Many people would rather jump on a live stream or join a video meeting instead of going to the office these days. Technology has made this possible and we should embrace its benefits. If you need to plan and execute a live-stream business meeting and make it effective, follow the next steps.
The key to a successful business meeting, whether it's in person or online, is having a clear business meeting goal. Participants need to know what the meeting is about to determine if they want to take part in the meeting. If their participation is a requirement, then they need to know about the intentions and the goals of the meeting. This will help them prepare and ensure they know what their role would be. If this is an open event, that will be streamed to those who paid for the ticket, they also need to prepare their presentation or their lecture. Make sure to define the goals and objectives of the meeting to have an effective one where everyone participates.
First, you need to define goals and objectives. Next, you need to come up with a detailed plan. A plan is needed for those who are organising the live stream meeting and for those who will participate in the event.
You need to plan your online event just like you would plan any other event or business meeting. This plan has to cover the preparation phase, the execution and the after-event phase. Break this down into phases and create a detailed plan for each phase of the live-stream event. This plan will be used by different people on your team to ensure everything goes according to plan. If something doesn’t go according to plan, your team will know how to make necessary adjustments while respecting other parts of the plan.
Even though your meeting will be streamed so many people will get access to it, you still need to cover the venue and choose the right platform. If you plan on holding the meeting in your conference room, you need to book it in advance. If you plan on holding your meeting at a venue, you need to find one that fits into your budget and book it during the planning phase. Once you choose the venue, you need to pick the right platform. The choice of platform is largely influenced by the type of event and the number of people who’ll be in attendance.
If you think that a camera and a live-streaming platform are all you need to hold a live-stream business meeting, you should give it a second thought. The data shows that people are more likely to leave a low-quality live stream, and they will make this decision in the first 90 seconds of the event.
To avoid this, you need to ensure flawless execution by teaming up with a production team that has experience in quality live-stream conferences. When you have the right team by your side, you’ll ensure that every aspect of the event is thought out, planned and executed to perfection. You won’t have to worry about quality equipment or production because they will ensure flawless execution.
It doesn't matter how detailed your brief or the meeting agenda is, things don’t always go according to plan. Simply put, you can’t envision everything or cover all your blind spots in advance, no matter how experienced you are. That’s why it’s always helpful to rehearse everything before the event.
Consider this as a test run of your setup, the equipment and the time needed for the meeting. If there are some things you haven’t included in your agenda, you can include them during the rehearsal. Also, the test run will help to define any weaknesses so you’ll have time to think of a backup option before the official live stream. Just ensure you test everything and rehearse the event once before the main date.
Every participant should be informed of the meeting agenda before the event. They should know the goals and the objectives of the meeting and any other details. Make sure to set up a date and outline the duration of the meeting. It’s also advisable to send a reminder and any other explanation especially if you’re using an online platform they need to register for. People tend to forget when they’ve signed up for an online event because these often happen before the event. If the event will be available on demand for a limited time after the event, make sure to emphasize it so people will access it before their access gets denied.
Any online meeting has to be moderated because participants can easily steer away from the agenda. Sometimes the discussions get heated or one objective is discussed longer than it should. Also, if there are any discussions taking place during the stream, someone has to moderate the chat for any rude or offensive behaviour. Make sure to have someone moderating the event in the background so that the agenda is respected, the duration of the vent is also monitored and every participant gets a chance to speak.
People are already fatigued by all the online meetings that happened over the past few years. Often meetings run longer than they should or they could have been an email. Have in mind that time is the most valuable resource and should be respected. Having said that, ensure that the time and the meeting agenda are respected and it doesn’t run longer than it should. This is also important for those who are watching the live stream from their homes or remote offices. Their time is also valuable, so there shouldn’t be any delays in live streaming services.
If this is an open business event that is meant to attract many people, you should promote it. If your goal is to sell as many tickets as possible, make sure to develop the right marketing strategy, early bird tickets and other forms of promotion.
As you can see, there are many steps that should be followed when you plan to stream a business meeting. If you want to ensure it’s effective and professional, take into account everything we’ve discussed here.
Mike is an Australian business consulting specialist. He’s working with companies that outsource their IT maintenance. He often writes about technology, business, and marketing and is a regular contributor to several websites.
