Online networking events have become popular for professionals looking to expand their networks and establish meaningful connections. Hosting a successful online networking event requires careful planning, effective communication, and a well-executed strategy.
Whether you are organizing a virtual conference, a webinar, or a virtual meet-up, this article will provide you with valuable insights on how to host a successful virtual networking event that leaves a lasting impression on participants.
1. Before the event
Set up your goals
Setting goals is vital to every business. Make sure you set SMART that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. To begin, decide what is crucial to achieving your goals. What do you want your attendees and your business to accomplish? Determine which objectives were accomplished and which ones were not by keeping a running list of your goals throughout the event and asking for feedback once it is finished.
Set up a budget
Traditionally, online networking events take place after business hours and usually include some refreshments for attendees. Even though you won't need to spend money on food, beverages, and other expenses like you would at a regular in-person networking event, you still need to budget for things like branding and marketing. You can decide what a suitable budget will be by speaking with higher management or executives. Once a budget has been set, make sure you adhere to it and do your best to not go over it.
Design your event with an agenda
It will be simple to plan your virtual networking event now that your goals are clear. Don't forget to allot time for introductions, Q&A sessions, and closing remarks. Your participants will be better prepared for what's to come next and how the event will run overall if you send them a digital agenda.
Choose the Right Digital Event Platform
Finding and choosing the right digital event platform is a must to ensure everything goes as planned. Managing everything from ticket sales to invitation distribution to sending out the feedback survey after the event must be handled precisely by a digital event platform.
2. During the Event
Be an active host and moderator
It's simple to get carried away in chatting with your coworkers during virtual events of any kind. The time needs to be spent networking and following the agenda, even though it's excellent that you're connecting with your colleagues. Therefore, having a virtual event moderator or becoming the moderator yourself helps keep everyone on track and focused on the task. If there is time, you can include some time in the agenda so your employees can socialize. But the best part about online networking events is that it allows you to collect your coworkers' names and contact details so you may carry on any discussion with them.
Make It Fun With Contests and Giveaways
As an incentive to attend an online networking event, using contests and giveaways is a great way to thank everyone who participated. Distributing giveaways increases employee interest and interaction with each other. If your budget allows, offering larger prizes will increase interest in future events. Smaller prizes may include items such as gift bags filled with goodies, reusable water bottles, and event tickets for upcoming events.
3. After the Event
Send A Thank You
Sending a thank you note to attendees after the event is a great way to thank them for attending the online networking event. Keep it short. However, it goes a long way in letting her know that you're really glad she came to your event. Remember to be punctual when sending thank-you notes. Right after the event is the perfect time to say thank you.
Post Event Surveys
What better way to collect data after an event than a post-event survey? Attendee feedback helps us improve future online networking events. Survey questions range from yes/no questions to open-ended questions to evaluation questions. Be sure to ask how the company can do better and get honest feedback on what could be improved. Post-event surveys can also help determine if people will attend your events in the future.
6 Virtual Networking Ideas
Networking can be done in many ways. With the increasing popularity of virtual networking events, you can make your event fun and engaging. Here are seven virtual networking ideas to ensure employee engagement.
1. Games and Ice breakers
Games and icebreakers are the most effective ways to know about your colleagues. There are many different virtual games that employees can play. Adding gamification of any kind to your event helps increase engagement between employees and lets them know each other.
2. Coffee and Cocktail Hours
Everyone likes to have a coffee break between the online networking event to chat with other attendees. Everyone has their favorite coffee and sits down to get to know each other. If you're looking to make your networking event more interesting, provide an after-work cocktail hour and get ready for an evening of networking.
3. Fireside Chat
Fireside chats are personal and interactive, usually with a facilitator to keep the conversation going. Such chats are informative and provide insight into the speaker's world. They can use their own personal life experiences and add them to the way they spend their daily life.
4. Puzzle or problem-solving
Puzzles are a great way to train your brain, and helping each other solve puzzles is a great way to interact with each other. One person may see one way to solve a puzzle or problem, while another person may see a completely different way to solve it. This encourages attendees to work together, bring everyone closer and work towards a common goal.
5. A Lesson in Storytelling
Small group storytelling sessions are a great way to learn a little more about the people around you. Storytelling hours can be about a time when you worked together to solve a problem, overcame a difficult situation, or the happiest moment of your life. These types of events aren't necessarily about business, but sometimes it's nice to meet people on a personal and human level.
6. 1:1 Networking Sessions
If the event is large, having rotating one on one meetings is a great way to get to know everyone who attended the event. By getting a name and information about every colleague you meet, and maybe even a little fact, you'll be better able to remember who they are.
Conclusion
Hosting a successful online networking event can be a game-changer for professionals and organizations. By using these strategies, you can create a dynamic and engaging virtual networking event experience that not only meets but exceeds participants' expectations.
