If your company or organization has locations abroad, you may struggle to figure out how to host events that bring everyone together. Though there are a few ways to solve this problem, an international virtual event planner could help you identify the best solution and plan the event from start to finish.
Offer Virtual Session Multiple Times
One option is to offer the keynote session multiple times throughout the day. In this scenario, when attendees log on to the virtual event platform, they will choose both their time zone and region. Based on their selections, the keynote session occurring in their region is the only one visible to them.
This time zone planning solution facilitates a better attendee experience.
This solution, however, presents another problem. Is the keynote presenter willing to get up in the middle of the night to give a presentation to attendees in another part of the world?
A work-around for this is to have multiple presenters give the same keynote presentation. You could ask the heads of your Europe and Asia Pacific divisions to deliver the keynotes. Another potential solution is to choose a presenter who is well-known in that region to generate excitement among your virtual audience.
With this solution, if you originally planned on twenty sessions, then you may actually need triple that amount.
Plan Separate Virtual Events
One important aspect of virtual events is networking sessions and live training at times that make the most sense for your attendees in their particular regions. For example, cultural differences may dictate that you offer a live morning yoga session at 8:00 AM Pacific, but European audiences may prefer to have the yoga session at 10:00 CEST. You may also need to schedule your 5:00 PM networking happy hour for 20:00 CEST in a European city such as Rome.
If the event has a complex agenda, it could make more sense to offer a separate virtual event for each region, rather than scheduling meetings across time zones.
This is a great solution if you want to ensure both attendees and presenters have a great experience. The catch, however, is cost. Planning three separate events may cost more than planning one large one. In this case, it would help to work with an international virtual event planner to determine which approach is best for you.
Simulated Live Sessions
Offering content on-demand is an easy way to solve many potential issues associated with having an international virtual event. Engagement tools available with pre-recorded content have advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few years.
On the other hand, there’s a sense of urgency and anticipation that comes with events that only happen once. The fear of missing out (FOMO) is not as strong with on-demand content.
Want to know a third work around? Simulated live sessions. A simulated live session generates similar buzz and excitement as a live stream presentation. Consider offering simulated live sessions multiple times to accommodate different regions.
Ready to start planning your international virtual event? Contact Coast to Coast Conferences & Events and work with the best international virtual event planner.