Learn, Share, Grow - Navigating the Virtual Conference World

June 7, 2021

Below is a lesson from Fast Company on rules to navigate the world of virtual conferences, as well as our key learnings.

The Blue Courage team is dedicated to continual learning and growth.  We have adopted a concept from Simon Sinek’s Start With Why team called “Learn, Share, Grow”.  We are constantly finding great articles, videos, and readings that have so much learning.  As we learn new and great things, this new knowledge should be shared for everyone to then grow from.

10 rules for any executive navigating the new world of virtual conferences

By: Erica Boeke with Victoria Neeson 

Even as the world emerges from the pandemic, new platforms are popping up everywhere to help us navigate our increasingly virtual world. And some of their eye-popping valuations—Hopin reportedly is worth $5.7 billion—suggest that investors believe technology will have an outsized impact on group gatherings for the foreseeable future.

We lead companies that sit at the intersection of experience and technology, and we’re here to tell you: events are still—and always will be—about making good sh*t. In other words, content still rules, and no matter how elaborately your brand dresses up your conference stages or how seamlessly your chosen virtual event platform runs on event day, if you’re not delivering good content—if it’s ho-hum or played out—you will lose your audience and your credibility along with it.

Continue Reading Here.

Key Learnings:

• Great content will always prevail. You can dress it up as pretty as you want, but if your content isn’t good – you will lose your audience.
• 10 Rules for making good content transfer from in-person to fully virtual
  1. Always start with the Why – This is very critical to carry the “why from the beginning of the event to the end. A mission statement should be created for the event.
  2. It’s all about the UX – Think about the user experience…it’s not about you. It’s about them!
  3. Embrace the hybrid – One event can be experienced globally. Going hybrid enables you to ramp up one channel when another becomes cumbersome – having back-ups. 
  4. Pick you platform wisely – Your choice of platform determines your ability to deliver the right experience to your audience.
  5. Timing is everything – Be time zone sensitive. Be sensitive to what you are asking of people. “When” matters.
  6. Assemble an all-star team – Every role matters…a team with a diverse set of skills and experiences is essential to making magic.
  7. Prep. And prep again – Rehearsals and run throughs are incredibly important!
  8. Engagement counts – Use some sort of measurement tool to track engagement.
  9. Don’t overdo the tech – Tech should serve the mission. You want to create authentic connections.
  10. The end is just the beginning – Always leave them wanting more and tell them when and how they are going to get it