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Twitter #VE10 Virtual Event Platforms are not Virtual Events Developing a complete attendee experience for online events

Virtual Event Platforms are not Virtual Events

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Steve Gogolak's presentation from Virtual Edge 2010

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Page 1: Virtual Event Platforms are not Virtual Events

Twitter #VE10

Virtual Event Platforms are not Virtual Events

Developing a complete attendee experience for online events

Page 2: Virtual Event Platforms are not Virtual Events

Twitter #VE10

@sgogolak

www.aWiderNet.com

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Twitter #VE10

In-Source Model

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Twitter #VE10

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Twitter #VE10

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Technology does not define purpose…

…it enables it.

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What is the purpose of your event?

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How do you know if you were successful?

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Purpose Goals Measurement

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Measure what you think success looks like

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Purpose Goals Problems

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Goals leading to problems:• How do I generate awareness?• How do I increase conversion?• How do I ensure they show up?Attendance

of 2000

• How do I assess quality?• How do I capture the leads?• How are the leads followed up

upon?

Generate 500 Quality

Leads

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Problems are solvable

Goals are not

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Technology Solution

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Technology Creative Approach Solution

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Problems

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Problems: Pre-Event

Generate awareness Increase conversion (registration) Increase attendance

During the Event Deliver compelling content (provide real value) Quantify attendee engagement Define lead quality

Post-Event Follow up with the leads (and repeat process during on-demand period)

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Attendee Centered Event Strategy

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Conversion Hurdles

Attend the event

Fill out the form

Get to the registration site

Become aware of the event

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Twitter #VE10

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Twitter #VE10

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Pre-Event Conversion Hurdles

Fill out the form

Make it short and sweet, you’ve almost got them!

Click Register

Describe the offer and value proposition well enough to motivate a click

Open the email

Have a compelling subject line that describes the offer

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Twitter #VE10

Pre- Event Conversion Hurdles

Fill out the form

Make it short and sweet, you’ve almost got them!

Click Register

Describe the offer and value proposition well enough to motivate a click

Open the email

Have a compelling subject line that describes the offer

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Twitter #VE10

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The first email sets the tone for the entire event.

Don’t blow it!

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CONTENTPRODUCTION

CONTENT PRE-PRODUCTION

ON-DEMANDVIRTUAL EVENT

LIVE

1 – 16 WEEKS

POST EVENT

Month0

Month1

Month2

Month3

CONTENT LOADING

Month4

MICROSITE DEVELOPMENT

Month 5

1-DAY LIVE EVENT

Promotion

TEASERTEASER

Building out a timeline…

STRATEGY

EVENT MICROSITE IS LIVE

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Twitter #VE10

Touchpoint

Touchpoint is the interface of a product a service or a brand

with customers, non-customers, employees and other stakeholders – before, during and after a transaction respectively a purchase.

Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchpoint)

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Pre-Event

What are the touchpoints that kick off your event?

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Twitter #VE10

CONTENTPRODUCTION

CONTENT PRE-PRODUCTION

ON-DEMANDVIRTUAL EVENT

LIVE

1 – 16 WEEKS

POST EVENT

Month0

Month1

Month2

Month3

CONTENT LOADING

Month4

MICROSITE DEVELOPMENT

Month 5

1-DAY LIVE EVENT

Promotion

TEASERTEASER

Building out a timeline…

STRATEGY

EVENT MICROSITE IS LIVE

Plan here Develop content here

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Twitter #VE10

Email Conversion Hurdles

Click Register

Describe the offer and value proposition well enough to motivate a click

Open the email

Have a compelling subject line that describes the offer

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Is this worth my time?

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Video Call-to-Action = 5x Conv. Rate

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Why is the conversion rate higher? Clear offer

watch this video, determine if it’s worth your time Value is demonstrated

Why you should attend Experts you will hear from What you will learn

Expectations are set Prospect has invested time and feels rewarded

If the conference provides value the way the video did, it must be worth attending.

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Video Call-to-Action Scenario:

Email sent to 10,000 addresses Normal 2% response = 200 registrants Video CTA 10% = 1,000 registrants

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How aboutlead quality?

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Value

Get the right people to register.

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Notice we haven’tmentioned any

technology?

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Promotion

•Email Promotion

•Social Media Interaction

•Video Teasers

Registration

•Fill out the form

•Get a confirm email

•Download calendar reminder (ics)

Reminder

•Another email to demonstrate the value of attending

•Or another email to encourage non-registrants

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Twitter #VE10

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July 6

1 – CTA to Register

1a – Thank you

July 13 July20 July 27

2 – Trivia Game, Invite Friends

Aug 3 Aug 10

3 - Winner First Round

Aug 17 Aug 24

4 - Winner Second Round, sneak peek at

content, Round 3

Aug 31 Sept 7

5 - Reminder

Sept 14

6,7,8 – Daily Reminders

Sept 21

9 - Thanks, Survey

Sept 28

July 6

1 – CTA to Register

July 13 July20 July 27

2 – CTA to register,

gaming to start, Invite

Friends

Aug 3 Aug 10

3 – CTA to Register, winner

Aug 17 Aug 24

4 – CTA to register, winner,

sneak peek at content

Aug 31 Sept 7

5 – Last Chance

Sept 14 Sept 21

9 – Here’s what you missed

Sept 28

July 6

1 - CTA to Register

July 13 July20 July 27 Aug 3 Aug 10 Aug 17 Aug 24

4 - Sneak peek at content

Aug 31 Sept 7 Sept 14 Sept 21

9 - Highlights

Sept 28

July 6 July 13 July20 July 27

Live Round 1

Live Round 1

Aug 3 Aug 10

Live Round 2

Live Round 2

Aug 17 Aug 24

Live Round 3

Live Round 3

Aug 31 Sept 7 Sept 14

Live Round 4, 5, 6

Live Round 4, 5, 6

Sept 21 Sept 28

Em

ail

Reg

iste

red

Progress Exchange Draft Communications PlanTr

ivia

VO

D

July 6

Reg site open

July 13 July20

Content Update

July 27

Leaderboard Live

Aug 3 Aug 10

Content Update

Aug 17 Aug 24

Content sneak peek

Aug 31 Sept 7 Sept 14

Live

Sept 21 Sept 28

Mir

cosi

te

July 6 July 13 July20 July 27 Aug 3 Aug 10 Aug 17 Aug 24

Mailer

Aug 31 Sept 7 Sept 14 Sept 21 Sept 28

Pri

n t

July 6 July 13

Linked Group, tags

Twitter Hash tag

Progress Com – reg open

Bloggers – reg open

YouTube Channel – reg open

July20 July 27

LinkedIn - game

Twitter - game

Progress Com – game

Bloggers – game

Aug 3

content production stories

Aug 10

leaderboard

Aug 17 Aug 24

Sneak Peek

Aug 31 Sept 7

Reminders

Sept 14

Daily posts, tweetcasting

Sept 21

Thank you and Highlights

Sept 28

Soci

al

July 6 July 13 July20 July 27

Pdf/email

Content 1/reg

Aug 3 Aug 10 Aug 17 Aug 24

Content 2/attend

Aug 31 Sept 7 Sept 14

Award 1 Live

Award 2 Live

Sept 21 Sept 28

PU

G

tools

Not

Reg

iste

red

TIME

Ch

an

nels

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Twitter #VE10

Event Experience

What agenda drives the best engagement?

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CONTENTPRODUCTION

CONTENT PRE-PRODUCTION

ON-DEMANDVIRTUAL EVENT

LIVE

1 – 16 WEEKS

POST EVENT

Month0

Month1

Month2

Month3

CONTENT LOADING

Month4

MICROSITE DEVELOPMENT

Month 5

1-DAY LIVE EVENT

Promotion

TEASERTEASER

Building out a timeline…

STRATEGY

EVENT MICROSITE IS LIVE

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Twitter #VE10

Virtual Host Video

Understand what to do

next

Take note of important highlights

Opening Session

Learn what content is important

Get high-level

messaging

Attend a breakout

Learn topic-specific content

Ask questions

Download a handout

Visit a booth

Talk to a repDownload a

sales document

Solicit follow up

Attend another breakout

Learn topic-specific content

Ask questions

Download a handout

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Plan the agenda Have reasonable expectations for an

attendees time Don’t follow an in-person event model

This is a web experience – treat it as such Keep content short and engaging Structure agenda with little or no down time Hide “down time” as a planned activity

Once you have an experience created, look to technology to enable it.

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Platform

Webcasts Networking Exhibits

Other Stuff

Email Blast Service

Custom Games

External Survey Tools

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•Live/ Simulive/ On-Demand

•Video/ Audio/ Slides

•Q&A/ Polling/ Downloads

Webcasts

•Chat•Forums•Connecti

onsNetworking

•Chat•Forums•Downloa

ds•Request

XYZ

Exhibits

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•Design/CTA/Video

•Segmentation

•Schedule

Email

•YouTube

•LinkedIn

•Facebook

Social Media

•Pre-Event engagement with trivia

•Attendees can compete for status before the event starts

Games

•When and how to use them

•Can function as input or feedback (before/after)

Survey Tools

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First Impression

•Kick off the event with a message from an official host

•Remind users of how to get around, where to find things and what not to miss

•Push attendees into the opening session to get everyone on the same page

Opening Session

•Keep it short – 15-20 minutes tops

•Explain where certain audience segments should spend their time

•Be explicit about the purpose and goals for the event

Networking

Experienc

e

•Be sure to expresslydedicate time on the agenda for networking

•Push to specific, seeded forums or booths

•Show a video as part of the opening session that explains how the networking features work

Exhibit

Experienc

e

•Highlight platinum sponsor booths by giving them space on the agenda

•Task sponsors (or partners/departments) to provide engagement in their booths beyond just chat – incorporate the forums and video

Breakout Sessions

•Create tracks for different attendee types

•Don’t box all webcasts into one type – be conscious of the content

•Keep it SHORT – 15-30 minutes. Presenters are BORING online when they drone on

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Post-Event Experience

How do you utilize existing assets?

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CONTENTPRODUCTION

CONTENT PRE-PRODUCTION

ON-DEMANDVIRTUAL EVENT

LIVE

1 – 16 WEEKS

POST EVENT

Month0

Month1

Month2

Month3

CONTENT LOADING

Month4

MICROSITE DEVELOPMENT

Month 5

1-DAY LIVE EVENT

Promotion

TEASERTEASER

Building out a timeline…

STRATEGY

EVENT MICROSITE IS LIVE

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What’s the goal of theon-demand period?

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Post-Event Problems You have all this great, archived content. Now

what? Your original goals still apply:

Get more attendees Convert them into quality leads

PROBLEM: Get people back to see what they missed.

PROBLEM: Convince the skeptics who didn’t show up that your event really is worth their time

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Survey

•Ask for feedback.

•Incorporate a fun offer conditional on completion of the survey.

•Use the opportunity to promote some additional content

Archived Content

•Let attendees and non-attendees know when content is available

•Highlight insightful conversations within forums in your communication

•Push out highlights of your content through social media to draw new attendees

New Content

•Save some content for posting a week after the event

•Follow up to common questions within the forums with another on-demand webcast

•Give everyone a reason to return

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Key Takeaways

•State your purpose to establish direction

•State the goals to measure your progress

•Define the problems that you must solve

Purpose

•Consider touchpoints in all three key areas as one experience

•Ensure the experience of each touchpoint is representative of your event

Holistic Approach

•Segment and create hypothetical experiences for different attendees

•Decide if that experience is right for that attendee type

Think like an attendee

Page 67: Virtual Event Platforms are not Virtual Events

Twitter #VE10

@sgogolak

www.aWiderNet.com