Read how our healthcare client shared insights and fostered connections with a global audience across 41 countries through a virtual experience that had targeted interaction and engagement at its core.
Our global healthcare client and their international business partner were looking to build connections, share insights, foster education and highlight innovation in a key area of life science tools and integrated systems.
Our remit was to design and deliver an exciting and highly interactive 3 day (24hour) virtual event programme for over 250 participants from 41 countries to support their key aims. It was critical to create a relevant, interesting agenda for this new audience along with a spectrum of opportunities for the audience to interact with speakers and each other.
With the objectives focused around education and networking, there were many required elements including: simu-live keynote addresses and TED-talk style presentations; live panels and interactive Q&As; live workshop breakouts to give the audience a “voice”; on demand featured video content; expo content for sponsors; plus networking and social opportunities throughout the programme.
What we did
We approached the design and delivery of this unique event in trusted partnership with our two main clients underpinned by strong experience of working as an extension of the client team across many virtual and face to face events.
Our full-service project management support centred on creative agenda development, metrics, platform design and build, participant registration, communications, speaker management and coaching, full on the day support, all technical delivery (including recordings, design and edits) and follow up.
Developing the Experience
This ground-breaking event demanded an exceptional content and engagement experience for participants plus the ability to segment the diverse audience and analyse the considerable data gathered throughout the programme. Based on strategic conversations with the key stakeholders on project scope, critical success factors and values, we sourced an appropriate platform with the best functionality and interactive tools to fulfil the brief. Alongside, we designed and created a Cvent registration site for participants which captured preferences to attend live vs access to on demand content only.
Rich and varied content needed to be created and shared. Combining our experience of delivering successful virtual programmes with the benefits of the digital platform, we partnered our client in developing a stimulating agenda which guided content and streamlined themes to create an engaging, three-day programme with the positive participant experience at the centre. In particular, screen fatigue was avoided through restricting the length of presentations, varying content and encouraging interactions, and ensuring regular breaks.
Main Content Features
Main Engagement Features
The interactive home feed populated with scheduled content, daily features, videos and announcements and linked to other platform areas was a pivotal focus of engagement, supported by push notifications to prompt alerts for sessions, polls and agenda content. All these features enable us to segment the diverse audience and their interests providing important information to the client.
The Speakers
Central to our role was the creation of a bespoke experience for speakers. This included contracting, recording and pre-production of materials and focused on taking any stress from the experience (for the client and speaker) with detailed support, guidance and reassurance in the form of written guides and pre-event rehearsals, plus dedicated on the day personal support from our onsite team.
Building The Participant Experience
Pivotal to success was the delivery of the best experience throughout the lifecycle of the project for this new audience. Early event registration and strategic nurturing communications were intrinsic to the process to encourage participation and develop a focused audience-led agenda.
Access to the event platform six weeks pre-event allowed maximum time for attendee interaction and engagement and a receptive 63% of participants engaged pre event. Early adopters were encouraged to network in advance through the platform and contribute to topic specific discussion forums to shape particular workshop agenda items (finalised after the platform launch) and the success of the event as the content was guided by audience learning preferences.
Early engagement was supported through access to attendee guidance ‘hints’ and best practice user guides within a managed helpdesk environment. In addition, a ‘welcome’ video landing page ensured early adopters were greeted on arrival with teasers to build momentum for what to expect.
The personal experience for participants was enhanced by agenda-linked “care packages” mailed TTA in advance of the event with accompaniments to enhance the attendee journey experience.
Gamification was also encouraged from platform launch with additional opportunities to earn points through an Activity Challenge page with a Leader board visible to all. Participant ‘matchmaking’ and networking was additionally encouraged via chat through a quizzes, business card exchange and messaging. This was further supported during the live experience through networking rooms and video conference connections in small groups.
Throughout the agenda and engagement features, participants were motivated to interact with the speakers and register in advance which provided speaker insights on the audience. This worked well and was supported by audience polls and a push notification to speaker profiles, so questions could be submitted in advance of a session.
Our clients also hosted an ‘Expo’ page, featuring their social links and promoting the use of the event hashtag. This was another opportunity for questions or meeting requests from the audience.
Designing and delivering this experience for a new international audience was a strong success in terms of meeting the brief, gathering data and developing connections that could be built on in the future. Audience attendance, engagement and individual insights were analysed to help assess the success of the event as part of the wider communications mix, and to define the next commercial steps with the participants.
At 286, registrations exceeded client expectations and the adoption rate was a very positive 69%. The high percentage of participants (63%) engaged with the site pre-event and this helped to shape a targeted and relevant agenda. Overall interactivity and networking to generate debate, questions, a sense of curiosity and partnership was a client priority and an ultimate success for all involved, providing a springboard for further communications.
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