With political, economic and pandemic uncertainty at an all-time high, Sequence is being engaged to execute virtual events within shorter time frames than ever. The days of 10-month lead times are long gone, having been replaced by 10-week planning windows — and that’s if we’re lucky! So while we continue to design and produce a wide range of virtual experiences for a variety of clients, the common thread these days is usually a truncated timeline.
Below is a sample timeline / milestone recap that provides a guidemap to creating a virtual event on a 10-week timeframe.
10 Weeks Out - Lock-in all speakers (Talent, Host, Presenters, Honorees, etc.); Finalize event marketing plan; Determine giveaways / physical touch-points to guests or VIPs; Source virtual platform
9 Weeks Out - Distribute virtual site assessments to all speakers; Distribute invite / save the date
8 Weeks Out - Finalize virtual platform; First draft of ROS; Finalize giveaways / physical touch-points to guests or VIPs
7 Weeks Out - Assess speakers’ at-home setups and finalize A/V drop-kits as needed; Finalize filming plan for pre-recorded sessions
6 Weeks Out - Determine digital assets for filming and live segments (lower thirds, title slides, graphics, etc.); Second draft of ROS
5 Weeks Out - Finalize user experience and content plan for Virtual Platform; Open registration
4 Weeks Out - Communication on tech rehearsals and/or filming segments to speakers; Finalize ROS
3 Weeks Out - Finalize digital assets for filming and live segments (lower thirds, title slides, graphics, etc.)
2 Weeks Out - Platform fully live and ready; Conduct tech rehearsals; Speaker presentations / collateral received; Giveaways / physical touch-points sent
1 Weeks Out - Finalize script (for any live moments); Filming of content completed
Event Week - Final test of all content in virtual platform; Cue-to-cue; EVENT DAY(S)!!!
Post Event Week - Event Debrief, Cocktails and Relaxation :)
This plan is of course very top-line! At Sequence we always tailor the process and timeline based on your organization, your event and your goals. Regardless, we hope you find this action-packed example helpful. Please reach out if we can help create a more curated timeline for your upcoming event!