Virtual events have been a necessary alternative to their in-person counterparts over the past year. But much like the sourdough you started baking at the beginning of lockdown, these events have gotten a bit stale. What once was an exciting and new experience is now just another meeting where you’re constantly worried about whether your cat is going to make a guest appearance.
As a marketer, you’re working hard to put on virtual events that produce the same level of turnout and engagement as the in-person conferences and trade shows of years past. With about half of registrants converting to live attendees, finding a way to keep participants engaged is the key ingredient to a successful virtual event. Take a look at your plan: Are there areas where you can add more meaningful interactions with attendees and guests? It might be time to spruce up your event with something everyone can go for: food and delivery.
Where to provide meal delivery
Meal delivery gives you the opportunity to inject some energy into your event. Whether you’re offering attendees a morning coffee or picking up the lunch tab, you can use this perk in a variety of settings, tailored to your audience. Here are a few places where you can use Uber Eats to keep your attendees engaged:
- At your next round table. Intimate settings give your attendees the opportunity to make connections with their peers. By offering delivery during this time, you create a space for them to talk shop and share best practices over a meal—and a chance for you to make a lasting impression.
- At your upcoming webinar. According to ON24’s benchmark report, only 39.2% of webinar registrants attend the event live. For your next webinar, provide meal delivery as an incentive for people to show up and participate. You’ll be pleased with the customer interactions and the productivity of the event.
- At your company-wide meeting. Planning an in-person sales kickoff is hard enough; planning a virtual one is even trickier. Give your team the energy they need to stay engaged by sending them an Uber Eats voucher. It’s simple to set up and even easier to redeem.
- At your virtual conference. Offering meal delivery in lieu of networking breakfasts and happy hours can help incentivise attendees to socialise. It also encourages participation in smaller breakout sessions. Plus, meal delivery makes a great thank-you gift for your team and speakers for their hard work.
When to use meal delivery
From beginning to end, Uber Eats can help keep any event interesting and dynamic. Here are some ways you can offer meal delivery to help registrants and attendees feel engaged and appreciated:
- As a thank you. Thank your registrants for their interest in your event by sending them a voucher upon registration. They’ll feel appreciated, and you’ll start your relationship off on the right foot. Even more importantly, thank your attendees for showing up: the gift of a coffee or breakfast item to start their day can go a long way.
- As a surprise. In order to keep discussion groups and round tables interesting, attendees need to participate. Encourage everyone to contribute, and reward those who do with meals and delivery.
- As a prize. Offer an Uber Eats gift card to attendees as a prize for a fun company contest to keep them entertained throughout your event. You can easily send it to the winner by email, so that they can immediately redeem it for their favorite meal. We recommend offering enough to cover dinner at the end of the day.
- As a reward. Keep your attendees on their toes by offering them gift cards for paying attention. You can even put on a quick trivia game to make it interesting.
The benefits of meal delivery
No matter what type of event you’re putting on, you can freshen it up with meal delivery. And while covering meals for all attendees might seem costly, using the Uber for Business dashboard will allow you to manage your budget and easily set controls for when vouchers can be used. You also pay only for what your recipients redeem, helping you to stay within—or under—budget. Vouchers and gift cards are sent digitally and redeemable as soon as they’re received, making it easy on everyone to enjoy.
Whether you’re hosting an internal event like Samsara did or surprising your attendees for your virtual event like Shopify did, Uber for Business can help you cultivate relationships by keeping attendees well fed and engaged.
Posted by Hannah Whiteley
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