Sam awkwardly sips burnt coffee as business cards shuffle between hands. She scans the dull, beige event space dotted by bad haircuts and faded posters.
Another fruitless networking event, another sea of empty small talk and hollow promises unlikely to ever convert into meaningful meetings, let alone revenue.
Data from ClickDimensions shows that 93% of leads generated from such fragmented networking events fade into darkness within a year without continuity platforms that nurture relationships.
But Sam feels hopeful as she opens her sleek laptop and enters her online community hub, greeting members by name.
Just last week, intimate roundtable sessions sparked new partnerships, global investor meetings, and mentorships. This platform combines temporary events with always-on community – and the results speak volumes.
Seamless online events integrating into always-on niche communities will make your networking feel legendary while sending revenue into uncharted territory.
This guide delivers the blueprint for precisely that transformation.
The Problem: Why Networking Event ROI is Often a Bust
Typical conferences result in little more than business card exchanges and vague intentions to connect on LinkedIn later.
But months later, few conversations have turned into deals as participants get sucked back into business as usual. Opportunities to strengthen bonds drift into oblivion.
Billions spent annually on flashy conferences and gatherings result in minimal sustained impact when event engagements exist in isolation.
The Solution: Seamless Events Flowing into Thriving Communities
Fragmented events gather contacts. Integrated experiences activate allies and long-term opportunities through continuity.
Next-generation platforms like Nas.io seamlessly combine temporary events with always-on community engagement tools.
With traditional in-person gatherings limited, virtual events enable unlimited reach unconstrained by physical venues and geography.
But digital networking cuts both ways – subpar events fail harder thanks to infinite optionality just one click away.
That’s why thoughtful coordination accelerating meaningful conversations becomes imperative.
The payoff? Relationships ripen into joint ventures, mentorships, and strategic alliances that take your venture to the next level.
Now, let’s explore how to host a virtual networking event the right way.
Step 1: Set Clear Targets
Define what success looks like, and outline specific targets driving your event. These could be:
- 10 new qualified leads
- Increased visibility among developers
- Deeper relationships with 5 executives
With clarity of goals, optimize activities and platforms accordingly. Matching goals to activities and platforms remains foundational.
Step 2: Select Interactive Formats
Combine wide reach with intimate community conversations by blending:
- Webinars: One-way presentations educating at scale
- Workshops: Hands-on problem solving in smaller groups
- Chat Sessions: Encouraging organic networking conversations
- Hybrid Events: Mixing physical and virtual elements maximizes accessibility
Step 3: Pick Dates Strategically
Sidestep seasonal rushes around holidays or industry conference weeks.
Send calendar invites after surveying availability across time zones, especially for global audiences.
Step 4: Pick Versatile Platforms
Choose all-in-one community-building platforms like Nas.io with turnkey event support, follow-up chat channels, and digital promotion continuity between temporary events and ongoing member relationships.
Step 5: Promote Creatively
Raise anticipation leading up to events by sharing video trailers and leveraging existing community channels matching targeted member preferences.
Step 6: Prepare Captivating Activities
At standard conferences, minds wander. Networking events demand next-level engagement including:
Polls: Interactive responses on key topics
Breakouts: Smaller groups exploring niche subjects
Kick Off with Thoughtful Introductions: Commence with humanizing intros; moderate conversations promoting inclusive interactions; wrap by identifying key insights.
The “magic” lies in seamlessly facilitating dynamic dialogues between all players.
Once hosted smoothly, shift the conversation to ongoing community channels for sustained impact!
Step 7: Flawless Logistics
On the event day, focus on delivering slick experiences via:
- Robust digital equipment testing (mic, cameras, host platform)
- Circulating to connect attendees online, seamlessly
- Using online community tools and extensions that provide follow-up spaces
The rest involves smoothly facilitating vibrant dialogues and sustaining them in community channels long after.
Without a home enabling relationships to strengthen over time, event participants drift back to business as usual – and opportunities are lost.
That’s where Nas.io comes in – bridging temporary events to the permanent community.
The Nas.io Advantage For Hosting Virtual Community Events
You’ve seen what it takes to host a virtual networking event. Seven steps that seem generic but actually form the crux of any networking event.
But…you can get the steps anywhere, honestly. The most important thing is how to execute these steps. Badly implemented steps will still not do your networking event any good.
And the bridge between implementing the steps correctly and success is a future-oriented tool that does more than host an event.
Nas.io is a community-building platform that seamlessly combines temporary events with always-on community engagement tools. This means organizing focused gatherings while nurturing memberships long-term.
Here’s how Nas.io helps you host a virtual networking event, from idea to execution.
Simplified Event Creation and Management
Nas.io shines in its ability to simplify the entire event creation process. With intuitive tools, you can quickly set up and customize your event, from the registration page to the event itself.
- Use Nas.io’s user-friendly interface to create your event in minutes, complete with custom branding that resonates with your brand identity.
- You can tailor your registration forms to gather key attendee information, helping you personalize the event experience.
- Once attendees sign up, Nas.io takes care of sending confirmation emails and timely reminders, ensuring maximum attendance.
Engaging Features to Boost Interaction
Interaction is the heart of any networking event. Nas.io offers a suite of features designed to boost engagement and foster meaningful connections:
- Interactive Tools: Incorporate live polls, Q&A sessions, and interactive quizzes to keep your audience engaged and provide a platform for their voices to be heard.
- Event Chat and Messaging: Enable attendees to connect and network in real-time, fostering immediate connections and discussions.
Analytics for Informed Decision Making
Understanding your audience is crucial for hosting successful events. Nas.io provides comprehensive analytics to help you make data-driven decisions:
- Attendee Insights: Gain valuable insights into attendee behavior, preferences, and engagement levels.
- Post-Event Analysis: Review detailed analytics post-event to understand what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve future events.
- Group attendees based on interests signaled at events for hyper-targeted lead nurturing.
Ongoing Community Engagement Post-Event
With Nas.io, the event’s end is just the beginning of a lasting relationship with your attendees. Messages sparked at events continue in private forums, sustaining relationships using Nas.io’s chat tools months later.
- Follow-Up Forums: Create dedicated forums for post-event discussions, allowing attendees to continue conversations and deepen connections.
- Resource Sharing: Easily share additional resources, recordings, and materials post-event to add value and keep your community engaged.
- Feedback Collection: Use Nas.io’s survey tools to gather attendee feedback, providing insights to refine and enhance future events.
Post-event, offer more learning opportunities and networking sessions. Nas.io’s course creation and networking tools facilitate further engagement, transforming one-time attendees into active community members.
Seamless Integration with Other Tools
Nas.io’s ability to integrate seamlessly with a variety of other tools and platforms ensures a holistic event experience:
- Social Media Integration: Promote your event directly from Nas.io across various social media platforms.
- Payment Gateway Integration: If your event is ticketed, manage payments smoothly through Nas.io’s secure payment integration.
Hosting a virtual networking event is just a piece of the puzzle. The real magic lies in leveraging these events to build and strengthen your online community. Encourage ongoing interactions, form interest-based groups, and use Nas.io’s comprehensive features to nurture the connections established during your event.
Blended Experiences Are the Future
Transient events and fragmented networking have dominated too long, resulting in minimal long-term impact and ROI.
The solution lies in unified community platforms like Nas.io that embed events within robust engagement infrastructure for sustained relationships.
By seamlessly combining temporary gatherings with always-on forums, messaging, and data insights, Nas.io empowers organizers to facilitate vibrant dialogues and nurture them into innovation, deals, and community loyalty, thanks to built-in continuity.
The work of transformation awaits – from revolutionized events to accelerated revenue and partnerships blooming out of cultivated human connections; now is the time to stop gathering contacts and start developing allies.
Don’t just host events. Build communities. Get started now on Nas.io for free!
