Meetings + Events

By Laura Bickle

Zoom fatigue is a treatable condition. That’s the message shared by virtual events executive producer Chris Cummins, founder and CEO of Cummins Media Inc., at last week’s Mastering the Virtual Stage: Interactive Strategies for Live Online Events presented by PCMA Canada East Chapter. Check out his tips for enhancing virtual meetings and improving attendance rates:

1. Leverage the Intimate Nature of Zoom: Recognize that Zoom creates a more intimate environment than traditional stage presentations. This can help develop trust faster among participants.
2. Reduce Self-View Angst: To avoid the discomfort of staring at yourself during meetings, hide your self-view by clicking on "Hide Self View."
3. Invest in Audio: Cummins’ demo of the quality difference between an internal mic and a pro one was dramatic. It drastically boosts the professionalism and experience.
4. Play to the Camera: Making eye contact enhances engagement and creates a more personal connection with participants—don’t be afraid to lean in occassionally.
5. Use Interactive Components: Incorporate engagement into your meetings to keep participants engaged and make the experience feel more personal: take advantage of breakout rooms for participants to brainstorm one on one.
6. Send Frequent Reminders: Increase attendance rates by sending multiple reminders via email and text messages. Notify participants one hour, fifteen minutes, and five minutes before the event starts. Tip: Ask for cell numbers at registration!
7. Use Calendar Invites: Send calendar invitations along with reminder emails to help participants keep track of the event and reduce the chances of them forgetting to attend.
8. Incentivize Participation: Depending on the nature of the event, consider charging a small fee for attending to ensure participants have some skin in the game. Offering different pricing tiers with added benefits can also boost attendance.
9. Highlight Value: Include testimonials or highlights of what to expect in your reminder messages to entice participants and remind them of the event’s value.
10. Monitor Registration Timing: Registrations for virtual events occur within days of the event. A last-minute push for registrations can be very effective.

chriscummins.com