There are numerous benefits to attending online events. To name a few:
But how do you get the most out of online events?
1) Plan ahead. What presentations are you most interested in? Are there specific features or activities happening during the event that you particularly want to be part of? Having a vague game plan in place before hand means you won't get overwhelmed by all the action taking place. It also means you'll achieve your main goals for the day first and then be able to relax and fully enjoy the rest of it.
- Learn new skills
- Network
- Promote your products and services
- Find new opportunities and clients
- Establish yourself as an expert in your industry and strengthen your author brand.
But how do you get the most out of online events?
1) Plan ahead. What presentations are you most interested in? Are there specific features or activities happening during the event that you particularly want to be part of? Having a vague game plan in place before hand means you won't get overwhelmed by all the action taking place. It also means you'll achieve your main goals for the day first and then be able to relax and fully enjoy the rest of it.
It's a good idea to have information and links about your books and services ready in a file. This way when opportunities come up during the event you can quickly share without having to search for them. It also makes you come across as more professional and on the ball.
2) Network with other attendees. Connecting with others is one of the best things about attending events. Strengthen existing relationships and reach out to new contacts. Striking up conversation is easy even for the most shy as you already have something in common (the event) and therefore plenty of things to comment on and discuss.
Take your networking off the event site and onto social media channels to increase impact, using the event hashtag to connect with other attendees. Not only will you become part of the action and be able to strike up contact easily with others but you'll also be getting publicity for your profile at the same time. People often RT and share comments related to events they are attending. You'll also show up in the newsfeed for people searching for posts about the event.
Take your networking off the event site and onto social media channels to increase impact, using the event hashtag to connect with other attendees. Not only will you become part of the action and be able to strike up contact easily with others but you'll also be getting publicity for your profile at the same time. People often RT and share comments related to events they are attending. You'll also show up in the newsfeed for people searching for posts about the event.
3) Tag your posts and content. The event will most likely have a hashtag you can attach to any posts or tweets you send out. If you're sharing a photo or screenshot from the event remember to tag yourself and the event page in the pic when you upload.
4) Write a blog post about the event. Give an overall snapshot of the event or hone in on certain features or presenters.You could even set up a blogging team to cover the event where each person picks a part of the event to cover. You can then either group comments into one post or schedule a series of posts to cover the event.
5) Get involved. If there are opportunities to get involved in activities like Google hangouts or Twitter discussions step up and join in. The content can be used in posts on your website, blog or social media profiles. Activities that involved multiple people are great as each participant is likely to share the content and therefore will be sharing about you at the same time.
6) Take photo's and screenshots. If you were at an in person event you'd most likely take your camera along so you could take photo's throughout the day. You'd want to get snapshots of you with other attendees so you can show people who you've been rubbing shoulders with. Well an online event is the same... the method just changes slightly. You can take screenshots that feature some of your best discussions with other attendees. If you take part in a hangout you can even take photo's during your chat using the capture app.
Want to put these tips into action? Take part in Promo Day tomorrow at www.PromoDay.info. It's a free online event for people in the writing industry and is full of opportunities to promote, network, and learn.
