Virtual Event Engagement Strategies

🌎 Designing Cross-Cultural And Multi-Lingual UX. Guidelines on how to stress test our designs, how to define a localization strategy and how to deal with currencies, dates, word order, pluralization, colors and gender pronouns. ⦿ Translation: “We adapt our message to resonate in other markets”. ⦿ Localization: “We adapt user experience to local expectations”. ⦿ Internationalization: “We adapt our codebase to work in other markets”. ✅ English-language users make up about 26% of users. ✅ Top written languages: Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese. ✅ Most users prefer content in their native language(s). ✅ French texts are on average 20% longer than English ones. ✅ Japanese texts are on average 30–60% shorter. 🚫 Flags aren’t languages: avoid them for language selection. 🚫 Language direction ≠ design direction (“F” vs. Zig-Zag pattern). 🚫 Not everybody has first/middle names: “Full name” is better. ✅ Always reserve at least 30% room for longer translations. ✅ Stress test your UI for translation with pseudolocalization. ✅ Plan for line wrap, truncation, very short and very long labels. ✅ Adjust numbers, dates, times, formats, units, addresses. ✅ Adjust currency, spelling, input masks, placeholders. ✅ Always conduct UX research with local users. When localizing an interface, we need to work beyond translation. We need to be respectful of cultural differences. E.g. in Arabic we would often need to increase the spacing between lines. For Chinese market, we need to increase the density of information. German sites require a vast amount of detail to communicate that a topic is well-thought-out. Stress test your design. Avoid assumptions. Work with local content designers. Spend time in the country to better understand the market. Have local help on the ground. And test repeatedly with local users as an ongoing part of the design process. You’ll be surprised by some findings, but you’ll also learn to adapt and scale to be effective — whatever market is going to come up next. Useful resources: UX Design Across Different Cultures, by Jenny Shen https://lnkd.in/eNiyVqiH UX Localization Handbook, by Phrase https://lnkd.in/eKN7usSA A Complete Guide To UX Localization, by Michal Kessel Shitrit 🎗️ https://lnkd.in/eaQJt-bU Designing Multi-Lingual UX, by yours truly https://lnkd.in/eR3GnwXQ Flags Are Not Languages, by James Offer https://lnkd.in/eaySNFGa IBM Globalization Checklists https://lnkd.in/ewNzysqv Books: ⦿ Cross-Cultural Design (https://lnkd.in/e8KswErf) by Senongo Akpem ⦿ The Culture Map (https://lnkd.in/edfyMqhN) by Erin Meyer ⦿ UX Writing & Microcopy (https://lnkd.in/e_ZFu374) by Kinneret Yifrah

I do dozens of interviews with top CMOs every year. I always ask what the best performing marketing channel is. And right now everyone is saying events. Post COVID events are back, but also now in an AI world, I think there's a stronger appetite to get out and connect with real people vs. just getting answers from ChatGPT. But: like anything in marketing, running events just because everyone else is doing them is a great way to set money on fire (and still not drive any incremental business). Whether it's a booth at a trade show. A VIP dinner. A 500-person conference. They can all work. They can all flop. The difference: having a real plan and strategy for that event going in. Why do it in the first place? (which continues to be the most important lesson in marketing - what's in it for me? what's the hook? why should people come to our thing?) We talked to two event experts on the Exit Five pod recently Stephanie Christensen and Kristina DeBrito — and here are 5 keys they shared for B2B event success: 1. Pick the right format. Not all events do the same job. Big splash? Go flagship. Want pipeline? Try VIP roundtables. Tiny budget? Host micro-events around existing conferences. Set real goals. 2. “Leads” are not enough anymore. Are you driving awareness? Accelerating deals? Generating pipeline? Define this upfront—or you’ll waste time measuring the wrong stuff. There are more metrics than just "did we get leads from this event" and in today's world leads are tablestalkes. 3. Align your team, bro. Sales and marketing must move in lockstep. Slack alerts for registrations. Sales meeting updates. Leaderboards. It all matters. This is a team effort. 4. Make it memorable. People forget panels. They remember custom pancakes and great venues. Was the food good? Did the WiFi work? Did Oprah show up? Just kidding. Making sure you'r reading. But think surprise and delight, not branded frisbees. 5. Put the work in on the follow up. Events don't close deals - follow-up does. Segment attendees. Create custom offers. Babysit the handoff to sales like your job depends on it. Because it does. You just went shopping and got all these fresh groceries - dont let them spoil. B2B buyers want real connection again. Events can create that. Are you feeling this desire for events? Are you doing events in your business right now? Let me know...

Love this campaign by Stella. "Worth it" ✨ Playing off a familiar scene we all know. That claustrophobic bar. Enter "Claustrobar" You're crammed shoulder to shoulder... Getting bumped left and right. Then you get your first sip. Makes it all worth it. 👀 Or does it...? We're seeing the OPPOSITE trend for B2B events. Marketers want smaller more niche events. Think dinners with 15 to 25 people. ONLY the exact ICP they want. We just did our Q1 retro at The Alliance 🧵 NEW Q1 EVENT DATA FOR YOU: Dinners under 25 people drove 3.4 times higher average pipeline per attendee than 200+ person field events Sponsor satisfaction scores were 27 points higher for private dinners vs traditional happy hours Events with personalized pre invite cadences had a 35 percent average acceptance rate among ICP targets Renewal rates on sponsor programs anchored around curated dinners hit 82 percent, compared to 58 percent for "open bar" events Thats why we're doubling down on niche events. Dinners and intimate VIP exeperiences. Why they worked so well: Step 1: ICP first targeting Every attendee list starts with sponsor aligned ICP firmographic filters: Company size, role seniority, industry fit, existing buying intent. Step 2: Personalized outreach Dedicated in house teams send direct invites framed around relevance. We track weekly acceptance rates and optimize touchpoints if we fall below 30 percent. Step 3: Pre event intel Sponsors get attendee insights two weeks before the dinner. They know which companies and titles are coming so they can plan the content PRECISELY for that audience to make it hyper relevant. Step 4: Structured conversations No loud music. No random crowds. Strategic seating charts and guided conversation topics aligned to the topics attendees and sponsors care about. This makes the experiences great for BOTH the company sponsoring and the attendees. Ends in a win win for everyone. Example for you: At our Austin dinner for a sponsor in Jan - 17 handpicked senior leaders attended - 76 percent of attendees booked follow up demos within 21 days - The sponsor sourced $3.2 million in net new pipeline which was 3.1 times their original goal TLDR Invest in more dinners ✌️ 

Are you an Old‑School Event Marketer or a New‑School Event Marketer? Old‑School: - “Bigger booth, bigger budget” = strategy - Swag splurges & steak‑house dinners with zero ROI math - Measures success by registrations instead of pipeline - Treats the conference as a one‑day stunt, then closes the spreadsheet - No persona segmentation, same agenda for prospects, customers, & partners - Relies on badge scans, fishbowls, and luck for lead capture - Ignores virtual or hybrid formats (“We’re an in‑person company!”) - Engagement stops when the lights go off, no post‑event nurture track - Decisions made on gut feel, not unit economics or understanding the P&L New‑School: - Begins with ICP clarity and a revenue‑backwards event brief - Maps the entire attendee journey: pre‑event teasers → in‑event moments → post‑event campaigns - Uses AI for smart matchmaking, personalized agendas, on‑site coaching, and post‑show enrichment - Integrates every touch into CRM & RevOps dashboards: CAC, payback, influenced ARR, CLTV - Collaborates with Sales & CS to find expansion opps with customers, not just hand-offs - Blends formats: micro‑webinars, community roundtables, regional pop‑ups, to lower CAC and widen reach - Scores success on quality meetings, pipeline velocity, and expansion revenue - Runs Calendar & Capacity tests to right‑size staffing before adding headcount - Partners with the CFO, budget tied to strategic KPIs, not vanity metrics - Knows why the event hit (or missed) the number and evolves assumptions quarter‑to‑quarter Event marketers can’t win on their own. The best know how to involve each team throughout the process. It’s not just execution. It’s communication, evaluation, and impact. In conclusion, new-school event marketers are strategy partners. Not task rabbits. New-School event marketers pick modern event tech. Check out Accelevents --> https://hubs.la/Q03fjrP30

Your audience is quietly quitting you. And you may not know it. Why? Because you're pitching too early. ❌ Webinars are not lead magnets ✅ Webinars are how you build trust 👀 Quick story for you: When we first started Goldcast. We thought we knew events. We were dead wrong... Our first digital event product? 👎 Total flop. Why? We focused on all the wrong things: → Lead generation → Integrations → Analytics We completely neglected the UX. So we changed everything. What we learned: 👇 1️⃣ UX is king → Redid our entire UI in 4 weeks → Simplified user flow for hosts and attendees → Implemented intuitive navigation and controls → Optimized for mobile and desktop experiences 2️⃣ Branding matters → Developed customizable templates → Enabled easy logo and color scheme integration → Created branded waiting rooms and engagement tools 3️⃣ Engagement is everything → Introduced interactive polls and Q&A features → Implemented live chat and networking capabilities → 20-40% attendance boost with auto calendar invites 4️⃣ Post-event VALUE (not pitching) → AI-powered content repurposing for our viewers → Automatic highlight reels and key moment extraction → Pushed out 1:1 nurture with marketing automation 📌 The results? → 0 to 200 B2B enterprise customers in < 3 years → 1XX% YoY revenue growth "Webinar" is not a bad word. The old school approach gives it a bad name. Use your events as a way to build trust at scale. 👋 P.S. Have you been "pitch slapped" at a webinar?

A Lineage team member recently asked me for any advice I could give to help with an upcoming speaking engagement. The question made me think about how I approach public speaking and the most impactful tactics to confidently and effectively deliver a message to a room full of people.   No doubt, public speaking is a common fear that many people have. But to me, it’s one of the most valuable skills a leader can hone, so I wanted to share a few ideas that might help you next time you’re asked to speak:   - Tell the story, don’t just say the words. - Be authentic and stay true to yourself. - Practice, practice, and practice again. - Understand your audience and what matters to them. - Never read the slides. Speak to people, not screens. - Make eye contact with one person while delivering a complete thought, then move on to the next thought and person. - Use the entire room to bring energy to your message; don’t stand in one place.   Like most things, the best way to get better at public speaking is to just do it! Say yes to the panel, say yes to leading the meeting, say yes to giving the toast. The more you practice, the easier it becomes – and the more your leadership presence is on display.   🎙️ What’s your go-to tip for public speaking? I’d love to hear it! #publicspeaking #presentationskills #leadershipdevelopment

Handling audience questions with confidence is a skill every presenter needs. When questions arise during your presentation, how you respond can either build trust — or chip away at your credibility. Here’s a simple framework to stay in control while encouraging engagement: 1. Invite the Question: Make eye contact, gesture with an open palm to the person who's indicated they have a question, and say: “What is your question?” This signals openness while keeping you in control. (Pro Tip: Avoid saying “good question.” It can create unequal perceptions among audience members if you don't reward everyone's question ... or make you appear disingenuous by repeating "good question" after every single one!) 2. Paraphrase the Question: Repeat the question back to confirm understanding, allow the whole audience to hear it, and give yourself a moment to gather your thoughts. 3. Assess the Question: If you can answer it clearly — go for it. If not, acknowledge the question and offer to follow up later instead of improvising or (God forbid) making something up. 4. Give a Direct Response: Answer clearly and concisely. If it’s a yes/no question, give a resounding 'Yes' or 'No.' If its an open-ended question, provide as concise and definitive an answer as possible. Give them what they need: an answer, not an explanation. 5. Elaborate if Needed: Once you’ve answered directly, add context or examples to reinforce your point if necessary. Use phrases like “Here’s why…” or “Let me explain further” to transition from your direct response to your elaboration. 6. Confirm Understanding: Circle back and ask if the question was addressed clearly. This builds trust and shows respect for the audience’s perspective. Good presentations aren’t just about speaking. They are an open discussion full of active listening and engaging discussions. Use the 6 steps outlined here to immediately improve your presentations and presence. Check back tomorrow for a simple technique I call the "Seven Word Rule" that will take your responses from good to great. Art+Science Analytics Institute | University of Notre Dame | University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | University of Chicago | D'Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University | ELVTR | Grow with Google - Data Analytics #Analytics #DataStorytelling

How energetic are your presentations? On a scale from 1 to 10? In my CEO coachings, I always ask this question. The answer is usually 7-8. Then we record a presentation and review. The reaction? “OMG, there’s no energy.” What feels like a high-octane 8 is often a meh 5. The problem: If the presenter doesn’t bring the energy, the audience won’t feel it either. As a result, they lose interest. “If you aren’t passionate about this, why should I be?” they wonder. Rightly so. Here are 7 strategies you can use to energize your next presentation: 🔋 Flip Your Energy Switch ⤷ Before you start, move, jump around, drink coffee - whatever works for you. (Unless you are nervous. In that case: breathe and relax.) 🔊 Ensure it Feels “Over the Top” ⤷ Your delivery must feel over the top. If the energy level feels right, it is usually too low.  🪝 Start Strong with a Hook ⤷ First impressions! Grab your audience’s attention from the start. Avoid low-energy introductions like “thank you, my name is, today we talk about …” 🤸 Move Your Body ⤷ Don’t be a statue. Use purposeful movements and gestures to emphasize key points.   🎶 Vary Your Tone and Pace ⤷ Energy isn’t about speed alone; it’s about contrast. Change your tone, volume, and pace to keep your audience tuned in. 👂 Use Attention Hooks Throughout  ⤷ Use stories or unanswered questions every 2 minutes to keep the audience engaged.  👥 Involve the Audience ⤷ Ask questions, encourage responses, and create a dialogue. Engagement isn’t just about you—make it a two-way street! ♻️ Please share with your network and follow Oliver Aust for more practical tips on leadership communication.

🎯 Yesterday’s YPO Germany–Switzerland–Austria Day Chair training turned big ideas into how we actually do it. Amazing insights that make it look so easy but are super hard to execute like a pro. Plus these are frameworks you can (and should) use for any meeting, company event or client workshop. What landed for me: 🪑 The Three-Legged Stool (make every event stand): 📚 Learning — design for actionable takeaways (not keynotes-for-show) 🤝 Networking — engineer peer exchange (tables, rotations, F2F moments) 🎯 Experiencing — offsites/socials that anchor memory & momentum 🧭 E-CODE in practice (not on a slide): 👥 Engage Peers: create a safe haven; use member expertise & peer-to-peer formats 💥 Compel Content: clear outcomes, diverse voices, thought-provoking activities 🧠 Open Minds: multi-sensory, whole-person learning; challenge assumptions 🏁 Deliver Value: know the audience; exceed expectations in planning & follow-through 🌟 Extraordinary Resources: the right facilitators, venues, and tools to lift the bar 🛠️ Sell the event like a pro (the 60-sec Elevator Pitch): ❌ Don’t speak too fast / cram 15 minutes into 1 ❌ Ditch jargon & acronyms—make it understandable ✅ Practice until conversational (human > robotic) ✅ Actually use the pitch to do targeted follow-ups 🔁 Close the loop (so learning compounds): ✚/Δ Plus/Delta at the end → what worked / what to improve 🧪 Separate content feedback from logistics → cleaner signal for next time Events aren’t “nice to have” — they’re our engagement engine for peer-to-peer exchange and new ideas. Proud of this learning group and grateful for an excellent facilitation. 👥 I’ll tag our facilitator and the team on the photo. 👉 Question: What’s one detail you’ve used to turn a good event into a transformational one? #YPO #GSA #Learning #EventDesign #ECODE #Community #BetterLeadersThroughLifelongLearning

HOW I TURNED MY FEAR OF DIFFICULT QUESTIONS INTO A STRENGTH: 6 TIPS. One of the common fears public speakers have when I work with them is the possibility of being asked a difficult, challenging question they can’t answer on the spot. This fear can hold them back. However, we have to remember that we can’t know everything! Over the years of being on stage, I’ve been asked countless questions, and there have been one or two I wasn’t sure about. But this hasn’t stopped or held me back from getting on the stage. Here are six ways to deal with difficult, challenging, or uncertain questions: ONE ↳More time: Acknowledge the question and tell the person, “Great question, this needs a little more explanation. We will come back to this in the Q&A.” This gives you more time to think about the answer. You may even cover it indirectly in your talk or through someone else’s question. TWO ↳Ask the audience: Involve the audience by redirecting the question to them. Say, “Would anyone else like to answer this or add something here?” This gives you time to think and allows others to contribute, adding depth to the answer. THREE ↳An opportunity: Acknowledge the question and use it as an opportunity to follow up with the person 1-2-1 after the talk. Say, “Good question, that requires a little more explanation. I’ll catch up with you after to explain this.” FOUR ↳Practice: Write down all the possible questions that could be asked and go over how you would respond. Preparation builds confidence. FIVE ↳Network: Network with your audience before your talk and ask them about their biggest challenges or questions on your topic. This allows you to experience potential questions beforehand and use them as examples in your talk. SIX ↳Pre-event questions: Ask the organiser to gather questions from the audience before the event. This way, you can prepare and incorporate answers into your presentation. And guess what? It works! Now, my favourite part of my talk is the Q&A session. I love taking questions throughout, but the Q&A is where the audience feels their challenges are being addressed. They can take actionable insights away from your talk! Don’t let the fear of questions hold you back from sharing your message on stage. Remember, we can’t know everything! We are all human! To your successes, Zoe ____________ If you like this post, you will love my newsletter 💜 Join my newsletter for a FREE weekly growth strategy for speakers and thought leaders - see the first comment below to join 👇