Events organizers, it's time to face a digital transformation!

While events from all over the world have been canceled or rescheduled, it is vital to turn on the digital side to keep your planned events on track. By moving the events on digital, you will also have to adjust your marketing strategies fast. Now, more than ever, since moving in the online is the primary backup solution for most events businesses.

Your business can start by implementing even more different digital strategies to engage with attendees and to promote businesses’ services. A good example is the case of Gigabyte, a company that was planning to be present at the Mobile World Congress and offered a digital tour of its booth. As an event organizer, you can provide such suggestions to businesses you are offering your services to.

Why is digital the new physical for events planning? 

     With 62% of CROs and CEOs stating that a more innovative approach is needed, such as moving to cloud-based solutions, it is up to event organizers whether they will engage in such demands, or to cancel the events they have been planning for so long. 

     Since hosting an event is no longer a solution due to Covid-19 consequences, assuring your business’ continuity means to respond quickly, cohesively, and effectively. What a better way than completely turning towards the digital?

     Decisions that might have been seen as risky in the past, will now be turned into opportunities. As an event organizer, getting used to planning an A to Z event online should come as a natural transformation of your business continuity plan, blooming together with other emerging events. 

     According to recent statements, Thomson Reuters reported a 73% increase in global attendees by taking its event digital, and we can look at this example when thinking about the opportunities that the Coronavirus outbreak has on many businesses that require live gathering.

     Under this context, we gathered information on how to prioritize the needs for your upcoming events under a management strategy that will help your digital transformation, no matter the objective of each one of your events.

3 things to remember before starting your digital transformation 

     Once you have settled your events’ new strategy of going digital, there are a few things that events organizers and managers can do as a fast response to the current situation:   

1. Inform the public about your actual digital business initiatives

     Once you have decided upon your digital transformation framework, you will have to announce all your stakeholders: your audience, the press, and your partners. Having an online presence may raise many opportunities for your new strategy, and we are now looking at many event businesses following the digital movement. 

      If you have already started implementing a plan for moving your event on a digital platform, a fast next step is to build a PR, Communication and Content Strategy:

• By making catchy statements on all of your social platforms and sending a press release, you will ensure that you won’t be losing your registered or potential participants, who are now facing disappointments thinking that the event is postponed or canceled. 

     Throughout this transformation process, try to enhance the relationship between your business and your partners. Try always to keep them updated with your changes since they are part of your event’s foundation. More than that, there might have never been a better time to receive bits of advice based on previous experiences from your partners. 

     Moving your events to a digital platform might come as a challenge at first, especially if it’s the first time you are testing this solution for your business. But this should not stop you from creating a memorable user experience for all the future participants. 

     There are many ways in which you can engage with your audience and make an imprint with your newly transformed events. You can keep an eye on our future posts to learn more about how you can turn your online event into a cutting edge experience for everyone.

2. A digital transformation requires new partners

     Moving a live event on digital implies that as an organizer or manager, you have to partner with digital platform vendors that will help you meet your needs and expectations. Precisely, your business should consider what formats it needs for the upcoming events. Many platforms offer a large number of event formats, and we listed a few of them as follows: 

• Zoom

     As an event organizer, you will most probably go for online meetings or webinars, and Zoom is one of the most used platforms if you are in the search for these 2 types of formats. Looking for little guidance on how to enhance the potential of this platform? Then it would help if you searched for best practices on how to transform your event into a digital experience. 

• United-partners

     This platform is supporting a variety of online event formats, such as: 

• eAuditorium, allowing the live streaming of images or the storing of your content in a user-friendly manner
• eQuizes for online CME accreditation
• Virtual congress hall for industry partners, allowing avatar-to-avatar interactions (the case of a live congress is one such example)
• eDigests for online journal clubs
• Password protected access

• Hopin

     With more than 200 hosted events, this platform fits perfectly in the current needs of event organizers, with its format flexibility, covering events like:

• Conferences
• Fairs and trade shows 
• Expo and exhibitions
• Hybrid events
• Summits and forums
• Webinars
• Company events
• Broadcast to events
• Online courses
• Workshops
• Networking events
• Meetups

     There is always a place for more, and moving your event on digital for the first time might have a surprisingly engaging impact. In doing so, you should consider new collaborations with specialists who can help you follow a complete marketing strategy in making the most of your online event. If time is pressuring your activities, it is essential to choose a team with whom you can work proactively to achieve your new event planning objectives.

3. Guide your participants through Newsletter campaigns 

     If you have a reliable database with existing and potential attendees, you might want to consider starting a Newsletter campaign. This way, you will effectively deliver information regarding your online events, as well as to update your audience with news regarding the possible transformation of the formats you will be displaying. 

If you think that no one will be opening their emails, think twice! 

     Consider that, especially these days, people are more connected than ever to virtual social engagements. More than that, for people working remotely, it is highly essential to open their email accounts regularly, since they don’t have a face to face interaction with other team members. 

     So take on the opportunity and plan your Newsletter campaign thoughtfully, with interactive materials that will attract and maintain the attention of your public, since your business should seek in driving human engagement. 

According to ReadyTalk, to generate interest and to attract attendees, companies will send 3 email marketing messages on average by promoting them for 3 weeks.

Final thoughts

     Focusing on goals, events have a large variety, ranging from customer briefings, envisioning sessions, and small group training on one end all the way to multi-thousand person experiences on the other. 

     The safety of your community should be your top priority, and facing a digital transformation is the right thing to do under these circumstances. Let us help you in achieving the objectives of your online event. Get in touch with us to discuss your necessities and how we can grow the events community together. 

     Lastly, as an event manager, remember to continually support your team by reaching out to them and communicating effectively. Along with you, they are also learning how to adapt to the new situation. So, be patient and considerate.