It is no surprise that the world is moving online. It has been heading that way since the dawn of the internet and social media has increased the speed of the transition in recent years. Then Covid-19 hit and we have been catapulted into unfamiliar territory, with companies forced to re-structure their connectivity and advertising. One of the biggest challenges has been in planning and running company events.
Company events like workshops, lessons, promotions, auctions, sales, and ceremonies play a huge role in establishing your brand. They are opportunities to speak directly to certain populations like team members or customers. You have an open audience to give your message to, ensuring brand confidence and personal connection. Read ahead to learn about the importance of maintaining events during these unusual times to grow and sustain your business.
To take a deep dive into how digital events work, we have to remember the benefits of live events prior to the pandemic. We decorated, included our little details, ate food, took photos, and networked with clients. Our personal touch impacted our teams and customers and increased and spread confidence in our communities.
During business events, we recognized our valuable team members with awards and accolades, we encouraged and motivated them to learn more about our company goals and built our relationships between team members for overall joy in the workplace.
We invited our treasured patrons to preview new items or services, held sales of our lesser-known products and auctions to move our older products, networked with new clients and learned about their wants and needs, and connected to complementary industries. We made ourselves available to our customers in a social way and interacted in ideal and fun environments.
Since the pandemic began, it has been reported that over 3 billion dollars worldwide is being spent on digital online events. On average, companies are spending approximately 25% of their entire marketing budgets on digital events in order to enter this new environment. How does this compare to what you currently spend?
Aside from the fact that the world is increasingly moving to digital platforms, another reason to move to digital event planning is the relief from the stresses of in-person events. No more worries about venue overbookings, rules of on-site vendors, insurance, print materials, and travel and storage costs.
Another study found that casual event attendees spent on average $81 at events and this number is projected to increase year over year. If you are not taking advantage of online digital events, you may be missing the first step to propelling your business into this new world.
There is a tangible opportunity here for businesses to embrace the digital evolution and experiment with new ways of running their companies. Planning a digital event or pivoting your typically in-person event to a digital format is not only possible but can be awesome!
Step one is making your subject relevant and appropriate. What do you want to achieve with your event? Identify your goal and ensure that your event covers it. The focus should NOT be on a product but on solving a problem that your customer has. Remember to include inspirational and optimistic messaging to meet the needs of a dejected population in search of a change.
Step two is making sure to use the right platform or “venue”. If your in-person event would have had different mediums such as chats, meals, meetings, presentations or more, then you may want to consider using different digital mediums such as meetings, social media chats, and smaller segments that can be taken in when the participant is ready.
Ensure your digital event includes a personal touch. Does your event make people think of you, increase positive feelings about your business and make people remember you when they are looking for your service? Include your face, your logo, and as much of YOU as possible.
Use your event to learn more about your customers. This is called metrics. You want to connect, find out information about their needs, and record that information. This can be as simple as registration info or surveys and as complex as using website performance indicators. Either way, you will want to know how well your event worked so you can improve it for next time!
Follow up after the event. Once your event has completed, connect with the attendees and find out what they enjoyed. Remind them of who you are, how to reach out to you, and where to find you on the internet. Open the door so when they are looking for your product, or a friend reaches out for a recommendation, you come to mind.
Today’s most successful businesses are the ones who are embracing innovation and pivoting to the new online platforms to engage their clients. There has never been another time where being present and available online has ever been as relevant to accomplishment. Take advantage of this chance to explore the road to making your planned in-person event a digital one or planning one right from the ground up. You will be pleasantly surprised at the opportunities it can present to you and the sales it will drive towards your business. Reach out to Heather and the Van Patter Group if you aren’t sure where to start and they can ensure your digital event is marketed successfully to ensure its success!