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We all know that the explosion of virtual events will require event managers to add a few more strings to their bow.
Some crossover between in-person and online exists. But there is no getting around the fact that you need digital skills to manage, entertain and engage audiences effectively.
Unfortunately, it seems very few of us have all we need to embrace this new format. According to recent surveys, event managers have difficulty engaging audiences, using technology, acquiring sponsors, and expanding their audiences online.
We’re used to doing these same tasks for live events, but there’s a different playbook when everything goes digital.
Digital skills have no set parameter nor a list you have to follow. There’s no exam, either. (Which is quite handy if you’re figuring the whole thing out as you go along.) Digital skills come in lots of shapes and sizes, and you might already have a few to your name. From our perspective, here are five worth reading up on:
Digital audience engagement
Much like you’d assign a compere or moderator to a physical room or stage, you need someone to encourage comments and get the conversation flowing.
It might seem as easy as delivering an on-screen prompt or putting a comment in the feed, but there is so much more to learn about driving engagement at key points in your event.
Video production/content creation
Large events tend to avoid design and branding issues by getting a professional to handle everything for them.
Nevertheless, you still have to tell that professional what you want. Do you need advertisements? If so, where? What should your graphics say? What should the speakers have as a background? Basic video production is a fundamental skill of the modern-day event manager.
Social media management
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin are all good options for putting a virtual event in front of an already connected audience. Beyond the initial launch, you have to think about what else you can get from your social platforms.
Virtual events, much like their physical counterparts, take place in an enclosed environment. You need a way of condensing all of the critical happenings and bringing them out to people who, with persuasion, might join you instantly or at a later date. Social media is the fastest and cheapest way of getting that information out there.
Virtual events, much like their physical counterparts, take place in an enclosed environment. You need a way of condensing all of the critical happenings and bringing them out to people who, with persuasion, might join you instantly or at a later date. Social media is the fastest and cheapest way of getting that information out there.
Data management
At a physical venue, it can be hard to keep track of attendees and examine how their experience unfolds. Virtual attendees are entirely different in that regard. Their events take place on platforms that allow for each interaction to be collected and analysed. That data can be used to tell us what works and what doesn’t, but you need a strong grasp of technology to do it.
You also need the courage to let data guide your decisions – a secondary skill that every data or CRM manager has and one that you should consider for yourself.
User experience (UX)
Lastly, we have user experience or ‘UX’ as some describe it. Sounds technical? Well, if you’ve ever been to an awful venue (think dull; packed with furniture that serves no purpose; poorly decorated), you’ll have experienced the in-person equivalent of poor digital UX.
As sad as it is, our industry is full of virtual event platforms that continuously break down or have nothing for attendees to do. You need something that encourages people to spend the day with your event. Better still, you need something that has them engaging with sponsors, posing questions to speakers, and networking with attendees, which is no mean feat.
Building digital skills like UX does not happen overnight. Similar to your journey with traditional event management, though, it’s an investment worth making.
In a nutshell
The events industry is witnessing rapid and relevant changes due to technology and digitization of the world. New Digital Event Managers are continually entering the market. So, both new and experienced professionals need to keep up to date with the speed of innovation.
Besides soft skills such as negotiation, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking, professionals need to be sufficiently tech-savvy to develop the specific Digital Event Manager Skillset.
Humanity is entering a new era in which a combination of physical, digital, and biological technologies will change the way we work. Shortly, most of the workforce worldwide will probably get used to it all. But you can take advantage of all that by early-adopting and familiarising yourself with these competencies.
This new Digital Event Manager Skillset can guarantee you a competitive advantage in the market and a smoother adaptation to the new challenges yet to come in your career.
Do you want to know how we can help you regardless if your event is physical, virtual or hybrid? Book a demo today.