These days, incorporating video into your corporate event is a must.
If you are not producing video content for your next event, it could be costing you big-time.
I get it, creating compelling corporate video content can be expensive, daunting, and time consuming. And most of us hate the camera!
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of low-cost ways to promote your event, increase engagement during your event, and ensure your company achieves its goals. Here are a few ideas of how to create and use video in your corporate events and annual meetings.
The YouTube Age
Not every video has to be Spielberg-esque. Our culture is fully immersed in the Instagram/Facebook Live/YouTube era. “Low tech” has become much more acceptable for certain types of corporate videos these days. Don’t be afraid to lean into the organic nature of a “homemade” look to create some fun video elements.
With small, relatively inexpensive DSLR cameras, GoPros, and even cell phones capable of capturing 4k footage nowadays, it’s possible to get some really nice results without a ton of investment. Enlist someone on your team with a little bit of video editing chops, and you’re in business.
With the right set-up and placement in your conference agenda, these videos can be a big hit!
Pre-Event
In the weeks leading up to your corporate event, try filming a walk-through of the venue. Send the clip out to your attendee list so they can start getting familiar with the place.
You could also use video to highlight some of the popular night spots in the area, or some of the great food and restaurants that will be available at the event. Keep them short and simple – just enough to pique interest and whet your attendees’ appetite. Email these short clips before the event, and create some pre-event excitement!
During Your Event
Consider different ways to capture interesting, entertaining, or funny content to show during the event, itself.
Create a series of “on-the-street” interview-type clips featuring one of your livelier associates on camera as the “talent.” Every company has some former class clowns on staff. Let them have some fun interviewing other attendees, asking questions about the conference, conducting on-the-spot quizzes, or whatever else that might be engaging. People love seeing their colleagues on the big screen, and it usually has a big payoff.
Have a Contest
One of my favorite corporate events that we produced featured an attendee “film festival.” We broke the crowd into teams of 10 – 15 people and gave them each a digital camera. Each group was assigned a specific movie genre (gangster, sci-fi, western, horror, etc.) and given a bag full of corresponding costumes and props.
Each team had to then write, act in, and shoot a 90-second to 2-minute video that featured elements of the product training they had received at the event.
The results were hilarious (and really quite shockingly good), as these teams put their hearts and souls into making these movie masterpieces.
That night we had an Academy Awards-type event where we awarded prizes for “best actor,” “best original screenplay,” and “best picture.” You get the idea. We then played the winning videos during the film festival. I don’t recall having ever laughed so hard during a corporate event! It was truly a priceless experience for everyone.
The end result was more than just a fun activity, though. It incorporated elements of networking, team building, and product training and learning implementation as each movie focused on the content the participants had received at the event. It was such a memorable night.
Just Go For It
Get creative and have some fun with it! In addition to highlighting these videos during your corporate event sessions, share your video content on social media, in emails, or on your website. Your attendees will be more engaged (and your boss will love you for it).
Here’s to your inner-Spielberg!
P.S. If you could use some help planning and developing great video content for your next event, let’s chat. You’ll get our on-brand, on-budget promise!