A virtual event has many of the benefits of a face-to-face event – it has a full conference program, exhibitors and opportunities to network – from the comfort of your office! Attendees simply register for the event and log on from their computer when the event goes live. No travel, no fuss – just a great opportunity to learn, network and debate.
These highly interactive virtual events can support an event at a physical location or be used in place of one. Becoming more and more popular each year, virtual events are an economical and environmentally friendly way to bring like-minded people together into a virtual environment in a variety of formats such as tradeshows, career fairs, seminars or resource centers. They allow companies to deliver live or pre-recorded presentations, educational information, marketing collateral, training materials, and more to interested attendees.
Companies are also able communicate with users through interactive tools such as text or video chat, in-show email, post-presentation Q&A and attendee networking to share their interests. Additionally, virtual events have proven to be extremely valuable to marketers since every activity can be tracked and analyzed.
While virtual events can be limited to one or a few days, an advantage over a physical event is that they can remain available on demand after the live event is over to allow attendees access to the valuable resources or to host additional presentations throughout the year. Since attendees can use the tools in the event to save their favorite content and communications, as well as connect with company representatives and similar users, the ability to come back to the event helps to ensure that attendees get the most out of the event.
Virtual events work well for companies who want to:
Build Brand Awareness
- Expand into a new customer segment
- Showcase new products through interactive demos
Strengthen Reputation and Relationships
- Promote industry expertise and thought leadership
- Train customers or internal staff
Generate and Nurture Qualified Leads
- Touch users more often through combining physical and virtual events
- Develop deeper prospect profiles through activity tracking
- Personalize content based on interests
Retain Customers
- Share new product upgrades and best practices
- Make them better at their jobs through idea exchange and networking
- Offer rewards for loyalty
Gain Insight
- Get valuable feedback through interactive focus groups
- Offer a “first look” of new products or features for power users/buyers
