March 24, 2020

1233: 3 Keys to Successful Virtual Events w/ Olga Andrienko

In this episode we talk to Olga Andrienko, Head of Global Marketing at SEMrush.


To find the other podcast we recommended in today's episode, check out The Sales Engagement Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you do your listening!


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Transcript
WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:09.230 Welcome back to be to be growth. I'm Logan lyles with sweet fish media. 2 00:00:09.470 --> 00:00:13.189 I'm joined today by Olga and Drinko. She is the head of global 3 00:00:13.269 --> 00:00:16.629 marketing over at Seem Rush Oga. Welcome to the show. How are you 4 00:00:16.710 --> 00:00:22.859 today? Great, thanks for invite, inviting and great to be absolutely I'll 5 00:00:22.899 --> 00:00:26.059 go. We're going to be talking a little bit about something that's very top 6 00:00:26.140 --> 00:00:30.620 of mine for folks. With so many in person events being canceled for for 7 00:00:30.780 --> 00:00:35.539 now and for the foreseeable future, no one really knows how long events will 8 00:00:35.539 --> 00:00:39.250 be affected by what's going on. We're going to give people some practical advice 9 00:00:39.450 --> 00:00:43.490 for virtual events, something that you guys are actively doing over at seem rush. 10 00:00:43.609 --> 00:00:47.850 Before we get into that practical advice for folks for virtual events, give 11 00:00:47.890 --> 00:00:51.479 us a little bit of context on yourself and what you and the seem rush 12 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:54.759 team or up to these days. Sure, so. I'm ahead of Global 13 00:00:54.840 --> 00:01:00.840 Marketing and I've been with a company for six and a half years and we've 14 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:07.030 grown from fifty people start up to a hundred people giants. I think. 15 00:01:07.390 --> 00:01:12.109 Well, we would for me to say it's a really big transition and we 16 00:01:12.430 --> 00:01:19.579 are software company providing and least six and insights for a marketing professionals note for 17 00:01:19.659 --> 00:01:25.019 them to analyze the well competitors, how they rank and Google, what adds 18 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:30.140 they place and also and sure that they their website has more visability. And 19 00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:37.409 I've grown from social media marketing manager to one of the top marketing leaders in 20 00:01:37.530 --> 00:01:45.530 the company and now my teams are in charge of from PR and content marketing, 21 00:01:45.569 --> 00:01:51.159 influence marketing, social media, podcasts and yeah, so we trying to 22 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:56.480 ensure that people discover about as in Russia, and then, honestly, we 23 00:01:56.599 --> 00:02:00.359 try to grow market. Is Not assume of clients so much. We have 24 00:02:00.510 --> 00:02:07.109 a well vision that we have one billion marketers and for that we need to 25 00:02:07.269 --> 00:02:13.870 grow markets, not that the ones who use this soft so I love that. 26 00:02:14.069 --> 00:02:17.699 I love that mentality of just giving of helping marketers just be better marketers 27 00:02:17.819 --> 00:02:21.819 in general and hopefully to that in today. Oh Go, you're going to 28 00:02:21.860 --> 00:02:25.300 help me unpack some some very practical advice for folks looking at how do we 29 00:02:25.460 --> 00:02:30.930 take our in person events, take them online, virtual events. We're going 30 00:02:30.930 --> 00:02:35.689 to be talking about choosing the platform, choosing the different direction that you might 31 00:02:35.770 --> 00:02:38.409 go with your virtual events, because there's one kind of big fork in the 32 00:02:38.449 --> 00:02:42.449 road. You've got to decide on some technical advice and then some thoughts on 33 00:02:43.210 --> 00:02:46.240 the content formats. Before we get into that, you made a comment to 34 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:51.400 me that I think will be encouraging to folks today. You mentioned sometimes it 35 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:54.879 can be easier than you think to put on that online or virtual event. 36 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:59.669 What are what is some of the encouragement you want to offer two marketers out 37 00:02:59.669 --> 00:03:02.509 there, especially event marketers, that are scrambling to take their on site event 38 00:03:02.830 --> 00:03:07.750 to online today. Yet well, for us, and in our practice, 39 00:03:08.229 --> 00:03:19.020 weabiners, I'll probably the longest lasting channel we're using, and we have started 40 00:03:19.419 --> 00:03:24.780 webinus and various languages, I think in even twenty fifteen or so, and 41 00:03:25.819 --> 00:03:30.729 back then it was yeah, we do, we use the different, different 42 00:03:30.770 --> 00:03:36.930 platform, but coming up with the topic and then just sending newsletter and then 43 00:03:37.729 --> 00:03:45.400 inviting someone to speak was, I wouldn't say that difficult if that person didn't 44 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:51.240 need to come up with the new presentation. So the I think the bottle 45 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:57.110 neck could be asking someone to create the presentation specifically for you. If you 46 00:03:57.349 --> 00:04:01.389 willing to use content that was already built, then you basically just need a 47 00:04:01.629 --> 00:04:08.590 team to organize. Then the platform you choose and what the software and the 48 00:04:08.750 --> 00:04:13.819 guest or expert within the company WHO's willing to share the information to the audience. 49 00:04:13.819 --> 00:04:17.100 So that's that's the key Pilas and I wouldn't say that it would take 50 00:04:17.139 --> 00:04:20.060 you a lot of time to yeah, absolutely. So we're going to dig 51 00:04:20.180 --> 00:04:24.689 into some of those technical aspects here next and I like what you said. 52 00:04:24.689 --> 00:04:27.569 They're, if you're kind of in this position, a Shin Right now. 53 00:04:27.769 --> 00:04:30.649 Look at where do we already have some of our best content, what's applicable 54 00:04:30.730 --> 00:04:34.170 to our audience right now and how can we repurpose that? I mean, 55 00:04:34.209 --> 00:04:39.480 don't just rehash something just to rehash something. But if you do have that 56 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:43.480 ability to kind of fast track, you know, the Webinar or the virtual 57 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:46.000 event or the Youtube series that you're going to be putting out to replace some 58 00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:49.319 of your on site stuff, to think about that, because it could help 59 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:53.829 accelerate the process. So, as you and I were talking a little bit 60 00:04:53.870 --> 00:04:57.029 offline over, you mentioned kind of this big fork in the road. If 61 00:04:57.069 --> 00:05:00.709 you're going to do a virtual event, this is go going to determine a 62 00:05:00.750 --> 00:05:03.829 lot of things, even the platform that you choose, and you mentioned one 63 00:05:03.910 --> 00:05:08.699 route is we're going to go for exposure and the other route is we're going 64 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:13.420 to go for leads. So as you guys think about online events, Webinar 65 00:05:13.660 --> 00:05:16.019 or what have you, what are some of the things that you think about? 66 00:05:16.139 --> 00:05:18.660 In okay, in this situation, we're going to go down this path 67 00:05:18.740 --> 00:05:23.089 or we're going to go down this path, and then what does that inform 68 00:05:23.129 --> 00:05:26.930 as far as the platform that you use as you start to go down one 69 00:05:27.009 --> 00:05:31.490 route or the other? So we were using go to Webina for many years. 70 00:05:31.850 --> 00:05:36.199 And how go to Webinar works is that you sent the you create as 71 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:41.279 well. Maybe. Well, the same as zoom, when you create a 72 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:46.800 time and while a link. You send your audience a link and then they 73 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:53.189 should register and you get the email and everything happens only within that room, 74 00:05:53.189 --> 00:05:56.550 virtual room. So I then go to Webin or zoom or anything else, 75 00:05:57.029 --> 00:06:01.910 and then the audience is not able to share the link. Well, what, 76 00:06:02.470 --> 00:06:06.019 they could share link, but then the person would need to register. 77 00:06:06.259 --> 00:06:10.379 So it won't be open. And, for example, and go to Webiner, 78 00:06:10.579 --> 00:06:15.060 you would know everyone who's joined. If they ask any question, go 79 00:06:15.139 --> 00:06:18.250 to Webin, I would give you the email of a person who actually ask 80 00:06:18.329 --> 00:06:23.730 the question. You are able to see that in export well, Excel file. 81 00:06:24.129 --> 00:06:29.410 So it has a lot of detailed information on who actually attended the Webinar. 82 00:06:29.490 --> 00:06:32.560 If you run a poll of where the people are from and or whether 83 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:38.199 they would want to receive the information, extra information after the Webiner and people 84 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.680 click yes, you'll be able to see who clicked yes and send them the 85 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:46.879 information. So yeah, there are a lot of engagement within a closed, 86 00:06:46.149 --> 00:06:51.629 a private space, and there you definitely get all of the leads and you 87 00:06:51.709 --> 00:06:57.110 would know who miss the Webiner who didn't, and that's where you interact with 88 00:06:57.269 --> 00:07:00.350 certain audience and you're in it for leads. If you want the exposure you 89 00:07:00.500 --> 00:07:04.220 do, you just send the announcement that you will be doing a Webinar on 90 00:07:04.459 --> 00:07:11.699 Youtube and what you do is like you create link and Google hang out room 91 00:07:11.899 --> 00:07:17.050 for the experts and also the link for the view won't for people to view 92 00:07:17.129 --> 00:07:23.329 it, and then at this point you will not even understand who has joined 93 00:07:23.370 --> 00:07:30.360 the Webinar on who didn't. You will have the open discussion and open presentation 94 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:34.480 that will be saved on you youtube channel and people will be able to share 95 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:43.160 it without making their friends leave any information and also when and a people will 96 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:48.949 be able to leave comments. Pretty easily. So those this is really different 97 00:07:49.069 --> 00:07:54.829 format and I would say if I watch something on Youtube then I'm much more 98 00:07:54.949 --> 00:08:00.060 likely to send it to people, while if I'm on the Webinar I don't 99 00:08:00.220 --> 00:08:05.860 want to make my friends or colleagues or partners to up to leave any information 100 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:13.329 to the company. So it's just yeah of virality and exposure versus leads for 101 00:08:13.490 --> 00:08:16.449 the company, and that's the biggest decision that. What have you seen? 102 00:08:16.529 --> 00:08:20.050 have been some of the the tradeoffs or what has been you know? Do 103 00:08:20.170 --> 00:08:24.050 you do you think, as you guys have done online events in both ways, 104 00:08:24.129 --> 00:08:28.600 in in in the closed format, obviously you get more information, you're 105 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:33.519 able to tactically follow up with each of those and nurture those leads and progress 106 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:37.200 them, but the attendance might not be as high, the exposure might not 107 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:39.840 be as high. Versus. Okay, I want to make exposure super easy, 108 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:43.710 but I don't necessarily know who these folks are, but they could share 109 00:08:43.710 --> 00:08:48.830 it with the right people that could then come in bound right. Where have 110 00:08:48.909 --> 00:08:52.590 you guys kind of made that decision? Do you lean heavily one way or 111 00:08:52.710 --> 00:08:56.460 the other in your ex variances? Use tested out both Oga. We sticked 112 00:08:56.539 --> 00:09:03.299 with Youtube because we wanted people with more authority joining us and obviously, what 113 00:09:03.460 --> 00:09:09.740 with US having a strong brand within marketing space, experts are much more inclined 114 00:09:09.860 --> 00:09:13.809 to join if they know that they will be public on our channels, while 115 00:09:15.049 --> 00:09:22.169 if that's just closed webiner, then it would mean that they are exposed to 116 00:09:22.649 --> 00:09:28.919 really weigh smaller audience. So yeah, we picked youtube because we wanted also 117 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:31.600 with the vision that we need to educate more people. All of the content 118 00:09:31.720 --> 00:09:37.559 is fry and it's free, not only for our users but just for everyone. 119 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:43.950 I believe that in this state, when people are just transitioning from well, 120 00:09:45.029 --> 00:09:48.110 from offline to online, or they didn't have anything and they want to 121 00:09:48.230 --> 00:09:54.940 engage the audience, then I would encourage maybe testing and seeing how engage the 122 00:09:56.059 --> 00:10:00.419 existing audiences. And for that you would need emails, and then I would 123 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:05.100 then encourage and also if they already have the zoom access and and account, 124 00:10:05.179 --> 00:10:09.690 then it's easy just to test. It's not only within the team but for 125 00:10:09.929 --> 00:10:16.809 the for the audience too. So I would encourage standing the well and arranging 126 00:10:16.929 --> 00:10:22.000 something in zoom and seeing how many people would join. Well, this is 127 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:28.360 a good idea just for testing when you do something on Youtube, then it's 128 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.639 forever there and you don't need to edit anything. If you have a Webin 129 00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:37.549 uh in zoom, then you and order go to Webina. Then you will 130 00:10:37.309 --> 00:10:41.389 export the video, but then you need to edit it and Upload Youtube, 131 00:10:41.429 --> 00:10:46.789 which is an extra effort, and if you don't have that experience in the 132 00:10:46.870 --> 00:10:52.460 team then it would make it just a bit more difficult to finalize this step 133 00:10:52.500 --> 00:11:00.379 will actually having the video in the open space. Hey, everybody logan with 134 00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:03.779 sweet fish here. I had to take just a second today to share with 135 00:11:03.860 --> 00:11:09.009 you another podcast that's in my regular listening rotation. The sales engagement podcast has 136 00:11:09.289 --> 00:11:15.330 some great interviews and you pick up a lot of best practices from revenue leaders 137 00:11:15.490 --> 00:11:18.200 that are doing the job day in and day out. I've picked up so 138 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:22.960 much learning from other sales leaders that are featured on the show. One of 139 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:28.320 my favorites is seven things marketing wish sales knew about nurturing leads. So check 140 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:33.149 out the sales engagement podcast wherever you do, you're listening and by the way, 141 00:11:33.190 --> 00:11:35.509 if you're not following Scott Barker on Linkedin, you should do that too. 142 00:11:35.909 --> 00:11:39.669 All right, let's get back to the show. Yeah, that makes 143 00:11:39.789 --> 00:11:43.309 total sense some really good things to think about, just tactically with the bandwidth 144 00:11:43.350 --> 00:11:48.700 on your team, which you know some teams are moving to moving remotely, 145 00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:52.460 and in figuring out how do we work efficiently. So definitely only think about, 146 00:11:52.659 --> 00:11:54.940 you know, those ramifications for your team. I like what you're saying 147 00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:58.100 there. You know, it reminds me of a few different conversations I've had 148 00:11:58.179 --> 00:12:03.730 here on the podcast and episodes coming up. I was chatting with Kathleen booth 149 00:12:03.769 --> 00:12:07.570 over at Attila Security about you know what, if we're really believers that we 150 00:12:07.649 --> 00:12:11.850 are adding value with our content, then we shouldn't be afraid to ungate that, 151 00:12:13.009 --> 00:12:16.000 whether that's a podcast, whether that is a downloadable, whether that is 152 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:20.279 a, you know, an open Webinar, so to speak, or virtual 153 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:22.480 event or virtual conference, whatever you want to call it, on Youtube, 154 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:26.600 versus a closed Webinar. Sounds like you guys lean not that way as well. 155 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:31.710 And obviously we believe a lot in ungated content here at sweet fish because 156 00:12:31.950 --> 00:12:37.789 podcasts are naturally ungated and and we do see that that overall easier sharing effect 157 00:12:37.909 --> 00:12:41.669 come back around. So lots of things to think about their. Old Guy, 158 00:12:41.789 --> 00:12:43.779 think you bring some really great perspective in all that you guys are doing 159 00:12:45.460 --> 00:12:48.460 in marketing. Let's get to some technical advice again. You started to speak 160 00:12:48.460 --> 00:12:52.340 a little bit of, like, you know, differences this platform, how 161 00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:56.500 your team's going to have to handle what you talked about keeping in mind these 162 00:12:56.620 --> 00:13:01.490 three key components, your camera, the sound and your lighting when it comes 163 00:13:01.570 --> 00:13:05.529 to virtual events, whether they're open and ungated or a closed webinar. What 164 00:13:05.610 --> 00:13:09.330 are some tips, things that maybe you guys ran into that you wish you 165 00:13:09.370 --> 00:13:13.879 would have learned earlier that might help some other marketers out there? Sure so. 166 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:18.279 Probably, if you're the host, then you will be broadcasting from the 167 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:22.960 office. Well, now a lot of teams are working remotely, so that 168 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:28.269 might be a problem, where we now will be stuck in the apartment and 169 00:13:30.190 --> 00:13:33.830 you broadcasting from the kitchen. Well, the background is actually matters, and 170 00:13:33.909 --> 00:13:39.590 then people will be just seeing your home and ensure that you maybe order a 171 00:13:39.710 --> 00:13:46.539 banner that will block the room or if you maybe have a green screen and 172 00:13:46.700 --> 00:13:52.860 then you can just project something like I'll skip or office on back there. 173 00:13:52.700 --> 00:14:00.049 And also, if you invite the guests, then please breathe them on on 174 00:14:00.169 --> 00:14:05.450 the background and also on the light and definitely do a sound check before so 175 00:14:07.210 --> 00:14:15.759 definitely invite and arrange the ten minute meeting somewhere prior to their wealth official Webina 176 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:20.960 and ensure that they they're lighting the camera and the sound is all fine and 177 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:26.710 their background is also fine. So I think while sometimes I've just seen experts 178 00:14:26.750 --> 00:14:31.190 and then they share great information, the sound is okay, but then they're 179 00:14:31.230 --> 00:14:35.789 sitting in the room and then everything is a mess back there. So it 180 00:14:35.950 --> 00:14:39.980 just if you invite an expert then despite the day, well, they have 181 00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:45.019 to share great knowledge, but also people want to see just, I think, 182 00:14:45.139 --> 00:14:48.940 more of an official space or and not the mess that they have an 183 00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:54.769 apartment. So that's just not probably that's simple but not obvious. Yeah, 184 00:14:54.809 --> 00:14:58.370 simple but not obvious is sometimes where the great advice lies. You know, 185 00:14:58.409 --> 00:15:01.210 I think right now, you know, I posted on Linkedin this week, 186 00:15:01.250 --> 00:15:03.370 that we all need to show each other grace as we're trying to figure out 187 00:15:03.370 --> 00:15:07.039 this balance with with everything that's going on in the world right now. And 188 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:11.720 so I do think that folks will show a little bit more grace and and 189 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:16.440 you know, whether that's a sales call or a Webinar or a virtual event, 190 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:20.240 people will be completely, you know, a good bit more understanding. 191 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.870 I still think you don't want to be, you know, sitting on your 192 00:15:22.909 --> 00:15:26.870 bed with the sheets thrown everywhere and things like that, but I do think 193 00:15:26.269 --> 00:15:31.350 that it will be interesting to see how those kind of norms shift a little 194 00:15:31.350 --> 00:15:33.470 bit in the short term as well as in the long term. And you 195 00:15:33.549 --> 00:15:37.779 know, if you're using zoom and you're really concerned about your background, they 196 00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:41.500 have the ability to do those custom backgrounds without investing in a green screen or 197 00:15:41.539 --> 00:15:45.460 a banner. So you might be able to kind of hack the system there. 198 00:15:45.620 --> 00:15:48.179 I think what two of the the bigger things that you mentioned there too. 199 00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:54.610 On sound, you know, get a good dynamic usb microphone. A 200 00:15:54.649 --> 00:15:58.570 dynamic versus a condens or microphone will isolate to the area that you're talking about. 201 00:15:58.929 --> 00:16:03.759 You know the type of microphone we use for for this podcast. Logitech 202 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:08.600 has some great webcams that just give you HD quality prop that up above eye 203 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:14.440 level as opposed to looking down when when you can. And also I have 204 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:18.519 a nice little ring light that's just always making sure that I'm frontlet that I'm 205 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:22.190 not, you know, don't have a window behind me and I look like 206 00:16:22.309 --> 00:16:26.070 I'm purposefully sitting in shadow like a date line special or something like that. 207 00:16:26.230 --> 00:16:30.389 So some tips and tricks from from our perspective as well. They're Olga. 208 00:16:30.750 --> 00:16:34.220 Let's round it out with thinking about formats, depending on the content, depending 209 00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:37.980 on your host, not just platform, but the format of the content, 210 00:16:38.179 --> 00:16:42.419 in the way that you presented in an online event, where a virtual meeting. 211 00:16:42.980 --> 00:16:47.139 Give us some thoughts here in the different formats you've seen and kind of 212 00:16:47.330 --> 00:16:49.690 pros and cons what you might want to consider here as we close out the 213 00:16:49.769 --> 00:16:56.850 conversation. So it could be just someone from your company, like a spokesperson, 214 00:16:56.049 --> 00:17:02.000 presenting and then with no one else, and that that could also be 215 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:07.000 a format. And then the most, I think, traditional, is where 216 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:11.039 someone from the company is a host and then there's a guest sharing the information. 217 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:15.269 And, for example, now there are a lot of speakers in every 218 00:17:15.309 --> 00:17:21.950 niche that are not going to the conferences, but they've built the presentations and 219 00:17:22.190 --> 00:17:26.109 then they would be happy to share it with the audience. So, as 220 00:17:26.150 --> 00:17:30.579 I said, if you don't make them build something new free for you guys, 221 00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:36.180 then they would be happy to share something that they've prepared. And also 222 00:17:36.339 --> 00:17:42.700 another format is post from your company and the panel discussion, and then maybe 223 00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:49.650 someone will be presenting for fifteen minutes and then others just chiming and discuss questions 224 00:17:49.730 --> 00:17:56.809 from the audience or the questions that host is asking. And also the format 225 00:17:56.849 --> 00:18:00.400 that we're using mostly is that we inviting their host. So the host is 226 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:07.440 external and that's also an opinion leader, and then they're choosing the expert that 227 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:12.390 we're going to invite for the topic. So host is super, super also 228 00:18:12.509 --> 00:18:18.869 well experienced in whatever is being discussed. And Yeah, and it's like everybody 229 00:18:19.269 --> 00:18:23.029 that is on the Webinar, who is on the Webinar are not affiliated with 230 00:18:23.190 --> 00:18:29.619 sea rush and we are just powering and then ensuring that there's well, everything's 231 00:18:29.660 --> 00:18:33.380 technically solid. So this is, I think, the most yeah, these 232 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:38.420 are the formats and what I actually would suggest is that if you want to 233 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:42.289 invite some guests and it's a celebrity, guess, or well, it's a 234 00:18:42.529 --> 00:18:45.849 celebrity your niche, so it's wellknown person, but and you're not sure that 235 00:18:45.970 --> 00:18:52.650 there have time to build forty minute worth slides, then what I would suggest 236 00:18:53.529 --> 00:19:00.039 is asking them to create or select ten slides on the topic or your choice 237 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:06.519 that they would just start the presentation with, and then there is like thirty 238 00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:11.349 or forty minutes Q and a session. That way your audience will still get 239 00:19:11.710 --> 00:19:15.910 a feeling of what they expert can talk about and then the questions will just 240 00:19:15.950 --> 00:19:22.109 naturally slow and this these types of Webinos were really successful and also they don't 241 00:19:22.150 --> 00:19:26.660 really require a lot of time from the speaker. Yeah, I love that. 242 00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:29.180 Thinking about, you know, what is the content that we want to 243 00:19:29.299 --> 00:19:33.380 deliver? How much prep time do we have? What sort of what sort 244 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:36.980 of speaker or presenter do we have? What content do they have writ ready? 245 00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:38.609 I think all of those questions are good to keep in mind. Is 246 00:19:38.730 --> 00:19:41.730 as you prepare and you think about what the format's going to be. That 247 00:19:41.890 --> 00:19:47.170 sort of greater percentage of Qa we've seen work well. You know, Gary 248 00:19:47.170 --> 00:19:49.849 V has been doing it over the past year plus in a lot of events. 249 00:19:49.890 --> 00:19:53.400 who'll keep his keynote shorter and then do a lot of Qa, which 250 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:57.599 works out really well. He did that, obviously for a long time with 251 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:02.599 ask Gary v one thing I would you know that's kind of springing to my 252 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:07.150 mind because we've been thinking about doing this around podcasting between James, our founder 253 00:20:07.230 --> 00:20:10.710 and CEO, and myself doing some sort of you know, ask me anything. 254 00:20:10.710 --> 00:20:14.190 If we did linkedin live or if we did a linkedin video and collected 255 00:20:14.269 --> 00:20:17.789 questions ahead of time. If you're worried about Oh, we're not sure what 256 00:20:17.910 --> 00:20:19.710 sort of attendance we're going to have, we're not sure what the engagement will 257 00:20:19.710 --> 00:20:22.819 be. What if we don't get enough questions? Pull your audience, either 258 00:20:22.859 --> 00:20:27.180 via email or on Linkedin or whatever platform you're getting the most engagement today, 259 00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:32.779 and start to gather those questions. That way you have a fodder of questions 260 00:20:32.859 --> 00:20:36.369 that you could pose to the host, even if you're not getting engagement, 261 00:20:36.410 --> 00:20:40.410 to last you through that Qa session something like that. So just another idea 262 00:20:40.490 --> 00:20:41.730 to think about. There are a lot of ways that you can bring these 263 00:20:41.769 --> 00:20:45.369 virtual events together. Oh God, I like what you talked about in that 264 00:20:45.569 --> 00:20:48.809 big fork in the road talk. Just think through with your team. Do 265 00:20:48.849 --> 00:20:52.400 you want to go for exposure? Do you want to go for leads? 266 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:56.319 Do you want to test out Bolton and see the impact? Think about the 267 00:20:56.440 --> 00:21:00.839 surrounding, think about how you are prepping the host and then set yourself up 268 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:04.349 for the different formats that you laid out. I'll get if anybody listening to 269 00:21:04.549 --> 00:21:08.750 this would like to take next steps and stay connected with you or learn more 270 00:21:08.789 --> 00:21:12.029 about what you and the team and seem rusher up to these days. What's 271 00:21:12.029 --> 00:21:15.430 the best way for them to stay connected with you guys? Right now it's 272 00:21:15.470 --> 00:21:22.859 at sem rush and every social media well Linkedin facebook, instagram, twitter. 273 00:21:23.420 --> 00:21:29.420 We're most active on twitter, and with me, just yeah, I'm also 274 00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:34.089 well facebook Linkedon Algundreyanco and happy to connect the awesome I'll get. Thank you 275 00:21:34.170 --> 00:21:38.690 so much for adding some value to folks today breaking down some very tactical stuff 276 00:21:38.730 --> 00:21:42.250 that's timely on virtual events. I really appreciate you being on the show today. 277 00:21:42.529 --> 00:21:48.279 Happy. I hope it was useful. I hate it when podcast incessantly 278 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:51.680 ask their listeners for reviews, but I get why they do it, because 279 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:56.000 reviews are enormously helpful when you're trying to grow podcast audience. So here's what 280 00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:57.880 we decided to do. If you leave a review for be to be growth 281 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:03.630 and apple podcasts and email me a screenshot of the review to James At sweetfish 282 00:22:03.710 --> 00:22:07.509 Mediacom, I'll send you a signed copy of my new book, content based 283 00:22:07.589 --> 00:22:11.230 networking, how to instantly connect with anyone you want to know. We get 284 00:22:11.269 --> 00:22:12.869 a review, you get a free book. We both win.