Hopefully if you have been following my blog posts on the secrets of delivering successful virtual events,  you will be well geared up now for what comes next...
Although it doesn't seem like it at the moment, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and though it is a tunnel that might be a few months long, now is the time to start planning for....hybrid events!

So, first off, what exactly is a hybrid event? Well, very simply put, a hybrid event is an experience that brings together people at a physical venue, where everything is taking place, with a virtual audience alongside. It’s essentially the best of both worlds, particularly in a time where the world is struggling to fight against a pandemic.
A hybrid event allows you to gather a certain group of people physically, according to the restrictions put in place. This will, of course, vary from city to city and country to country. But just the fact that you can bring back a certain aspect of in-person is great! And it’s even better because you can harness technology capabilities to add a virtual audience to the experience.
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What Are The Advantages of A Hybrid Event?
Now more than ever, the biggest advantage of a hybrid event is that it will allow you to have a certain level of genuine human connection and interaction going on. After so many months of mandatory social distancing measures, people are hungry for feelings of togetherness and touch – even if it’s in small clusters.
One of the best things about hybrid events is that they give you the power to reach a much wider audience than in-person events ever could. Not only are you catering to people who are physically present, but you’re also giving people all across the globe the chance to be a part of this amazing experience.
If the goal of your event is to raise brand awareness or generate leads, hybrid events truly represent the best of both worlds.

But creating a successful hybrid is not simply a matter of streaming sessions from a socially distanced venue. Looking at some recent successful hybrid events, I have pulled together some top tips to help you navigate into this new evolution of events.

First Things First
Preparing your attendees for how the event experience will look and feel, whether the gathering was face-to-face or digital is now especially important when you are combining the two.  
This means making sure your virtual guests know how to log in and are given clear guidance on the platform you are using,  and that your live guests know there will be a virtual audience. This ensures that they both know how the agenda will play out.
All promotions should make it clear that the event will have both digital and in-person elements and audiences, allowing prospective attendees to select the delivery option that fits their comfort level and current ability to travel.  Likewise, try to keep your registration flexible. Travel restrictions are changing from one day to the next, so host organisations need to allow participants to change their plans easily. Someone who might not be ready to commit to attending in person today might find the prospect of traveling more appealing in a few months. Make it easy for registrants to upgrade to in-person attendance if circumstances allow — or to shift from attending in-person to joining virtually if new restrictions keep them home. 

It is also key to engage all attendees in a meaningful way from the very outset of their event journey.  Setting up an interactive platform with a live-chat element long before the event will both stimulate engagement, and possibly also allow attendees to submit questions and suggestions during the registration process. This way your audience feel like they have been involved and you are allowing them to help guide the content.

Keep Virtual Attendees Top of Mind
When making decisions about speakers, room layouts and the flow of the day, digital attendees should be considered first. It is important to recognise that a remote attendee is just not going to have the same level of attention span as those who are there in person. You also need to consider that the digital audience will need to be able to interact with those at the in-person sessions — asking questions of the speakers, meeting with exhibitors or networking with all other attendees. 
Shorter, more focused sessions keep attendees' attention better, which benefits all audiences. Make sure you have a good variety of content - presentations, panels, fireside chats, breakout discussions, informal groups, sponsored sessions and networking areas all keep delegates moving between activities and create a flow for the day. And don't be tempted to revert back to a long conference day format - 10am to 4pm is about the maximum time you should consider running a hybrid event for to keep everyone's attention.

How Do Physical & Virtual Attendees Interact?
Facilitating interactions between the remote and in-person audiences is the true challenge of hybrid events. Solving the dilemma might mean putting a screen onstage to allow remote attendees to take part in a presentation or ask questions; or providing individual tablets to in-person attendees for one-on-one exchanges with digital participants. Integrating a platform like Hopin or Socio is a great addition to your event as it enables meaningful connections to be made via networking. It's important to blend audience engagement throughout the sessions as much as possible, to keep them all equally involved. This is where a strong moderator comes in - they should take as many questions from the in-room attendees as from those online, no matter the numbers.
 
Ice breakers or networking games should be geared toward getting both types of participants talking with one another. You can also try to gamify audience involvement, awarding points when people sign up for the event app, join in meetups or sessions, etc. Those with the most points can win a prize, be entered into a raffle or simply be recognised for their engagement during the meeting.
Social media channels, hashtags, and email submissions also go really far in making sure everyone is included.

​What about the Entertainment & Educational Elements?
Deciding on the entertainment and educational sessions might be slightly more challenging than it would be if this were an in-person or virtual event. With hybrid events, you’ll have to consider how well the content you provide in-venue will translate into virtual. Very loud sounds and dark rooms make for a great live experience, but not so much for a good remote one.
Where possible you should make every effort to bring the presenters to the physical event, particularly when arranging panels and other sessions where a lot of back and forth takes place. The interaction and energy onstage become far more authentic and credible done in this way and are a lot more engaging and effective than virtual panels. 

Not every type of session will suit both audiences, so it is fine to simultaneously run features and sessions that have been crafted specifically for the virtual audience and the in-person audience. This way, everyone feels included and grateful that someone took the time to create seamless experiences for both circumstances.

​Does this mean double the planning?
The concept of a hybrid event does involve some extra planning – certainly more than an in-person or a virtual one would. Obviously, you’ll have to take the time to outline a strategy for the virtual audience and one for the physical audience. 
Everything you’d have to consider for an in-person event is still relevant – the venue, the speakers, the entertainment, the catering, and so on. And simultaneously, the production aspects pertaining to virtual events will also require attention – the platform, the engagement, and the technology. But don’t think about it as planning two different events - it’s the same one, only heightened and elevated to new levels.
So this is where it is key to ensure you have the right project management team and suppliers on board.  Hybrid events demand a higher level of production than standard ones do. Your venue/and or production company should offer robust Internet with good speed, high quality cameras and microphones, onsite technical support, and the ability to test and rehearse as many times as possible. Remember that technology can be a dangerous pitfall if you don’t put enough thought and resources into it.

Some event hosts have worked with venues and suppliers who have gone that extra mile and have converted breakout rooms into production studios, where in-person producers can create content going out to remote attendees or on social media channels, and where videoconferencing can be set up for private meetings between those at the venue and those joining remotely.  
At the end of the day, your hybrid event can be as large or as small, as involved or as simple as you like. The main thing to remember is to work with the right project manager who will guide and support you through the process. 
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Get in touch with me for a no obligation chat and to see what is possible!

As December draws to a close, I often reflect on the year that has passed and what I have done in the previous 12 months. It would be easy to look back on 2020 as a truly awful year, and in many ways it was. With all of my events contracts disappearing overnight in March, I had to pivot my business to try and generate any sort of income.
​I have been unable to see many friends, and it is now over a year since I have been back to Scotland to see my family. 
Like many of us, we have turned to sources of comfort that are still available to us - for me it was still being able to see my partner, cooking great food, keeping virtual connections going with distant friends, and my training. As a triathlete I am lucky that I have three sports to choose from. Running was still very much on the agenda. Cycling yes, but with restrictions on meeting too many cycling club friends.
Swimming, however was one that took a severe blow back at the first lockdown in April with all pools closing. Out of the three disciplines, it was always the one that took a bit of planning - when would the pool be busy? Could I negotiate my training session around who else was in the lane? Then there is the getting there, getting changed and so on. It always seemed so much more of an effort. But there is nothing like having something taken away from you to make you want it more. My background was in swimming - back in Scotland as an asthmatic teenager, it was the one sport I felt I could do and actually benefitted from. 
Earlier this year, I had actually just started to reignite my love of swimming when I discovered the lovely Wycombe Rye Lido. This to me offered the perfect balance of a quiet pool, whilst also being outside in nature whilst swimming. 
My first visit there was in January, and being a heated pool, the 24deg temperature helped with the transition from the chilly 8deg outside. Or indeed the rain.
I was loving it!  And then Covid hit.

March and April were difficult. I was pining for swimming and constantly trying to think of ways around the restrictions. What might be open? Did I know of anyone with an endless pool? My friend in Aberdeen and I joked about buying a giant paddling pool and tethering ourselves to our houses. I wasn't sure my downstairs neighbours would indulge me though!
As part of my triathlon training in the summer, I used to occasionally swim at the mixed ponds at Hampstead, but even that wasn't open. We drifted into May and the weather was lovely but still we were living under lockdown. And then, suddenly, a light at the end of the tunnel. Trawling through Facebook posts from swimming groups got wind of the Royal Victoria Docks open water swimming centre opening....hooray!
Slots were not surprisingly filling up fast and I snapped one up for the second session on 21st May. I felt like an excited child as I made my way across London on my bike to get there. It was 25deg outside and so despite being surrounded by wetsuit clad swimmers, I was more than happy to brave whatever the temperature was in just my swimsuit.
It was 17.7deg as I plunged in and I couldn't have been happier.
With a strict timeslot in place and the organisers anxious that no-one contravened the social distancing measures in place, I did 2 x 500m loops and was happy to come out feeling invigorated and ready to change in the blazing sunshine next to a main road.

Booking these slots became like panning for gold as I tried to grab one a week when they opened at 5pm on a Sunday. Each time we queued up to get into the water though you could hear the happy voices, all grateful that we were able to get back to our liquid passion. The temperature over the next few weeks crept up to 21deg and back down to 17deg. Not every day was sunny, far from it - one day it was so grey and the water so choppy that it felt like a sea swim. And yet still I clung onto my 'skins' status as a swimmer (no wetsuit, costume only).

As other open water venues saw how successfully the Victoria Docks had managed the situation, more slots started to pop up elsewhere and I took the opportunity to try out the Docklands Open Water Centre. It still involved an 80 minute cycle across London to get there, so even more reason not to have to carry the additional weight of a wetsuit on my bike. With some uncharacteristically chilly and windy days for summer, I was glad of the Orca 'superhero cloak' (microfibre changing towel) that my friend had sent me to protect me from the elements during my outside changing. 
This is a lovely centre and I was starting to see some of the same faces each week.
I realised that the social interaction was becoming as important to me as the swimming as we shouted across to each other post swim at our socially distanced benches.
Finally I was starting to feel like myself again, that there was some solace in this anxious world.

July heralded another great moment for open water swimming as the Serpentine in Hyde Park announced that it was re-opening. This is a member only swimming venue, and so I jumped at the chance to rejoin. Being back in this glorious spot for the first time since I was a member back in 2009 felt amazing. Other than the opening times of 5am to 9.30am, there were no timeslots, no booking and it felt so freeing. I was glad that I had kept to my skins swimming, as the Serpentine imposed a no wetsuit rule to avoid anyone hanging around for too long getting changed in the beach area. And anyway, the Serpentine is a 'real swimmers' club - formed back in the 1800s, it would feel like a betrayal to swim in anything other than a good old fashioned costume.
However, there was to be a hiatus in my Serpentine swimming bliss. With so many desperate swimmers joining and the days being so hot, numbers were causing concern to the Royal Parks and the lido was forced to close temporarily. But this is not just a club, it is a community, and they rallied together to come up with a solution. Volunteer warden slots were put in place to keep an eye on numbers and swimming was made available on alternate days to members. It is testament to this club that within 24 hours most of the volunteer slots for August had been filled and I signed up for some wardening times in September. By the end of July we were back enjoying this oasis in the centre of London.

Summer turned to autumn and as the temperature dropped from 16deg down towards single figures, I drew on my experiences doing open water swimming events in Scotland back in the 90's to remind myself that I could continue doing this. I was embracing it and challenging myself to do something that I had always wondered if I could achieve.  Could I be an all year round open water swimmer? The coldest I had ever swum in previously was 10deg in Loch Rannoch (your average Scottish summer).
​The thought excited me - I DO like a challenge!
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Cycling home after this swim I felt very much like the 'whistling idiot' that Waterlogger Roger Deakin refers to. My spirits had immediately been lifted as I realised that no matter what Covid threw as us, we would always find a watery outlet. And again, just as importantly knowing that there was a support team of fellow swimming enthusiasts who had each other's back. It is particularly important in the cold and remote water that you don't do it alone.

And then came December - the Serpentine was open again, hooray! I was grateful for my few Thames swims to keep my acclimatisation up as the temperature was now hovering around 6deg. I had cut my swimming accordingly to about 600m or 12minutes and was becoming very aware of when the temperature dropped by even just half a degree. The afterdrop affect of open water swimming is something a lot of people aren't aware of if they have been used to warming up at an indoor changing room with heating. With such facilities strictly off the table, it is important to gauge not only how you feel in the water but how you feel for the minutes after you get out. Your core temperature continues to drop for up to 30 minutes later as the cold blood recirculates through your system. I have been guilty once or twice of overdoing it and that feeling of uncontrollably shaking and quivering as you speak is not pleasant. Then there are the unexpected discoveries.....don't leave that wet costume on the ground too long or it will freeze and stick to it! I have a whole new set of kit that I never had before - neoprene socks, gloves, hat, a small square of foam to stand on to prevent my feet from freezing on the ground post swim. Then of course my fantastic Dryrobe, hot water bottle, hand warmer and flask of hot drink to help get my temperature back up.
Yes I have been for some pool swims in our 'new normal' to do some structured sessions, but it's just not the same. The clinical pounding up and down of the chlorinated pool, no real interaction with other people. It is the community spirit of the Serpentine and open water swimming that has really been my saviour this year. The delighted giggles and gasps you hear around you as people drop into the cold water. 
As I went for my final swim of 2020 today I was delighted to discover that with the air temperature at -1deg, the water temperature was 4deg. I can now officially say I have had my first ice swim!
Roll on 2021, let's hope it's brighter, and most of all that we all stay safe, well and able to keep swimming!

Events have long been a lucrative stream of sponsorship income, offering great opportunities for brand visibility and engagement. Now that virtual events are here for the foreseeable future, and with hybrid events set to become increasingly more common, it's important to explore the possibilities for virtual event sponsorships.  
The key message to start with is that sponsorships don't live and die in the scope of in person events. On the contrary, the online world has the potential to offer even more reasons for a sponsor to want to work with you on a virtual event.

Know your value
Firstly, it is essential that you recognise the value of your virtual event to potential partners. You're not just planning a virtual event - you're planning an experience.
A virtual experience can be as enriching and exciting as your in person event, and that's exactly what you need to sell to your sponsors. This isn't just a Zoom meeting with 10 people waxing lyrical. No, this is a full-scale virtual event with incredible speakers, talented entertainers with valuable resources, Q&A sessions, exhibitions and more. There's clearly a lot of worth in what you're offering, so make sure they see it.

Harness the power of the online landscape. There's a reason why so many companies in recent years have moved their efforts online, it’s because that's where the audience is, and the opportunities to create curated and personalised content are much bigger, and so costs are significantly lower. As such sponsoring a virtual event means better leads, and digital advertising space allows for a myriad of options including videos, banners and logos.
​With the right speakers and the best team behind them, speaking sessions can be as entertaining and as valuable as real life ones, so these are a great channel for sponsor engagement. It feels a lot more intimate and attendees can react and participate in real time and offer great personalisation opportunities for your speakers.  Not only can this drive a lot of revenue for you as the virtual event organiser, but it can also provide valuable insights and warm leads.

How to package sponsorship?
There are various ways of creating sponsorship packages. Let’s deal with tiered sponsorship packages first.
 
This model involves sponsors paying different prices for different features. So, for example, say your introductory or Level 1 package is £2,000. The sponsors’ package may include branding on the event website, and promotion on social media channels and email blasts pre-event. During the actual event they could be featured on the tickers and several rotating banners throughout the course of the day. Additionally, sponsors who choose this tier could get a small number of breakout rooms.
Your Level 2 package could come in at £3,000. Sponsors who opt for this level will have access to everything in Level 1 plus speaking opportunities during the event. This can take many forms including Q&A sessions, a 30 minute slot to promote their brand on the virtual stage, or sharing case studies followed by discussion with the attendees.
The top tier, Level 3 package could cost £5,000.  This tier of package would include all of the previous benefits of Level 1 and 2,  plus business and networking opportunities. This can take many forms including, but not limited to, live demos, one to one networking interactions and sponsored live sessions. Be clear about what each package offers a sponsor, and why the benefits presented are worth the price tag you have decided on.
The goal, as with in person events, is to offer several packages that will attract different sponsors who have different budgets and goals to meet.
 
The second sponsorship model we will look at is a sort of ‘pick and mix’ offering, 
essentially consisting of offering a series of different opportunities. Each priced individually, this option allows a sponsor to pick and choose what better fits their needs and business objectives. This could include all of the elements we discussed before, but with different pricing options or ‘bundles’. Think about how we buy data, messages etc from a mobile phone provider.
 
It could look something like this:

• One social media blast/mention - £200
• One hour session logo placement - £500
• Three branded breakout rooms - £750
• One email to attendees pre event - £750
• One to one session with the attendees - £2,000
• Market place stall/exhibitor booth - £3,000

 
These are only a handful of examples, you can offer your sponsors via packages. They will depend on the capabilities of your virtual events platform. If you are running your event through an App based platform for example, you can promote your main sponsor via push notifications that remind attendees about sponsored sessions or other offers.
​It's a great way to do keep attendee engagement going, whilst keeping your sponsor front of mind.

Leverage the power of digital ad space
There are several ways to monetise a virtual event and digital advertising is one of them. It has become one of the most popular marketing tools in the modern world -something you can definitely use to your advantage. So consider including pop up ads and banners as a way of promoting your sponsors on your event event platform and live stream. This can be harnessed from the outset of your participant journey.
Since a registration platform is a vital component of your event, consider adding a spot banner or ad promoting your sponsors on the webpage.

Make sponsors a part of your promotion strategy. If your marketing strategy was already paramount within past events, then it becomes increasingly more so with virtual ones.
Your attendees will need constant, but not overbearing reminders of what will take place. There's also room for sponsorship promotions here, whether it's on your social media channels or email blasts, make sure you include  sponsor mentions at some point. This is not that different from what you do with an in person event, you just need to be a bit more assertive in your messaging.

Sponsored speaking  and branding opportunities 
From a sponsor perspective, it doesn't get much better than a chance to speak directly to attendees. The possibility of being virtually face to face with the audience and introduce the company products or services can be quite appealing. So why not offer your sponsors a branded speaking opportunity. It doesn't have to be too long and generally speaking, it's one of the best ways to drive revenue on your side. You might also want to go ahead and offer your sponsors the possibility to have a Q&A with the audience. This way, not only do the sponsors get to be face to face with everyone, but they also get to interact with them on a deeper, more personal level.
​Q&A's are an extremely important element to virtual events and enable attendees to feel heard and connected.

Sponsored speaking opportunities are a great offering. However, unprepared speakers are a sure way to drive the audience away, so ensure that the content is checked in advance for quality control. A sponsor will appreciate your advice on how best to engage your audience. An easy alternative is to promote your sponsors before the presentation takes place - you can include sponsor and speaker videos and intros in delegate communications, or even better go ahead and add their logos to the presentation slides. This won't be as disruptive as an advert thrown into the middle of a speaker session, but still alerts the attendees' minds to the existence of the sponsor. You can also include branded breakout rooms and sponsor booths. This of course will depend on the capabilities of your platform, and is why you should work with a virtual event specialist.

Digital Goodie Bags and Delegate Offers
Sponsored goodie bags have always been a thing in events but just because the event industry is shifted to virtual doesn't mean they won't be any more. In fact the digital alternative provides attendees with more value than any normal run of the mill tote bag. Think vouchers for online courses, supplier gift cards, free 30 day trials for digital products and services, and so on.
Chances are attendees will appreciate this a lot more than they would a branded mug or a pen!

Catering Experiences at Home
There are things that simply can't be replicated in the digital world and catering is one of them. But if your sponsors were open to it, offering home deliveries to the attendees would be an incredible and very well welcome surprise. This could take the form of takeout food or a nice bottle of wine for a virtual happy hour. The food packaging and the labels on the bottles could also be branded to include the sponsors logo.
 
Virtual Stores and Gamification
E-commerce is already one of the biggest players in the retail industry, so why not make it part of your virtual event? Adding a virtual store could be something very unique, and additionally, it would offer your sponsors the opportunity to showcase and sell their products.
Recognising that a whole day of speaker sessions can be quite tiring, the smart organisers are including elements of gamification into their events. This is a chance to keep both your attendees engaged, and offer yet another sponsorship opportunity. Sponsored icebreaker activities and games can be a fun, interactive way of connecting sponsors with the audience, as well as providing some lighter moments throughout your virtual experience.
You can take this one step further by creating a 'freemium model' for attendees to enable some of them to attend your event at a slightly lower price point. This would involve them agreeing to connect one to one with the sponsors, watch a longer sponsored video or even provide some sort of relevant data to the sponsor.
Whatever is valuable to your sponsor could be included here and it is a win-win
The event is more financially accessible to everyone, and the sponsor gains additional attendee touch points. This is a model that is subtly replicated throughout many of our daily online engagements, just think of Apps where you opt for the free package in return for watching adverts, like Duolingo.
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In conclusion, here is a little infographic to show some of the areas you should be considering for sponsorship of your virtual event. 
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Next time we will be looking at hybrid events - what are they and how can we adapt to this next phase?

Let's talk speakers. After all they are the bedrock of your event. You can have the flashiest tech out there for your event platform, but if your speakers aren't up to scratch  then your audience will turn off. Hopefully some of the little tips in this blog will help you if you are organising an event and working with speakers, or a speaker yourself in this new virtual world.

Who are you working with?
So, firstly, make sure you check the credentials of the speakers you're thinking about engaging with. Even though the advent of virtual events is still very fresh, some people might have previous experience of speaking in similar settings. Maybe they've done YouTube and live streams before. Perhaps they have spoken at hybrid events, or maybe they're just very tech savvy and know how to deal with the intricacies of virtual speaking. You shouldn't disregard those who don't have any of these credentials, but it's definitely a plus if they do. 
But let's start in true event planner fashion by assuming that they need to be fully coached in this virtual world of presenting....

Remember the story
We have spoken about the importance of storytelling in a previous post, but it is something worth repeating. Sustaining an emotional connection in a virtual setting is hard but it's not impossible. However, it does require that speakers display more energy, authenticity and passion for the topic they're discussing than ever before.
The presentation can't just be a busy succession of disconnected points. It needs a beginning, middle, and end, a satisfying conclusion, and an overall journey that captivates the hearts and minds of those watching, if you harness the power of storytelling with the energy authenticity and passion, you are well on the way to keeping a captivated audience.

Death by Powerpoint?
Look at your speakers' materials beforehand. A second pair of eyes is always appreciated, especially if you're dealing with something that is different and unusual. Not all speakers will be familiar with the best strategies for a virtual presentation. So give yourself enough time to make alterations if need be.
Remember that how we're addressing people has completely shifted - virtual means a shorter attention span, high chances of webinar fatigue, and a greater need for something that will keep the audience absorbed.
Take a good look at your speakers' slides.  Are they too heavy on the text? Are they bland and boring from a design perspective?
The key here is to use your slides as a means to provide a visual representation to  switch the focus from the talking head of the speaker. Catchy titles, bold graphics, bullet points, engaging visuals, animated graphics. These are the things you should be looking for. No one wants to sit through a two hour lecture that consists of nothing but black and white slides with walls of text. I am a huge fan of Canva for producing easy, good looking design for a range of things including presentations.
Also consider if you really need slides - do they add anything? Don't simply use slides to repeat what you are saying.

Set the scene
As mentioned above, you should think of your presentation as a production, imagine yourself or your speaker presenting the news! So it's all about professionalism, and there are a few easy things to consider here...
Lights: Try to light yourself from the front for best effect. A ring light is good, or use a mix of natural and artificial light for the an even front lit effect. Avoid back lighting!
Sound: For the best sound quality, even using a simple lapel microphone can increase the quality of your sound beyond the basic built in computer mic. These can be picked up for less than £20. Make sure you are used to using it though, and avoid large jewellery or other 'noisy' clothing when wearing it. You will know what I mean if you have seen a tv guest sitting playing with their necklace and wondering what that rustling or jangling noise is!
Camera: Make sure you have considered your backdrop carefully. Again, we have all seen this done badly over the past few months - backgrounds filled with clutter, boxes, papers and generally things that are just going to turn your audience off. Now is not the time to display your impressive book collection, as it will only distract rather than engage or impress your viewers! The same goes for your own personal appearance. You may have spent the last few months in loungewear, but there is nothing like dressing up to instantly feel the part.
If you live with other people, make sure you let them know exactly what time you'll be online and for how long. Preferably they won't make use of the Internet in order to help your connection remain steady the whole way through.
Whatever has the potential distract you or your attendees during the event, get rid of it, and that includes your phone, open windows and a myriad of other things. We might find those examples of children and pets video-bombing meetings hilarious, but not so much when it involves your presentation. Don't be remembered for the wrong reasons!
Action!: ​And you are on! Make eye contact with your camera, not the middle of your screen in order to try and engage with your audience so that they feel more connected. You are doing your best here to establish a human connection. Try to know a bit about the audience you are addressing - what kind of approach would they respond to best? Casual or strictly professional?
Be very clear about what you want to communicate and make sure you're providing these people with the kind of content and experience they can relate to.
If appropriate, ask them to say hello in the chat function and encourage questions, trying to keep that engagement and checking in going during the session.

And relax.....there is nothing quite like the high you have when you finish a speaking session like this. Relating back to the performance analogy, it is very similar to an actor coming off stage. I am sure you will have done a great job. Remember to thank your audience and follow up with any information and contacts you have referenced, it's a great way to set up your next speaking gig.

Another great way to give a story some visual life is to employ the services of a scribe. These artists have been bringing events to life over the past few years, creating walls of content at conferences and other large gatherings, and there is even more reason to be using them now. A digital live scribe could be in a separate 'room' at your event, creating artwork during panel discussions to provide a visual representation of the topics covered in the session. They are great to provide to attendees post-event and share on social media.
Look out for some more tips on bringing your virtual event to life in next weeks blog!

As Director of my own business, the past month has been extremely challenging to say the least. I spent the first two weeks in a bit of a frenzy of activity, watching and taking part in every Zoom call and webinar I could in order to try and make sense of it all, and what it would mean for my business.
I have spent years building up my company, and a client base that I am extremely proud of.  And now I found myself extremely worried about not only the immediate impact, but what business would be like when we come out the other side of this. As I am considered to be very creative, and a bit of an innovator, I put myself under immense pressure to come up with the 'next best thing' in the world of events, and frankly I ended up feeling quite overwhelmed and drained by it all. 
I have now had time to take a breath and reflect on some of the things that I have learned, and what has worked for me. Working, and spending the majority of my time at home on my own, I have found some real strategies which I thought I would share for anyone else out there who finds themselves struggling to see a way out of all of this.
​I will start by sharing a quote from one of my closest friends "You can't be a hero every day!"

Limit the noise to good effect
As I discovered when setting up my nnoodl  business, we can be overwhelmed by social media at the best of times. Add to that the constant news updates and it is easy to see how your whole day can be overtaken by Covid-19. Then there are the constant 'funnies' on Facebook etc which are shared over and over. Sometimes light relief - sometimes too much.
Time to limit the noise and focus on the information I needed.
I found that at this time LinkedIn was more valuable than ever with people sharing some really useful content. This is where I found a post from the London Growth Hub, an initiative delivered by the LEAP (the local enterprise partnership for London). They have always been there to support small businesses in London, but this is the first I had heard of them and snapped up the chance to have a business consultation call with one of their advisers.  Not only did this give me some pointers on the support available to me, but also served as a reminder that this was a good opportunity to take advantage of the down time to reassess my business and make it even stronger. I was also introduced to a network of other similar business owners.

Recognising where you are on the 'change curve'
Listening to a webinar by the previously mentioned London Growth Hub was really helpful in reassuring me that we are all going through a similar rollercoaster of feelings just now.  One of their coaches discussed the 'Change Curve' and explained how we all react to dramatic changes in our situation. Although we all go through this process at different paces, he highlighted the various stages on it from Shock, Denial, Anger, Bargaining and so on.  It really resonated with me as I recognised many of these feelings. Being ever the optimist, I was heartened to see the positive upward curve.
​I particularly identified with the 'Acceptance' and 'Problem Solving' areas. In times like this, we start to turn a corner and think "I am ok, does anyone else need help?". I had recently signed up to help my local Covid 19 mutual aid group. I was keen to help in any way I could, having more time on my hands, and recognising there were no doubt people in my neighbourhood whom I didn't know, but may well be struggling. I have to say my days are now even brighter as a chance partnering up with a vulnerable neighbour to support getting her medicines and shopping has now resulted in me giving her guide dog a much needed run around in the park every day.  These groups are set up across the whole of the UK and are still looking for volunteers as the lockdown continues. You can find yours here.

Break the monotony
It can start to seem like groundhog day. I laugh when I sign off emails on a Friday with 'Have a lovely weekend' as a force of habit, when in reality it can seem like each day is the same as the last.
It's really important to mark changes in days and weeks. 
Whether that is as simple as moving from the room where you have been doing your work emails, or changing your clothes from day to night, it all makes a difference to your mindset. I found at the start of this that I started to dread Zoom calls a bit as I spent so much time on them during the day that the thought of staring at my laptop at night too was a bit much. There was an interesting short article on why this is in Time Out this week. But the upside to this is the amount of people I have managed to connect with who I hadn't 'seen' for a very long time. My mum and dad have only recently adopted Facetime, which makes me very happy given that I had to cancel a trip to see them in Scotland the very week we went into lockdown (I was extra pleased to see that my dad has retained his humour by appearing wearing full protective gear!) 
​I have been on virtual quiz nights with friends across the world, drinks with friends all over the UK,  and we try to continue our virtual choir online, even though it sounds so chaotic that it is hilarious. Just seeing those little 'Brady Bunch' faces makes me smile now. In fact I have just done one of my triathlon bike sessions on my turbo trainer and persuaded a friend in Aberdeen to join me. Apparently I have a side hustle waiting for me as a virtual cycling coach after this in her eyes!
I also find it is important to make a bit of a 'ceremony' of a Saturday night as I get properly dressed up and have  'aperitifs' with my best friend and her family in Aberdeen every week. On the first week of lockdown I went to one of my favourite superstores, Wing Yip to shop for a Chinese banquet. In my mind crispy duck pancakes are one of the ultimate feel good foods!

Many of you will be familiar with my sister company, nnoodl where I create surprise experiential events for groups and individuals. Here we especially focus on the hidden gems of places and activities that London has to offer. We are as deflated as the rest of you that we are being advised against social contact, and moving towards isolation. Human interaction, and trying new experiences together is at the heart of what brings us joy. But, these are indeed unprecedented times, and so in the spirit of staying safe, but also sane, I have gathered together some of my favourite activities that you can do safely, all from the comfort of your own isolation. It also represents a mix of suppliers (some are free), but including some small businesses, who we love to support during these trying times. 

​Singing
Ok, so this is a simple one, it is something many of us probably already do in the privacy of our own home, in the shower, or whilst cooking dinner. But, have you ever experienced the joy of singing with someone else?
​I first went to Matt Thompson at ‘Sing the Easy Way’ about 4 years ago. Initially this started as a bit of a dare, as I shy away from public speaking or any public performances. Matt has an amazing way of putting you at ease though, and after my first lesson I felt such a natural high that there was no going back! Matt has always offered online singing lessons, offering the same fun, one-to-one environment as face to face, but without the contact we are trying to currently avoid. Check him out here
Like me, you could become a singing convert and will be joining his beginners choir!

​Get Creative!
Now this is one that I know is on a lot of people’s hit lists. Learning to sew, either for fun, or in these challenging economic times, to make your own clothes, or upcycle, is a great skill to have. I did my own sewing challenge back in 2015 when I went to the Thrifty Stitcher to learn how to make a dress. (If you really have time on your hands, have a look at my blog here about this great experience).
Owner, Claire-Louise Hardie was the first Sewing Producer for The Great British Sewing Bee, a Professional Costumier with a passion for teaching beginners to sew. She is running a range of online sewing courses, perfect for great tuition in your own home. Check out her online courses here. Also, in the spirit of helping everyone in these challenging times, she is offering some free online sewing tutorials for beginners here.

As an events professional I am always keen to investigate new venues and restaurants as possible destinations for events and special gatherings. So, every month I am going to share with you my top pick. This month I had the pleasure of discovering a real hidden gem of a restaurant!
I took the research for this one particularly personally as I wanted to treat my partner to a special birthday meal. I wasn't totally restricted on location, but was keen to find somewhere towards the west end of London to tie in with our earlier plans. I am a real fan of tapas/sharing style food, or a tasting menu as I find it gives you a really good opportunity to taste a variety of the key dishes from a restaurant. Looking for 'special tasting menus' I stumbled upon Flat Three in Holland Park. This is a restaurant which sells itself as 'imaginative, seasonal British food inspired by the flavours and culinary traditions of Korea and Japan'.
The brainchild of Juliana Kim Moustakas, the restaurant name comes from the address she and her chef friend first started creating their vision, and hosting some supper clubs from. They take great pride in the time taken to create the ferments which punctuate their special brand of flavour.
We found Flat Three on a small corner in Holland Park and followed the quirky 'Eat here' neon sign down to the basement not sure what to expect. Embracing the eastern feel though, was a calm, clean interior, punctuated by an open kitchen, and we were shown to one of the booths.

Having already given the menu a bit of a once over in advance, I suggested we went for the 5 course tasting option. Unusually for a menu like this, our waitress helpfully advised us that we didn't both need to eat the same dishes, in fact this menu offers at least two choices for each 'course'. So as we pondered our food options, we looked through the extensive Sake and wine list. I have to admit there were some pretty pricey wines on there, but likewise, they offered a very reasonable Romanian 2018 Calusari, Pinot Noir. With a forthcoming trip to Romania planned in spring, we were keen to see what the local red might be like and so opted for this, starting of course with some Sake from their extensive range! This warm carafe of Shusen Three Dots Junmai Ginjo, Kamoizumi hailing from Hiroshima, really set the right tone. We were also delighted to have this brought to us by none other than owner, Juliana, who explained a little about the Sake.
​
Just as I was considering whether we should order some of the Mochi flatbread with ponzu to accompany our dishes, we were supplied with a complimentary serving, which I have to say is something I could eat all day. In fact we ordered a further helping during our dinner....it is so addictive!
​
The food that followed was a true delight. 
We both opted for the kabu (Japanese turnip) with the most surprisingly tasty broth of dashi. Who knew turnip could taste so good - nothing like Scots' mashed neeps!
​My partner, Ian opted for the kabocha (pumpkin) with kombu mole next, whilst I indulged my love of beetroot with a dish infused with omija, and preserved blackcurrants. Again we were both blown away by the flavours given to these otherwise quite humble vegetables.
P.S. as my photos below really don't do justice to the vibrancy of these dishes, I have included some of John Scott Blackwell's images from the Flat Three website at the top and bottom of this blog post.

Next we both opted for the glazed aubergine, followed by pork belly with spring greens for Ian, and wild sea bass with mussels for me. We are both very much meat eaters, but were totally sold on how vegetable dominant our menu was - the care and attention given to the flavours and ferments applied to them by the chefs at Flat Three is very evident.

Our final visit in this wonderful culinary excursion was upon us - the sweet part. I find sometimes we can shy away from dishes when the names of the various ingredients aren't familiar to us, or seem unusual pairings. This had been the case throughout our tasting menu, but I was so glad that we had embraced these amazing new flavours, including in our final foray where I went for the black koji custard and Jerusalem artichoke whilst Ian opted for the almond cake, fermented milk and honey. Both were absolutely delicious, but the literal icing on the cake must have been the lovely 'Happy Birthday' touch which was acknowledged on Ian's almond cake. 
This restaurant has something for every occasion - they run special events and also have a great 'Chef's table' for a special group event. To quote this wonderful restaurant's octagonal shape, I would definitely recommend you 'Eat here'!

Photographs below by John Scott Blackwell, courtesy of the Flat Three website:

As the Director of my own company, I rely on word of mouth to ensure I am always bringing in new business. Reputation is everything, and something I work hard at. However, I am aware as anyone else just how busy our lives are - we are overwhelmed by work and fast moving social media feeds and it is easy to slip off the radar.  So I know just how important it is to keep in touch with your contacts and stay 'front of mind'. I have my own little ways of doing this , such as sending 'Happy New Year' cards to my contacts (a little different from sending the usual Christmas card), but I was really interested to hear some tips from the former editorial director of Twitter, Karen Wickre on how to nurture these contacts throughout the year:

​Take 10 minutes a day to craft casual hellos — it goes a long way.
According to Karen Wickre, tending your network doesn’t take more than 10 minutes a day. The key to making meaningful connections, she argues, isn’t going to a marathon of cocktail hours. It’s staying in “loose touch” — what she defines as “the care and feeding of your networks over time.”
As the former editorial director of Twitter, Wickre is both incredibly well-connected and a self-described introvert. She even wrote a book for her fellow quiet, limelight-avoidant observers. In Taking the Work Out of Networking: An Introvert’s Guide to Making Connections That Count, Wickre shares a 10-minute trick for maintaining loose touch, and five FYIs you can send keep your relationships thriving.
Here she is in her own words:

No one likes to feel used repeatedly, especially when it’s one-sided. The best connections you can make are those where you have mutuality: sometimes one of you needs something, and sometimes neither of you does, and you continue to give your time and attention either way.

This is my guiding principle for no-pressure networking: Nurture it before you need it.
Start by spending 10 minutes a day building your loose-touch habit. That’s a small amount of effort for what is potentially a lot of payoff, in good feelings if not in immediate outcomes. Whether you’re the giver or the receiver in need, you’ll get a sense of satisfaction either way. Here’s how I fit it into my day:

• Make it a morning warm-up. My morning ritual of checking email and my news feeds is a way to limber up for the workday. As I scan the headlines, I’ll share a story or two that I know are of interest to people I haven’t been in touch with along with a short note: “This made me think of you. What’s your take? And how are you?”
• Keep a running to-do list. Part of staying in loose touch is simply following up on encounters you’ve had. After your conversation or meeting, think about what you wanted to pass along, and who came to mind that you’d like to reach out to. Add them to your list and get the satisfaction of crossing that task off later.
• Close out the day with gratitude. Send out a couple of “thinking of you” notes to people you’ve enjoyed meeting or would like to catch up with, or to even start a new conversation with someone you’ve just met. It’s a nice way to plant the seed of connection that might yield a response as soon as the next day.

Use these five FYIs to say hi.
The nice thing about a “Just FYI” message is that there’s no real obligation involved on either side, and you are top of mind for a moment with the recipient (which helps solidify your ongoing relationship).
Apart from the link or attachment, your message is essentially along these lines: this confirms what we talked about; I wonder what your reaction is; reading this reminds me of you. Here are five types of ‘Just FYI’ notes to add to your rotation:

• Send a relevant article to someone who interviewed you for a job you didn’t get. Even though it didn’t work out, you liked that person you met, and want to stay in touch. Show that you’re a good sport and still attentive to the company and industry. (Just don’t revisit the job interview.)
• Say hello to someone you met at a conference last year with the just-published agenda for this year’s event, asking if they’ll be attending.
• Share interesting news about your old company with a former colleague. Former co-workers are sometimes the best weak ties — you may not have known them well, but there’s a feeling of kinship. A simple note asking what they’re up to along with a story can keep the connection going, or even strengthen it.
• Show you’re paying attention to your weak ties by sending them items (news, event, commentary) related to their interests. For someone you don’t know well, this will give a moment of delight and appreciation. What you send is based on what you know: are they presenting at a conference, doing research, passionate about a project, focused on an emerging trend?
• Reinforce a connection you just made by following up with relevant information. If you just met someone and talked about mobile phone usage, send the news story you spotted on this with a brief note (“This made me think of our conversation”).

Here’s an example of a no-obligation “Just FYI” note I sent recently to a friendly professional contact in the field of autonomous cars. I thought of him after seeing a tweet about an upcoming workshop on that topic.
Subject: Do you know about this conference? (The subject line should tease the information you’re sending instead of being a generic “hi”.)
Hi Jimmie, I hope you’re faring well in these fun times. Just ran across this [link] and thought of you.
Happy Monday,
Karen
Even this short note accomplishes quite a lot:

• “Fun times” is a reference to the surge of news about autonomous cars, which is sometimes wacky, negative, or inaccurate. This mention conveys a bit of sympathy about what Jimmie deals with.
• You don’t have to explain a lot if you include an informative link. In this case, it was the home page for an upcoming workshop for policymakers working on issues surrounding self-driving vehicles. Note that it was the site for the event itself, not a news story about the event — the former is more useful and direct.
• Even the closing line, “Happy Monday,” says “I’m not looking for anything from you. Do what you like with this information.”

Read more of Karen’s highly tactical advice on how to make connections that count, from a Silicon Valley veteran and introvert.