Live events, especially virtual ones, are the new normal. They bridge gaps, connect communities, and are powerful tools for businesses and individuals.
Whether you aim to enhance brand visibility or position yourself as an industry authority, hosting a successful virtual event is paramount. Choosing the Revyse Community to host your event enhances your reach and ensures your content remains evergreen, offering enduring value.
This is a step-by-step guide on how to host a successful virtual event in the Revyse Community.
Inside This Guide:
The Importance of Live Events
Crafting the Perfect Topic
Speaker Invitations
Planning
Promotion
Event Execution
What's Next? Making Content Live On
1. The Importance of Live Events
Why should you consider hosting one?
Brand Visibility: An event puts your brand right in front of your target audience.
Industry Leadership: Position yourself as an authority in your niche.
Strengthen Partnerships: Show off collaborations and partnerships that matter.
Unique Voice: Be heard, and let your unique perspective shine.
2. Crafting the Perfect Topic
Selecting the right topic is the essence of a memorable event. Dive deep into your value proposition. How does it serve your customers? If, for instance, your value is saving onsite teams time, consider discussing topics around burnout, retention, or future automation trends.
Golden Rule: Always approach your event with a consultant mindset. You're there to help, not to sell. The best events are those where attendees leave with value, actionable steps, and a positive perception of your brand.
3. Speaker Invitations
Events are as good as their speakers. My favorite? A sharp interviewer paired with 1-3 experts.
What to look for in speakers:
Unique expertise or perspective
Relevant data and insights
Potential promotional benefit (do they have a significant following?)
Relevance to your industry or an adjacent one
Don’t forget about the moderator. This individual should be articulate, knowledgeable, and engaging – they're steering the ship!
4. Planning
Once you've got your speakers, it's time to dive into the nitty-gritty.
Selecting the right date and time is crucial – consider global time zones and avoid event-heavy days.
Once that's set, send your event details to community@revyse.com, and we’ll get it posted in the community, along with a notification email to all members about the upcoming event.
Be sure to include:
Event title and description
Date and time
Speaker names
Designated host (person who will be running the live stream)
Cover photo - 840 x 300
Pro Tip : Your designated host must have an active user account in the Revyse Community in order to take on the moderator role and successfully kick off the live stream. Don’t have an account? Reach out to community@revyse.com for help.
5. Promotion
To ensure your event garners the attention it deserves, you need a robust promotion strategy that taps into various channels. Here’s a foolproof game plan:
Organic Social Media:
LinkedIn: Use your company’s profile as a launchpad, posting about the event 2-3 times in the lead-up.
Revyse: Leverage Revyse’s industry discussion topics if relevant. If not, the home feed is your friend. A day-before reminder post can give that last-minute registration push.
Company-Wide Engagement:
Internal Channels: Use platforms like Slack or Teams for internal announcements. Encourage employees to attend and share the event within their networks.
Value for All: Remind internal teams that such events offer insights into the industry, helping them understand customer needs better.
Email Outreach:
Craft a compelling email invitation and send it to current customers, potential prospects, and partners. This direct approach often garners the most traction.
Leverage Guest Speakers:
Collaborate with your speakers for promotions. Provide them with necessary promotional assets and encourage them to spread the word within their communities.
Paid Advertising:
Consider paid LinkedIn ads for flagship events or when aiming to fill your lead funnel. It's an investment but can exponentially increase visibility.
Pro tip: Remember, attendees sign up for the value the event promises, not a sales pitch. It's crucial to nurture this audience post-event, providing them with more relevant content until they express interest in working with you.
6. Event Execution
Hosting seamless events requires preparation and presence:
Be Prompt: Arrive 5-10 minutes early to address last-minute tech issues.
Stay Organized: Use dual screens or print your notes, keeping your questions and talking points easily accessible.
Engage Your Audience: Monitor chats and Q&A. Where possible, encourage live audience questions to foster interactivity.
Set the Scene: Remind speakers about optimal video setups including good lighting, centered camera positioning, and using headphones.
7. What's Next? Making Content Live On
After the virtual curtains close, your event's essence should continue to resonate. Here's how to ensure it:
Recap
Draft a concise recap blog or email, spotlighting key takeaways and acknowledging speakers. Link it to resources and profiles mentioned during the event.
Video Snippets for LinkedIn:
Identify the mic drop moments in the conversation and edit them into smaller munchable video clips to stop the scroll on LinkedIn.
Use tools like Veed.io for subtitles or LinkedIn auto subtitle feature, ensuring maximum engagement even when the sound is off.
Turn quotes into graphics:
Create compelling quote cards from speaker insights using Canva.
Convert data shared into easy-to-digest infographics.
Engage Further
Consider a follow-up Q&A or feedback session, keeping the event's momentum alive and gathering insights for your next big show.
Evergreen on Revyse
Your event’s impact goes beyond the live session. The recording will be permanently available in the Revyse Community, allowing anyone to revisit and absorb its value anytime.
Conclusion
Live events are opportunities to amplify your voice, connect authentically, and position your business and personal brand at the forefront of industry conversations. By hosting impactful virtual events, you share knowledge and build lasting relationships, reinforcing your brand's relevance and resonance in a digital-first world.
If you would like a 30 minute free consultation with a virtual event expert, email community@revyse.com.