Why virtual events work and why they’re here to stay

The virtual events industry has flourished in the past year. With lockdowns, venue closures and social distancing rules put in place the world of business events was forced to quickly adapt to continue to serve the B2B world. Organisers looked for new ways to facilitate networking and business development and turned to virtual formats to do this. This adaptation has served events organisers and business leaders alike extremely well and what’s more, this virtual format is likely here to stay. Here are just a few reasons why hosting or taking part in an Inspired virtual event can benefit you as a business professional. 

They’re efficient

Virtual events allow you to network and learn from others in your industry all from the comfort of your own home. You can literally attend a B2B event in your slippers! Events of this nature mean you don’t have to worry about travelling to a venue, booking off a whole day of annual leave or spending money while you’re there. Most events last around 1 ½ – 2 hours meaning they’re time efficient and don’t take too much time away from your working day. 

They can put you in front of your target audience 

Sponsoring a virtual event means the discussion and attendees are bespoke to your business objectives. You can have face to face time with not only your target accounts but the key decision-makers from those accounts. Plus, due to the collaborative and relaxed nature of a virtual event, your audience won’t feel like they’re being pitched to in the traditional sense. As a sponsor, you can create thought leadership within the discussion to indirectly show these business leaders what you have to offer and why it would benefit them.  

They’re cost-effective

As an attendee, the only thing you need to give to a virtual event is your time. Participants of virtual roundtables and viewers of webinars can network with business leaders and learn from their peers completely free. For a sponsor, virtual events cost less than hosting a physical conference. Not only to do you not have the added cost of event hire you to have no travel and accommodation costs to worry about. 

They can enhance professional development

Attending a virtual event can not only benefit your business but it can also enhance your professional knowledge. Discussing industry topics and trends with like-minded people in your industry can enhance your professional development and open your mind to new advancements in your field. Being a panellist on a Live virtual event is also a great achievement to add to your professional profile. 

They are sustainable 

Without a venue, physical promotional materials like banners and flyers and travel costs virtual events are completely sustainable and environmentally friendly. Not only do physical events require travel but the amount of waste created from hundreds of people attending a conference is considerable.  A virtual event creates no waste and using video meeting platforms such as RingCentral or Google Meet means you have no physical overheads to worry about. You can also be comfortable in the knowledge that the same software can be used again and again.

To find out how you can sponsor or attend an Inspired Virtual Event get in touch with our team or click here to find out more.