The novel coronavirus has fundamentally changed the way many businesses operate, with companies like Twitter closing office buildings and working completely online. Many companies will be working remotely for the foreseeable future, and if your company is one such example, it is imperative that you keep staff engagement and morale high during your virtual conferences. We know hosting Zoom meetings with tens or hundreds of people can feel overwhelming and can leave you unsure whether the attendees even got your talking points. Don't worry, we're here to help! So, without further ado, here are the top methods to host a successful virtual conference:

1. Send Out an Agenda with Key Information Beforehand

An important way to drive engagement during your virtual conference begins even before the actual meeting. You want to send out talking points or briefings and have your conference attendees go over it beforehand. This will allow them to head into the meeting more confident and aware of what to expect, and can even drive higher participation and discussions. Have them keep notes in a journal, for example, to help them remember what questions or comments they had previously.

2. Make Video Mandatory

Okay, so why is this so important? The Harvard Business Review conducted a study between face-to-face meetings and virtual meetings and found that 86% of people reported higher engagement in face-to-face meetings. While virtual conferences can never be a face-to-face, you can get closer to that by making video mandatory. Attendees having camera and audio off may as well be a death sentence for engagement. Video will encourage more people to stay focused on the conference and actively participate in discussions. Which leads us into the next point...

3. Dress to Impress

You know the saying: look good, feel good. But it really is true! Making video mandatory will ensure that most people will come looking better. Hopefully no one is rolling out of bed in pajamas and hair all over the place into the meeting. When dressed well, it increases people's confidence and willingness to participate in virtual meetings go up. Giving out cool company branded quarter-zips or hoodies can also help boost company morale. The overall atmosphere has a huge effect on the productivity of the virtual workplace, no matter how simple it may seem.

4. Take Breaks

Have you been talking for a while? Are questions and comments steadily declining? Well, take a break! Get up, stretch, get some more coffee in your tumbler, do whatever you need to do to get everyone back on track. Having access to stress relievers like exercise bands and stress balls can be a quick and easily accessible way of recharging. Figure out a system that works for you when you need a break. Who knows, even something like a Fidget Spinner can do the trick.

5. Get Everyone Involved

Obviously, you can't be the only one talking during the conference. It's important to stop for a minute and see if people have concerns that they would like to express. The opinion of others is extremely valuable, and should be taken note of. Also make an effort to reach out to those less vocal people. Some may have no trouble speaking out, but by reaching to those that don't normally participate, you could garner even more valuable insight. Start by asking them a question to make them feel more comfortable, for example.

These are just some handy tricks that you should implement for your next virtual conference. Increasing staff morale and engagement is crucial for overall productivity of your company. The Ad Answer specializes in designing promotional products that you should definitely check out to help jazz up and ace your next session! Furthermore, feel free to leave some comments below and let us know some of your favorite tactics to keep engagement, or just ask us a question!