Virtual Corporate Events vs Attending an Event in Person

There has been a steady increase in the number of virtual corporate events, many of which have replaced events where employees would usually attend in person. There are advantages and disadvantages to both virtual and face-to-face events. In this article, we look at both event types and their pros and cons, so you can decide which type of event would best suit your business. 

Event cost

One reason why many businesses have decided to make their events virtual is because of cost limitations. Hosting an event can be very expensive; you need to pay for the venue, catering, decoration and many other aspects that can eat into your budget. Virtual events have a much lower cost; often, you can use your office space to host the event and the costs of catering, transportation etc., can be reduced, if not eliminated altogether. There is no doubt that the majority of virtual events are far cheaper than running an event face-to-face. 

Level of engagement

The levels of engagement you’ll get from people attending an event in person compared to virtually can be significantly different. When working from home and attending an event online, many other distractions and things can take your attention away from the event. Employees may even be working in the background and not really paying the attention you want to your event. A face-to-face event has much higher levels of engagement; people are more likely to pay attention and get involved as they’re physically there in the room. The number of distractions is limited, and they won’t be able to continue with work without being noticed. If you want employees to fully engage in your event and pay attention, a face-to-face event is going to be more successful. 

Audience reach

The number of people you can reach with a virtual event can be much more than a face-to-face event. People can attend from anywhere and don’t need to take time out of their busy schedules to travel to your event location. In addition, face-to-face events will often have limits on the number of people that can attend in the event space. Many virtual events don’t have this limitation, especially if you invest in software that allows an unlimited number of attendees. 

Memorable experience

If you’re using the event as a reward for employees or you want to impress new stakeholders, a face-to-face event is the best option. You can even choose to host the event in an exciting location such as Malta. Malta corporate events are very popular; it's a beautiful country that caters for events of all sizes and shapes and is sure to create a memorable experience for your guests. Employees will feel truly valued when attending an event in a destination location, which could positively impact their work performance and motivation. It's much harder to create a memorable experience when you’re hosting an event virtually. There are ways to make the event more special by sending out things to people attending before the event, but it still won’t have the same feel as being there in person and experiencing a face-to-face event. 

Technical issues

Both virtual events and face-to-face events can experience technical issues, but one is more detrimental than the other. If people are unable to get online to access your virtual event or their internet connection is poor quality, it could mean the event is a failure. Technical issues in a face-to-face event can often be overcome by using alternative methods of delivery, such as printing out information if a projection system isn’t working. Whatever event style you choose, it's always a good idea to test the equipment in advance to prevent technical issues. 

Both virtual events and face-to-face events have their advantages and their place in the corporate events world. For smaller events where you need to keep costs low, virtual events will work well and allow people to attend worldwide without needing to travel. If you want to make more of an impact with your event, choose a face-to-face event that will be more engaging and provide a more memorable experience for your guests. In addition, you can always try to combine the two to allow people that can’t attend in person to join online; this can help with your audience reach. 

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