PERSONALISED VIRTUAL EVENTS
2020 was certainly the year in which the attendance of virtual events went through the roof. As more restrictions are lifted this year, we’ve seen a substantial increase in the appetite for in person events again via our sister website, flavourvenuesearch.com. However, virtual event bookings are still being made, primarily in conjunction with conferences, events for companies with geographical distance between their teams, and for welcoming new starters. Having spent a long time working and socialising online, some virtual event attendees may lose interest if the content and experience isn’t structured to keep them engaged. Here are a few tips on how to personalise virtual events for maximum enjoyment.
Human connections
Without the physical presence and environment offered by in-person events, virtual events run the risk of being too passive for the audience. To keep guests engaged, choose an event which requires their participation, such as an escape room, immersive murder mystery event or craft workshop. It’s also important to make sure the event has a good host who will encourage participation and enthusiasm, but also recognise when an attendee would prefer not to be in the spotlight. Direct interaction between hosts and attendees, or amongst the attendees themselves makes guests feel part of the event, so encourage the use of chat features and conversation. However, retain a structure, so that guests aren’t talking over each other.
Personalised content
To keep your event fresh and memorable, make sure the organisers are including personalised content wherever possible. For example, if you’re celebrating a company achievement, have the event host reference this. When including an activity as part of a virtual conference, have the organisers include branded visuals, mention the company, or even play a promotional video. You can also request that a representative from your organisation address the audience during the event too. If your online event includes music or visuals, request the opportunity to customise them. If you’re playing virtual music bingo to celebrate a birthday, make sure the guest of honour gets to hear their favourite songs. Also, if the event is in celebration of a birthday, staff leaving party, or to welcome new starters, let your host know so they can pay special attention to guests of honour.
Special touches
A great virtual event begins long before the guests log in. For instance, some events come with instructional emails which explain game rules and conferencing software functions. Ask for these to be personalised with wording and images reflecting your team or specific event. The event itself could be renamed to strike a chord with attendees too. Interactive games like Gameshow Bonanza offer the opportunity to add or remove rounds to suit guests and timescale. Bookers even have the opportunity of creating rounds which have puzzles or challenges specific to their event or guests. Immersive virtual games and challenges often have one or several winners, so you might like to award prizes which align with company culture or the time of year, such as for festive events.
These are just a few ways in which the Flavour Virtual Events team and our suppliers make their virtual events extra-special. We can even create bespoke virtual events from scratch in-line with client briefs and budgets. If you’re interested in organising a personalised virtual event to thrill your attendees, make an enquiry below. Alternatively, to find the best event venues, head over to flavourvenuesearch.com to enjoy our free venue finding service.
