THE BEST WAYS TO THANK YOUR VIRTUAL EVENT ATTENDEES

Even with the most talented creative and operational staff, carrying out a well-executed and successful virtual event would not be possible without an audience watching it and engaging with it. And although your speakers or performers may not hear the physical applause of these attendees, their presence is felt, their engagement is crucial, and their attendance is something to be appreciated. A strong relationship with your online audience is a valuable investment that is worth both your brand’s time and resources. Additionally, a successful virtual event should act as a catalyst to foster even more meaningful relationships with that audience. 

One of the best ways to deepen customer loyalty both during and after your event is with a personalized and sincere ‘thank you’. In the world still reeling from the effects of COVID, event audiences feel more sacred than ever, and our industry experts have some good ideas to show that event audience just how much we appreciate them. 

During your event: 

There are so many moving parts during a virtual or hybrid event, but you would be remiss to ignore your incredible audience. Express your gratitude in a few simple ways:

Free Stuff

• Gifts

Your guests have likely received more branded pens, t-shirts, and keychains from events like yours over the years than they could use in a lifetime. Especially in the times we’re going through, audiences are hungry for brand authenticity. Be creative, and give them something they’ll truly value. Tap into the themes that are consistent with your brand in order to brainstorm a unique set of gifts that your guests will actually use. But make sure it’s during the scheduled live-stream. This will encourage attendees tuning in at a later date to attend your next event at its scheduled time.

• Food

This works for all types of guests, not just for college students! The best way to your audience’s heart is almost always through their stomachs. Consider gift cards or discounts to online orders for restaurants that are in alignment with your brand or event. It might be the restaurant itself or to a food delivery app. Regardless of the form it takes, a discount or free meal is always appreciated because, let’s be honest here, who doesn’t love free food? 

• Digital networking opportunities

Showcase your attendees, speakers, or staff with a spotlight on your social media channels. Encourage them to take a selfie watching your live stream and tag you in it. Or, give them a retweet, feature them in an Instagram post, and highlight their work on your LinkedIn page. Your audiences will appreciate your networking on their behalf and love that you’re providing them with a free digital advertisement. 

• Promotions and discounts

Show your appreciation and lock in attendance to future virtual events with exclusive discounts and promotional materials. Giving your audience a unique set of benefits is one of the best ways to make guests feel truly valued. This strategy will also save your marketing team time and resources to promote your next event! 

After the event: 

Congratulations! Your hard work paid off in a meaningful way, and your virtual event was a success. Before you relax, you still have some work to do to put your event over the top in a way that makes your virtual audience feel valued. 

• Social media recognition 

Continue to promote the guests that helped to make your event a success. They will create even more fond memories of your brand, and look forward to maintaining and improving their connections for events, especially when in-person events return in full swing.

• Messages

If you have a small group of attendees, you should absolutely consider sending out hand-written messages. These cards are quickly becoming a thing of the past, but they remain extremely impactful and show how much you care about your audience. As fewer events actually take the time to do this, it becomes even more special.

If this is not an option for your brand, you should at least send an email to each event attendee individually. Blast email thank-you’s have actually been proven to demotivate audiences and leave them with a negative impression. Take the time to make the emails as personal as possible; it will be worth the extra time and effort. 

Thanking your guests is a fantastic way to show your appreciation and improve customer loyalty to your brand. This investment of time and resources will result in a lucrative payoff, and you’ll feel great expressing your appreciation. No matter what type of event you have lined up, virtual, hybrid, or a combination of the two, Wizard Studios is your best partner for its success. Contact us today!