Virtual events go far beyond a simple video call. As the event industry has adapted to the challenges Covid-19 has thrown up, the creativity and technology surrounding virtual events has improved, rapidly.

Over the last few months, we’ve worked closely with our clients to design and facilitate events that are engaging but also hit their objectives and demonstrate ROI.

Typically, HeadBox Business customers organise events targeted at two sets of stakeholders – employees and customers – with the objective of acquiring, growing and retaining these stakeholder groups. During 2020 these objectives haven’t changed, but the playing field in which they can be achieved certainly has!

Here are three examples of how we’ve migrated events online which show that virtual events can be just as effective at achieving your meeting & event objectives.

Acquisition: Big Six Energy Company – Graduate Onboarding Week

This company approached HeadBox looking for help, support and ideas on how to bring their week-long graduate induction into the virtual space. A key objective for the Learning & Development team was the successful, long-term acquisition of a new cohort of graduates.

It was with this in mind that we embarked on planning their 2020 graduate induction week which was designed to:

1. Engage and inspire new graduates, creating a connection with the company from day one and welcoming them to the company.
2. Provide an overview of the company and the key business areas.
3. Set company, scheme and individual expectations and behaviours.
4. Provide an opportunity to connect and network with their peers, the wider team and senior key stakeholders.
5. Increase longer term retention and learner satisfaction.

The Event

HeadBox created a travel theme to demonstrate how new graduates were embarking on a journey into the working world and launching their careers. 

Before the event graduates were armed with their ‘boarding pass’ to the event and a ‘virtual passport’ that outline their agenda for the week. 

The event was designed to combine interactive networking activities, such as quizzes and murder mysteries, with internal speakers from different schemes within the company to create variation throughout the week and keep engagement high.

In order to prevent “Zoom Fatigue”, different forms of media such as Miro, Sli.do and Menti were used to keep engagement high during each session.

The Outcome

1. Q&A sessions gave the graduates the opportunity to interact and give feedback.
2. We were able to replicate face-to-face networking with multiple sessions dedicated to developing personal connections.
3. Each graduate felt like they were a part of the company by the end of week. With some graduates arranging to meet up together in their own time following the activities they had engaged in together. 

Here’s the the company thought of the event

Growth: Major Train Operating Company – Summer Party

This company wanted to take their summer party virtual. The key objective was to engage employees in the company’s plans for growth in 2021 whilst also rewarding them for all their hard work.

HeadBox created a fun-filled day, that was family friendly, including food, drink and entertainment to reward the team and encourage positivity and enthusiasm for the year ahead.

The Brief

1. To thank the team for all of their hard work and to engage them further in plans for 2021.
2. It was important to the company that families were taken into consideration and therefore children included where possible.

The Event

HeadBox created a theme of ‘British Summertime’ with curated luxury picnic hampers sent to each guests’ front door. These included luxury sandwiches, cakes, and drinks for all the family.

Alongside the food, HeadBox curated a line up of entertainment for all the family, starting with a guitarist to open up the event whilst guests tucked into their picnic hampers. 

Up next was a comedy circus performer and a magician providing amazing tricks, impressive juggling, and a whole lot of humour, followed by the headline act, the ‘Human Jukebox’, a singer and pianist who wowed the crowd with mash-up song requests.

The Outcome

Guest feedback on the event was outstanding with even the most sceptical of guests blown away by the interaction and morale throughout the event. The event had 90% attendance from employees and 125 children joined in the fun, demonstrating the flexibility of virtual events.

Retention: Big Four Consulting Firm – Alumni Conference

HeadBox were asked to facilitate the firm’s annual Alumni Event Series. The company’s main objective is the retention of former employees through a thriving alumni community.

HeadBox designed an inspiring event that enabled thought-leaders and keynote speakers from all key verticals to share their ideas and expertise for the alumni.

The Brief

1. A virtual environment that provides a premium experience for attendees.
2. A main stage for keynote speeches and breakout rooms to facilitate industry specific presentations.
3. End-to-end event management support from HeadBox.

The Event

The event was hosted on Accel Events, one of our preferred virtual event platforms. A keynote speech from the Managing Partner of the UK was followed by panel discussion on the main stage. 

Breakout sessions were utilised for industry-specific presentations. Afterwards, A.I. matched networking allowed alumni from across the company to connect.

HeadBox managed the whole event from individual speaker rehearsals and a full dress rehearsals to virtual green room management, breakout facilitation and all pre-registration comms to ensure everything ran smoothly.

The Outcome

More attendees registered than ever before for the Annual Alumni Summit.

1. 95% of registered events logged in for at least one session.
2. Follow up content was seen by three times as many eyeballs than the live event.
3. The 2021 Alumni Series is already in the diary!

HeadBox provided a seamless alternative to the in-person events that they usually organise for the our Alumni Event Series. Sheridan was on-top of everything from day 1 and the rehearsals ensured that the event went very smoothly for all involved. We will be doing more virtual events.

Marketing Director, Europe

We hope these events have inspired your event planning for next year, so if you’re ready to kick-off 2021 in style you can find out more here.