3 Tips for a Successful Virtual Annual Meeting

3 Tips for a Successful Virtual Annual Meeting

Are you ready to move your Annual Meeting online? Like many non-profit organizations, COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on how we, at the OBA Conference Centre, serve our members and supporters.  In adapting our services to work in a physically distant and remote world, we are very proud of our new and expanded online capabilities. We want to share our success with you. 

As part of a full suite of virtual services, we’ve put together a few tips to host a successful virtual Annual Meeting:

  1. Meet with the technician to go over potential problems and have a plan in place

Take advantage of the OBA Conference Centre’s web technician who is available to troubleshoot any problems you may have before and during the virtual meeting. “We had multiple compliments on the event flow, and there were absolutely no technical issues. It was a tremendous relief to have our AGM on time and so well presented,” states Mary-Ellen Thibodeau, Director of Education of the Canadian Defence Lawyers.

  1. Schedule a pre-event planning and practice session

The OBA Conference Centre staff will assist with you with this and ensure that you are comfortable with the online tools available for you and your members during the meeting. “Preparation is key,” says Thibodeau. She adds, “Have at least one group meeting on the virtual platform so everyone is familiar with the details.”

  1. Stick to the agenda

Ask all the meeting presenters to send you a copy of their presentations ahead of the meeting date so you have appropriate time to build your agenda. Log into the meeting early to test your audio and video before the meeting starts. We understand that some of your members may not be fully versed in virtual meeting platforms and we’ve got you covered! Our dedicated event concierge is able to step in at any moment and assist with any technical difficulties for you or any of your attendees so you don’t have to interrupt the flow of the meeting.

Virtual Annual Meetings are now permitted for most provincially and federally incorporated organizations. The provincial government’s special rules will expire at the end of the temporary suspension period on November 21, 2020.

If you or your clients are looking for a full-service virtual Annual Meeting platform or if you have any questions, please contact Erinn Young, Conference and Event Services Manager, OBA Conference Centre.