With live events on pause, creative marketing agencies are churning out new ways to reach consumers during the pandemic, including virtual events and experiences. Since March, we’ve seen more and more companies pivot to virtual platforms to host conferences, meetings, and brand experiences. However, this is new territory for most event gurus, and there are challenges because the production and execution process is very different from face-to-face events.
Aside from the creative and technical aspects that go into a virtual event, it’s also important to consider all of the individual elements that will need monitoring and tending to. With that said, it’s crucial to have virtual event staff in place to oversee and assist with these elements.
Virtual Event Staff Roles Defined & Staffing Tips
No two virtual events are alike, nor will they have the same staffing needs. Therefore, you will need to carefully consider each element that requires staff and consult with your event staffing agency to ensure your virtual event staffing needs and expectations are met.
- Event Moderator: introduces each speaker and ensures that speakers stick to their scheduled times. The moderator also presents questions from attendees to the speaker or presenter for a response.
- requires on-camera/hosting experience
- Chat Room Monitor: oversees virtual event chatrooms and answers attendee questions, provides feedback, and shares references and documents from the event in real-time.
- Q&A Moderator: works with the chat room monitor to oversee chat rooms and pulls relevant attendee questions from the chat throughout the presentation and sends those questions to the event moderator or speaker for a response.
- Presentation Assistant: manages and executes the online presentation schedule to ensure that the presentations are presented on time.
- Timekeeper: times each event segment and presentation and cues the event moderator or presenter when they are almost out of time. The timekeeper also runs an online break clock to inform attendees how much time remains during breaks.
- Communications Specialist: takes detailed notes from presentations throughout the event (including quotes from speakers) to be used for event recaps, social media content, and/or marketing materials.
- requires excellent communication skills
- Break-Out Session Attendant: facilitates and manages virtual break-out sessions and ensures that attendees have the necessary information to participate.
- Technical Support Assistant: addresses any technical glitches or problems that may arise during the event.
- requires technical skills
- Social Media Monitor: manages social media channels and/or live streams during the event and is responsible for sharing content, engaging with comments, posing questions, and so forth. They can also promote the event and/or post pertinent information leading up to the event.
- Poll/Activities Operator: facilitates and manages online polls and interactive games and/or activities.
- Gift Bag Assembler: assembles attendee gift bags before the event and coordinates shipping.
- Catering Coordinator: coordinates attendee meals and schedules them to be delivered to attendees at a specified time during the event.
- Digital Red-Carpet Assistant: if you host a digital red-carpet before your event, the assistant will upload photos of attendees on the red-carpet and distribute them accordingly.
- Attendee Support: assists with call-in or chat support for attendees that are having issues with registration, logging-in, ETC.
How to Set Your Staff Up for Success
- You will need at least one brand ambassador per 65 virtual attendees.
- You will need to provide your event staffing agency with detailed role descriptions and the skill requirements for each role. In doing so, they can identify the right staff with the right skills for the job at hand.
- We recommend that each candidate take a skills test to ensure that they have the necessary experience for the role that they are applying for, especially for more specialized roles. Your staffing agency can facilitate this test if needed.
- Just as you would host staff training sessions for in-person events, you will also need to provide training for virtual event staff and include information about their role, tasks, and expectations.
Since 2002, ATN has been the go-to event staffing agency for experiential marketing events, trade shows, conferences, and more. While we patiently await the return of face-to-face events, we are ready and able to assist you with your virtual event staffing needs. With a database of 370,000+ staff scattered around the country, we can easily provide you with the right people with the right skills for your virtual event. Contact us to learn more about our virtual event staffing solutions.
