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Virtual events are replacing in-person events in many industries. From virtual happy hours with employees to full industry conferences, online events allow businesses to reach people around the world. If you’re looking to host more events for your small business, here are some ways to leverage virtual venues.

A virtual event is a gathering that takes place in an online setting. They may include webinars, video and audio sessions, and interactions between attendees in a live chat or audio format. Some virtual events take place in one session, while others offer multiple days full of content and online engagement. And these can be events to attract new customers, educate, or just have fun.

The perfect virtual event idea can help you boost engagement with remote team members, customers, and industry leaders. These social gatherings should promote interaction and offer a fun virtual experience for everyone to enjoy.

If you want to hold an interesting virtual event for your next occasion, here are some event planning tips that are sure to wow your virtual audience.

A cocktail class would include an instructor teaching mixology to your team. This would be especially beneficial for bartenders or event businesses. But it could also be a fun team building activity for office workers.

Speed networking allows attendees to make individual connections quickly. This can benefit professional organizations, chambers of commerce, or businesses with large teams that don’t all know one another.

A virtual concert would include a video performance from a musical artist. And your team may bond over the experience or even chat via text during the event.

Bonding over movies can bring a team together. You can all start at the same time and then video chat or text throughout.

Scavenger hunts force teams to work together. Create objectives and break people into groups to encourage collaboration.

Coffee breaks allow team members to chat about ideas or just get to know one another. Make it a casual video chat where everyone brings their own coffee.

Happy hours are similarly casual. Everyone can make their own drinks at home and get to know each other in a casual setting.

Some offices let employees bring pets to work. If your team is remote, encourage everyone to have their animals present during a meeting or coworking session to add some fun.

Draw inspiration from your favorite game show like Jeopardy or Family Feud to encourage your team to work together and have fun while learning new facts.

You can purchase video tours from tourism companies that visit museums or other attractions. Then everyone can chat about their experiences.

Paint and wine nights are common bonding experiences. Host one on a video chat platform to encourage creativity while also having fun.

If you have a small team, have everyone make a dish and enjoy conversation while video chatting.

For larger teams or industry organizations, prom may be a fun way to bring people together. Everyone should dress up and take photos. And you can share music and activities online.

For a more laid back experience, host lunch on a video chat platform, where you can also chat about ideas without a strict meeting format.

Lots of in-person teams have birthday parties in the office. So if you have a remote team, host one on a video platform to recognize each team member.

A successful virtual world event doesn’t need to have a specific business objective. Your next online event may just be something fun for your team to enjoy in a virtual setting. Here are a few ideas to consider.

Have employees compete against others in a public contest or host an internal trivia night where departments compete against one another.

A virtual giveaway can reward your employees or loyal customers. Invite people to attend and give each one an entry into your contest.

Mindfulness activities like meditation and yoga can help your team control their thoughts. Offer it as an option each month to improve morale.

Use social media to engage customers or employees in an ongoing contest. For example, a local gym may create a weight-lifting challenge that people can participate in with a hashtag.

Game night on a video chat platform can work as a team building activity. Or you can host ongoing gaming challenges where people connect on social media.

Video fitness classes encourage wellness. Invite a guest instructor or have your team sign up as virtual attendees for a public class. Alternatively, personal trainers or gyms may offer these for customers.

Escape rooms have become fun outings and team building exercises. Find a virtual room to encourage remote workers to collaborate and find creative solutions.

Murder mysteries also encourage problem solving. Create your own or find an online event company that hosts one to invite your employees.

Craft nights can encourage creativity in teams. Or if your business offers craft supplies or tutorials, an online event can encourage engagement among customers.

Professional gamers and gaming companies may benefit from challenges that everyone can participate in. Post on Twitch and encourage others to share their own content online.

Some online events simply take place in a video chat or on social media. But larger virtual corporate events are often held in dedicated online venue spaces that can accommodate more guests and features. Here are some types of virtual events that work well in these spaces.

Recognize your employees for their unique contributions by offering each one a personalized award.

You can sell tickets to top clients or invite your team to this formal event. Then provide exclusive entertainment, raffles, and other activities.

Businesses can sponsor these educational events or professional orgs can offer them to members. Just choose the right video conferencing platform software and offer breakout sessions so guests can personalize their experience.

Summits are like conferences. But they feature multiple hosts sharing different information. This can help thought leaders increase their reach.

A virtual meeting can help your team share ideas. You can even have pre event chat rooms so departments can collaborate.

Online team building events can help remote teams get to know one another and collaborate.

An exhibition hall helps different businesses within an industry share products or services with interested buyers or investors.

Share a tour of your office or another venue from every direction to give customers a behind-the-scenes look.

Bring in guest speakers to add value to various events. Or host a dedicated lecture to educate your team or provide value to customers.

Online courses can teach employees about a variety of subjects. Or you can sell courses to customers.

Training sessions offer a more hands-on experience.

Your team can share ideas using event apps or video platforms.

Fundraisers are useful for nonprofits or businesses that raise money for causes. Offer raffles and contests to add value for attendees.

Coworking can be useful for remote teams that miss the comraderie of the office.

Livestreaming can provide an immersive experience in real time, like a day in the life at your office. This may boost engagement with remote employees or customers.

You may have to work a bit harder to get people engaged in events they can’t attend in person. But these techniques may help:

Image: Depositphotos

This article, "40 Virtual Event Ideas" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2021/11/virtual-event-ideas.html

Helen Keller once described the most pathetic person in the world as someone “who has sight, but has no vision.” It’s not enough to know what your small business does, you have to have a vision of what you can achieve in order to meet that potential.

Identifying that potential becomes possible by designing a vision statement, which summarizes the aspirations of an organization and describes the impact it hopes to make on customers, the industry or the world.

What is a vision statement? A vision statement is an often inspirational declaration of an organization’s future. A good vision statement will use emotional language and paint a picture of a company’s journey and precisely what impact the group hopes to make on the world. A perfect vision statement establishes the core reasons for an organization’s existence. The book Total Alignment highlights in great detail why this is so important.

Vision statements are important to businesses for a variety of reasons. A well-designed vision statement can highlight a company’s strategic plan in its simplest terms. A vision statement also instills a sense of belonging among all members of an organization, as well as a better understanding of a company’s shared goals.

In fact, employees who found their company’s mission statement to be meaningful demonstrated engagement levels an impressive 52% higher than employees who didn’t. External associates can look to a company’s vision statement to understand the business’ purpose. All of these benefits of a vision statement combined equal one important result: growth.

How do you write a vision statement? It might seem like a daunting task to define a company’s vision for its future in a way that inspires employees, stakeholders and customers. How can you make a simple statement that can have such an impact on the success of an entire organization?

You can write a new vision statement with some time, planning and careful consideration. The following steps will help you when writing a vision statement:

A good vision statement should encompass a company’s greater purpose and its goals for the future. Determine what your small business’ goals are, and incorporate these into your vision statement. What impact do you want your company to have on customers and the world? What do you want to see your company ultimately achieve?

A vision statement isn’t the time to beat around a bush. Be sure your vision statement is clear, and choose bold language that incites an emotional response. Remember, words have power.

The perfect vision statement is short, sweet and cuts straight to the point. Use limited descriptions and briefly summarize your goals and purpose in as few words as possible.

You’re not writing a mission statement. It’s vital to understand the distinct difference between mission and vision statements: time. While mission statements explain where a company is now and where it will be in the near future, a vision statement describes what it aspires to become across time.

Almost every successful company has a vision statement, so there are so many of the best vision statement examples available to reference. Just conduct a web search for your favorite organizations’ vision statements, and you’ll be treated to all types of samples to use as a guide when writing your own.

How are some of the world’s most successful organizations defining their own visions? What do you think of their inspiring vision statements? Check out the following 22 examples of good vision statements from famous companies:

Ikea’s vision statement reads, “Our vision is to create a better everyday life for many people.”

In its vision statement, LinkedIn defines what sets the company apart from other social media platforms when it says, “Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.”

Patagonia’s vision statement states: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”

The Ford Motor Company’s vision statement says, “People working together as a lean, global enterprise to make people’s lives better through automotive and mobility leadership.”

Southwest’s vision statement states, “To be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline.”

Tesla’s vision statement reads, “Create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.”

The San Diego Zoo’s vision statement says, “To become a world leader at connecting people to wildlife and conservation.”

The Nature Conservancy’s vision statement looks to the company’s future and encompasses its values: “To leave a sustainable world for future generations.”

AT&T’s vision statement reads, “To build a new global communications network that allows human resources to reallocate to more complex and productive activities – within a decade.”

Johnson & Johnson uses the following vision statement: “For every person to use their unique experiences and backgrounds, together – to spark solutions that create a better, healthier world.”

The BBC‘s vision statement is short and sweet: “To be the most creative organization in the world.”

Ben & Jerry’s defines its core values in the following mission statement: “Making the best ice cream in the nicest possible way.”

Feeding America’s short business vision statement describes the organization’s efforts: “A hunger-free America.”

The TED organization presents the world’s information and uses a short vision statement: “Spread ideas.”

Zoom’s short vision statement reads, “Video communications empowering people to accomplish more.”

Oxfam’s vision statement is simple and describes the company’s commitment: “A just world without poverty.”

Whole Foods’ inspiring vision statement says, “To nourish people and the planet.”

In its vision statement, the world’s premier entertainment company says its vision is, “To be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information.”

Amazon’s vision statement shows the company isn’t afraid to dream big; it reads, “Our vision is to be earth’s most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”

IBM uses a vision statement detailing its overarching vision, saying, “To be the world’s most successful and important information technology company. Successful in helping our customers apply technology to solve their problems. Successful in introducing this extraordinary technology to new customers. Important because we will continue to be the basic resource of much of what is invested in this industry.”

McDonald’s vision statement describes its values: “To move with velocity to drive profitable growth and become an even better McDonald’s serving more customers delicious food each day around the world.”

The Warby Parker vision statement confirms the company’s direction is to offer designer eyewear; it reads, “We believe that buying glasses should be easy and fun. It should leave you happy and good-looking, with money in your pocket. We also believe that everyone has the right to see.”

How can you describe your entire business’s vision in just a few words? It is possible to create the perfect vision statement for your small business with creativity, focus and effort. The following few tips for writing a vision statement should help:

Image: Depositphotos

This article, "22 Vision Statement Examples" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2021/11/vision-statement-examples.html

With a little under half the US labor force working from home during 2021, it certainly seems like remote working has become a big a part of our ‘new normal’.

As the infographic compiled by TrackTime24 below shows, most work-from-home (WFH) employees report being happy with the situation. However, it has caused many  employers to have trust issues with their work force. This has led to some employers attempting to micromanage their employees during working hours, which in turn has disgruntled many of the WFH employees.

The research by TrackTime24 discovered 85% of employers have doubts regarding their leadership pipelines. Add on top of that the 69% of managers who feel uncomfortable communicating with employees via the various technologies available to do so while remote working, and it is easy to see why there are trust issues.

Even 48% of employees recognize that there have been changes in the levels of trust since the pandemic. Now one in five employees believe micromanagement from employers, either in the form of excessive control or an over-attention to detail, is the most stressful aspect of working from home.

With 54% of WFH employees wanting to keep remote working post-Covid, small businesses need to overcome these trust issues. Finding the right balance to keep both the employer and employees happy can reap great rewards.

The research showed WFH employers saved $22,000 a year per fulltime WFH employee, and $11,000 per year for a halftime WFH employee. That created a total of $700 billion in national savings in a single year.

The key to finding the right balance appears to a combination of communication and openness to employees’ needs, as well as work culture changes such as valuing productivity and output over hours worked.

Image: tracktime24

This article, "Trust Issues Present When Working from Home" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2021/11/work-from-home-trust-issues.html

A study by PWC predicts that global cashless payment volumes will double from 2020 to 2025, to almost 1.9 trillion transactions, and will almost triple by 2030, due to the changes brought by the COVID pandemic. We’re going to continue to see these effects from the pandemic ripple throughout the next few years.

This week on The Small Business Radio Show, Stoyan Kenderov is the Chief Product and Technology Officer at Plastiq, leads the product efforts for one of the most innovative and disruptive payments companies in America. Prior to Plastiq, Stoyan worked at Quicken, where he held various business and product leadership roles until ultimately becoming the Chief Product and Design Officer at Lending Club.

Stoyan discusses how credit cards have existed for 70 years, but everything is faster today and moving to the cloud. He adds that “85% of business suppliers don’t accept cards because the cost of acceptance is high and 60% of businesses are still using checks despite the high cost of check payments.”  (Goldman Sachs says it costs $22 to accept a check.)

One important trend Stoyan says is driving the faster money movement is the increased adoption of embedded payments which Plastiq helps with. He emphasizes that  “faced with COVID-19, businesses had to re-tool and become eCommerce businesses almost overnight. With embedded payments and embedded finance, every company can be a fintech company – and we’re going to continue to see that adoption intensify in the next few years, as businesses embrace these payment solutions.”

In this recovery economy, cash flow becomes tight. Stoyan explains that “Plastiq helps alleviate significant up-front costs for production and inventory by floating payments through our platform, extending the payment terms, so that the businesses are able to see returns from sales before their payments are due. This is particularly effective for overseas vendors”.

Listen to the entire episode on The Small Business Radio Show.

Image: Stoyan Kenderov

This article, "How Your Business Can Benefit from the Cashless Payment Revolution" was first published on Small Business Trends

Read more: https://smallbiztrends.com/2021/11/cashless-payment-revolution-stoyan-kenderov.html