Looking to create a virtual event in 2020? Do not host an online conference without a virtual emcee!
Many organizations are moving fast to bring their planned live event into a virtual meeting platform. Some have only days to make the decision and get the content posted. But an online conference is not the same thing as a simply broadcasting a live event. The needs of a remote audience is very different than what a live group expects. To successfully engage the home viewing audience, you need to approach this format with a variety of unique ways. The virtual emcee is probably more important to the success of your digital event than a master of ceremonies is to a live convention.
Six years ago Thom Singer and Eliz Greene launched “The Conference Talk Show“. This was when the idea of “hybrid events” was just coming into a technological reality with the advancements in streaming. The idea behind this format was to keep the remote audience tuned in during breaks, and to provide them with a unique experience. Too many conferences that were going “Hybrid” simply steamed keynotes, with no concern for how this was connecting to those watching. The Conference Talk Show was an answer on how a conference could be designed for a live audience and a remote audience.
In 2020 Thom and Eliz updated this format with “The Webinar Talk Show” and quickly began showing organizations that a webinar can be better than a talking head with a PowerPoint. A webinar needs not be long and boring, but many are just that. Not all people who are sharing information in online conferences are experienced digital presenters, and having an in-depth interview can make the content more personalized to the audience. As the virtual EmCee’s, they are the eyes and ears of the audience and keep the speaker focused on sharing what is timely and relevant.
Make Your Online Conference Into A Talk Show
Thom and Eliz are like the “LIVE with Kelly and Ryan” of virtual meetings. Imagine a newscast or talk show without the hosts? Think of the Academy Awards without and EmCee (as in 2019 and 2020 when the ratings were low and the people who watched were bored). You cannot just stream clips of speakers. Content without context is lost in the online conference world.
If you are planning an online conference or a series of educational webinars, look to make them more like a television show. But what the Conference Talk Show Team has learned, is this means planning, producing meetings, practice, and the ability to roll with the flow if the tech fails. This should not just be something left to chance. The Today Show is done on a hope and prayer, and your digital event should not be a whim. Hire a great Virtual EmCee (or EmCee’s) and elevate your viewer experience.
Who Says Hire Virtual EmCee? (The Smart People)
The whole world is new to online conferences. There is not a proven method to how to create a great show. Yet there are many people who are years ahead in producing live events. Jay Baer wrote an article that has spun around the internet called 11 Ways to Win with Virtual Events, and his #4 tip is “Have a great moderator / host”. Why? Jay says “Having a consistent face and voice that “stitches together” the virtual sessions for
participants adds much-needed familiarity and helps alleviate the isolated feeling that online events can sometimes produce for attendees.” And Jay is right.
Speakers bureau executive Tim Grable agrees in an article about how to make virtual events more engaging. Tim Says, “similar to other platforms, a virtual emcee creates a focal point for your message to begin. Because it is someone new and different, the audience is not distracted by the ordinary.” This is a great point. Too many live events use the CEO or other executive who is known inside the organization hosting the event. While they may have the right personality to host the event, if they are a known personality, there is nothing new to their being up front. In a virtual event the addition of an outside virtual emcee.
Hire Thom Singer As Your Virtual EmCee
If you are hosting an online conference in 2020 or 2021, look to the experience of Thom Singer (and Eliz Greene if you want to turn your event into a real talk show).
Thom has experience as a keynote speaker and a master of ceremonies at both live and online conferences.
Keynote Option: “Social Tightening While Social Distancing“. This program is about the importance of human connections and how individuals and companies can keep their networks active while navigating the Coronavirus crisis. Working from home will continue for the near future, but business and personal relationships do not remain strong unless they are cultivated.
Virtual EmCee Option: Thom Singer has experience hosting online events and is an expert interviewer. Thom has hosted over 600 episodes of two podcasts (“Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” and “The Digital Enterprise Society Podcast”). These skills in inquiry set him apart from the majority of other masters of ceremonies who could host your event. Speakers who are then interviewed are proven to share more and relate better to audiences (live and virtual).
**********
Check out this blog post from May 2020 — “Conference Going Virtual“.
Thom Singer is a keynote speaker and professional master of ceremonies – and an experienced virtual emcee for online conferences. He has been involved in live and online conferences for many years and has real hands on experience presenting online. Call him today if you need a virtual keynote speaker or virtual emcee.