Virtual Event Success

Over the past 3-months, I’ve been searching for someone to take over front line customer support in my business. My wonderful virtual assistant (VA) of 3-years wanted to move into a more specialized area of membership website management (yay!) and no longer wanted to manage help desk tickets or emails (oh no!).

Sadly, answering emails and tickets are not my strength. Although I love meeting new people, my strength is in training and motivating people to make a change in their business using virtual events.

I thought I could ignore this issue in my business and for a while, I successfully did so. However, after missing a really lucrative speaking gig and getting a few angry emails from clients who were frustrated by the slow response, I knew that I had to find someone to fill this hole in my business and fast.

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I should’ve done this weeks ago, but better late than never. I’d like to introduce you to the wonderful women on my virtual event team who help make my clients’ virtual events shine.

These Virtual Event Managers have been trained using my 7 step-by-step process. Here are just some of the duties they’re responsible for:

• Help the client complete and sign off on the Virtual Event Requirements document
• Create an action plan and budget for the client
• Create and/or write all promotional copy for the client, including the sales page, affiliate promo copy, preview calls promo copy
• Facilitate the launch of the Virtual Event Platform
• Facilitate the design of a logo and banner for the client’s virtual event
• Organize weekly status meetings with the client to discuss status
• Facilitate weekly status meetings with the client to review action items
• Guide the client on how to use the promotional copy
• Organize the recordings for playback on the Virtual Event Platform
• Monitor and respond to emails from attendees during the virtual event
• Pursue speakers and collect their bio, photo, picture and signed release forms
• Collect weekly performance report from the client during the promotional stage of the virtual event
• Complete the Virtual Event Lessons Learned document after the virtual event is over
• Use Basecamp to facilitate to-do items, deadlines and tasks

Whew! That’s a long list. Here are the women that make me and my clients look good:

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Crave authority? Visibility? Want to attain a power position? Want to be a leader with your own personal brand? Well, you can find out how virtual events can help you do this in an interview I did with Susan Bratton.

Susan is my favoritist digital diva. We met at the 2007 Podcast & New Media Expo and instantly clicked. The Business Journal named Susan a 2009 Woman of Influence in Silicon Valley and for good reason – she’s a connector and knows everybody. So when Susan asked me to share my knowledge about virtual events on her show, Dishy Mix, I just couldn’t refuse.

To listen to the 30-minute interview, click here. And just to let you know, Susan is speaking at Virtual Event Boom on

Do you know the secret to filling a virtual event? It’s not who’s speaking at your virtual event. It’s not even the platform you’re using.

The secret in filling your virtual event lies in your marketing and sadly, this is the one area that virtual hosts ignore. That’s why I’m happy to share my virtual event marketing formula for **FREE** on Wednesday April 21st at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern.

This complimentary call is a SNEAK PEEK of all the great content that I and my faculty of speakers will be sharing at the 2010 VIRTUAL EVENT BOOM, a 5-day virtual event taking place May 10-14, 2010.

To get the call-in details for this call and the others in this series, enter your first name and email address below.

A few days ago, I posted an open letter to those who host and produce virtual events badly. It got quite a bit of reaction and I’m pleased to see that people used the opportunity to heal, list their frustrations and generally learn from the mistakes of others.

In the open letter, I stated that I’m on a mission to help consultants and small business owners – like YOU – understand how to host and produce virtual events better. I’m excited to share with you a 4-part preview call series to help you better manage your virtual event.

Starting on Wednesday April 14, 2010, I’m hosting a **FREE** one-hour call each Wednesday until May 5th. In these weekly calls, I and my guest experts will share with you virtual event best practices.

These complimentary calls are a SNEAK PEEK of all the great content I and my faculty of speakers will be sharing at the 2010 VIRTUAL EVENT BOOM, a 5-day virtual event taking place May 10-15, 2010.

Here’s the preliminary preview call schedule (please note this is subject to change as I finalize details with my guest speakers).

REVIEW CALL #1 – Wed Apr 14, 2010
10:00am Pacific / 1:00pm Eastern

“7 Startling Mistakes that Even Smart Consultants Make Hosting Virtual Events (And How to Avoid Them)”

PREVIEW CALL #2 – Wed Apr 21, 2010
10:00am Pacific / 1:00pm Eastern

“The Virtual Event MARKETING CYCLE: Yes, There is a Formula! How it Works & How You Can Use it for Profit”

PREVIEW CALL #3 – Wed Apr 28, 2010
10:00am Pacific / 1:00pm Eastern

“Virtual Event TEAM BASICS: Why Planning & Producing a Virtual Event By Yourself Totally Sucks & Who to Hire Without Breaking the Bank”

PREVIEW CALL #4 – Wed May 5, 2010
10:00am Pacific / 1:00pm Eastern

“Virtual Event SUCCESS STORIES: Meet Consultants Just Like YOU Who Are Using Virtual Events to Skyrocket Their List, Their Expert Status & Their Income”

Want to get the call-in details? Head on over to Virtual Event Boom, enter your first name & email address in the box and you’ll get the call-in info sent to your inbox.

I’ll admit it – I’m not a futurist. I’m not that good at predicting future trends, so I leave that to friends like Nancy Marmolejo and Mitch Joel. I am one of those early adopters, the ones who listen to the innovators, then launch into action.

But I digress.

I’ve been seeing quite a number of blog posts listing predictions for virtual events in 2010. And since I’d prefer not to embarrass myself listing predictions that would truly make you laugh (eg. virtual events will make an appearance on the iPhone – oops, that’s already happened, huh?), I’ll instead list the predictions from those who seem to walk the futurist talk.

• Folio Magazine came out with 115 predictions for 2010. Only 1 of those interviewed, Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, listed virtual events as something to take seriously in 2010.
• Dennis Shiao (whose blog posts I truly enjoy because I wish I wrote them myself) gave his list of predictions for virtual events in 2010.

Any that I missed? What are your predictions for virtual events in 2010? Leave your feedback below.

I was poking around and stumbled upon this blog post that included a video on the changing media landscape. I think the video could’ve been shortened a bit, however, the statistics presented were quite fascinating.

Two things stood out for me – the statistics on mobile usages and the very last image in the video. It’s a wonderful strategy to use if you’re trying to fill an offline or virtual event. Take a look at the video below and watch it right until the end.

If you want to learn more about how to plan and market your virtual events, sign up to attend an afternoon online conference hosted by vConferenceOnline.

Here’s the line up of speakers and topics:

12:30 pm INTRODUCTION

12:35 – 1:15 pm WHY IS A VIRTUAL EVENT SAFE & WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
Stephen Wynkoop, founder of vConferenceOnline technology
Learn how to apply your planning experience to virtual events and how to develop the best experience for your client or company. Less risk and more control while reaching more attendees with more flexibility. No new technology for you to learn.

1:15 – 2:00 pm OBTAINING & PLANNING THE CONTENT
Interview with Andrea Gold, President, Gold Stars Speakers Bureau
Discuss organizing the session and securing the speakers to accomplish the content delivery for your virtual event. Contracting, speaker costs and other considerations.

2:00 – 2:45 pm MARKETING YOUR EVENT
Stan Hustad, President, PTM Coaching Experience
Learn how to present and market a virtual event, either separate or tied to an in-person event. Who needs to be involved and what about digital/social media?

2:45 – 3:30 pm APPLICATION & BEST PRACTICES
Susan Friedmann, CSP, The TradeShow Coach
Learn what types of virtual events are possible, how they work with your physical events, and what you can accomplish. Can we make this profitable? How do I introduce a virtual event to my client or company and who needs to be involved?

Click here to attend this free virtual event.