Virtual events – could you hold one in 2021?

As this craziest of years finally draws to a close, now is the perfect time to sit back, take stock, review how well your business has weathered the storm, and plan for the future! 

If this current pandemic has taught us anything as business owners, it’s the need to be visible online. Whilst some have grasped the nettle and pivoted beautifully into the online world, for others, it’s proved much more of a daunting prospect. And that’s ok; we are all at different stages of our journeys, and what’s right for some, may not be right for others.

However, in the wake of Covid-19, jumping on Zoom calls and hosting online meetings has quickly become the norm. Similarly, so have virtual events, so could you incorporate these into your business? Well, it’s certainly something that you should consider, especially if you’ve done in-person workshops or tutorials in the past. Like anything in life, it may well not be as scary as it may first appear! 

With social distancing rules still in full force, running a virtual event can be a great way to reach your audience, keep on delivering your awesome services and generating revenue. 

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about how you could incorporate virtual events into your business in 2021!

1. Webinars

Similar to an online presentation, a webinar is where the host delivers a slideshow or similar for a live audience, whilst speaking over the top. This is a fantastic way to inform or educate your potential clients or customers, as well as spreading the word about your business. Free webinars also work really well as a lead magnet to attract subscribers to your email list!

2. Online workshops

Think of an online workshop like a live training session. Hosting an online workshop can really help you to position yourself as an expert in your industry, as well as developing that all-important ‘know, like and trust’ factor with your audience. You could deliver a one-off workshop, which again could serve as a lead magnet, or a series of workshops as a paid product. There are plenty of possibilities here, so get your thinking caps on!

3. Demonstrations and how-to’s

If you’re running a product-based business, how about demonstrating some of your gorgeous goodies or showing people how to use them? You could also think about offering a discount to anybody that attends the demo.

4. Q&A sessions

A Q&A session is a super idea for a virtual event as anybody can do it, regardless of the type of business that they have. You could focus on a specific theme, have the questions planned out in advance or keep it more general, with open-ended questions from your audience.

5. Challenges

We’re sure you’ve seen these popping up all over social media, but challenges (or bootcamps as they are also known) are a super-easy and free way for you to reach a much wider audience. They’re also a smart step on your product staircase, as you can promote another product or service that may well be on the expensive side for your audience. However, if they’ve loved the challenge and can really see the value in what you have to offer, they’re much more likely to buy!

Choosing the right platform for your virtual events  

The platform that you choose for your virtual event will depend on the type of event that you’re hosting. If it’s a webinar or a workshop and you need to moderate who’s attending, then Zoom is always a fab option, whilst for challenges and other free events, Facebook Live may well be your best bet. There are also other platforms, such as Vimeo, where you can ensure that ticket holders only can attend.

With the New Year finally on the horizon, better times are coming, and quite frankly; we’re just a little bit excited about it! Will you be hosting a virtual event in 2021? We would love to know!