Episode 196: How to Make Virtual Events and Connection as Good as (or Better) Than in Person

written by Kate Northrup

The last week of July I was supposed to be in NYC with the Origin Mastermind on our second live retreat of the year.

For reasons that I think are obvious, we begrudgingly decided to have a virtual retreat instead.

At first, I was feeling really concerned that I was disappointing the Mastermind members.

But then, as we embraced the “is-ness,” as my friend Dr. Shefali says, and surrendered to what was happening rather than wallow in wishing it was different, magic began to emerge.

Many of us are finding ourselves needing to lead virtual gatherings—from small meetings to Mastermind retreats to full-on conferences—online this year.

Something happened during the event that I did not see coming, and I was thrilled by the surprise.

Listen in to this week’s episode of The Kate & Mike Show to learn:

The specific steps we took (with the timeline) to set ourselves up for a glorious virtual retreat
How we used the element of surprise to weave magic throughout
The specific swag we sent, including a small $11 item from Amazon that I can’t talk about without feeling giddy
The questions to ask yourself when being in community online, so you’re not missing out on an opportunity for genuine connection

This episode is a must for anyone leading virtual events this year.

I’m excited to hear what ideas the episode sparks for you!

How to Make Virtual Events and Connection as Good as (or Better) Than in Person

In This Episode

Why Kate says she felt nervous heading into the virtual retreat [6:54]
The mindset she adopted in order to promote true connection with all attendees [9:25]
Her commitment to start planning early for the event, and the very first steps taken [12:25]
Some of the ways that the attendees were made to feel extra special [24:23]
Why “deeper not wider” was the theme and what it really means for everyone in 2020 [31:50]
What can happen when things line up perfectly to form an integrated experience [40:40]
Kate’s key takeaways from the virtual event [42:30]
How she incorporated body, energy and space for everyone at the event [43:40]
Why communication and setting expectations is key [46:00]
A positive we see coming from the new normal we find ourselves in [48:49]