We came up with a splendid idea for an online event. We know what the theme should be and when more or less we want to organize it, but we have no idea where to start. Rest assured, this happens and there is a very simple solution for it. Let's just sit down, make ourselves a good cup of coffee and start preparing a brief, i.e. a project description of our event, which will help us sort out the most important issues related to it.

Type an event

The first, perhaps most important aspect is to figure out what our event is supposed to be in the first place. So let's think about what type of event we should assign our idea to. For example, as our idée fixe involves a concretized form of speeches by a number of specialists in a particular field, we most likely have a scientific conference in mind. Naming the type of event at the outset in this way will help arrange and simplify our further work.

Location

While it may seem that with online events location does not matter, this is incorrect thinking. Even online events need to take into account logistical aspects, such as the location of the speakers' presentations, which can be either their home or a professional studio. In the latter case, the location of the studio needs to be properly chosen, which should be as optimal as possible for all speakers.

Number of speakers

This is a very important factor, as it determines the duration and the above-mentioned form of the entire event. If there are only two speakers, you can organize something like a webinar. On the other hand, with twenty specialists in a particular field speaking, the event gets more elaborate and may even stretch over several days. In the case of online and hybrid events, this is also of great importance for our broadcasting service provider, as he then has to schedule time for all preparations. Speech formats are also very important. If we want our online event to feature panel discussions that require more coordination of the production team, this should be included in the brief.

Number of participants

Another consideration is how big our event will be. It would seem that with completely online events it does not matter so much, however, in practice it is a very important factor. When organizing an event where 5,000 participants are expected, for example, the online streaming tool must be properly prepared in advance. With the number of participants also go more mundane issues such as the budget of the event and the number of people involved in technical support.

Generating leads

If we want our event to bring us data of new potential customers, we need to encourage them to share it. Here, therefore, it is important to properly think about the concept for the landing page, which, as a registration page, is the first space for contacting the event. If it is properly prepared, participants are more likely to exchange their data with us in exchange for registering for our event.

Availability of the platform and recordings

The last aspects worth elaborating on in the brief are implementation and recording. We can do both paid registration with limited access for potential attendees, and stream our event for free on a publicly available platform. Let's also consider whether we want the entire event to be recorded. If so, we need to make sure we have adequate recording space that absent participants can return to at any time.

Checklist:

✔️ Assign your online event to a specific type of event

✔️ Determine the location of the speakers' speeches

✔️ Estimate the number of attendees

✔️ Prepare a good landing page

✔️ Determine the form of registration