✓ Do’s

Before

• Plan and prepare ways to engage audience: polling, whiteboard, emoticons, raising hands.
• Repeatedly communicate time limitations to the staff, leadership, panelists and speakers, well in advance.
• Have backup presenters, hosts, facilitators as well as activities ready to go if problems arise.
• Verify your pronunciation of the names of anyone that will be speaking.
• Prepare a brief introduction and verify it with speakers.
• Go through a dry run to test equipment, settings and timeline.

During

• Open up waiting room 15 minutes prior to start of event.
• Mute everyone by default in the beginning.
• Put all panelists & speakers in a separate virtual room to brief and test setup.
• Watch time very closely.
• Communicate time countdowns to speakers using preagreed upon method like Chat, Text Messaging, Virtual background.
• Give quick pointers on where virtual system features are, especially Chat and “raise hands” or “ask question” features.
• Monitor chat’s for messages from the meeting coordinator, emcee and meeting staff.

After

• Thank sponsors, speakers, panelists and team members.
• Give attendees a “Call to action”.
• Invite and offer some way for the audience to engage afterwards.
• Send thank you note to everyone involved after the event is over.
• Send survey to presenters & attendees.

✘ Don’ts

• Don’t assume everyone will arrive when they are supposed to.
• Don’t assume all technology will work even if it has been tested.