Morning in New York is (very) late evening in Melbourne. So how do you make your online event work for participants in both places?
The answer is simple, although not everyone will like it.
You have to organize two editions of the same event. That’s why when I hosted the event for the international corporation Miele, one day I came to work at 7:30 (we started at 9:00), and the next day at 13:00.
Did we do the same thing two days in a row?
No. This was especially because guests from Europe, unlike those in the US or Australia, were able to participate both days due to their inbetween time zone. Therefore, although we covered similar topics, we invited slightly different speakers. And I separately prepared the moderation of each of these days. The agency organizing the online event has also prepared separate agendas.
Couldn’t you record everything in one day?
Someone might think that such an international (4 continents) event could take place at the time that best suits the majority. And for the rest– they can watch it later.
But I think that’s a bad idea. Because if we really value our audience, we should offer everyone – regardless of the time zone – equally interesting material.
For this reason, I advise my clients not to pre-record presentations and speeches. Invited for a specific time, the audience will quickly realize that they are watching a perfect, but completely non-interactive presentation.
Especially post COVID pandemic, we now need more than ever the sense of community that comes from experiencing events together.
What do I particularly appreciate about the approach of the people of Miele?
I appreciate that the organizers have the courage not only to organize an online live conference, but even enable mutual communication. Not only speakers, but also conference participants could speak at any time and actively influence the course of the event.
When we enable mutual contact, virtual events become really valuable.
What did I do to bring people together online?
First of all, I prepared meticulously. I used the website that the organizers had created for the participants. Such a simple thing as the list of names of dozens of HR directors from around the world helped me a lot. I often use LinkedIn and this time it turned out to be invaluable.
One of the employees had celebrated their 20th work anniversary in Miele, another shared a post about the importance of work-life balance. This knowledge came in handy to talk to them at the beginning of the conference. It let them know that I understand their world, I am not someone treating them like names on a piece of paper. Someone might say that it is just small talk. I will answer no, this is the beginning of building relationships.
What the organizers have to say
