Corporate events and conferences have been one of the biggest contributors to business growth for many years,  However, the pandemic and its guidelines quickly started impacting both work and personal engagements last year. While most attendees used to be drawn to events that gave them memorable experiences or provided great networking opportunities, the pandemic managed to change that by instead driving virtual, interactive, and immersive events to the forefront. With more companies turning to virtual conferences and events, the role of communication strategies also has to adapt to those changes so that every attendee has a positive experience during virtual events. 

Communication

At every event, whether in-person or virtual, it’s always smart to expect the unexpected. However, companies that include in-the-moment communication features as part of the event itself give attendees a better chance to engage with whatever might be happening at the event, simply by letting them know about it. 

Additionally, companies can improve their in-the-moment communication efforts by hosting pop-up interviews with various speakers or attendees on different social media platforms. This gives the attendees an opportunity to draw attention to the event by engaging with it on another social media channel, and companies can benefit from communicating with the attendees at the same time. 

Experiences

During in-person events, organizers have the time and space to design an atmosphere for the event that will improve the experience of all attendees. In contrast,  virtual events are greatly limited to the platform where the event is held. However, attendees have certain perceptions about their place in the event, which influences how and where they spend most of their time. Virtual events allow companies to target communications efforts based on the specific activities, groups, and interests of attendees. 

For example, aside from promoting the overall event, companies can also personalize their communications efforts for smaller and more specific audience segments. For instance, creating an, additional virtual gathering that’s exclusive for CEOs. Then, the business can personalize the discussion for that gathering around topics that interest the CEOs, and couple the topics with interactive and fun experiences to attract even more like-minded attendees into participating. This helps companies provide even more positive experiences for all attendees across different segments. Finally, personalizing communications for smaller communities of attendees can also create a more intimate and valued digital experience for the attendees, which prompts more engagement.

About the Author: Marc Roberts is a Miami based entrepreneur.