As we all continue to navigate through these uncertain times, it’s hard to know when things are going to go completely back to “normal”. From the date that everything shutdown, many thought it would be over soon and now here we are over a year later still unsure of when that may be. During this time many industries and organizations have been hit hard, needing to adjust to a new unpredictable environment. One of the areas that was especially affected was the event space.
Throughout the world, events were postponed, delayed, and even cancelled. From weddings, to trade shows, grand openings, and more. Everything event based we thought we knew got thrown a curveball and frankly, many of these events are still trying to maneuver new obstacles everyday so that they can one day operate as they once did. But instead of just having to sit-back and wait for the storm to pass, we’ve been able to adapt to this new climate and continue to pursue event opportunities in a new way.
The biggest question many will ask about a virtual event is “if it’s even worth it?” We here at Blue42 firmly believe that this new space not only is here to help businesses in a time of unknown, but has also revolutionized how events can and will function in the future. Below are our 7 reasons why virtual events are worth it.
1. Expand Reach Attendance
When hosting an in-person event, you are limited in many ways. You are limited to who will consider coming to attend, the space of a venue is limited, and countless rules of what you can and can’t do at your event limits your possibilities. All of this changes when switching to an online program. You have the ability to target a much larger audience and reach people from around the world. This format opens the door to new opportunities and new potential for events.
2. Lead Generation
The big one that everyone is looking for, lead generation. With everything being online, organizations have the ability to capture more leads and grow contact lists in the blink of an eye.
3. Save Money
People are busy and life gets busy. Schedules fill up fast. One minute you think you have all the time in the world and the next minute you look down at your calendar and it’s jam-packed with appointments, birthdays, meetings, kids games, and dinners… you get the picture. Getting people to find time in their calendars to attend your event can be half of the battle of growing attendance. Your event has to take priority in your customers life enough to spend the time attending what you are offering. With virtual events, we’ve been able to change that. With the ability to host an event for an extended period of time you are able to give customers the chance to attend and participate when it’s convenient for them. Some events will even offer recordings following an event giving you even more time to go back and experience the program. This is a game changer and can expediently grow your attendance numbers across the board.
4. Flexibility
Who doesn’t like free stuff, especially around the holidays?! Tap into the spirit of giving this year by offering a holiday giveaway. By utilizing a giveaway platform such as KingSumo, you can build your email database while also celebrating the spirit of the season. Be sure to run the giveaway for at least 2 weeks and promote it on all of your digital platforms.
5. Enhanced User Experience
With the help of technology, virtual events are changing and shaping constantly. Giving users the ability to experience events online, customers have been given an advanced experience filled with incredible features. You have the opportunity to create an immersive user experience right at their fingertips and reach your audience like never before.
6. It’s Easier
The hustle and bustle of in-person events are a thing of the past. With virtual events, everything is planned and organized well in advance making event day seamless. No more running around and frantically panicking about “what’s going to go wrong next?”. The prep work that goes into a virtual event takes the stress away on event day and allows you to enjoy the experience alongside your attendees.
7. Access to more Resources
Rather than being limited to who’s available in your area and what other events you’re competing with, you have the possibility of using resources located anywhere. Whether you are looking for something like a speaker or a band, you are able to extend your options much further than before.
We hope that someday soon we can go back to in-person events like “normal”, but in the meantime we’ve been able to adapt and be able to offer events in a new way. Organizing a virtual event may sound intimidating, but with the right planning and support, it can be a breeze. Is your organization interested in dabbling in the virtual event space or have a crazy virtual event idea but wondering where to start? Consider reaching out to our team here at Blue42 as a resource for you. Having hosted virtual events in various industries, our team of experts would be thrilled to help to put your stress away and create a successful virtual event.
Blue42.