How to Transform Your Live Conference or Trade Show Into a Virtual Event

March 24, 2020

Sometimes the unexpected happens and event planners have to decide to downsize or cancel their events. But before you cancel, consider an alternative. We believe in the power of meetings. They’re where people bring together ideas and insights to inspire others.

Here’s a quick list of how you can turn a live event into an online meeting of minds using tools you might already have on hand.

1. Take Your Sessions Online

Use a webinar tool to set up virtual sessions in place of your meeting rooms. Have attendees log into the same session they would’ve attended on-site and watch the session in real-time. Include links in your app and website to register and watch the webinar.

You could even have attendees download the conference app and send them real-time push notifications when sessions are starting. Make it fun so it feels like they’re actually part of a community even if they’re sitting back at home or in the office.

2. Have Speakers Record Themselves

Have speakers record their live webinars, or simply use the audio/video recording tools on their phones or computers to capture their presentations. Speakers can record their presentations and use a speaker management tool to submit a video of the presentation to be included in your event app and website.

If your event is still happening in a physical location but attendees can’t make it, you can record these sessions and make them available to attendees post-conference. Here are a few ways we can take your audio, video and presentation slides and use them to create engaging conference proceedings: 4 Ways Savvy Event Planners Share Conference Content

3. Link recordings from your event website

Once your conference proceedings are ready, add them to your website or app. Send attendees who couldn’t make it to the show complimentary access to these recordings. Your members and attendees can browse sessions they missed and engage with content that’s important to them.

4. Highlight Sponsors with a Product Showcase and Floor Plan

Use product showcase and expo floor plan tools to host a virtual trade show. Send attendees app notifications and emails highlighting specific sponsors and exhibitors throughout the show. You could also send an email with the best product innovations from your trade show and link to the product showcase on your event website.

5. Have a Virtual Scavenger Hunt

To up the game (quite literally) at your virtual trade show, offer a scavenger hunt. The onsite scavenger hunt works like this: attendees walk around the show and scan QR codes strategically located at sponsor booths. Instead, you could include these QR codes as PDF files on exhibitor profiles and sponsored sessions on your event website. Attendees could open them up, then scan them with the event app to answer questions and gain points. 

To make things more competitive, attendees can access the live leaderboard in their event app to see how they’re doing (and who their top competitors are).

6. Use Audience Response to Engage Attendees

Conferences are all about live interaction and learning. In addition to note-taking, highlighting and drawing on presentation slides, event apps offer another important educational tool: audience response.

The Audience Response System (ARS) acts as a real-time tool for question moderation and in-session commentary. Use ARS to allow speakers to poll the audience and display real-time results. Attendees can also ask questions and upvote others’ questions for the speaker to answer.

7. Encourage Networking with Attendee Chat

Use attendee chat in your event app to foster one of the most important things at a conference: networking! Send push notifications with icebreaker questions, topics of discussion, and fun photo competitions to get people engaged. For example, at the beginning of the conference, you could use the “Draw a Pig” personality test and have everyone share their picture on the attendee chat.

When your regularly scheduled evening entertainment was planned, have attendees share drink and food recipes and share pictures of themselves enjoying the meal at their dinner table.

Have a best-dressed photo competition. If people are stuck at home, you could get creative and do something like a “wackiest pajamas” competition. You could also use the attendee chat to announce things like award winners, people who have earned certifications or scholarship winners.

Encourage attendees to also use the attendee list in the app to connect with 3-5 new people by sending them a direct message with a discussion topic or question. They could then brew themselves a cup and schedule appointments to chat over coffee via a phone or video call.

 

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on TwitterFacebookLinkedIn and Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices
One of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip just got an upgrade. Mandalay Bay has everything that your business needs from a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, to an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're looking for a venue that's both inviting and innovative, you have to be here. New Wave Experiences Mandalay Bay continues to invest in a new wave of enhancements both in the convention space and within the resort as a whole. New restaurant openings including Orla by Michael Mina, drawing inspiration from the award-winning chef’s childhood in Egypt and with flavors and décor inspired by the spices found in markets common to coastal Mediterranean towns, as well as Caramá by Wolfgang Puck, bringing the essence of Italy and spirit of Wolfgang into one concept, are recent additions. The Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas also experienced a recent remodel of all 424 rooms. Swingers, a high-end, adults-only golf and entertainment concept will debut in Fall 2024. Enhanced Technology Creating a truly effective conference venue requires careful thought into what a business needs: the right technology, capacity, and inspiration to bring ideas to the next level. As part of the resort’s refresh, Mandalay Bay implemented state-of-the-art technology upgrades, installing cutting-edge Cat6A Ethernet cabling throughout the convention center. This advancement doubles the frequency of data transmission, enabling lightning-fast speeds up to 9400% faster. The convention center now boasts 11 dynamic digital walls, spanning up to 24' x 13', strategically positioned for brand placements, sponsorships and targeted event messaging. Additionally, attendees can benefit from 20 double-sided 55" mobile flexible display units, facilitating effortless navigation to meeting rooms and events. RFID locks were installed on all meeting room doors, and over 200 motion detection cameras have been placed throughout the space. Refreshing New Design & Fine Art The newly remodeled convention space provides a bright and vibrant atmosphere that complements Mandalay Bay's tropical-inspired brand. Featuring white-washed walls and ceilings adorned with bold floral patterns in cerulean and coral tones, the space is complemented by warm walnut accent walls. In addition to the redesign of all pre-function spaces, meeting rooms and ballrooms, Mandalay Bay's 1 million square feet of exhibit space has undergone a rejuvenation, including new paint, covered pillars and relocated strobe lights. Sustainable Spectacles Mandalay Bay is committed to Focused on What Matters and creating more responsible meetings. Refillable water stations all available around the resort, cutting unnecessary plastic usage from single-use bottles. The Mandalay Bay campus’ recent upgrades represent a bold step forward in redefining the Las Vegas experience. With a focus on innovation, sustainability, and unparalleled service, Mandalay Bay sets a new standard for excellence in business hospitality. Whether you're seeking cutting-edge conference facilities, world-class dining options, or simply a luxurious retreat, an unparalleled meeting experience awaits.