We cannot just cancel and believe we will survive. What can we do other than cancelling or postponing? How about a webinar, or a whole bunch of them? Come on people. We all know it, but there are a few emperors’ clothes present. So let me say it out loud and in front of the whole world: WEBINARS SUCK! And I do not need to explain to you, organiser of gatherings, why that is.
We can do much better! We can do online meetings. Or online conferences. Or online training. Online seminars and online congresses. And I do not mean a series of webinars! I mean an on-line environment where we have the learning from speakers and add the learning from each other. We have plenary sessions, break-outs, coffee breaks and small group conversations. It is fun in many ways, social, interactive and even magic. A bit like real meetings, but online. If well designed, timed and prepared and well executes, they get people to say things that they never say after a webinar, and certainly not after two! After a good online meeting, people say things like:
“This was the best online meeting I have ever attended. I have been in many webinars before, but this digital meeting by the Meeting Design Institute was highly interactive and engaging. Breakout groups were superbly organised and in these smaller groups, we were able to brainstorm some key issues. The event was informative and a true way to feel connected with the industry in our time of crisis and isolation.” – Gordon Glenister
So people let’s raise the bar and do better, MUCH better thanks to online meetings that make participants forget there was ever such a thing as a webinar.
When our participants are no longer locked up, in some countries initially, we may go for a Multi-Hub meeting before fully returning to the real deal!
