How Do You Create a Virtual Event with a Memorable Human Connection? 

Times are changing! We’re spending more time at home. We’re engaging in fewer face-to-face meetings and replacing them with Zoom. We’re limited as to the scope in which we can deliver interactive visual experiences and even more limited in our ability to produce the deep, memorable, emotional connections that we are so used to. Virtual events represent a means of delivering the interactive experiences we miss, but knowing how to create a virtual event with the coveted human connection we all deeply crave is an art form best saved for the professionals.

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Gathering together, in the flesh, is a powerful experience that has been engaged since the beginning of time. Events, like the worldwide gatherings that have all but been cancelled in the past several months, are about more than just attendance and saying, “I was there.”

The experience we, as humans, pull from the event produces powerful human connections that leave us feeling smarter and more prepared for what’s to come.

The deep connections gained represent our need for community and involvement not just with what WE are focused on, but with others–with the world.

Rely on Experienced Pros

As more events are faced with the challenge of shifting focus to ensure attendee health it’s important to realize the value that comes from the human connections generally formed in those in-person events.

But, how do you create a virtual event that evokes the same, powerful human connections that are achieved at an in-person, live event? 

At Beverly Boy Productions we’re focused on helping you create meaningful personal connections with the virtual events that you’re delivering to your audience. Here’s how you can create a virtual event with a memorable human connection that your audience will appreciate. 

Start Building the Network of Attendees Early 

Much like any in-person event, the marketing and promotion of the event should begin long before the event itself. The major difference between the two is that a virtual event can actually begin early.

Long before the actual scheduled event takes place, start building your event community and provide ways for attendees to connect with each other and have fun.

Building personal connections is about delivering diverse opportunities for people to connect. There is no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach to this that will work. Consider the following: 

-Host a Zoom call prior to the event as a way to get attendees involved and interacting with one another in a casual, more relaxed manner. 

-Invite attendees to a private social media group where they can interact and chat with one another. Deliver content that will help to foster connections within the social groups. Consider polls and games to help everyone get engaged.

Encourage Virtual Event Socialization 

In-person events often provide many different opportunities for attendees to participate and socialize in. Many will participate just so that they can break the ice, meet like-minded event attendees, and feel connected while they are at the event.

Ice breakers and related event activities are a MUST at virtual events too. 

As you work to create a virtual event that fosters human connection, consider the following ice breakers and opportunities to encourage socialization within the group: 

-Group wide Q&A sessions – let each member ask a question and ask all attendees to answer. 

-Split the Group into Teams and work on mini-problem solving. At the end of the virtual event, have the team embark on solving the same problem again (is it different?). 

-Play games together and offer prizes. Consider games that further help group attendees to learn about each other. Games like “Would you rather?” are great!

Engage & Focus on the Audience 

Creating a virtual event that delivers the human connections we all crave is further achieved by providing content to your audience that is focused on their needs.

Consider allowing attendees to engage with you while they attend the virtual event. Various communication tools can be incorporated into a virtual event to allow for attendee engagement. 

At the end of the day, nothing engages the audience more than the emcee involved in delivering your content to the awaiting audience. A great emcee will engage the crowd and get them to interact and play along.

Keep Everyone Engaged

The more everyone else is involved with your virtual event, the more the crowd of attendees will get out of it. 

Just like an in-person live event, the host of your event can elicit the group involvement that your attendees need in order to feel connected with others. Human connections are fostered by the emcee and his or her ability to engage the audience.

Make sure you choose an emcee that’s just right for your audience and the content you’re intending to deliver. 

Connect Long Term 

Virtual events don’t end when the scheduled event is over! Long term connections between attendees should be fostered after the event is complete. As you work to create a virtual event that fosters deep human connection consider planning the long-term networking opportunities that will become part of the event.

Presenters, participants, and those involved in the content creation for the event should have an open opportunity to stay in contact with one another.

Consider the following long-term group communication and connection opportunities for your virtual event: 

-An open Slack channel for on-going communication. 

-Scheduled monthly Zoom meetings after the virtual event. 

-A Private Facebook Group for attendees and presenters ONLY. 

-A planned follow-up mini-session in which attendees and virtual event presenters can chat and answer attendee questions.

Creating a virtual event that connects the audience in a deep, emotional way is important for the success of your event.

If you want to create an event that sticks with the audience and leaves them feeling like they developed strong human connections with the attendees involved, focus early on to ensure you’re delivering networking opportunities and relationship-building experiences throughout the event.

After all, a smarter, more engaged, happier attendee is created only when care is taken to ensure networking at the virtual event is focused on humans. 

How do you create a virtual event that fosters memorable human connections? Give Beverly Boy Productions a call. We’ll put our production crew to work for you in delivering virtual events that evoke the power of personal human connections and networking.