Virtual Meetings & Event Management
In 2020, COVID-19 dramatically changed association events. Arden Solutions’ staff had to innovate and adopt a “We Can Do This” attitude seemingly overnight. Our client’s success was at stake. This change continues to evolve. We have invested our time to deepen our skill and sophistication in quality virtual meetings by attending many learning events and collaborating with peers to create the most interactive and well-produced conferences in the virtual environment. Now we turn our focus to determine how and when to safely resume in-person events while we also explore hybrid events.
Many association staff and volunteers have been forced to move their meetings online, without knowing much about the work, skills, and financial resources necessary to make this change. The most frequently voiced statement we hear today about virtual events is that clients doing it themselves dramatically underestimated the amount of resources involved, fees they could change, and what they could accomplish.
Dismissing virtual events as needing less resources is common. There is a new lengthy list of resources and details needed for virtual conferences including: video conference software, extra staff or volunteers for manning multiple simultaneous chat rooms and troubleshooting, voting software, prepping and training scores of speakers to have their technology working without a glitch on-time, and recording production quality video in advance and editing that video.
Many companies have also adapted, but Arden Solutions offers a service that is not just a technology platform. We bring the experience of now more than 10 virtual conferences and we advise from experience. We bring an understanding of best practices in association events, technical expertise, and experienced staff who work with association members just the way your staff does. We “get” member services from a customer service perspective. Arden Solutions can consult, host one part of your event, or manage the whole thing. Our prices are also some of the best in the business.
We have the experience to help you successfully budget your virtual event. One mistake many groups make is to dismiss virtual events as less valuable and price the event below what is best for the association. Another common misconception is that a virtual event requires less time, less work, and requires fewer resources. Arden Solutions understands the tools needed and the details to consider for a first-rate virtual conference. This includes video conference software, extra staff for manning multiple simultaneous chat rooms and troubleshooting, voting software, prepping and training scores of speakers and volunteer helpers to have their technology working without a glitch on time, orienting attendees, finding engaging networking options to delight attendees, new ways to help vendors connect with their customers, communicating with attendees before, during and after the event, and recording, editing, and producing video.
It was said best by one of our attendees:
"I have actually grown to enjoy virtual conferences (have attended 7 or 8 already this past year). I do like in person, but the lower cost and efficiency makes up for it AND we have noticed that attendance has been significantly better at most virtual conferences or networking sessions. Yes, there will be in-person events in the future, but virtual, or hybrid conferences are here to stay."