The Good News: Plan V!

Over the past several weeks, a deluge of events and group functions have canceled while things remain fluid with the COVID19 situation. All I can think of is how do we keep the connections and the ecosystems vibrant during these challenging times. We are so very fortunate to live in a time when technology enables relationships (one to one, one to many, many to many) to sustain, and even thrive, as we wait for things to stabilize around us.

 Since 2013, I've been a practioner of the integration of virtual experiences with in-place events. Time and time again, these initiatives have generated record-breaking results, created new models for innovation, revenue generation and sustained value creation. Large or small, local or international, I'm an evangelist for integrated virtual engagement to drive impact, and believe the true virtual event shift is about to go fractal.

It is time for a revolution in how we think about dynamic engagement outside the conventional confines of in-person events: convergence of digital experience within events of all size and scale is not a nice-to-have, but a must-have.

Committing to an event exposes us to multiple vulnerabilities as attendees and more so, as the hosting organization. Whether it is our professional networks, which arguably is our most valuable asset, (whom we ask to co-invest resources and time), or our own investments (ultimately committed for the purpose of establishing and building long-term relationships and sustainable value creation for our companies and our event participants). To some extent, we "roll the dice" on these events, large or small, with the purpose of creating value that outweighs investment, generally presuming no major disruptions to our execution. Are there any other investments we make that don't have some sort of "plan B" as part of the planning process?

With a purpose this impactful, costly, and valuable, how is it that we don't have a formal virtual strategy, or a "plan V"? Virtual components have been viewed as augmentation, rather than foundational, to events. The recent event cancellations surrounding the corona virus/COVID 19 are a timely reminder that, yes, circumstances outside our control can and do happen, and at the same time, life goes on regardless. And so, armed with a virtual strategy that protects and augments the event experience, one could envision a scenario where virtual engagement not only acts as a "plan V" to protect events from complete and utter disruption, but actually creates NEW opportunities for engagement that can be just as vibrant, and in-fact deeper and broader-reaching as a result of creating tailored, portable event experiences. And the great news in all of this? It is a win/win, as the virtual element, or "plan V", only serves to increase the impact of your event if it is indeed executed according to plan and full "plan V" is never needed.

Having been an innovator in virtual-based events, I can say with confidence it is from challenges such as COVID 19 that we find our most creative solutions. The notion that thriving relationships, dynamic and engaged communities, and valuable transactions are contained by a physical space is no longer relevant to impact-driven organization. As you consider your plan V, there are three fundamental elements to keep in mind:

1) Find a virtual event "sherpa" with experience; it is never about the technology. Drucker said it many years ago; technology is an accelerant, and your "plan V" is no different. Working with someone who isn't just selling a platform but understands the purpose it critical to success.

2) Integrate "plan V" as part of your planning; not as a worst-case scenario, but as an optimization plan. It is a brilliant way to extract value before, during and after the event, so even if the event is executed in-person, the virtual element will create exponential value.

3) Keep it simple: it is important to have a big vision - and at the same time, it is prudent to approach in phases. What is your base plan V that will get you on the path, and then how do you integrate phased expansion, integrating learning experience by experience? This is how you create a plan V uniquely imprinted with your brand, your culture and your values, keeping your community coming back and contributing to its vibrancy.

Event resiliency through your plan V isn't a fall-back plan - it is a growth plan that thrives above and beyond the inevitable disruptions and disturbances that are a fact of life. 

What is your plan V? It is a perfect time to share...