Those who sign up to attend your virtual event aren’t attendees, they are people.

Those who choose to speak at your event aren’t speakers, they are people.

Those who want to sponsor or exhibit at your virtual event aren’t exhibitors are sponsors, they are people.

At the end of day, all those who participate in your virtual event want to be a part of a growing community. For this reason, you need to develop ways in which all these individuals can connect with each other before, during, and after your virtual event.

If you put money and profits first and start counting the potential dollars that come rolling through the door, you’re focusing on an intense craving that takes you away from being of service to the people who can make or break your event.

If attendees, exhibitors and sponsors get the sense that you’re driven by money, they won’t participate in any virtual event you produce in the future. And people talk. They’ll share with others why they would NEVER work with you again.

Focus your energy on being of service. Provide an environment where people can interact with each other without too many rules or meddling. Be thankful that you attracted a talented group of people around a topic that you’re passionate about.

Stop trying to control this interaction. Stop trying to put barriers up that prevents those who participate in your virtual event from connecting with one another. Your virtual event is a means to allow people to build their own tribe. Be seen as the individual that allows this to happen. Be seen as this community’s Messiah. Let go of the desire to make money first and instead build the community. You’ll be financially rewarded if you focus on people first.

Recommended Resource: If you’re using WordPress to deliver your virtual events, add a wonderful plugin called SimplePress Forum. It’s a free plugin, so I recommend that if you like it, donate some money to their effort.