Virtualedge Ebook6.A

a collection of resources
for planning, producing, and marketing
successful virtual events and meetings

Welcome to the
Virtual Event Resource
Book!
Right now the worlds of marketing and meetings are changing, likely
forever. Due to the global economic turmoil, companies are cutting
travel across the board or in all but customer facing situations that are
identified as critical to close business. The pendulum has swung
totally away from travel causing chaos in the physical event and
meeting market. Out of this chaos of cancelled trade
shows, conferences and meetings of all types, has come the need for
marketers and meeting planners to rethink their plans and look for
innovative new ways to achieve the goals of these events without the
travel. Though virtual events and virtual meetings have been around
for some time, the current situation has created extremely high
demand for all virtual marketing and meeting solutions.

If you are reading this now, you probably are well aware of what is
happening in the virtual events space and are one of the many
marketers and event producers that are trying to create a strategy that
involves deploying virtual events in place of or in addition to, your
physical events. What is important to understand is that this is a
seismic shift that cannot be undone. Although the pendulum will swing
back, it will not swing back to where things were. This is not like post
9-11 or the SARS epidemic where travel came back even stronger
than ever. These difficult economic times will be with us for a
long, long time and businesses will continue to look at ways to keep
costs down wherever they can.

The good news is that virtual events and meetings are working.
Companies are realizing significant ROI and even physical event
producers are seeing profitability increase with virtual events versus

continued

physical events. Why? Attendance is going up because more people
can attend since they don’t need to travel. The vast majority of money
spent to participate in an event never went to the event producer…the
registration fee, if there was one, was a fraction of what the attendee
and the event producer had to spend in travel, lodging, food and
beverage, AV, rental fees, etc. IBM was recently featured in a TV
interview talking about how they have saved $350,000 in just one
meeting by going virtual. Multiply that by the hundreds of thousands of
meetings companies were doing and you can get a sense of the
vastness of the potential ROI.

We don’t believe that physical event will ever go away but things have
changed and there will be fewer physical meetings and more virtual;
there will be fewer people attending physical events and more attending
the same event virtually. The technology needed to conduct virtual
meetings is improving rapidly while becoming more affordable and
available every day. Though we can’t replace the “handshake” in a
virtual environment, technology is available to create a photorealistic
image/avatar of yourself that walks, talks, sees and hears …and yes
they are working on the handshake.

This book is a collection of useful resources we found at the time of
production. We will constantly update it and add more useful features
and functionality. If you have feedback or want to contribute, please
email us at info@virtualedge.org. Thanks and good luck with your
events!.

Michael Doyle
Virtual Edge

Visit
www.VirtualEdge.org
for :
Directory, Articles, News, Calendar, Reviews, Network
ing and more.

Virtual Edge Summit 2009 Program Highlights
The ABC’s of Virtual Events, Meetings & Marketing (What You Need to
Know)
Going Beyond Lead Generation (Virtual Events that Drive Sales)
Keynote: Get the Virtual Edge! (Mix Physical & Virtual Events to Get
Results)
Event & Marketing Professionals; Skills for Virtual Worlds (Learn New
Skills & Techniques)
Revenue Development Part I (Selling Sponsorships, Exhibits & More)
Planning & Strategies (Building Profitable Strategies for Virtual Events)
Revenue Development Part II (Selling Paid Content, Registration &
Services)
Social Networking Strategies (Create Strategies that Drive Audience &
Community)
Measurement, Tracking & ROI (Measuring Your Virtual Events ROI)
Defining & Creating Virtual Communities (Community Building Strategies
& Tactics)
Voice, Video, IM & Chats (What Works and Why in Virtual Environments)
Keynote: The Future of Virtual Events—after the recession ends (Key
Part of the Marketing Mix)
Audience Acquisition Strategies (Plans & Techniques to Build Event
Audience)
Looking at Virtual Worlds (An In-World Guide to Virtual Worlds for Events)
Solution Provider Open House (F-R-E-E ½ day Program to Test & Demo
Virtual Event Technology)
Content Development & Format/Experience Strategies (Content Planning
& Experience Mapping for Virtual Events)
“x”Casts & Telepresence (Products, Technology & Tactics for Successful
Online Meetings)
Workshop: The 30 Day Plan! (Everything You Need to Know to Build
Your Virtual Event Plan)
Workshop: Building a Social Media Marketing Plan for Your Community
(Everything You Need to Know to Build Your Social Media Marketing Plan)

Find out more or register at www.virtualedge.org

Speakers and faculty from such companies as:

Registration Information
(Before April 30th)

Full Conference $395* (Save $200!)
Group Rate (3 or more) $295*(Save $900!)
Workshops $195
Open House $0**(Save $25!)

*Includes workshops.
**Open House 5/29 1-5pm
with no access to regular sessions or
workshops.

http://virtualedge2009.eventbee.com

http://

Find out more at www.vritualedge.org

Definitions
What is a Virtual Event? Everything below…and maybe more

Webcast
A Webcast is a transmission of an audio or visual or a
combination of audio-visual media file either live or on demand
over the internet. Webcasts generally use the streaming media
technology, which broadcasts the content from a single source
to multiple viewers or listeners simultaneously. Do I need any
extra hardware? A Webcast will require a headset or speakers
to listen to the audio script or the version as a part of media file
streamed on internet. It does not require any extra high-end
hardware other than your PC speakers.
Slidecast
Slidecast is a set of slides broadcasted on internet with the
synchronization of video and audio effects. Slidecast will
facilitate the multiple viewers to see the deck of slides
simultaneously in a multimedia presentation format, uploaded
on a single source.
Virtual Trade Show/Online Trade Show
A Virtual Trade Show is a combination of some of the most
successful elements of a live trade show collected and
translated into a multimedia file format and broadcasted or
transmitted on the Internet. Virtual trade shows allow the
exhibitors and sponsors to reach their target audience round
the clock. Some are run over a short time period (1-3 days
usually) and others are open for months.
Virtual Expo/Online Expo
A Virtual Expo is an online virtual exposition hall accessible
over Internet. It is a multimedia format that gives the real-time
experience of visiting and moving (in 2 or 3-d) around in the
virtual exposition hall and booths using arrow keys on your
keyboard. Available to visitors online, round the clock though
there are usually specific times that the exhibitors are present
in their booth and you can chat with them.
Virtual Job Fair/Online Job Fair
Virtual Job Fair is an online job fair, that gives the potential
employers and employees access to up-to-date job openings
and company profiles through online booths/stalls that
attendees can visit similar to the Virtual Exposition. This can be
one of the most cost effective techniques used to attract
employees--saving time and travel costs.

Definitions Cont’d
Podcast
A Podcast is a digitally recorded audio multimedia file with
playback capability distributed over Internet. Podcasts are
generally compatible with web feeds, PCs and specific types of
mobile devices. They are downloadable and can be played
back at the user’s convenience.
Virtual Meeting
A live event or meeting that is done using a virtual platform
generally available from one of the virtual event platform
companies, custom built or hosted on a virtual world like
Second Life (SL) perhaps in a virtual conference center.
Bannercast
Bannercast is an on-demand or live video broadcasted in an in-
banner ad using streaming technology. Bannercasts generally
provided an optional registration to initiate the interaction
between the customer and the advertiser. Bannercast is one of
the most effective advertising media on internet, which can
often attract the target audience better than a standard banner
ads.
Audiocast/Telecast
An Audiocast or Telecast is a telephone based conference
consisting of a presentation that will usually include an audio
based question and answer session.
On-Demand vs Live
On-Demand services/sessions are the content items available
online that can be accessed as and when demanded or
required by the viewer or listener. Live services (or exclusively
live) are online services that usually cannot be replayed as the
broadcaster will transmit the program content or service at a
fixed interval and once the broadcaster stops live service the
viewer or listener cannot access the content.
Live Simulated
Prerecorded activities/sessions that are generally available to
run at a specific time and date and are not publicized as being
prerecorded and usually have a live post-presentation Q&A
period.
Virtual World
A virtual world, such as the popular Second Life, is a computer-
based simulated environment intended for its users to inhabit
and interact via avatars (animated figures). These avatars are
usually depicted as textual, two-dimensional, or three-
dimensional graphical representations, although other forms
are possible.

Table of Contents

Virtual Events Help Marketers
Virtual Environments for Business
Virtual Events Are Green for Business
Virtual Events are Generating Demand with Significant ROI
Value 2.0 Eight new rules for creating and capturing value from
innovative technologies
Virtual Events: What Should You Be Doing?
Building Real World Business...Virtually
Case Studies for Virtual Events
Launch into Cyberspace: Consider an Online Supplement to
Your Tradeshow Product Launch
On Virtual Event Technology
Virtual Events: How to Go On the Road Online
Virtual Conferences' Home Advantage
Tips on Using Virtual Events to Generate New Revenue
Economy and Globalization Help Drive Success of Virtual
Events
NAILED IT: DMNews Interviews Eric Myers, Quest Software
Designing an Effective Virtual Tradeshow Experience: An
Attendee Perspective
Three Problems, One Solution: Virtual Events
Seven Common Misconceptions that Exhibitors Have about
Virtual Trade Shows
The Real World Marketing Value of Virtual Events
Eight Common Misconceptions that Event Organizers Have
about Virtual Trade Shows

Table of Contents II

The New Tool for Marketing Success
Seven Steps to Marketing an Online Event Successfully
BtoB Marketers Moving Towards Virtual Events As Budgets
Tighten & ROI Scrutiny Heats Up
The Inside Line on Generating Leads and Getting Results
Internet Initiatives for Not-for-Profit Organizations
Virtual Meetings Will Erase Face to Face
Dos & Don’ts of Virtual Events
Virtual Worlds & Metaverse Resources
Project Wonderland—3D Toolkit for Building Virtual Worlds for
Business
From the Fire-Pit to the Forbidden City
IBM Academy of Technology Runs First Multi-Day Virtual
Conference
Current Reality and Future Vision—Open Virtual Worlds
Virtual Worlds for Business
Best Practices in Webcasting for Publishing—Proper Planning,
The Value of Webcasting in the Virtual Workplace:A Key
Component of Enterprise Communications
8 Steps to a Successful Webcast
Webcasting vs. Web Conferencing: How to Choose Which to
Use
Best Practices in Webinars
Webcasting for Marketing and Lead Generation
On the Job: Virtual Job Fairs Expand Search Options
The Making of a Successful Virtual Job Fair
Tips for Attending a Virtual Job Fair (podcast)

Virtual Events Help
Marketers

Rising costs and dwindling budgets are making it hard for business
marketers to attend and run events. So instead of going on the
road, many companies are getting on the Web. Direct talked about the
pros and cons of hosting online gatherings.

http://directmag.com/disciplines/channelsurfing/0901-virtual-events-help-marketers/

Virtual Environments for
Business

This blogger discusses how virtual interactive sites like Second Life
helped pave the way for ,and at the same time necessitated, easy-
interface virtual event applications like InXpo, ON24 and Unisfair.

http://billives.typepad.com/portals_and_km/2008/02/virtual-environ.html

Submit a Virtual Event RFP to Virtual Edge and
we’ll help you select the right solution.

Virtual Events Are Green for
Business

Dog and Pony Interview with Malcolm Lotzof Malcolm Lotzof is the
CEO of InXpo, a virtual event provider that is drastically expanding the
reach of physical events with their 3D interactive customizable events.
Malcolm points out the financial and ecological benefits of their green
business solution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mClbcc20Adc


Virtual Events are Generating
Demand with Significant ROI

Reducing the traditional cost of physical marketing events (i.e., venue
rental fees and travel expenses), online events are a way to
significantly increase marketing ROI while creating quality leads.

http://chiefmarketer.com/metrics/roi/0813-virtual-events-demand/

Value 2.0
Eight new rules for
creating and capturing
value from innovative
technologies

We are at the beginning of an era of true transformational change. The full
power of the Internet, globalization and innovative new technologies are
coming together, and in doing so, are changing the rules of business, culture
and society. The purpose of this paper is to help executives understand the
new ways in which emerging technologies and principles are enabling value
creation through what we call the “new rules of Value 2.0.”

http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/gbs/bus/pdf/gbe03016-usen-02-value2.0.pdf

Virtual Events: What Should
You Be Doing?

Learn how the way successful companies deliver information to large
audiences is being revolutionized through virtual events.

http://buzzmarketingfortech.blogspot.com/2007/12/virtual-events-what-should-you-be-
doing.html

Building Real World
Business...Virtually

Delivering similar knowledge-sharing and personal interactions, read
how virtual events now look and feel remarkably like their physical
counterparts.

http://www.managesmarter.com/msg/content_display/marketing/e3i083fb00d6f46a8883f5
a2ca70d3ff91c


Case Studies for
Virtual Events

ON24, Inc. works with over 600 customers on their corporate and
marketing initiatives, such as lead generation, webinars, town hall
meetings, executive communications, and product launches. They
have brought together many best practices on how their customers
leverage webcasting and rich media for business to business (B2B)
marketing, publishing, and sales lead generation.

http://on24.com/abouton24_casestudies.html

Launch into Cyberspace:
Consider an Online
Supplement to
Your Tradeshow
Product Launch

The Internet can be a powerful ally in a product launch initiative before
attendees actually arrive at the show. While the effectiveness of methods
adopted may vary , the general objectives of product launches are the
same—to generate a buzz and interest about a product that converts into
leads and eventually sales. This article outlines seven steps to create a
successful online product launch that will supplement a planned
tradeshow product launch

http://www.itradefair.com/technology/expotech0901.doc

On Virtual Event Technology

The rise in popularity of virtual events and environments will enhance
the jobs of event managers and planners and will help solve some
challenges they currently face.

http://www.virtualedge.org/articles/index/view?id=1651552:Article:1850


Virtual Events: How to Go On
the Road Online

Rising costs and dwindling budgets are making it more and more
difficult for business marketers to run events. Today, instead of hitting
the road many companies are hitting the Web. Learn how and why.

http://chiefmarketer.com/Channels/online/0708-virtual-events/

Virtual Conferences' Home
Advantage

Growing interest in virtual conferences is fueling a miniboom for
companies like Unisfair. Read how companies like Cisco Systems are
hosting virtual events to attract participants who wouldn't otherwise be
able to attend.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2008/tc2008054_560356.htm

Tips on Using Virtual Events
to Generate New Revenue

Generating qualified leads for little overhead cost, highly interactive
virtual events give marketers the visibility and reach that they may not
experience with physical events, Learn how.

http://www.pubexec.com/article/84000-84999/84507_1.html


Economy and Globalization
Help Drive Success of Virtual
Events

This interview addresses factors driving the success of virtual
events, best practices, and innovative ways marketers are using
virtual events to increase lead generation in their campaigns.

http://www.marketingpower.com/ResourceLibrary/Pages/Marketing%20Matters/Marketing
MattersNewsletter101308/Economy_and_Globalization_Help_Drive_Success_of_Virtual_
Events.aspx

NAILED IT: DMNews Interviews
Eric Myers, Quest Software

Eric Meyers talks about Quest Software’s decision to choose Unisfair
to host its first online interactive event.

http://www.dmnews.com/NAILED-IT-DMNews-spends-a-few-minutes-with-Eric-Myers-
director-of-Internet-marketing-Quest-Software/article/104797/


Designing an
Effective Virtual
Tradeshow Experience:
An Attendee Perspective

This article addresses the areas that a virtual meeting planner or a virtual
tradeshow producer needs to pay attention to when designing the virtual
attendee-experience. The content for this article is derived from nearly 5
years of hands-on experience in designing and delivering virtual
tradeshows in a variety of industries and applications.

http://www.itradefair.com/technology/The_Virtual_Tradeshow_Experience_An_Attende
e_Perspective.pdf

Three Problems, One
Solution: Virtual Events

After choosing to host virtual events, three organizations from diverse
industries learn valuable lessons about reaching their audiences.

http://www.exhibitoronline.com/corpevent/summer08/portfolio.asp


Seven Common
Misconceptions that
Exhibitors Have about
Virtual Trade Shows

Many trade show producers including industry leaders are earmarking
staff and money to building virtual trade shows. Exhibitors in physical
trade shows now have the option to participate in virtual trade shows as
well. This article presents a compilation of common misconceptions
based on first-hand experience in marketing virtual exhibit spaces to
Exhibitors.

http://www.itradefair.com/technology/exhibitormisconceptions.pdf

The Real World Marketing
Value of Virtual Events

Virtual events provide the lead generation of physical events without
the expense ,and often with less setup work. This article discusses the
value gained from hosting online conferences and fairs.

http://chiefmarketer.com/cm_report/virtual_events_0226/


Eight Common
Misconceptions that
Event Organizers
Have about Virtual
Trade Shows

The Internet is a powerful ally for the trade show producers in increasing
the value of a trade show’s brand name. However, the term ‘Virtual Trade
Shows’ has been loosely defined and much maligned, largely due to
many misconceptions that prevail. To help the trade show producers
share in the knowledge gained in this emerging area, iTradeFair.com has
compiled this list of common misconceptions that trade show producers
and associations have about virtual trade shows based on first-hand
experiences and data.

http://www.itradefair.com/technology/Organizermisconceptions.pdf

The New Tool for Marketing
Success

Virtual events and conferences are supplementing the traditional tools
of marketers to generate leads and drive customer traffic.
Cisco, IBM, and Quest Software are all recent adopters of this
technique.

http://www.1to1media.com/View.aspx?DocID=31202


Seven Steps to
Marketing an Online
Event Successfully

This article covers seven steps to successfully market an online
event, based on lessons learned from the Southwest Capital Conference
in Tulsa, Oklahoma which tripled its attendance through adding a
companion online event in October 2000.

http://www.itradefair.com/technology/mktgevents.pdf

BtoB Marketers Moving
Towards Virtual Events As
Budgets Tighten & ROI
Scrutiny Heats Up

Learn how hosting virtual events can maximize marketing ROI,
especially where budget cuts require spending less on physical
marketing events.

http://www.demandgenreport.com/articles.php?codearti=1197


The Inside Line on
Generating Leads and
Getting Results

This article discusses how online events can generate more and
higher quality leads than traditional marketing strategies.

http://iptv2daileyemails.blogspot.com/2008/09/performance-insider-virtually-better.html

Internet
Initiatives for
Not-for-Profit
Organizations

This article guides you through the top 15 questions you should ask
about your organization and goals before embarking on any new internet
marketing initiatives.

http://www.itradefair.com/technology/Questions%20designed%20to%20steer%20st
rategic%20thinking%20vis-Ã -vis%20%20Internet%20initiatives%20for%20Not-for-
Profit%20Organizations%20and%20%20Advocacy%20Groups.pdf

Virtual Meetings Will Erase
Face to Face…NOT!

This article talks about the many F500 companies that are foregoing
traditional face-to-face events in favor of virtual meeting halls. Learn
about the the pros and cons of this trend.

http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2009/01/virtual_meeting.html

Dos & Don’ts of
Virtual Events

Guy Piekarz offers some Dos and Don’ts to improve your netiquette in
virtual social situations.

http://www.internetevolution.com/author.asp?section_id=604&doc_id=148900&


Virtual Worlds & Metaverse
Resources

This interview addresses factors driving the success of virtual events,
best practices, and innovative ways marketers are using virtual events
to increase lead generation in their campaigns.

http://www.aee.odu.edu/virtualworldresources.php


Project Wonderland—
3D Toolkit for Building
Virtual Worlds for
Business

This presentation is a high-level overview of Project Wonderland. Project
Wonderland is an open source toolkit for creating 3D virtual worlds.
Scaling to support up to twenty users, the software supports high fidelity
audio, shared applications, telephone integration, video, and more

From the Fire-Pit to the
Forbidden City

An outsider's look at the evolution of the IBM Virtual Universe Community
(VUC). The VUC has been helping to legitimize the use of virtual
environments within IBM through its broad range of activites, using a
variety of virtual world platforms. In the paper, the author provides a
historical and future perspective of the community- where they have
been, and where they are going.

http://www.ibm.com/virtualworlds/dwnlds/Firepit_to_Forbidden_City_Final.pdf

IBM Academy of Technology
Runs First Multi-Day Virtual
Conference

Over 150 people attended the IBM Academy of Technology (AoT)
Conference on Virtual Worlds, held in entirely in the virtual world of
Second Life -- running behind IBM’s firewall. This report provides a
summary of this first-of-a-kind event.

http://www.ibm.com/virtualworlds/dwnlds/IBM_Academy_of_Technology_overview_article.pdf

Current Reality and
Future Vision—
Open Virtual Worlds

This white paper examines the current state of 3D virtual worlds and
provides insight into Sun’s vision for the future of virtual worlds as they
evolve with open standards and interconnected communities. The paper
also provides an overview of Sun’s value proposition in this domain and
describes the progress that is already being made toward open virtual
worlds. The paper also provides a great overview of the various types of
virtual worlds including popular ones like Second Life and Club Penguin.

https://lg3d-wonderland.dev.java.net/presentations/TrainForSucess-July2008.pdf

Virtual Worlds for
Business

The Q2 edition of Virtual Worlds for Business features overviews of all
the major enterprise virtual worlds technologies and 12 case studies.
Find out how companies like yours are using virtual worlds today.

http://events.unisfair.com/env1/ec_140/6697049.pdf

Best Practices in
Webcasting for
Publishing—
Proper Planning,
Compelling Content and
Flawless Execution

Webcasts enable informative and stimulating presentations at a fraction
of the cost associated with in-person meetings and presentations. This
guide outlines best practices in how to effectively plan your event, create
compelling content and attract your target audience.

http://event.on24.com/event/23675/1/documents/playerdoc/white-paper-
on24webcastbestpractices.pdf

The Value of
Webcasting in the
Virtual Workplace:
A Key Component of
Enterprise Communications

Smart businesses recognize that webcasting is more than a medium—it’s
a business-changing technology. This whitepaper discusses the value of
webcasting and offer suggestions for finding best-of-breed application
services that deliver the necessary functionality, helping companies
benefit from using webcasting in the enterprise.

http://events.streamlogics.net/website-tracking/tracking/index.asp?link=eventid=24540

8 Steps to a
Successful Webcast
watch as an online webinar

This fifteen minute online webinar reviews eight steps to a successful
webcast from determining success metrics to creating the marketing
plan.


Webcasting vs.
Web Conferencing:
How to Choose Which to Use

What’s the difference between webcasting and web conferencing? Under
what circumstances should each be applied? The purpose of this article
is to define the benefits of each medium, dispel the disinformation and
help you decide which is right for your organization.

http://events.streamlogics.net/website_staging/pdf/WebcastingvsConferencing_stre
amlogics.pdf

Best Practices for
Webinars

Webinars — Web seminars — are powerful and cost-effective tools
that can deliver qualified prospects right into the hands of your sales
people. But there are several “ifs.” They must be approached
thoughtfully, carried out intelligently and the leads they produce must
be properly pursued. This paper provides strategies and a checklist for
ensuring better results from your Webinar events.

http://www.picturetalk.com/webinar_bestpractices.pdf

Webcasting for
Marketing and Lead
Generation
watch as a streaming video

This ten minute online video reviews how to generate leads through
webcasting for career marketers.


On the Job: Virtual Job Fairs
Expand Search Options

Don Best discusses the benefits of virtual job fairs. Jobseekers have
access to more search options, for example.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/2008-07-24-virtual-job-fair_N.htm


The Making of a
Successful
Virtual Job Fair

This article attempts to address some of the questions that have been
coming up among those interested in virtual job fairs and virtual career
fairs. iTradeFair.com has deployed several successful virtual fairs
including job fairs since 1999, in academia and Corporate America. In
this article the writer highlights factors that make these early adopters
want to come back and do the virtual job fairs over and over again.

http://www.itradefair.com/technology/The_making_of_a_successful_virtual_job_fair.pdf

Tips for Attending a Virtual
Job Fair (podcast)

Learn about the basics of attending virtual networking events such as
online job fairs.

http://www.secretsofthejobhunt.com/profiles/blogs/tips-for-attending-a-virtual


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