How to get the most out of a virtual conference. Seven best practice tips

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to work from home. But ideas must continue to be generated to drive innovation. Here you will find some best practice tips on how to make your virtual meetings a success.

Video conferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Virtual conferences are now widespread in every industry. Although they may seem unproductive at first glance, they have more to offer than you might think when it comes to generating new ideas. Video conferencing enables face-to-face communication via software. This is crucial for employees working from home – a trend that is expected to continue to grow, with 55% of companies now allowing this type of work. And this trend will certainly continue even after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent survey, the number of companies offering remote work is expected to increase to 77% in the next three years.

This is how your video conferences are successful

Virtual conferences offer ideal opportunities to network with people around the world and develop new ideas together. Video conferencing saves companies time and money and enables the exchange of ideas on a broad level. Here are some ways to get the most out of your next virtual conference.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead is key. Prepare as much in advance as possible. This will help you get the most out of your participation. Treat your virtual conference like any other. Make time in your calendar for preparation and the event itself. More people are attending these conferences because they are convenient and do not require travel. Consider this an important outreach opportunity. Write down the sessions you want to attend. You may need to prioritize if times overlap. Many conferences are recorded, giving you the opportunity to watch the talks you missed at a later date.

Define the topic clearly

If you want to hold a video conference yourself, for example to generate ideas, then you should clearly outline the topic beforehand! The more precisely you define the topic, the better outcome you will have. Because if the topic is vague, participants in the video conference often get lost in lengthy dialogues. When inviting you to the video conference, you should describe exactly what the topic is and what goals you want to achieve with the virtual conference.

Register on time

Register as early as possible. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions before the event. If you are unfamiliar with the conference platform, download it before the event. Familiarize yourself with the features so you can get the most out of the meeting.

Get involved

Actively participate in the conference instead of just participating in the background. Ask questions and provide feedback during the virtual conference. This will help you and your company get noticed and can lead to important networking opportunities. Participate actively in the discussions. These can get the exchange of ideas going at the conference.

Take notes

Take as many notes as possible during conference sessions. Write down the names of the speakers and other participants you would like to contact later and also write down anything that interests you and you would like to delve into later. The notes will also help you if you want to refer to content in a speech.

Minimize distractions

When you're attending a virtual conference, it's easy to become distracted by your surroundings. Place your computer in a quiet place where you can concentrate. Avoid multitasking. It's tempting to open other applications and do other work or send emails while you're on a video conference. This will take your concentration away from the conference and you will miss valuable information. View the conferences as a means to learn and strengthen relationships with other professionals. This opens doors for collaboration, leading to further sharing of ideas.

Use an innovation management community

If you are holding a virtual conference as part of idea management or innovation management, it is best to use an innovation management community to enter the results, ideas and decisions into the virtual ideas board during the conference. Innovative innovation management communities, such as those from QuestionPro, also offer you the opportunity to conduct and record a virtual conference or brainstorming session directly from the community and make it immediately accessible to all other members of the community!

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KEYWORDS OF THIS BLOG POST

Video conference | Gain ideas | Idea management | Community