Audio Visual Setup For Events

I've attended 6 webinars/virtual events in the last 2 weeks. These have been hosted by very small teams/early-stage startups to billion $ companies whose brand names are synonymous with B2B SaaS. A few things I see across these events that are problematic: - Not enough context was given before the event - beyond the title and speakers, I don't know what to expect from a flow of the session perspective. - I have the event on my calendar but the pre-event reminder email frequency is super low. My recommendation is to use the 7-1-4-1 approach. 7 days out, 1 day out, 4 hours out and 1 hour out. Build excitement and drop hints on discussion points, value to the audience and who is attending in these emails. - Speaker and host energy - this is a big one. If the people on stage aren't excited about being there, your audience isn't going to be either. One Slack DM, one WhatsApp notification or an email and you've lost their attention. You need to think of your event as a captivating show on your favourite OTT. They need to be gripped as a result of your energy and the value you are bringing to the event. - Engage outside of the stage - Whether it's summarizing points from the stage to replying to chat or sharing resources in real-time. The chat better be active AF. - Always start with housekeeping - Run through the agenda and flow, and let people know about the assets they can expect, and what will they be able to learn and apply after. Getting them there IS NOT ENOUGH! - Post-event follow-up - every single event host sent out a follow-up email but only with the recording link. You need to share key takeaways, the assets and resources shared during the event and give them something they can engage with further. One and done is not going to drive your results here. What did you think of these observations? Is there something else you feel virtual events for marketers should have? Let me know in the chat. This is a topic close to my heart! LFG! #virtualevents #webinars #marketing

What's the secret to seamless virtual events? A Run-of-Show! Virtual events are like live performances—they require precision, timing, and teamwork to shine. Yet, one critical tool is often overlooked: the Run of Show. Think of it as your event’s blueprint, ensuring everyone involved knows what’s happening and when. From transitions to timing, a well-crafted Run of Show keeps your event on track and stress-free. Here’s what a solid Run of Show includes: ✅ Segment breakdowns: Every element of your event, from the welcome to the wrap-up. ✅ Roles and responsibilities: Who’s doing what and when. ✅ Tech checks: Built-in time to address potential issues. ✅ Time cues: Specific durations for each segment to avoid overruns. ✅ Contingency plans: What happens if something doesn’t go as planned. By investing time in building a Run of Show, you create an experience that feels effortless to your audience—even if you’re managing multiple moving parts behind the scenes. I use a Run of Show for every event I produce, and it has saved countless hours and reduced stress for me and my clients. Whether you’re planning a virtual conference, webinar, or hybrid meeting, this tool is a game-changer. Have you used a run-of-show in your events? What’s your top tip for keeping virtual events smooth and professional? Let me know in the comments! #VirtualEvents #EventPlanning #RunOfShow #ProfessionalTips #CalmClearMedia

~ A 1000-person conference going virtual ≈ Saving 3,000 acres of forest. Conference season is coming up and we need to talk about the emissions they cause. Conferences do matter – they’re a chance to learn, network, and push the industry further – but with the right design interventions, these can do far more. Virtual conferences had a major moment during the pandemic — when we found that they have a 94% smaller carbon footprint than in-person ones. A Hybrid conference model – with half or fewer participants online – curtails the footprint to 67%. There’s more than just climate benefits. Well-run virtual conferences extend their global reach and foster inclusivity. A virtual event is for everyone – people with disabilities, busy professionals, and people across the globe. Virtual conferences eliminate travel and accommodation costs, making them a win-win for attendees and organizers. I agree, that virtual events are not engaging enough, but thankfully we live in an age where we have many tools for every problem. - Live Q&A sessions, polls, and surveys to keep attendees actively involved (Slido, Mentimeter) - Clear organization of tracks/sessions helps attendees digest information smoothly ( Accelevents) - Host engaging workshops with active participation (Miro , Butter 🧈) - 1:1 or 1:<5 interaction for organic networking (Braindate by e180) - Virtual spaces and showcases (Gather) Virtual spaces can be designed for valuable, spontaneous interactions that lead to new ideas and collaborations. 🏞️ So, what are your thoughts? Have you had any great (or not-so-great) virtual conference experiences? #VirtualConferences #ClimateAction #Sustainability

Global attendance is getting harder to sustain. Travel costs, visa delays, and economic pressure are changing who can actually make it to your event. Waiting for attendees to come to you isn’t a strategy anymore. The event teams winning right now are building experiences people can access from anywhere. Here’s what smart planners are shifting toward: 1. BUILD MORE THAN A LIVESTREAM Real global reach comes from interactive virtual experiences, not passive viewing. 2. USE AI TO KEEP ENGAGEMENT HIGH AI helps personalize sessions, networking, and content so digital attendees stay connected. 3. DESIGN FOR DIGITAL-FIRST ACCESS When travel becomes unpredictable, your platform becomes the experience. THE TAKEAWAY: The future of global events isn’t about bigger venues, it’s about building experiences that scale beyond physical attendance. In the video below, I break down how teams are adapting their event strategy for a more digital-first world.

Everyone says IRL events are better. But after hosting 450+ virtual events, here’s what I’ve learned: Most people try to make virtual events feel like they could’ve been in-person. But the secret? Build virtual events that fully lean into what virtual does better. For example, one thing virtual events nail is…everyone can talk at the same time. 🗣️ Imagine 50 of us are in a beautiful, magical space in-person, discussing how we hope to grow in the next 6 months. There are plants hanging down the walls 🌿, freshly squeezed juices in hand 🍹, and the sound of a gorgeous fountain filling the room. Now imagine the logistics: it’d take forever to hear from everyone. But on Zoom? Within seconds, everyone can share their thoughts at once in the chat. 💬 This “chat waterfall” lets me instantly tap into 50 brilliant minds and adjust the event in real time to what folks are questioning or thinking about. It’s incredibly powerful—and something in-person gatherings just can’t replicate. Yes, in-person events have their magic, but when it comes to virtual, I always ask: What can this do better than in person? Then, I dial that up to the extreme. 🎉 PS: If you’re someone who disables chat during a virtual event, I’d love to hear why. 🤔 If it’s about keeping important info from getting lost, maybe that info doesn’t belong in the chat. Think slides, emails, or follow-ups. 📧 And if it’s about focus, maybe the real fix is designing an event worth focusing on. 😉

16% lower cost per registration. 20% higher click-through rate. 32% higher lead form completion. Same event. The difference was running it as a full-funnel motion instead of a single day event. Most B2B teams still build events around one moment: drive registrations, host the session, move on. The teams getting those numbers run three connected phases, and each one feeds the next 👇 → Before: Video Ads and Thought Leader Ads build curiosity and credibility first, then Event Ads and Sponsored Messaging convert registrations. Virtual events need 2 to 3 weeks of runway. Anything involving travel needs 3 months. Output is a qualified registrant pipeline, not a headcount. → During: Event Ads shift automatically from registration to live viewership. Company-hosted events promoted with Event Ads see 31x more viewers than those without. Live viewers also convert later: companies see a 3.6x lift in InMail acceptance from members who watched their LinkedIn Live. → After: Registrants, attendees and video viewers are the warmest audience you'll target all quarter. Retarget no-shows with the replay, push deeper content to viewers, move everyone into lower-funnel campaigns. Members exposed to the event campaign convert 20 to 32% higher in what comes next. Then measure across the full funnel, not just the middle: → Reach: did you get in front of the right accounts and decision-makers? → Engagement: did they register, attend, and take meaningful action? → Revenue impact: did it open pipeline, accelerate deals, or influence closed revenue? Your CFO wants ROI this quarter. Your buyer is 200+ days into a decision with 6.8 people in the room. Events are one of the few formats that serve both, but only if the campaign runs as a motion instead of a date. ♻️ Save and repost if you found this useful. Stats above are from a Workday case study. #digitalee #risingtide #B2BMarketing #EventMarketing

I've recently executed a virtual events-based growth strategy from start to finish and learnt a lot. Wisdom summary below. AMA Note: this is about using virtual events to actually generate sales leads and sell something, as opposed to doing it for other reasons. Note 2: if you listened to the latest Champagne Strategy podcast episode on this very topic, none of this will be surprising. Note 3: I actually bother to personally gain hands-on experience on the things I talk about. No second or third hand wisdom posts if you follow me. Macro success drivers: 1 - Quality and large email list and/or active owned media following. If you don't have a huge email list or really engaged follower base you lack essential distribution ability. It also needs to be at critical mass to be a driver of attendees. You're talking in the hundreds. A list of 1000 might drive 20-30% attendance at best. If you dont have an audience you'll need to pay at least $20/attendee within your ICP 2 - The topic is critical. Lean into something that has demand already. Rather than preach your pitch Sysyphus. 3 - Presenter and Company brand Branda have massive gravity here. If your company brand is small, leverage a personal brand to compensate. Micro Success drivers: 4 - Headline People buy into the headline more than anything else you say below it. Spend the most time on this. 5 - How you say it Ensure the vibe is likeable and fun. Otherwise it's just an information lecture. Use basic storytelling tactics (ABT) for flow. How you say it is more important than what you're saying. People might at best, come away with three key points they remember. 6 - Timing Hold it at times that people can spare 40mins away from work. It's not rocket science folks. 7 - Friction If you don't charge money to attend, at least insert some kind of friction. Something free isn't valuable. And why would I attend if I can just watch the recording afterwards? Give me quality reasons. 8 - AI is your competitor What information are you offering that I can't get via a simple ChatGPT query or asking a colleague? Case in point - I queried all the AI platforms about this topic and they gave me sound, but inaccurate information on this topic. Especially if you are seeking commercial outcomes, the advice was almost the opposite of what is true in real life PS. Join me and 100+ others at 3pm AEST today for an event I'm helping host (in under 3 hrs time from this post) PSS. No you can't get a link to the recording if you missed it (unless you ask very nicely 😉) Link to episode in my bio.

Calling all event leaders planning meetings with a global audience, this one is for you. Where do you start when your delegates span multiple countries, time zones, and cultures? For me, it always comes back to structure: - The agenda design that keeps energy up and voices heard - The technology stack (ours or yours) that supports interaction and scale - And yes, language access so everyone can contribute with confidence Why it matters: 👉 Research shows that audience attention starts to drop after just 10 minutes in a meeting without interaction (University of Southern California). 👉 A recent survey found that 72% of attendees prefer interactive formats such as polls, Q&A, or breakout discussions compared with static slide presentations (Learning Guild). 👉 Virtual event studies show that audiences retain 95% of a message in video, compared with only 10% when reading it (Insivia). 👉 77% of event professionals saw a rise in multilingual meetings last year, and 72% expect that to grow (Wordly) 👉 65% of people prefer content in their native language, and 40% disengage if it is not available (CSA Research) The lesson is simple: running a global meeting takes more than scheduling and slides. It is the combination of clear agenda design, the right technology, and thoughtful inclusivity planning that makes events work. 👉 Want to hear more? Reach out to Open Audience or contact Leslie Robertson or Pedro Malha direct. Always happy to share what we know and see. #GlobalEvents #AudienceEngagement #EventDesign #DelegateExperience

We’re all  always trying to create a pixel-perfect experience for the audience. But sometimes, that audience is just one person. When you have a remote speaker, that person’s experience is just as important as everyone else’s. Unfortunately, they often get treated as an afterthought.  A burden. A technical task needing to be checked off. So here are the steps that I take to make sure a remote speaker has a great experience: ✅ Tech Check: Weeks before the show, I meet virtually with the speaker to review their setup. We check mic levels, adjust camera angles, and optimize their room lighting. ✅ Rehearsal: A day or two before the show, we practice their entire setup, from joining the room to giving their presentation, and let them acclimate to our virtual control room ✅ Pre-show: Speakers get invited to join the green room an hour before, and they’re greeted by a Virtual Producer who again checks all their technology and makes sure all distractions and notifications are disabled. ✅ During the show: we show them exactly what they need to see, which may include their presentation, a speaker timer, the show program, or a feed from the live event ✅ After the show: we don’t just kick them out! We invite them back to a special VIP green room, where they can watch the live feed in real time with other remote speakers When you elevate the experience for your speakers, the audience feels it. The energy shifts from digital nervousness to excitement. And that translates into a better show for everyone else. What I’d recommend for event planners: you should map out your speaker journey the same way you’d map out the journey for the rest of your audience. Use my bullet points above as a roadmap. Rather than tasks on a task list, treat each of those touch points as an opportunity to surprise and delight. And watch how your whole show improves!

Nobody wants to go to a boring webinar. I personally don’t have the attention span for that and you probably don’t either. Earlier this year, we hosted a virtual event at Exit Five that brought in 3,300 registrants, a 40% attendance rate, over 4,000 live chat messages, and 6+ hours of content we’re still repurposing months later. Safe to say most people didn’t think it was boring! Here are four things that made it work: 1. Make registration a no-brainer We treated the registration page like a product landing page - clear value prop front and center, short and simple form, real speaker photos and bios, a detailed agenda, and an FAQ to answer common questions. No fluff, no vague promises. Just straight to what’s in it for attendees. 2. Make it feel like an experience It’s not a meeting - it’s a show. We prepped with speakers ahead of time to keep the pace tight, transitions smooth, intros short, and get straight to the content. We left space for live Q&A, used interactive features like polls and giveaways, and kept the chat active the entire time so keep attendees engaged. 3. Build for repurposing Every session became content fuel for weeks and months ahead. Full recordings went to our podcast over the next few months. We pulled clips for social and gave speakers assets to use on their own channels. 4. Use a tool that helps you move fast We use Zuddl. Their event platform helped us build branded landing pages, manage invites and reminders, track promo performance, review post-event data, and host an event that ran smoothly from start to finish. So, the difference between forgettable virtual events and memorable ones isn’t budget or big-name speakers - it’s treating the whole thing like a real experience that’s actually worth people’s time. Make attendees excited for the next one before this one even ends. P.S - Zuddl is a sponsor of Exit Five and our Email Teardown (but we genuinely love the product and recommend it). We also wrote an article with more detail on how we pulled off this event - check it out below.