Why Underline’s White Glove Service Is So Important When Planning a Virtual/Hybrid Conference

When the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in 2020, many associations chose to transform their in-person events into virtual conferences. The world of scientific and scholarly associations has been irrevocably affected by COVID-19, and there is growing evidence that virtual events — including hybrid meetings — will be here to stay, long after the pandemic. There are several reasons for this:

Overall attendance for many events has increased 100–200% vs. in person events from the previous year. Due to the cost of travel and the logistics of managing complicated personal schedules, more people are able to attend virtual meetings and engage with attendees and conference content.

As we reflect upon the experiences of 2020, most of us have now attended one or more virtual events. Some went smoothly and were a blast. Some maybe not so much. The truth is that putting together a virtual conference is a major undertaking, and it really is in the details as to why some events thrive in a virtual or hybrid environment, and others struggle.

At Underline, we’re with you every step of the way. We sweat the details, so you can focus on your stakeholders, attendees and VIPs — and on having a good time at your own conference!

Academic, scientific and medical conferences are rich with valuable discourse and experiences that enable critical networking and idea exchanges. Pivoting these conferences to a virtual experience presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for associations. A conversion to a virtual format is not simply a choice to use whatever webinar software is within reach. Significant thought will need to go into a strategic plan on important decisions ranging from dates and registration fees, to how best to engage and showcase presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors.

Immediately, questions come up:

How can we produce the same level of impact when we are all dispersed around the world and in front of our screens?

How do we organize a virtual conference?

What will it look like?

Maybe we can imagine a few keynotes & plenaries, but how do we handle 1,000+ presentations and associated papers?

What about the Panels? Poster Sessions? Workshops?

What will happen to our sponsors — how can we deliver value to them?

What happens if we experience technical difficulties — in the middle of the conference?

And what about the attendees themselves?

When attending a conference, they are ‘captive audiences’ and will attend the various sessions on a program.

But what happens when they are at their desks and one quick click away from Facebook or their distraction of choice?

And what about the networking opportunities — how do we meet people if we are not gathering around a coffee stand or dining table?

And finally, what happens after the conference? What happens to all the scholarship and important discourse?

These are all valid questions, and enough to make many association event managers or academic event chairs start to throw their hands up in the air and think that it is simply too much to manage.

The truth is, it can be…especially since this is likely new territory for most associations and academic societies.

An Opportunity in Disguise

After considering all the things required to successfully manage a virtual conference, many societies might consider moving to a virtual event as a problem — but it can also be an opportunity. This could be an opportunity to dramatically ‘scale up’ instead of scale down the scope and impact of the conference.

You could:

• Expand the number of attendees

• Expand the possible revenue streams

• Offer a more engaging experience to your attendees

• Present an exciting program your delegates will anticipate attending

• Facilitate networking and conversations, multiplying the number and scope of interactions in ways not possible with a physical meeting

• Continue the conversations and conference impact after the conference

Live-Streaming Takes Center Stage

We always anticipated that live-streaming and even remote presentations would be part of many traditional in-person conferences and had previously developed those capabilities.

With the advent of the 2020 pandemic, those plans have now become the focus of many conferences, which, perhaps like you, are looking to move to a virtual presentation.

An Exciting, Interactive TV-Quality Presentation

You would never consider using unprofessional signage or communication at your events. Why settle for less at your most important conference? Even if they don’t watch the Oscars or Emmy awards, your audience knows the difference between a professional TV production and anything less.

You want to make sure your production has those all-important production values that keeps your audience riveted to the screen and to your program.

The Secret? Interaction

Studies of conference attendees have shown that people attend conferences for two reasons: The Education and the Networking.

How do we preserve the networking? How do we have an interactive event rich with quality Q&A, immediate responses, discussions among attendees, discovery of new colleagues from around the world, discovery of new research and possible avenues for further collaboration?

We have heard from many attendees that networking via our virtual coffee break rooms and via other opportunities has been less intimidating than approaching someone in person. No more awkward 5-minute exits!

These are all hallmarks of the ingredients in the Underline platform and offering.

Bottom Line: The Underline Difference

Here are eight things which set Underline apart from all the other providers in the marketplace:

1) Underline specializes in Scientific Conferences

This is all we do. We are here to help produce your Scientific Conferences, and enhance and preserve the lectures in our Digital Video Library. This provides you with a way to preserve the important scholarship & discourse, continue the conversations, collaboration, and presenting new ongoing revenue streams.

2) White Glove Service. Underline handles everything

With Underline, event organizers get an experienced team of 20+ people who live and breathe your event, from pre-planning through complete execution.

We communicate with all the speakers, panelists, presenters and poster sessions.

We collect all the pre-recorded addresses with our proven workflow and easy browser-based recording system.

We do ‘dry runs’ and coach the keynote and other star presenters.

We create a custom experience for your conference that becomes an extension of your website or conference app — and provides for an unparalleled experience.

We sweat all the details. Our client partners provide the direction and then just show up and enjoy.

3) TV Quality production

Production values are paramount. Evidenced by our previous scientific conferences, we strive for the highest-quality production values. We are proud to have a 4-time Emmy award-winner directing our efforts to ensure the highest quality for your conference.

4) Maximizing Interactivity

We are continuously improving this most-requested feature. How do we create interactivity within each presentation for Q&A? How do we have virtual coffee breaks or other discussion groups around certain subjects where people meet, discuss and forge new relationships? How can sponsors develop connections with people in their virtual exhibit space? How do poster presenters find new audiences for their presentations?

5) Compressing Time — Optimizing for Virtual

Taking a photo of a book does not magically turn it into an engaging digital publication. Similarly, a Virtual Conference is not a mirror of a physical conference conducted over Zoom or some other conferencing software.

We have strategies and tools to “compress time” and present your conference in an exciting, engaging TV-quality production (headed by our Emmy-award winning director); where your audience will look forward to watching and interacting with your entire program.

6) Maximizing Attendance

Here is another significant opportunity for a virtual conference that you cannot match in a physical venue. People would want to attend more conferences but are limited in schedule, cost/budgets and/or visa considerations.

With your virtual event it is much more affordable — without the travel, hotel costs and food.

This can potentially open up your attendance to a much larger pool of prospective delegates from around the world.

7) Maximizing Sponsor Revenue

No longer limited to sponsoring networking breaks or lunches, we have developed an entirely new smorgasbord of sponsorship options and revenue opportunities. We look to maximize the ‘digital real estate’ in a dignified and meaningful way to construct impactful packages which resonate with your sponsors.

8) New Post Conference Revenue Streams

Using our optional Digital Video Library, you can establish a new source of ongoing non-membership revenue. All these videos now reside in our repository and continue to promote the discourse and scholarship presented at your conference.

More than 90% of Libraries surveyed have expressed the willingness to allocate funds and purchase access to an authoritative repository of scientific conference information. We then share 20% of this revenue with you on a pro-rate usage basis.

So, yes, an experienced virtual conference partner is critical, and can make the difference between an average or even disastrous conference, and one that will ensure your attendees come back next year!