To organize an online conference and sell

We come back with the topic of business e‑meetings. Why? Because it’s an effective way to boost your sales. Today, for there to be conversion and leads, you have to reach for new tools… and, for example, organize online conferences.

We have already written about the fact that it is profitable to conduct them and which online conference program to choose — in the article Why is it worth organizing online events?
This time we want to share the knowledge on how to organize an online conference and gain new clients.

See the checklist prepared by Grzegorz Zięba, Head of business at 25wat.

1. Defining the group of recipients

Before you start organizing an event, it is worth considering who you want to reach with it. What will viewers, who sign up and take part in, gain? What problems will your online conference help them solve?

The decision to sign up for a potential viewer depends on the benefits of participation. If you adopt this perspective, it will be easier to define the subject and schedule of the conference. This will help you choose the speakers and anticipate the questions that may arise after the speeches of experts.

Necessary: Information about the company’s services and products must be integrated into the substantive and valuable content for viewers. Expert knowledge is what counts — not only the presentation of the commercial offer. Remember that participants are looking for specific solutions and professional tips.

2. Online conference promotion

How do you get your viewers to sign up for your event? Finally, we prepare them with participants and potential clients in mind. And this is where effective promotion is needed. It is not an easy task when the market is already saturated with e‑meetings, webinars, training via the Internet, and participants’ expectations are higher and higher.

What tools to use to promote online conferences?

  • Use lead campaigns and Facebook ads. You can create them by the Facebook ads manager. (We write more about the capabilities of this tool in the article: How to effectively acquire customers via Facebook?
  • Use platforms for event organizers, which offers help in the promotion, registration of participants, facilitate the sale of tickets. A convenient platform is for example, evenea.pl. You can connect it with your Facebook account using an FB pixel and carry out conversion activities.
  • Schedule e‑mailing. If you have a newsletter subscriber list or other contact lists, schedule e‑mailing. System solutions in this area are offered, for example, by FreshMail.

Necessary: Do not treat promotion as secondary. Without a good plan and good advertising, you will not arouse interest in the conference, and this will certainly translate into a low number of leads.

3. Online conference formula

It should be as attractive as possible for the viewer. At 25wat we recommend – for events such as organizing online conferences – conversation of experts with the possibility of asking questions by the viewers in the chat. It is a more interesting variant for the recipient than the series of speakers’ presentations.

The formula of “expert talks” is based on the interaction between 2 people, one of which asks (moderator) and the other — explains (expert). Moreover, the moderator of the meeting welcomes viewers, introduces the conference topic, and introduces the speakers. In turn, the expert’s speech is divided into two parts — first, it is a short presentation of structured knowledge, and then — time for questions and answers. Questions are asked by a moderator (these are questions from viewers, from the chat or ready-made questions, prepared in advance). This division — into a presentation and a question and answer session — adds dynamism to the meeting. There is no expert monologue. Instead, there is an interaction between the moderator and the speaker. Something is happening on the screen, and thanks to this, we keep the viewers’ attention. Each part should last about 20 minutes.

Necessary: The more real the e‑meeting is, the better. It is worth involving journalists or people who have experience in conducting interviews and working in front of the camera as moderators. They should be people who can control various situations — for example, they can skillfully end a prolonged statement by an expert.

Online conference in the formula of "expert talks”

Online conference in the formula of “expert talks”

4. Online conference venue

When preparing the exhibition stand, we try to stand out from the crowd, look good and professional. It is similar in the world of online events. An online conference is a very visual event.

What we say must harmonize with the whole message. It has to be consistent. If we emphasize in the speech that we distinguish ourselves from the competition in terms of quality, and at the same time, we are poorly visible on the screen (the transmission has a pixelated image), we lose credibility. What’s more, the irritation of viewers who will not hear and see us well can transfer to the company. In addition — according to research — good-sounding people are considered more brilliant. How to record online conferences? In a professional studio with an experienced producer who has experience in audiovisual productions and is a partner of the project, not only a streaming company. We are provided with: high-quality image (cameras), high-quality sound (advertising recording equipment), well-composed space, and professional assistance.

Necessary: A well-prepared studio with a quality recording affects the company’s credibility and experts. In addition, it makes the whole message consistent.

5. Online conference presentation

The form of the e‑meeting requires the preparation of a presentation that will be legible and attractive in reception. Therefore, the slides cannot be overloaded with content. They should contain only the most crucial keywords. However, photos, illustrations, and graphics are recommended. When making a meeting or teleconference via the Internet, we primarily operate with image and sound. Therefore, the experts’ statements — their knowledge and experience are the most important.

Necessary: The presentation should be legible and consistent with the company’s key visual or visual codification of a given event.

Presentation for an online conference -concise, legible, and consistent with key visual

Presentation for an online conference ‑concise, legible, and consistent with key visual

6. Online post-conference activities

The lights go out; the microphones go silent. And what’s next? At this point, you should have your post-conference activities planned. For example, what will we send to viewers who signed up but did not participate in our event? (Because the very fact of signing up shows that we are interested in the subject we have chosen). What will we pass on to those who were with us? How will we use contact details in marketing activities?

Neccesary: Organizing an online conference is also about post-conference activities. This last stage can be decisive in acquiring a client.

At 25wat, the last point of the checklist is called “process closure”, because organizing an online conference is a complex and multi-stage project. I am happy to tell you how we implement it and advise you on selecting an online conference platform. Feel free to contact me: Grzegorz Zięba, Head of business at 25wat: [email protected]

Sources:
Good Sound, Good Research: How Audio Quality Influences Perceptions of the Research and Researcher; Eryn J. Newman, Norbert Schwarz, March 20, 2018; Issue published: April 1, 2018.

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