One thing is definite at this point, we have entered the Digital Zone. By now we're all experiencing digital fatigue. We all know we cannot recreate the experience of being at a meeting 100% in a digital format. Let's talk about how to drive engagement for your virtual meeting so that your virtual meeting can stand out and not feel like just another day looking at a computer screen.
When you're planning a virtual meeting you have to take the professional and personal needs of the attendee into consideration. They will be logging on from home afterall. To that end, I recommend not more than four hours of programming at a time, two hours maximum per session, and breaks planned for every hour. If you already had your in-person meeting planned, determine how much of your content can be delivered in a virtual platform. Typically it is between twenty and thirty percent of your planned face to face content so you'll have to be strategic and really focus your message.
Focusing your message can make the content a little heavy so don't forget to add some touches that really engage your attendees and move them from passive engagement to active engagement. You should plan an engagement every five to seven minutes. Traditional virtual meeting engagement includes polling, dot-voting, downloadable handouts, and chat boxes. These traditional engagements are a great start to be sure to include.
Some great creative examples I have seen recently include gamification using trivia or bingo, creative use of the breaks as dog-walking breaks, gifting as part of your conference, and VIP experiences. The gamification can be used many ways either as part of your conference or by virtual trade show exhibitors. I just learned of a total success story of a virtual trade show exhibitor using trivia to pack her virtual booth. Gifting is a nice way to bring a real life experience to your virtual meeting and takes careful planning and executive. It really makes an impression. Recently, I attended ConferenceDirect's Virutal Partner Meeting and Visit Spokane made a big impression by sending a drink to enjoy during the closing session. You could do coffee, a snack, a speaker to listen with, or even a journal or pen to take notes with. There are so many options for gifting to really bring the wow factor. For a truly show-stopping way to move your attendee experience beyond the computer create a VIP experience. That could be a special q&a or coaching session with a speaker or your leadership that only VIPs have access to. It could be an elevated gifting experience. I have seen and have lots of ideas to share with you, not to mention lots of vetted partners to help. Let's talk.