Controlling virtual event costs

September 26, 2011 |  by  |  Association, Platform Selection  |  1 Comment
Controlling virtual event costs
(This article appeared originally in my column in Meeting Mentor Magazine.)

When corporations go virtual, significant cost savings are often the reward. For most associations, however, it’s an added expense. And it can be equally significant. Plenty of numbers are making the rounds in the industry, and much of what you’ve heard is true. AARP really did spend $250,000 producing its event, and ASAE spent more than $100K. But there are also many associations spending as little as $15,000. The difference is often in your definition of virtual.

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Top ten cost questions for virtual platform vendors

September 6, 2011 |  by  |  Platform Selection  |  No Comments
Top ten cost questions for virtual platform vendors
In last week’s post I complained about the arduous task of getting comparable bids from virtual event platform vendors. This week I want to give you the 10 questions I’ve found that are most important to your RFP process.

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Platform costs for a virtual event

August 31, 2011 |  by  |  Platform Selection  |  No Comments
Platform costs for a virtual event
I’ve been working to help a client select a platform for his virtual event, and I can’t say it’s been easy. Comparing apples to apples is nearly impossible because each of the vendors responds to RFPs so differently. Most all of them have a “bundle” of services, but of course none of them bundle exactly the same elements.
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Why you may be hanging out on Google+ for your next virtual event

August 22, 2011 |  by  |  Event Marketing, Hybrid Events, Platform Selection, Social Media  |  No Comments
Why you may be hanging out on Google+ for your next virtual event
In late June, Google unveiled Google+, which seeks to “bring the nuance and richness of real-life sharing to software.” Beyond the direct comparisons to Facebook, Google’s foray into the social network space further reinforces my believe that your next virtual meeting or event will take place on a social platform. While Google+ is currently in beta, the service holds promise for virtual meetings and events.

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Livestreaming – Interview with Mike McAllen

June 6, 2011 |  by  |  Hybrid Events, Platform Selection  |  No Comments
Livestreaming - Interview with Mike McAllen
In Donna’s previous post, “Virtual Events Made Easy,” she provided insight on how organizations can produce a virtual event without implementing a “full” platform. Add to this the recent announcements about social media networks adding streaming services, I wanted to get more insight about the ins and outs of live streaming for meeting and events professionals. I reached out to Mike McAllen of Grass Shack Events & Media.

Briefly, Mike is the host of the Meetings Podcast and one of the co-founders of EventCamp, a leading organization for exploring innovation in the events industry. Mike has staffed, managed, and produced conferences, videos and media projects for Fortune 500.

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Reaction to Social Platforms Threat to Virtual Post

May 24, 2011 |  by  |  Hybrid Events, Platform Selection  |  3 Comments
Reaction to Social Platforms Threat to Virtual Post

by mrjoro via flickr

When I posted on “Are Social Platforms a Threat to Virtual Platforms”, I didn’t expect the type of discussion that this would create on the Virtual Edge LinkedIn Group. Many commented that social platforms could not provide the full-level of features and complexity that virtual event vendors can. John Barber previously wrote on this topic, “Virtual Event Social Networks – The Next Evolution for Online Communities,” and John Jainschigg in-depth comment was posted on the Virtual Edge Institute website, “.

While I don’t disagree with my peers’ views, my point was to highlight how social platforms, like Facebook, Youtube and Slideshare, are entering the space and what their presence may mean for the virtual events industry at large. Meeting and event practitioners can weigh their options for creating an online experience that may be “good enough” for their audiences. And Ustream’s announcement to provide an app for Facebook further demonstrates this trend.

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Are Social Media Platforms a Threat to Virtual Platforms?

April 29, 2011 |  by  |  Hybrid Events, Platform Selection  |  No Comments
Are Social Media Platforms a Threat to Virtual Platforms?
While most of the attention within our industry has been on the 2D and 3D platforms for virtual events, I envisioned that a simpler, website-like interface may begin emerging for digital events. My post last December postulated that this website interface would be widgetized, allowing users to add or remove elements while viewing a live streaming event. I further stated that an existing social player, such as Facebook, may enter this space in 2011.
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Questions to Ask Your Virtual Event Vendor

July 5, 2011 |  by  |  Other Buzz, Platform Selection  |  No Comments

Ike Singh of Social 27 wrote a post about the 7 uncommon questions you should ask before choosing a virtual event platform provider.  Though Ike is a vendor himself, he lists great questions that corporations should consider. This augments a series of posts I wrote titled “Virtual Event Vendor Checklist.” What other questions should meeting & events practioners consider? Include them below.

Basic 101 Article on Platform Selection

March 23, 2011 |  by  |  Other Buzz, Platform Selection  |  No Comments

This is a pretty basic article on platform selection and comes with two caveats. First, it was written awhile ago, before the new “self-service” virtual models started being introduced by the industry. Second, though he always does a great job of separating himself from his employer on his personal blog, Dennis Shiao does work for a platform provider.
http://allvirtual.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/virtual-events-101-tips-for-selecting-a-virtual-event-platform/