Last week, GovLoop and ON24 hosted a virtual event on how government agencies can transition traditional in-person trainings and conferences to the virtual environment. This movement has the power to drastically cut costs, time, and emissions, while delivering an interactive and engaging experience to participants. The presentations were crammed with great tips on how to plan and execute successful events, such as virtual learning programs, conferences, and career fairs.
Check out the archived event here.
Nearly every week, GovLoop hosts at least one webinar on key topics affecting the government. With this experience, Andy Krzmarzick, GovLoop’s Director of Community Engagement, gave us his six tips on building a successful virtual event. They’re outlined below.
- Lead a virtual ice breaker — Event planners can be creative with this tip. Have people to stretch at their desk or incorporate a free association – give participants a topic or word, then give them a few minutes to jot down anything that comes to mind related to that idea.
- Have an energetic host / moderator — An engaging introduction, streamlined transitions between presentations, and a productive are all under the responsibility of a great host.
- Strive for multiple, fresh voices — Mix it up. Having a few presenters with different perspectives on the topic of discussion gives the audience a diverse learning experience.
- Send multiple reminders, Outlook invites — Remind people to tune in! While you should be careful not to bombard your audience’s inbox, email confirmations, reminders and after-event follow-ups are must-dos to get folks to participate in the webinar live, listen into an archive, and download resources.
- Engage with multiple modalities – chat, Q&A, polling, etc. — Keep your audience active. Remind them to submit questions, encourage them to discuss amongst each other (if the content and system permits), and show them that you’re responsive to their ideas and contributions.
- Test your internet connection and use a landline for phone — Don’t let potential hiccups ruin the show. Test your communications systems, try to maintain a consistent microphone volume, and don’t allow presenters to use their wireless phones.
For more practical implementation tips and case studies, take a peak at the GovLoop guide below or download it.
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Do you have any tips to add?
What do you think makes a winning webinar?
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Check out these supporting resources:
- Government Virtual Engagements Community of Practice to engage in ongoing dialogue about virtual events and training in government.
- GovLoop Human Resources Hub
- Guide: Guide to Virtual Events and Training in Government
- Groups: e-Learning, Government Virtual Engagements Community of Practice, Knowledge Management in Government, and Instructional Systems Design
- Recap: Moving from In-Person to Online: How to Transform Traditional Training and Conferences in Gov’t
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