When it comes to virtual networking ideas, the possibilities are endless. Whether you’re looking to network with other teams within your organization or other companies within the industry, a virtual meeting or conference is the perfect way to do it.
But what are some of our favorite virtual networking ideas? Let’s take a look at 3 options now.
Virtual networking over coffee
One of our favorite virtual networking ideas for businesses includes a little coffee, a lot of conversation, and some education sprinkled in. While there are a variety of ways to pull this off, we’ve seen it done best with make-your-own-coffee kits, preplanned panels, and breakout discussion rooms.
To make this virtual event successful, here’s what we’ve seen work:
- Send out coffee kits to each individual who registers. Include a branded coffee mug and their choice of coffee and add-ons.
- Kick off the event off with a quick talk from the host, and then dive into themed panel discussions. To create a more casual environment, consider having the speakers present in front of a coffee shop background or something similar.
- In between each panel, allow individuals to join breakout discussions by topic. During these breakout discussions, encourage open conversation and active participation from attendees (not just the main speakers).
Keep Reading: 6 must-haves for your next virtual event
Rotating virtual networking rooms
This particular virtual networking idea can be extremely valuable for attendees – although, typically, this event should be limited to a small group of individuals to be effective. The idea is to have people connect and learn on a deeper, more meaningful level. This is accomplished with one-on-one or small-group sessions.
Here’s the basic idea behind rotating virtual rooms:
- There are a handful of speakers, each with their own breakout virtual room.
- Attendees rotate between speakers, and each room should only have one to three attendees present.
- Smaller rooms (or one-on-one sessions) will give people the opportunity to fully connect with the speaker, ask questions, and receive targeted feedback.
- The event can conclude with a final presentation or a roundtable discussion.
Keep Reading: The top 5 things to look for in a virtual event platform
Virtual Business Speed Dating
Rather than having one-on-one sessions with speakers who have presentations prepared, consider a true-to-form networking event. This virtual networking idea would rotate attendees, as well – but each attendee would be there to meet new people and not necessarily to learn and ask questions.
Here’s how this virtual event could go down:
- Invite as many attendees as you want, but keep in mind – the more attendees you have, the more rounds you’ll need. As a pro tip, don’t put your attendees into a bubble. Invite business connections from all backgrounds and industries. It’ll liven up the discussions and might even spark a few future meetings.
- Keep the rounds short (5-10 minutes each), and consider giving everyone a few canned questions or topics in order to keep the conversation flowing.
- Similar to speed dating, provide every attendee with a form to fill out during or after the event. This will help the host keep track of who is interested in scheduling a follow-up meeting with another attendee. Make sure you have someone responsible for facilitating these future meetings.
Keep Reading: What is an event platform and why does it matter?
Interested in hosting one of these virtual networking ideas?
If so, we’d love to help. At ICV Digital Media, we have decades of combined experience helping a variety of businesses put together virtual networking events of all kinds. From conferences to celebrations to company-wide meetings, we can provide you with a platform and a production team to pull off the virtual networking event of your dreams.
Give us a call or send us a message to learn more about virtual events.