Remember when you would gather with coworkers at the bar? Happy hours, power lunches, business seminars at a restaurant, unfortunately those are all a thing of the past.
Another aspect that can be lumped in with this is a company’s annual award banquet or dinner. A usual staple for businesses every year, these are yet another thing that have gone from being in-person to now going virtual.
You obviously still want to recognize the best of the best within your company, so a virtual awards program is now a necessity. Giving your colleagues that needed and necessary recognition is even more important during times like these.
So, how do you do that in a virtual setting? We have some great tips to make sure that you deliver a memorable and engaging virtual awards event!
– Overdeliver on the opening!
Think about the award shows you’ve ever watched on television. Whether it is the Academy Awards, Emmy’s or any other big show, there is always a major happening at the beginning to draw you in.
Similar to the cold open format on popular television shows, starting off with something humorous, entertaining, fun or all of the above is a great way to bring the audience and set the table for a fun night.
Doing so in a virtual manner can be accomplished with something like booking an entertainment act to start with a musical number or perhaps a virtual comedian to start with an opening monologue or set. If you hire a comedian, they can work in specifics about your company and employees that can really personalize it for the audience and go the extra mile.
– Realize the reality and read the room
You do have to consider that there are some major differences between an in-person awards banquet and one that is done online. You want to make sure that you keep the program itself short and scripted in a tight manner. Audience attention spans are short to begin with, and making your employees or attendees look at a screen for too long will lead to a dull event.
Picking someone to be a ‘master of ceremonies’ is a great idea as well. Booking someone who is well-spoken and can transition from topic to topic is excellent way to make sure that the event does not run too long. Hiring a comedian to be in this role is actually a great idea. They can keep the mood light and move from a set of jokes to the next award can keep the event engaging and moving. You also want to make sure that each award winner has an opportunity to speak – but only for a set amount of time. Just like the award shows on television, don’t be afraid to play someone off the stage with some music!
– Pick top-notch entertainment for your program
What can really set your virtual awards event apart from the rest is by booking a great entertaining act. Let’s face it, this past year has been difficult for everyone. Allowing a sense of ‘escape’ for an hour or two via a great virtual act is a great way to accomplish this.
You can pick someone like a mentalist, singer, speaker or comedian. We can certainly help with the latter, whether you need a clean comedian for an awards show for your middle school basketball awards at the end of the season or a corporate comedian for your annual awards banquet for employees. If you choose to hire a comedian, it is a great way to ensure that your award show has a great mix of funny and function in a virtual setting!
We’d love to help make this happen. Contact us today to book a virtual comedian to ensure your virtual awards show is a smashing success!