B2B marketing trends in a post-COVID world: Reframing online events

I think panic was the initial overriding feeling for anyone who had a conference or in-person event booked for Spring/Summer 2020.

Do we cancel? Do we postpone? Will delegates be safe to travel this fall, or will it take longer? As uncertainty remained over how long we’d be affected by the pandemic, moving live events online was the solution for the majority.

And many were pleasantly surprised by their success.

After all, there’s something to be said for watching a keynote in your yoga pants, with a decent cup of coffee in hand. For being able to rewind the bits you want to revisit. For sending your favorite speaker a quick “thank you” message or question online rather than having to try to catch a minute with them when they’re surrounded by other eager conference attendees.

Busy speakers have been able to dedicate hours to an event rather than days and hosts have been able to score guests that might otherwise have been unable or unwilling to cross continents for a one-day event.

But, while virtual events have been a passable substitute during lockdown, they’re never going to be a long-term solution, right?

Well, not necessarily.

While some people will be desperate to get back to the thrill of a live event or in-person meeting, many are now sold on the idea of virtual events — they can be an easier option for those with young families to accommodate, more affordable for those on a tight budget, and a greener option for those who wish to reduce their travel-related carbon footprint.

And while preference might account for a steady increase in online events and meetings, many will continue to be driven by necessity. Until a COVID vaccine is widely available, we may continue to see further (hopefully isolated and easier-to-control) outbreaks and travel may be restricted, or eye-wateringly expensive, for some time to come, with flights and hotels operating at reduced capacity due to social distancing requirements.

So, if online conferences and events are to become the norm in our post-COVID world, the question is:

How do you make your online event stand out?  

The key is to reframe how you look at virtual events: rather than seeing it as a poor (and temporary) solution to a bad situation, try to make the most of the advantages that come from bringing your webinar, meeting, or event online. Could you invite exciting guests from further afield, or open the event to a larger number of people from other states, or even make a national event international? Virtual events certainly remove any geographical restrictions!

And, when you take your conference virtual, who says you have to stick to the usual format of holding it over one or two days?

One conference organizer gave their delegates a huge amount of extra value by turning what should have been a two-day conference in April 2020 into an event that spanned the entire month of April, holding a mini event — like a virtual table talk or a short presentation by a surprise guest speaker — every single day. Because it was all done virtually, attendees could pick and choose which events to watch live and could catch replays of any they’d missed. With no extra time off work, travel, or childcare required.

Of course, when we attend conferences, the experience is about far more than learning new skills — the element of human connection is often just as important.

But there’s no reason that this should be lost when you move your event online. So, think about ways that you can foster human connection. Could you incorporate a virtual happy hour and send your customers a book on easy cocktail recipes? I guarantee it’ll get the conversations flowing! Or think about introducing a wellness hour where you engage your attendees with tips on balancing work and family while they’re working from home, or even get them doing a few yoga moves in-between meetings.

We’re also seeing a huge trend right now in ABM for networking events in which smaller sub-segments or clusters of clients with common interests are brought together via a closed Zoom to share experiences and learning.

However you decide to run your online events and meetings, it’s important to remember that while the learning and teaching element of a conference might be fairly easy to replicate, the real value of an event is often found in the more social aspects. And, when so many of us are stuck at home, isolated, the need for human connection is stronger than ever. This is your chance to let your creative juices flow — so be bold, be unorthodox, and find new ways to bring humanity to your virtual event. 

Coming up: the final post in the series — nailing your content strategy in a post-COVID world. Don’t miss it!