetings in their arsenal of tools, in part because now that they have experience with them, they can quickly deploy these offerings as demands necessitate. As small businesses have seen over the years, being able to pivot quickly can give a competitive advantage to smaller companies as they can often do so more rapidly than their larger counterparts.
2. Recalibrate the thinking for positive results
At the onset of the pandemic, many organizations expressed concerns about transitioning to virtual events, presuming they are more challenging to plan and execute. But, virtual events are eminently doable for any organization considering an in-person gathering — no matter how large or how small.
They require some recalibrated thinking, but they do not necessitate organizations sacrifice quality. It requires looking at an event — from the run of the show to the speakers themselves — through an online audience’s lens.
The result is some aspects of the event may have to be scrapped while others may need to be delivered in a new way. For the small business looking to make a big impact, take a hard look at what you plan to say then hone both the message and the delivery.
3. Renew the focus on content
One of the real benefits of virtual events is that it forces companies to look at their content and message in a new light. They must make sure it resonates with how people are consuming information in this virtual era.
The most impactful virtual events are the ones that are well-thought-out and well-executed. They are the ones that feature content created in advance to deliver a smooth experience for everyone involved.
Even amid the quarantine and social-distancing rules, people are busy, and no one is beholden to a virtual gathering. Those who are successful first earn an audience’s interest then work to keep it through fresh, relevant and insightful content.
4. Forge stronger connections
One of the most significant benefits we hear from many companies is that online gatherings forge stronger connections with their audiences. Because they are already digital, organizations can use that to their advantage.
For example, you can conduct a pre-event survey and use those findings to tailor content to attendees. You can also take similar action on the back end to deliver information even after the event wraps to maintain those connections outside of a formal gathering.
A successful event can leave people fulfilled and motivated. But, it should always leave them open and willing to return for more insights that inspire them to act.
5. Prioritize human relationships
There is no clear answer to when the working world will return to so-called “normal” operations. Instead, what we’re seeing emerge is a “Next Normal,” prioritizing relationships ahead of other factors, such as the location of participants.
Small businesses have historically prioritized relationships as a competitive advantage or a way to differentiate against larger organizations. The opportunity for small business owners now is to seize this moment and use it to position themselves for what lies ahead. As the famous saying often attributed to Pliny the Elder goes, “the only certainty is uncertainty.”
If we wait for times of certainty, we’ll be waiting forever. Instead, companies must find moments to connect with their audiences and create memorable moments that exceed both their expectations and their stakeholders’ expectations.
If there is a silver lining in the pandemic, perhaps it is that companies can operate in a new way. But the real measure of success is how businesses take and operationalize the lessons of today to elevate their game for tomorrow and beyond.
