Jodi and JoEllen attended their first hybrid event this month and are here to breakdown their experience. The goal of attending this conference was to gain knowledge on how to planning meetings as we move forward, how to keep attendees safe, and what kind of messaging attendees should be receiving before, during, and after the meeting.
Virtual meetings, events, and conferences are the new reality for the foreseeable future, and organizations are wise to focus on maximizing these experiences for all involved. With no clear end date for the pandemic, the quicker the decision is made to move to a virtual format, the more capacity the organization has to build out a thriving event. Scaling up an online meeting is not as expensive as scaling up in person, which opens up plenty of opportunity.
The world adjusted quite quickly to meeting virtually. It is nobody’s ideal scenario but does the trick until members can come together again. If you are planning on holding a member happy hour or get together, try these tips to make it a successful gathering.
Have a defined purpose. Make sure members understand the purpose of the meeting. The purpose could be to reconnect, discuss how everyone and the industry are being impacted by COVID-19, to play games like trivia or bingo. It does not matter what the intent of the meeting is as long as it is something members could benefit from and relates back to your association’s mission in some way. Explaining this to members in the invite, will encourage more people to come and provide a better understanding of what they are joining.
Create a plan. Once you have a purpose, create a plan on how to facilitate the meeting. Virtual meetings can be awkward and having someone to keep the meeting running smoothly will make members more comfortable and open to coming back for more. Having an ice breaker is a great way to start the meeting and get everyone involved. From there, a schedule of events or discussion points will keep the meeting moving along.
Understand the technology. Whether it is Zoom, Google Hangouts, or one of the many video platforms out there right now, it is best to do a trial run. Make sure that everything works well and that the platform has everything you need it to offer.
Set some guidelines for attendees. Make sure your attendees are also familiarized with the technology. Explain the importance of muting themselves when they aren’t speaking and how to utilize the chat program. This will allow everyone to better communicate with one another.
Making these virtual gatherings as professional and smooth as possible, will encourage attendees to attend future meetings. People will be less likely to register again if it feels as though you are fumbling through an unplanned gathering.
Our staff has been on top of all the latest developments when it comes to association engagement during COVID-19. It is something our team is embracing and consistently educating ourselves on. We recently sat in on a webinar put on by the AMC Institute covering virtual engagement during COVID-19. We learned quite a bit and look forward to putting these tools to good use.
Colleague Engagement. Your board might be busier than ever now with the state of the world. It is important that you do not lose their involvement with the association during this time. Be creative and offer unique experiences such as happy hours, Tik Tok video contests, and more. Remind them of the fun involved with being on the board, but don’t forget to also keep them learning. Challenge your board to learn 3-5 new things during quarantine. This could be any topic or skill that would bring value to the organization. Give them an opportunity to share what they have learned and provide plans for utilizing it in the upcoming year.
Communication. Now that everyone is at home, schedules are likely different and the separation from kids and other distractions is not as clear. Make sure the board feels open to talking about any obstacles they are facing. This will make the rest of the board more accepting and willing to step up where they are needed.
Mental Health. Although the main focus right now is on our physical health, mental health is just as important. Make sure that board members do not feel extra stress from the association. They have enough on their plates and can pass things off to their AMC or other volunteers. Offer resources to your board and members when it comes to dealing with the psychological effects of quarantine. You obviously don’t want to overstep your boundaries but you also don’t want to leave members high and dry. Be forgiving of each other and understand that everyone might not be operating the way they once were.
Technology. Not everyone has the same expertise level in technology. It is important to keep this in mind when planning virtual events and calls. Have someone available to help members out that might be struggling. This will allow them to stay connected and feel less frustrated by the changes.
If there’s one thing to sum it all up, it is be patient. Understand that people are struggling right now and their priorities are shifting. Keep them engaged with the association by offering them the resources and space they are in need of during this time.
