Virtual Alumni Meet, really? Yes.
In this pandemic era, hosting events physically is a challenge because you can never guarantee a 100% safe event, despite all precautions.
Alumni meet and reunion events, too, have faced the heat of this problem and many institutes have been canceling or postponing alumni events in the past year and a half. However, alumni meet is crucial for institutes to build a sense of community, enable networking opportunities, highlight job, and career insights, enhance the institute’s brand, and secure donations for financial stability.
In 2021, institutes are finally getting back to the drill and adapting to the ‘new normal’. They are now becoming more open to organizing hybrid or virtual alumni events to connect with their alumni.
Multiple Platforms or Single Virtual Event Platform
Hosting a web conference or a webinar is very different than hosting an alumni meet. An alumni meeting is more informal than a conference. Additionally, it should possess multiple ways of communication as compared to just one-way communication. You might use two or three different platforms for different functions, such as one for the live video session, one for the games, and one for the interactive activity.
But the challenges in using multiple platforms are far too many. Firstly, it is challenging to navigate the attendees seamlessly from one platform to another. Secondly, it can be tough to ensure that they have basic knowledge of each platform involved. Therefore, it is always better to choose a single virtual event platform that is versatile, flexible, reliable, and easily adaptable.
Choosing a Virtual Event Platform for Alumni Meets
As an event organizer, you can simplify things for the institute, the attendees, and yourself by partnering with an efficient virtual event platform that enables maximum interaction and activities through its varied features.
Some important features you must have a lookout for are:
- Live Chat
- Video Calls
- Live Polls
- Interactive Live Video Sessions
- Live Question and Answers
- One on One and One on Many Interactive Booths and Lounges
- Registration and Ticketing Facilities
- Banner Display
- Easy navigation and smooth interface
- Alumni Meet event page with all details
With FLOOR, a virtual event platform powered by 10times, you get all of the above features and much more. It has all the requirements of a wholesome virtual event platform to create, market, and organize your alumni event easily.
Hosting a Successful Virtual Alumni Meet
Besides partnering with FLOOR, the best virtual event platform to host practically any virtual event, you will need some interactive and fun activities to keep the attendees engaged and help them reminisce about their golden old days!
1. Pre-Event Activities to boost registration
Remember, the alumni are likely to be a busy lot owing to their jobs and families. Therefore, it is necessary to spark the interest of the alumni to get them to register for the alumni event.
Here are some ideas to pique up their interest level:
- Design a personalized Alumni Meet Invite
- Pre-event Engagement Campaigns on social media
- Send out reminders and countdowns to the event through social media channels, emails, and text messages.
- Disclose a Sneak-peek through a blog, vlog, or video. Announce several awards and prizes for the attendees.
2. Run a Pre-Event Short Video Contest
You can host a video contest with questions to be answered via video. For Example: ‘Why is St. Stephens the best school’ or ‘Why is the class of 93 the best?’. This will unleash the alumni’s competitive spirit, and their word-of-mouth can result in organic marketing for you. Ensure that you mention that the winners will be announced during the virtual alumni meet event. Don’t forget to create a specific hashtag for the same.
3. Use Photo Contests and Quiz during the event
Display a series of photos like the class photos, event photos, sports day, or annual celebrations, and frame a simple quiz around that. This is sure to get the alumni all warmed up for the event.
Another idea for a photo contest can be showing the childhood photos of the alumni to recognize who they are. You can use a poll or a chatbox for the same.
4. Ensure Knowledge Transfer
Virtual Alumni Meets would genuinely be a great value addition for the present students and freshly graduated students if it adds to their knowledge. You can use the virtual alumni meet event to:
- Drive Placements and Internship ideas
- Put forth Career Avenues and Career Enhancement Opportunities
- Host an Alumni Ted-Ex Session by the overachievers.
- QnA with the Alumni for present batches.
5. A trip down the memory lane
What’s a better way to visit the institute memories other than a video of your alma mater being played? This video is sure to be a tear-jerker and will flourish a sense of bonding between the alumni and the institute.
6. Create Interest-based Lounges
After the main event, everyone wishes to talk to a smaller group of people with similar interests. You can facilitate this on a virtual event platform that provides lounges and can create lounges based on interests.
It can be according to the:
- Year of Graduation
- Current Occupation
- Current Location
- Creative Interests
7. Virtual Exhibition Opportunities
Many of the alumni may have their businesses. Some might have come up with a business of their own during the lockdown. It is essential to give them a stage by offering an exhibition opportunity to display their product or service.
This will serve as a networking platform for such alumni, and they wouldn’t want to miss the virtual alumni meet event. It would be just like a business expo with many booths but for the alumni of a single institution. It enhances their brand visibility and the institute’s brand at the same time.
8. Send out Post-Event Feedback Forms
Post-event surveys and feedbacks are vital to understanding the experience of the attendees. It also gives an insight into what could have been done better. Also, you can ask the alumni for their suggestions and ideas that they wish to pitch for the next event. Not only does this make them feel involved, but it also boosts the next event’s excitement level among the attendees.
These eight tips, along with the flexibility of a great virtual event platform, will enable you to conduct any virtual alumni meet or virtual alumni reunion with ease and create a memorable experience for the attendees at the same time.
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