Due to the Corona pandemic, virtual events have experienced an immense boost. Not only have technologies for virtual platforms, live streams, and networking developed rapidly over the past year, but the concepts for virtual events have also become more sophisticated. After a year, we can share our insights with you and have found:
Almost exactly one year ago, we launched the AirLST platform for virtual events . Since then, we've looked back at numerous virtual events and can say that the variety is vast. We have shareholder meetings, dealer conferences, product releases, in-house exhibitions, roadshows, and employee training sessions implemented and supported as virtual events with our software. The consensus among our customers is clear: virtual events are here to stay. The advantages are undeniable: the reach of events is expanding, and participant reactions and interest are measurable and traceable in detail. No sales team wants to do without this anymore. The developments and innovations in virtual events will, as hybrid event formats , also play a crucial role in a post-COVID era.
Virtual events are an excellent format for dealer conferences. A professional audience seeking targeted information particularly appreciates a structured and comprehensive presentation.
So, for one of our clients, a garden equipment manufacturer, we built a virtual park landscape that dealers can navigate with their mouse. Within this park, various spots are strategically placed to optimally showcase our client's products and present them in a user-friendly way.
Hedge trimmers are placed near the hedges, lawnmowers on the large green area, and keynotes on the lakeside stage. A broad bird's-eye overview helps visitors quickly navigate the conference website. When a product is selected, comprehensive information stored for that product appears with a single click. Product videos introduce new features and functions of the devices. PDFs provide a structured summary of the content and are, importantly, downloadable. Through a Quick contact form, trade visitors can ask their questions and directly contact an expert.
Naturally, the professional audience was invited beforehand and had to register on the event platform. This enables precise tracking and reporting of the user behavior. The time spent on the page, on individual products, and the download of specific brochures is attributed to individual visitors, allowing the after-sales team to know exactly who was interested in which product and where they can follow up.
Virtual events have an integral component: the live stream. All trade visitors are simultaneously welcomed by management and presented with new products in an exciting keynote presented. Immediately afterwards, dealers can exchange ideas and ask questions in the chat or virtual rooms. This presents a challenge for us, as we are responsible for ensuring everything runs smoothly and the virtual environment operates reliably.
Our developers racked their brains to create a Platform for virtual events to launch, and our project managers were also anxious about whether the implementation would run smoothly and as planned. Virtual events depend just as much on good event flow, inspired moderation, and active participants as any other event format.
After our client has put together a suitable program and professionally pre-produced in the studio, our task is to reliably integrate the video signal into the event platform.
After that, the biggest challenge is getting the virtual rooms to run without interruptions or delays. Our server capacity allows up to 15 people in a virtual room to use camera and audio simultaneously while they collaboratively work on the whiteboard to sketch new ideas and exchange thoughts. We've got this. This also shows that good planning and moderation are worth their weight in gold: Prepared questions for the individual groups guide the discussions and prevent awkward silences. Participants work focused and efficiently. We send live surveys and quick polls to the guests' computers, linked to the keynote or group discussion. "Do you agree with the speaker's argument?", "Would your customers buy this product more often in black or green?". Here, too, timing is everything. The moderator informs participants about the surveys and keeps everything under control. This is more than just following a simple video stream.
At the same time, we observe: 2D is more user-friendly than 3D. The areas designed as three-dimensional landscapes, through which visitors can move as if in a video game, are used less than the 2-dimensional exhibition stands, where information is accessible with just one click. Accessibility and usability are accepted and valued by trade visitors.
Virtual events should also be fun and not just characterized by efficiency and structure. We integrate a "Clap-O-Mat" with which participants can virtually applaud. The more users click the Clap-O-Mat, the louder the applause sound becomes. This is a popular tool that brings back a bit of the live feeling and can turn virtual events into atmospheric experiences.
Our client also sent Goody Bags to selected event attendees in advance, bridging the gap between the virtual event and real life. Brochures and chocolate evoke the feeling of a typical trade fair visit, like the keepsakes collected at individual booths. In this regard, virtual events are just as good as their in-person counterparts. What began as a reaction to postponed and cancelled events has developed into a standalone and compelling tool that will continue to play an important role in the future.
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