Orientations are critical in creating connections – with teachers, mentors, and current students. Yet often, there are students that are unable to attend an on-ground orientation. With this in mind, it is imperative that you bring your orientation materials online. Read our 8 tips on building an online orientation session.
1. Make it mandatory
Our most successful partners have set attendance as required for their online orientations. This way, you are guaranteed to get your audience to attend the event. And if you are concerned not everyone can make it — offer a few different days, or times, or simply run an on-demand event.
2. Speak their language
When possible, try to incorporate native language into your presentations. This is a great way to engage with your audience and introduce a personal connection.
3. Get everyone involved
Include student ambassadors, school resources, parents etc. These are the people that your audience wants to hear from. What’s more, by including multiple presenters within the presentation, you offer different perspectives (and give yourself a break from speaking!)
4. Petition the audience
Generate excitement in advance of the event – ask your students to contribute questions, post to a hashtag, indicate what they are most excited about. In addition, consider building out a Q-Board for students to post questions and vote on the topics they want to learn more about.
5. Simplify the registration process
Many webinar providers now offer a “one-click” registration process, eliminating the need for your audience to complete a registration form (but you still capture their information). This reduces friction, and form abandonment, often experienced with registration pages. At PlatformQ, we offer our clients “Q-Tokens” that provide a personalized, direct link into an event.
6. Include additional media channels where possible
Take advantage of marketing assets that you already have on hand. Run videos, or interviews throughout the presentation to break up the presentation. Some of our clients have even included iphone videos.
7. Run as a live event, then simulive
Because timing will not be perfect for everyone (and you can’t run a 12-hour webcast) consider running the event as a simulive. This is a format where you record the event, but run it at a later time as “live.” Many of our partners will run a simulive event and host a chat simultaneously to present real-time engagement.
8. Follow-up!
Check to ensure that all questions were answered and your audience is ready for the school year. If questions were posed that you didn’t get to – make sure someone from your team follows up!
Ready to transition your 2018 orientation online? Talk to us today.