Do you have Zoom fatigue? Haute Dokimazo CEO Liz Lathan and President Nicole Osibodu are willing to bet you’ll never get tired of a virtual shark dive. In the first of four virtual events known collectively as Convo 2021, the two event virtuosos sent nearly 80 sales and marketing executives jaws to jaws with, well, Jaws, from the comforts of their own home.

Toby Lewis, CEO of the UK-based Live Group, used to be fearful for the future of the MICE industry. That was well before March 2020 sent us all into a panic.

Lewis’ concerns grew over the course of the last decade while reading yearly analysis reports in which little changed besides dates and venues. The stagnation was equally perplexing and infuriating for someone who always looks ahead.

Hybrid events are key to revitalizing and sustaining our industry and mastering them will be critical to both near-term and long-term success for event marketers. This is why CEMA, the premier association for experienced event marketers for the past 30 years, has launched a campaign called Drive to Thrive. This campaign is designed to promote early CEMA membership renewals and generate new member growth in a time when event pros must all work together to deliver exceptional experiences and value.

In the five months since the launch of the LinkedIn Virtual Events platform, LinkedIn has hosted more than 200,000 events.

The first use of the phrase “care package” to refer to parcels of food or supplies sent to people located far away came during World War II. These days, event organizers are utilizing the same concept to bring a bit of the flavor of live gatherings to virtual attendees. From branded boxes filled with locally sourced goods to gifts carrying corporate social responsibility components, these five corporate gifting companies offer an array of options.

During the 2020 CEMA Summit, held virtually in July, Darcy Gabriele, a strategic account executive with Eventcore, gave a fascinating presentation on why it’s not a simple switch to move from in-person to virtual events — on many levels, but specifically when it comes to registration.

With many events pivoting to virtual right now, event planners and marketers are working overtime to make sure their digital event programming is packed with premium educational content. But what about those valuable extras that attendees come to an event to experience, such as high-profile speakers and entertainers? As with live events, quality keynote presentations can help transform virtual events into unforgettable experiences, too. However, working with speakers for a digital event is, in some ways, different than a live talk on stage. 

One positive that has emerged during this time of physical distancing is the upsurge in virtual learning and networking opportunities. We've put together a short list of upcoming free virtual events and webinars designed for event marketers:

In a time where most face-to-face meetings aren’t an option, many event professionals are turning to virtual events. But as we all know, it can be difficult to keep a remote audience engaged. 

The events industry is filled with a lot of uncertainty right now due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent event cancellations.

“I don’t think there’s a single event scheduled for the next 90 days that isn’t currently fielding concerns about coronavirus from attendees and stakeholders,” says Alex Plaxen, vice president, experience strategy for Nifty Method Marketing and Events.