1:1 Video Meetings: Foster Real Conversations, Connections & Networking at Online Events

With EventMobi’s 1:1 video meetings feature, it is now easier than ever for attendees to connect at your virtual event and have meaningful conversations with each other or with sponsors and exhibitors.

When planning a virtual event, one of the key questions is how to best facilitate effective online networking. This is something many planners find challenging as they can’t rely on the intimacy of a physical venue. At in-person events, attendees encounter familiar faces and new acquaintances on the show floor, during coffee breaks or in the lecture hall. With virtual events, the dynamic has changed. Attendees don’t necessarily know which tools are available to them for connecting with others – or how to use them most effectively. This means there needs to be a conscious effort on the part of the planner to educate attendees and encourage them to try out networking features that may be unfamiliar.

Key features for networking at virtual events

Virtual event platforms offer a variety of different of features to enable networking amongst attendees. Some of those are more community-based, such as group discussions or session chat. Here, attendees can have text-based conversations with multiple people at the same time. While these forums can be used to discuss larger industry issues, they also enable attendees to find like-minded individuals, or those from the same city or with shared interests. However, when attendees want to chat one-on-one to discuss important topics more in-depth, a different feature is required.

These situations are when private chat and video meetings come into play. In the past, attendees who visited in-person events that offered an event app could already take advantage of these features. They could find other people via the attendee list, send them a chat message requesting a meeting, and then invite them to a scheduled appointment which would typically take place on-site. With virtual events, the process is the same – except in-person meetings are replaced with 1:1 video meetings.

Benefits of 1:1 video meetings for attendees and exhibitors

While the majority of events nowadays take place online, 1:1 video meetings are the best way for attendees to forge deeper connections. Most people are familiar by now with the concept of video conferencing and are comfortable talking to others using a webcam and headset. Getting a glimpse into each other’s homes or offices also helps attendees get to know each other better and provides easy icebreakers – be it a dog in the background or an unusual piece of furniture.

Because virtual events are less restricted in terms of time and space, they offer attendees more flexibility to connect with each other at their own leisure. While convention centers will always close at some point, virtual event platforms are accessible around the clock. This means attendees can network with each other outside of set event hours – or even after it ends. This can be a lot less stressful than squeezing a meeting into a calendar full of sessions!

For exhibitors and sponsors, there are clear benefits to connecting with attendees via 1:1 video meetings at virtual events. Compared to a crowded, noisy show floor, it’s much easier to focus on the other person and have a memorable conversation from the comfort of one’s home or office. Company representatives can share their screens to showcase products without having to first set up hardware at an on-site booth. They also have the option of sharing links to resources that attendees can review and download immediately, rather than them having to carry a bag full of brochures around the show floor.

What type of events benefit from 1:1 video meetings?

Networking is an integral part of almost any type of business event. Even if the focus is on a different aspect such as education, meeting others from the same industry or background is an important reason why people choose to attend business events. Here are a few of the most common event types that benefit from 1:1 video meetings:

Association events

Community is one of the main drivers for association membership, and online events are ideal for members to network with each other –unconstrained by the cost and travel restrictions of in-person events.

Job fairs

The global pandemic has taken its toll on the job market, so it’s more important than ever to enable conversations between employers and job seekers in a secure and comfortable setting.

Internal company events

Especially for large, international companies, virtual events are ideal for bringing employees together for team building and educational purposes. 1:1 video meetings can be combined with gamification to foster new connections among employees.

Industry conferences

Large conference organizers can boost lead generation for their exhibitors and sponsors by offering 1:1 video meetings between company representatives and attendees.

EventMobi’s easy-to-use solution for 1:1 video meetings

As many attendees are new to virtual events, we have designed all of our features to be intuitive and easy to use. As a best practice, planners should communicate what key features will be available and offer instructions ahead of the event. This way, attendees can familiarize themselves with the platform in advance and take full advantage of the tools that will help them achieve their event goals.

To use the 1:1 video meetings feature within EventMobi’s Virtual Space, users simply need to navigate to the attendee list and find the person they would like to connect with. On that attendee’s personal profile, users then click the ‘Schedule a Meeting’ button.

They will then be prompted to enter the meeting details, including the time and place as well as a personal message. To schedule a 1:1 video meeting, they need to check the ‘Video meeting’ box.

Once a meeting invitation has been sent, the invitee will receive a notification via email and within the Virtual Space. The invitation can then be accepted or declined by the recipient. The sender can view the current status of the invitation from the Messages area of the Attendee Dashboard.

Meetings that have been accepted can be accessed from the Messages area or the Agenda area of the Attendee Dashboard. To join the video meeting, each attendee will just need to click on the ‘Join Meeting’ button.

When joining the meeting, a new tab will open with the Virtual Space 1:1 Video window. Here, users will be able to meet face to face, share their screens and text chat directly from the meeting room. This room will be available to both parties for 24 hours, so even if the meeting starts or runs late, they won’t have to worry about rescheduling! 

Exhibitors and sponsors have the option of adding company representatives to their virtual booth. Attendees can then simply schedule a meeting with them by navigating to the rep’s personal profile.

Want to see 1:1 video meetings in action and learn more about EventMobi’s Virtual Event Platform? Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars today!