Stage Three: Develop
New Workflows – New Team Members
By Jason Guille (Stream of Consciousness), Lynn Feasey (Points North Creative) and Inga Petri (Strategic Moves/ [email protected]), February 2021
With the first two phases complete it is time to develop the workflows, teams and technology that is needed to deliver on your intentions. Each event management and technical role is outlined in the table below, and indicates where roles stay the same, where they change, and new roles needed.
| ROLE | IN PERSON | ONLINE | |
| Event Owner / Manager | Typically the Event Manager holds the core vision of the event and oversees both the in-person and online event delivery. | ||
| Registration Desk | Staffed throughout conference, used for wayfinding, information | Ensures meeting links are easily available, log-ins are clear | |
| Event Organizer | Per common practice | Depending on the size of the event, you may need to introduce an ORGANIZER or team lead for the online experience. | |
| MC | The MC can transcend both media, being captured from stage and shared to both the in-person audience and also streamed to the online audience. It’s important that the MC is clear where the audiences are, and often ‘looks at’ and references the online audience, so they feel present and recognized. | ||
| Speakers | Speakers on stage need to remember that there is an online audience to connect with and acknowledge. | Digital speakers may benefit from coaching on their digital presentation and production quality to appeal to both audiences. | |
| Moderators | Per common practice, if applicable for the event | More moderators may be needed for the online event, Facebook or Youtube chat, the Zoom breakout rooms to facilitate group engagement | |
| Audience Engagement Team | In-venue storyteller, graphic recorder, mascot interactions can effectively engage people. | Having team members online to funnel questions to speakers, to provide resources and give participants a sense of belonging. | |
| Event Producer / Technical Director | Per common practice (in venue audio, video, lighting, computers) | A technical director for the online experience overseeing the livestream, internet management, cameras, audio. | |
| Livestream Producer | This role may exist under the Technical Director, a Producer specifically accountable for the delivery and fulfillment of the livestream. This is a specialist role. | ||
| Stage Manager | Per common practice | This is the ‘show caller’ or production manager who is directing what’s happening and calling for the next elements of the streaming experience to create a seamless, high quality production. | |
New Sponsorship Opportunities
For event owners / managers, moving into the virtual realm opens up an array of new opportunities for sponsorship. Often, the recognition offered to partners and sponsors is most noticeable in the geographic area of the physical event itself through posters, brochures, local radio ads, signage at the event itself, and so on. As a result, the exposure sponsors receive typically has a geographic range related to the physical event. When prospective sponsors consider getting involved, the “exposure footprint” is one of the key elements informing their decisions.
In the world of blended events, where a digital audience can join from anywhere the typical ‘exposure footprint’ formulas are no longer adequate. To the extent that organizers are intending to expand the geographic reach through marketing, partnerships, advertising, social media there is an expanded opportunity to recruit and promote event sponsors, in new ways.
With extensive video capabilities at blended events, there are new ways to recognize partners and sponsors. For example, they can join on stage to be thanked personally. They can pre-record a video where they explain why they got involved. Their logo and a thank you can play during breaks as a video loop throughout our event. Getting creative can go a long way to providing new kinds of value to sponsors and partners. For more information about online event sponsorship, visit https://digitalartsnation.ca/digital-playbook/how-to-create-awesome-online-conferences/
