This time last week I was on my ‘virtual‘ stage in our home.  Our sitting room had been transformed into a studio for me to broadcast my first ever live virtual event:  Blaze Your Own Trail.

What a ride it was!  The build up the day before with the production team adding more black wires and gizmos to our room than I’d seen in ages (it’s normally a haven of cream, vanilla and soft greens) and then on the day hearing Hamish, one of the team say “Ok Kay, in 3, 2, 1 and you’re live” and off we went.

One of the biggest lessons I learned by saying “Yes, let’s do it” to this experience was about the preparation.

I’m always a good preparer as far as I can be but the difference between a Live-in-person and a Virtual event is immense.  The energy you need to project is literally like pouring yourself down the camera lens.  Any hint of sitting back, drooping or dropping your energy you can immediately sense the audience does the same and that’s where you risk losing people.  Losing their trust and their energy.  

So – I knew to look into the camera (not at myself on the Zoom screen but directly at the camera) and talk as if I was speaking to one person. I recommend this to you because in a room, in person, you can be more scattered with your energy, but not on camera.

The difference in the preparation I did this time was this.  I prepared every single moment.  Every moment had a plan and an intention and I’d broken it down into really small chunks of time so the team – and I – always knew what was coming.  Then – I let go of holding on too tightly.

• Saying things I didn’t mean to say but felt right in the moment
• Using videos to reiterate my message and change the tempo
• Breakout rooms for networking and closer sharing
• Preparing my guests to come on camera rather than ‘pouncing’ on them
• Showing them the behind-the-scenes of the tech and prep
• Involving, including and partnering with our audience all the time. 

Women participated from 7 different countries and a mixture of timezones and as the host you must respect the shifts in energy everyone has. (One woman from California enjoyed dialling in from her private ocean view hotel suite…for her the Event started at 1.30am and went until 10am).

Below is a quote signifying my BIG why of hosting an event like this, now especially.  It’s proven to be a good guide with a myriad of new clients, connections, renewing clients, invitations to speak, book sales and – most of all – shared energy, wisdom and experience to expand all our thinking.

Recommendations For You

• The Great Dames “Reimagine Your Remarkable Life” Virtual Conference next week.  I’m speaking for them on Wednesday 23rd about Reimagining Women in Careers and I recommend their work and intention – so much so that I’ve become a ‘Great Dame’ myself and here’s where you can register if this sounds like a great way to invest your time too.
• Reading list alert!  A truly remarkable book by Glennon Doyle called Untamed.  Oh my goodness – it was like being kicked in the backside and hugged at the same time.
• Say “Yes” before you’re ready.  Just like the virtual event, I knew enough but not everything.  I said “Yes” to doing it and then worked it out with a great team as I went.  

So.  Do drop me a note by hitting ‘Reply’ and let me know how what resonated for your from this brief note and any recommendations you might have for me – I love hearing from you and always respond.  You teach me as you share. Oh and by the way…

AND we raised money at the Virtual Event for Refuge, the UK charity supporting women and children against domestic violence.  One of the charity’s senior fundraisers came on to our Event and explained that since Lockdown began, calls to Refuge’s National domestic Abuse Helpline increased by 66% and visits to their website increased by 950%.  Humbling and very grounding to hear such stats at such a time already rife with emotion and fear.  We were all inspired by their work and grateful to know it’s there.