DMAnc.org Pre-recorded Online Certification Workshop
Summer Discount: 33% Off
Free Lifetime Workshop Updates
Regularly $300, Now $200
Workshop on Creating Engaging Virtual Events and Conferences
(Can’t attend the live workshop? No problem. All workshops are recorded and we’ll send you the recording, workbook and any supplementary materials within a couple days of completion after we’ve had time to edit the recording.)
This is a new workshop is led by Susan Finch, co-producer of 15 B2B podcasts for the Funnel Radio Network, CEO of Binky Patrol – a successful, national 25 year 501c3 that relies 100% on sponsors and volunteers. She is also a keynote speaker, 35-year+ marketing professional, Interim CMO for several corporations. She is joined by an online event specialist, Michael Daniels, who has been instrumental in coordinating virtual conferences and events globally for several companies and organizations. They are also joined by Trade Show Magician, Scott Tokar, who will demonstrate a way to engage your online audience and give the host a break. Scott is an award-winning magician, and official Member of Inner Magic Circle, as well as the CEO of Corporate-Fx — a talent agency specializing in trade show and business events.
This course will give you ideas and specific roadmaps for rethinking large in-person meetings, conferences, and annual events while keeping your attendees engaged, and your sponsors supportive all remotely. As we are all looking for a new positive way to achieve the same goals, product and event success, we need to be flexible and fluid to meet the needs, while still surprising, delighting, and having an event that people will share and talk about for months to follow. This course will dig into the structure, as well as the logic for setting up systems that work for everyone no matter what their role is. Are you a sponsor left out of the exposure at regular events and now need to create something on your own? You will get ideas here, as well — perhaps you’ll pool teams and resources with other friendly sponsors/exhibitors at events that are not planning on transitioning to a virtual version.
As a bonus, at the end of this course, you’ll be able to download checklists and a set of recommended products for each scenario, the lists covered in the presentation, and more.
Points that will be covered, as well as skills taught:
- Giving you ways to lock down the ultimate goal of the event beyond, “because we used to have an annual conference and now have to do it online.” Determining how far to go with this event.
- Determining the team needed to pull it all off internally, or deciding when to contract with an outside company.
- Giving your sponsors added incentive to participate, added exposure, and results.
- Determining how far to go with this event as well as helping you decide the venue or venues for your online event experience.
- Equipment and staff need based on various hosting scenarios — indoor, outdoor, multi-location indoor, multi-location outdoor, or a combination.
Getting started:
- Timing and resources needed
- How big of a team for each scenario.
- How to promote before and after the event.
- How to widen the net since location is no longer a barrier.
- What is free, what is behind the gate, what is a bonus?
Steps for you as the hosting company:
- Agreed upon goals for this event to build momentum for future events.
- Types of sponsors and how much do you want them to participate.
- How big of a team do you have, and do you need to bring in outside help?
- Decide how many locations and the length of the session or event.
- How interactive do you want it to be?
- Will there be a cause you can all get behind as an added benefit of your event?
During the event:
- Control room needs
- Comment wrangler
- Recording B roll on location
- Outtakes/bloopers/epic fails
- Engaging with the audience in attendance online and onsite.
After the event:
- Shout about it on social and how that looks.
- Thoughtful, intelligent editing — your secret weapon! You want them to like the replay enough to share it out and to trust and appreciate you, too.
- A tidy package for the sponsors and direct participants and what it includes.
- “Send me the link to your post, I’ll promote that out for you.”
- What were the results?
- What was the feedback — did you ask for feedback from sponsors, ‘exhibitors’, participants, and attendees.
- Review with the team, participants, vendors about what went right and want needs to improve or change for the next version of this event.
- Write up a recap about the event, mentioning speakers, memorable moments, quotes — a public debriefing of sorts so people will not want to miss it next year.
Regular maintenance:
- Do all the relevant venues know about your event, including forums, private groups, professional organizations?
- Have you added it to your own website and is it easy to find?
- Do you have your prior list of attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, and when was the last time you communicated with them?
- Do you have a subscriber list for RSS to email so you can send regular updates for upcoming events and past events results?
- Keep them interested. As you nail down details of the next event, begin to trickle it out to build excitement and encourage sharing of your event.
Key takeaways:
- After this course, you will be able to determine the logic and goals of your event.
- You will also know how to choose the right venue for your event and whether you want to include free portions of the event, invite sponsors to host a portion, including demos and more.
- We will cover the list of prep-steps so you start successfully.
- To keep the momentum and future attendee list building, how to create steady content leading back to your public event content, and how to keep your sponsors on your “super fan” team.
Who the course is for:
Marketing teams of all sizes, thought leaders, those who regularly speak on stage at conferences, sponsor events, host annual events, exhibit at expos, and conferences. Marketing professionals who have been handed the task of “rethinking our annual meeting” for the company and don’t have any idea where to start.
Instructor: Susan Finch
Guest speaker: Michael Daniels
Special offer from our sponsor MountainTop Data: Workshop attendees will receive $1,000 in free B2B data credits for attending.
Testimonials
This seminar was well worth the investment. The presenters offered actionable guidelines that can be used immediately to plan online events.
Constance GeorgeSenior Director of Marketing, Carnegie Science Center
This workshop really helped me think about my virtual event in a different way. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and was thinking very one-dimensionally about converting my in-person event. I now have many other dimensions to offer value and experience to my attendees.
Stephanie WernerMarketing Manager, i4cp, Inc.
The Direct Marketing Association provides webinar education that is engaging, interactive and relevant. I will definitely be participating in another again soon.
Tanya LambMarketing Manager, Capstone Technology
Great content for those new to the video conference production world. Great speakers with lots of experience.
John RhatiganChairman, Marine Machinery Association
I came out of this seminar with about a million ideas on not only how to transition my traditionally f2f 3 day annual sales meeting into a virtual event but to expand and improve it beyond anything we could produce in our hotel-bound, PowerPoint dependent template.
April KeeneIndustry Engagement Specialist, USPS
For anyone new to hosting virtual events, this course provided a solid foundational overview, tips and tricks from folks who’ve been there, and some great ideas on how to make our event more engaging!
Susan RothDirector, Marketing, TierPoint, LLC
This workshop offers valuable tips on what is needed to create a successful online event. Including what to consider as your goals, the tools you need, and ways to keep participants engaged. I am looking forward to incorporating these tips into my next event.
Nikole AllenMarketing Coordinator, BioFire Diagnostics
This workshop was helpful in that it covered a wide array of topics and hypothetical situations that we might encounter in both our virtual and our in person events.
Beth BonnSenior Marketing Professional, Humana
I thought the content was extremely relevant with the course description. The prensenters did a great job at breaking down elements in a way everyone could understand them.
Chris FreemanDirector of Communications, Children’s Home Society of West Virginia
I was very pleased with your presentation. Thank you for keeping it fun and presenting what needs to be virtual as we move forward in these uncertain times.
Dean DavisIndustry Engagement Specialist, USPS
This class really was top notch. They broke down all we need to know to run a five star event. I couldn’t be more pleased and can’t wait to re-watch the webinar to make sure I did not miss anything.
Shawnda KarawaIT Diversity & Inclusion & Engagement Lead, Freddie Mac
Great presentation on how to rethink your live event and bring it into the digital space.
Meaghan FitzpatrickProject Manager, Instinet, llc
The credibility of the speakers was excellent and the examples they shared were real world, like the importance of testing, testing, testing.
Dorene KolbProject Manager, Instinet, llc
Good, strategic content for driving revenue for your event, promotional opportunities and audience engagement ideas.
Yvette ThomasAdministrative Director, PMCA
Susan Finch is a great presenter who gives well articulated, relevant, and practical examples to explain the fundamentals of a strategic approach to events.
Lisa ChristyChief External Affairs Officer at Portland Japanese Garden
Great workshop. Highly recommend.
Debra AmaralMarketing & Brand Management Specialist, VSP Global
This was a great workshop to help get your wheels turning on creating engaging events for your customers.
Kelly ClaireSenior Exhibits Specialist, Wiley
