Picture this: A new member recently joined your association and completed orientation. They’ve already begun exploring your website’s member directory, blog, and e-learning courses—but so far, they still feel as though they’re on the outside looking in on a vibrant, active member community.

So, how can you help them bridge the gap between passive engagement and true connection? One easy way to do so is by hosting a virtual event.

Virtual events are golden opportunities for new and longtime members to find rapport and belonging with others who share their goals and interests. They’re convenient, low-pressure, and accessible no matter where members are located.

If your association wants to incorporate more engaging virtual events into its calendar, follow these five tips to set your team up for success.

1. Choose a Suitable Set of Virtual Event Tools

Whether you’re organizing a casual speed networking session or a large-scale conference, you need the right tools to execute your plans. When researching your options, keep these considerations in mind to find the best fit for your needs and budget:

• Features. Beyond handling basic processes such as registration and payment processing, look for engagement and networking capabilities that will turn your virtual event from good to great. For example, include live chat, breakout rooms, and polls in your event.
• Ease of use. Since all engagement will take place through your virtual event platform, it should be simple and easy for your association’s members and staff to navigate. If you enlist the help of any volunteers to run the event, it should only take one or two basic training sessions to get them up to speed on how to use the tools.
• Scalability. While your association may start out with a few straightforward virtual workshops or webinars, you’ll likely want to try out larger and more complex events in the future. Your event software should be able to accommodate events of varying types and sizes, so you don’t have to worry about switching technology later on.
• Analytics. Successful virtual events align with member expectations and interests. Your virtual event tools should make it easy for you to track metrics and evaluate each event's performance so you can make informed improvements going forward.

Additionally, to streamline your association’s event planning process, look for a platform that integrates with your existing membership software. To simplify matters, iMIS recommends using an engagement management system (EMS) that centralizes all aspects of member engagement. Specifically, an EMS comes equipped with built-in tools for fundraising, managing events, recording engagement, running educational programs, advertising, and more.

2. Prioritize Accessibility

By nature, virtual events are more accessible than in-person events because they eliminate geographic and mobility barriers. However, you must still follow some best practices to ensure all members can enjoy your event to the fullest. For example:

• Make your registration page keyboard navigable so members can interact with important links, buttons, dropdown menus, and form fields using only their keyboard.
• Add alt text and descriptions to images on your event page and promotional materials.
• Choose colors with sufficient contrast when designing your event content.
• Include captions and audio descriptions alongside any videos you present.
• Distribute event materials in advance, such as presentation slides that attendees can peruse at their own pace.
• Provide options for text-based participation, such as chat functionality during live Q&A sessions.

Designate an accessibility point person to handle all the logistical details. Include their contact information on your registration page and other marketing materials so members can reach out with questions or specific accessibility requests. Whenever you receive a request, acknowledge it immediately and coordinate with your event team to accommodate it.

3. Create Engaging Pre-Event Content

Rather than having your members sign up for an event and immediately forget about it, assemble a pre-event engagement plan that keeps the momentum going up until the event day. About a month before your event, build excitement with ideas such as :

• Behind-the-scenes content. Count down to your event with sneak peeks like speaker interviews, technology set-up, and software feature highlights.
• Trivia quizzes related to your event’s theme. Encourage attendees to start thinking about your event content by testing their knowledge and challenging their friends for a bit of friendly competition.
• Giveaways for branded merchandise. Invite members to share your event landing page with their social network for a chance to win a branded t-shirt, tote bag, or water bottle on the event day.
• Social media polls. Allow registrants to shape their event experience by voting on topics they’re most interested in, types of networking opportunities they prefer, and speakers they want to have Q&A sessions with.

According to Getting Attention, a strong member marketing strategy can turn members into advocates and ambassadors for your association, helping you expand your reach to new audiences. You could even charge non-members a fee to attend the event to acquaint them with your organization.

4. Incorporate Interactive and Gamification Elements

Since your attendees will all be separated by a digital screen during the event, it’s essential to plan interactive and gamification elements that will hold their attention from start to finish. Here are a few ideas that can boost member engagement:

• Set up a points system to reward attendees for completing activities such as asking questions and participating in polls.
• Display a real-time leaderboard to inspire attendees to engage, and at the end of the event, present prizes to the top three performers.
• Present digital badges that members can put on their profiles, such as “Networking Ninja” or “Trivia Trailblazer.”
• Host networking bingo games where attendees mingle in various breakout rooms and fill out squares when they meet someone who has been a member for more than five years, someone who is attending their first association event, someone who lives in another state, etc.

The key to maintaining active event participation is providing ample opportunities for members to interact—and rewarding them when they do.

5. Collect and Implement Event Feedback

To host truly outstanding virtual events, your association must learn from experience. In addition to thanking your virtual event attendees, staff, and volunteers, send an optional survey to collect their feedback. Give recipients a chance to talk about the event as a whole and specific elements. For example, you could ask:

• On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with the overall event experience?
• Did you run into any technical issues during the event? If so, what happened?
• Was the event’s length too short, too long, or just right?
• How relevant were the event’s topics and sessions to your interests?
• What topics or speakers would you like to see at future events?
• What improvements, if any, would you like us to implement at our next event?

Store the insights you receive in your association’s database and look for common areas to address going forward. When you make any changes, report back to your members to demonstrate that you value their opinions.

Virtual events position your association as a forward-thinking organization committed to providing modern, innovative experiences to its members. These events can be particularly helpful in recruiting younger members and volunteers who appreciate the convenience and comfort of technology.

Monitor metrics such as attendance, poll participation, and relevant social media mentions to fine-tune your virtual event strategy to align with your specific audience’s preferences. As you build on each event you organize, you’ll be able to impress and engage prospective, new, and longtime members

Debbie Willis is the VP of Global Marketing at ASI, with over 20 years marketing experience in the association and non-profit technology space. Passionate about all things MarTech, Debbie has led countless website, SEO, content, email, paid ad and social media marketing strategies and campaigns. Debbie loves creating meaningful content to engage and empower association and non-profit audiences.

Debbie received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Information Systems from James Madison University and a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing from The George Washington University. Debbie is a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, American Society of Association Executives and dabbles in photography.