It seems like a lifetime ago that we would have been planning speaking events and lectures as in-person events, with a speaker taking the stage in front of a packed house. However, as we wait to see if the government’s plan for getting us out of lockdown goes according to their schedule, we have all had to learn to make the most of the opportunities that virtual events and webinars provide us.
While we have all had to brush up on our digital skills and hold our breath while we wait for everyone to connect, committing to the online experience has not been without its benefits. Here are three of the ways that you can get the most of everything that webinars have to offer and make sure it all goes off without a hitch.
When It Comes To Your Audience, Think Big
One of the most exciting things about planning your speaking event or guest lecture as a virtual experience is that it really opens things up when it comes to your audience. Of course, live streaming is nothing new, but traditionally the focus would always have been placed on making sure that all those seats were filled in the venue that you’d booked. After all, there’s nothing worse than having your speaker arrive and seeing empty chairs! Now, you can go redirect your efforts to spreading the word to interested parties around the globe and make sure that a fantastically broad and diverse audience can enjoy the event.
Find The Best Guest Speaker Possible
Looking for, and then booking, a guest speaker for your event is always a nail-biting process, whether it’s virtual or not. First, you need to make sure that you’ve found the right person for the job, then you need to make sure you’re using the right contact, and then there’s the whole process of checking their interest and availability, not to mention their fee. It is, of course, all worth it to secure a really fantastic guest speaker, but it can be a bit of an ordeal.
If you’re finding it to be something of a struggle, then it is worth going through a consultation and booking service that can get things moving in the right direction. To browse a fantastic range of UK-based guest speakers, check out this website. Speakers Corner recommends over 7500 keynote speakers for over 1000 events a year and can help you find the perfect voice for your event.
Remember To Rehearse And Test Everything
We have already mentioned the moment when everyone holds their breath as you wait to see if the connection will hold, the video is working, and the sound is playing. There really is nothing like the embarrassment of realising that the technology for an event where everyone is waiting to hear someone speak has failed on your watch, so if you want to make sure that it all goes without a hitch: practice.
Do a test run with your friends and colleagues, make sure that all the software is updated and functioning, and have a script ready that you know off by heart. You should also have a back-up plan in case things go wrong, because as we all know, there’s always something. Everything from office meetings to university seminars will be online for the foreseeable future so getting into a good routine now will help in the long run.
