Special Events, 7 th Edition

Special Events, 7th Edition Creating, Sustaining, and Celebrating a New World Professor Joe Goldblatt, FRSA Chapter Nine: Virtual Events

Chapter 9 Agenda Photo by the Author.

Agenda • Animated introduction • Opening Activity: • Chapter Eight Review • Chapter Nine • Book Report Chapter Nine • Mini case study discussion eighteen • Global event thought leader Carol McKibben • Assignments • Questions, answers, and discussion

Key Terms • Asynchronous transmission: an Internet transmission of a educational program where the participant may join whenever and wherever he or she desires. This is often a prerecorded webcast versus a webinar. • Audio web cast: A low bandwidth alternative for transmitting information using the internet. • High definition: a television resolution significantly higher than standard definition television (when projected in high definition it projects five times as many pixels as standard definition television). • MOOC: Massive Open On Line Courses, educational programs offered free on the Internet and attended by large numbers of learners. • PDF or JPEG: A file format that requires less memory than PowerPoint™ and is easily downloaded by participants. • PowerPoint™: A file format used for presentations that enables to use of transitions and special effects.

Key Terms (cont’d.) • Synchronous transmission: an internet transmission of a educational program that is prescheduled for a specific date and time and often involves a moderator and / or facilitator. • Video delayed webcast: A video (often with audio) of a live event shown after the live event has concluded. • Video web simulcast: A video (often with audio) of a simultaneous live event. • Virtual Reality: the incorporation of creativity with technology to replicate and / or simulate the live experience. • Web streaming: Where audio and / or video files are compressed and delivered through the internet. • Webcast: A usually one way web stream of a program with limited interaction. • Webinar: A synchronous seminar, workshop or lecture with the opportunity for participation by all attendees and facilitated by a moderator.

Lecture Eight Review • What is a risk assessment meeting? • What are some typical permits and licenses required for planned events? • What are some typical documents required for planned events?

Learning Objectives • Define virtual reality for meetings and events • Understand the historic development of virtual events • Identify the appropriate virtual event platforms for your special event • Expand the potential registration revenues for your event using virtual event technology • Collect and analyze data regarding your attendees to improve your marketing investment in the future • Integrate the Internet into the event-marketing strategy • Weigh the pros and cons of online event marketing as compared to traditional channels

Photo by the Author.

Discussion • Describe the importance of the Sarbanes/Oxley act. • What are some typical event liabilities? • How do you promote inclusivity within your event?

Define virtual reality for meetings and events • Virtual reality is the incorporation of both technology and face-to-face elements to create a virtual reality experience for guests. • Virtual reality was first introduced through the AT&T Picturephone and allowed individuals to see and hear one another at a distance using phone lines. • In the 21st century virtual reality may include Facetime communications through mobile technology.

Understand the historic development of virtual events • Following the development and introduction of the Picturephone, satellite technology allowed events to be broadcast to large audiences world wide. • With the introduction of telecommunications broadband technology systems, improvements in telephonic teleconferencing evolved. • Today, institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York City use satellite technology to entertain hundreds of thousands of people each week with live broadcasts of their performances.

Identify the appropriate virtual event platforms for your special event • You must first survey your potential audience and determine how they learn and communicate most effectively. • Next, you must know what type of technology platform and broadband capacity they have available for their use. • Finally, you must determine whether your program will be offered free of charge or how you will monetize your program.

Expand the potential registration revenues for your event using virtual event technology • Conduct market research and identify how other market research competitors are charging for this service. • Determine the value of this service by comparing the cost to face-to-face events. • Identify various pricing levels to allow the widest range of participation and lower barriers to entry.

Collect and analyze data regarding your attendees to improve your marketing investment in the future • Use Google Analytics and similar internet marketing evaluation systems to track the page views, transactions, and other key data about your attendees. • Regularly survey your attendees to learn about their virtual event experiences and how you may continually improve your performance in the future.

Integrate the Internet into the event-marketing strategy • According to Lee & Goldblatt (2010), event planners are rapidly moving from traditional advertising to internet based approaches to lower cost and expand their penetration of target markets. • Using web sites, social media, and other internet channels will help you carefully target your marketing messages to the right audience.

Weigh the pros and cons of online event marketing as compared to traditional channels • Typically, event planners use a multi platform / channel approach to event marketing. • Blending traditional print, broadcast, and Internet marketing to create an integrated strategy is the most cost effective means of reaching your prospective audience. • Use broadcast to arrest attention, print to distribute further information and education, and the Internet to transact the sale.

Chapter Nine Book Report • 10 minute presentation • Everyone participates equally • Overview of the chapter • Three questions from book review group for class • Three questions from class for book review group • Final question from the instructor for the entire class

Mini-Case Discussion: 18 • How may you intervene to ensure that the Facebook™ group members know you are aware of their concerns and are taking appropriate action to assist them? • When and where should you conduct the user group meeting and how will you consult with the users to make this determination?

Global Event Thought Leader: Carol McKibben, Past International President of the International Special Events Society • How does Carol McKibben believe technology has changed the way events are promoted today?

Assignment • Read and be prepared to discuss Chapter 10. • Read and be prepared to discuss mini case study 20.

Questions, Answers, and Discussion

Special Events, 7 th Edition