Understand usability. The virtual event manager must understand and provide advice on the best use of the virtual venue's real-estate to provide an optimal experience for all participants. Example: The virtual event manager must determine if s/he wants virtual attendees to enter the event site from the same page or a different page, being fully aware of what the advantages or disadvantages are, OR know the pros and cons of having a single entry-point for all classes of participants. Why is this important? - because it eliminates a lot of support requests if the site real estate is well thought out and laid out.
Understand legalities. Users may make demands of the virtual event manager based on their business needs. However, the virtual event manager must understand where to involve the legal department to protect the event organizers' interests while keeping sponsors, exhibitors, attendees and conference speakers satisfied. This is very much like the face-to-face world, except that in a virtual venue, the Virtual Event Manager can avail of strategically placed disclaimers to set the right expectations for the users. Example: Would it be okay to part with a list of attendees to all sponsors, or would that be a violation of previously agreed terms or a violation of attendees' privacy? - is a question that might need to be addressed by the Virtual Event Manager.
Comfort with Technology. This means a comfort in the use of all the tools at one's disposal. This does not mean knowing programming. This means knowing when to seek help from the programmers, or when to refer a matter to level one support. The Virtual Event Manager may be called upon to execute on a series of tasks in rapid-fire succession or delicately synchronized. S/he must be fluent in a variety of technology tools to execute every task swiftly using the technology tools available. These may include tools such as an email campaign manager, content generation at short notice, well-timed emails, scheduling and releasing alerts, broadcasts during a live event with advisories and breaking news, or even jumping in to moderate a live panel should the moderator experience unexpected audio or video transmission troubles in the middle of a live web conference.
Grassroots support. Have friends on the technical team because without their support, enthusiasm and hard work you will not go far. Make sure that you give them due credit in your communication, internal and external, as well as in your webcasts when the moderator is closing the session. In real world events, speakers thank the technicians who help their voice be heard. The same applies in the virtual venue.
Virtual Poise. If you are on a webcam, be professionally dressed and keep the cats and other domestic animals out of the camera's range. If you are part of a virtual team working from a home office, have a professional backdrop. Since you are going to be managing an event with (a) remotely located participants, (b) many moving parts, and (c) a ticking clock, be poised in all your communication. As a virtual event manager, you are the captain of the ship once the event is revving up and after it goes live. Your reactions set the tone of the event for your support teams, your exhibitors, your attendees, your sponsors and the organizer. As you continue with your virtual event, you will come to realize that some of the matters that come your way can be distilled into a process, and dealt with by delegating it to another team member. Virtual poise comes not only from being resourceful and staying calm under pressure, but also being able to convey that across distances without having the advantage of all the senses such as visual or tactile.
Reading between the Emoticons. The communication skills required are slightly deeper because you have to rely more on non-visual cues to know what is going on, and react suitably.
What that also means is that the Virtual Event Manager must be able to seamlessly switch between various communication tools to get the job done. You may become aware of an issue from a virtual lounge through a chat session, and have to switch to a streamed voice communication to broadcast instructions to all users, or an email alert or an instant message to all users, or you may need to get on a conference call with your team to give instructions on changes to a certain piece of the venue because the event organizer decided that it was alienating some of the exhibitors. The Virtual Event Manager has to be nimble on her/his keyboard, mic and all other communication tools needed.
Reading between the Emoticons. The communication skills required are slightly deeper because you have to rely more on non-visual cues to know what is going on, and react suitably.
What that also means is that the Virtual Event Manager must be able to seamlessly switch between various communication tools to get the job done. You may become aware of an issue from a virtual lounge through a chat session, and have to switch to a streamed voice communication to broadcast instructions to all users, or an email alert or an instant message to all users, or you may need to get on a conference call with your team to give instructions on changes to a certain piece of the venue because the event organizer decided that it was alienating some of the exhibitors. The Virtual Event Manager has to be nimble on her/his keyboard, mic and all other communication tools needed.
Sense of Humor. The successful Virtual Event Manager is one who takes all the bumps on the road in one's stride. Being quick to apologize for an honest mistake goes a long way in the transparent world of virtual events. Use the smiley emoticon where necessary and keep moving the event forward. There will always be a few participants who will need extra attention. Assign them to your best support personnel, which means not only the most competent ones, but also the ones who demonstrate the most empathy, in helping out a distressed virtual participant. A sense of humor will go a long way in strengthening your virtual event's brand.
As the virtual fair is in progress or as it is wrapping up, you will start hearing positive feedback about how your work helped bring their entire team to the virtual fair, or how you helped connect a supplier in Australia with a buyer in the U.S. - that's when you know that everything about being a Virtual Event Manager is real.
