How do you avoid virtual event fatigue and burnout for your association staff and members?

1 Know your audience

Before you design your virtual event, you need to understand who your target audience is, what their needs and preferences are, and how they consume online content. Conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather feedback and insights from your potential attendees. Use this data to create personas, segments, and profiles that will guide your content creation, format, and delivery.

2 Choose the right platform

There are many platforms and tools available for hosting virtual events, but not all of them are suitable for your association's needs and budget. You need to consider factors such as the size, scope, and duration of your event, the level of interactivity and engagement you want to achieve, the security and privacy of your data and attendees, and the technical support and training you require. Compare different options and features, and test them before you make a final decision.

3 Create engaging content

One of the main challenges of virtual events is to keep your attendees interested and attentive throughout the session. You need to create content that is relevant, valuable, and captivating for your audience. Use a variety of formats, such as videos, podcasts, webinars, live chats, polls, quizzes, and gamification, to deliver your message and stimulate interaction. Keep your sessions short, focused, and varied, and avoid long monologues or slideshows.

4 Promote and monetize your event

To generate revenue from your virtual event, you need to promote it effectively and attract sponsors and exhibitors. Use your association's website, social media, email, and newsletters to spread the word and create a buzz around your event. Offer incentives, discounts, or freebies to encourage early registration and referrals. Create sponsorship packages that provide value and exposure for your partners, such as logo placement, banner ads, sponsored sessions, or virtual booths. Charge reasonable fees for attendance, access, or certification, and provide multiple payment options.

5 Support and train your staff

Your association staff plays a vital role in the success of your virtual event. They need to be prepared, trained, and supported to handle the technical, logistical, and operational aspects of the event. Provide them with clear roles and responsibilities, guidelines and protocols, and contingency plans. Equip them with the necessary hardware, software, and bandwidth to run the event smoothly. Conduct rehearsals, simulations, and tests to ensure everything works as expected.

6 Follow up and evaluate your event

After your virtual event is over, you need to follow up with your attendees, sponsors, exhibitors, and staff to thank them, solicit feedback, and measure the impact of your event. Send surveys, polls, or questionnaires to collect data on satisfaction, engagement, learning outcomes, and revenue generation. Analyze the data and generate reports and dashboards that show the strengths and weaknesses of your event. Use this information to improve your future virtual events and demonstrate your value to your stakeholders.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?