10 STEPS TO A GREAT VIRTUAL MEETING

2020 is the year of virtual everything – including virtual fundraisers, meetings and other events. As we all have during these times, the NüPOINT team has pivoted to serve our clients who need assistance hosting and executing virtual meetings.

We’ve recently supported virtual meetings for:

United Way of Delaware
Westover Capital
Better Business Bureau Serving Southern Arizona
Community Water Company of Green Valley.

Here’s what we’ve learned about hosting an engaging virtual meeting
that isn’t just like all the other Zoom calls your guests are on all day:

1) CONTENT TRUMPS TECHNOLOGY

There are many platforms for your virtual meeting; Zoom, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, and Skype for Business are just a few. Each has distinct core functions. And often a meeting planner will fixate on one feature or another and design a meeting around that functionality. Instead, focus on your audience and what you want to communicate, their level of comfort with technology, and how (or if) you’ll want to engage your audience in the meeting…thendetermine the platform (or platforms) that best complement your content.

2) KEEP IT BRIEF

If you’re thinking of a virtual meeting that’s longer than an hour, re-think it.

3) NAME AN MC

This person will be quick on her feet, witty and nimble of tongue. His role is four-fold: provide a sense of continuity to your meeting; connect otherwise disparate speakers; fill in if there’s a technical snafu; time management.

4) DRAFT “RUN OF SHOW”

This is a moment-by-moment outline of the order of events for your virtual meeting, inclusive of the order of speakers/topics, technical cues and a general sense of times.

5) KEEP IT LOOSE

You’re going to be tempted to follow a rigid script. Resist. While it IS critical that the technical cues be well organized, no one wants to listen to an hour of talking heads reading boring scripts. Consider organizing your meeting as a conversation between your main speakers, or a series of interviews between your MC and your speakers.

6) USE VIDEO

Break up the pattern of talking heads with short, pre-produced videos highlighting your “year in review,” a particular component of your new product, or a specific project.

7) ENGAGE AN “OUTSIDE” SPEAKER (OR TWO)

Tap a client, or a vendor, or a customer (or all three) whose experience with your product or service can add an informative dimension to your meeting. Be sure to go over the logistics of the meeting with that person(s) and have a good understanding of what they’ll say beforehand.

8) REHEARSE

At least a day or two before your meeting, all of your speakers should do a run through following the actual “Run Of Show” and inclusive of all the technical and logistical elements. If something’s likely to go wrong, this is where that should happen.

9) IF NECESSARY, LAWYER UP

If your virtual meeting includes the need for Board and/or shareholder voting, confirm with your attorney that your voting format complies with any governance or by-law requirements. Plan for these requirements well in advance.

10) ENCOURAGE ENGAGEMENT & FEEDBACK

Live chat and/or comments options should be part of your format. Assign someone (not the MC) to monitor the questions and forward relevant questions to the MC (with answers). If you’re going to allow live questions and answers, be sure your technology platform will support this.

Your virtual meeting doesn’t have to be a sad replica
of the in-person type you may have wanted.
But it does require a new way of thinking.
NüPOINT can help.

Contact us!

https://nupointmarketing.com/contact/

Let’s discuss your project