by Earl Murtagh-Naughton – Head of Marketing
While companies all over the world, particularly in the US have been adopting a more hybrid approach to AGMs over the years, it wasn’t until the pandemic that large scale virtual and hybrid AGMs started to really take off here. IMS can help provide the technical expertise needed to prepare and set up virtual AGMs in Ireland. We can also host and manage every aspect of the event on the day ensuring a high quality and professional experience for all members from start to finish.
With this in mind we’ve compiled a handy list of just some of our tips for hosting an AGM….
- The first and most important thing when it comes to hosting an AGM is governance. You will need to check that you are legally compliant when hosting your virtual AGM and that you put all the necessary protocol in place.
- Once you’re good to go you’ll need to plan your AGM, decide which speakers are presenting, what they will be wearing to suit the background they will have etc.
- Up next you’ll need to decide what is the order of business for your AGM and what slides and audio will be needed for each guest speaker.
- Don’t forget to give your presenters/guests speakers plenty of notice of the AGM so they can rehearse properly. You should also provide them with a running order of the event with timings for each section and any important notes so they are fully briefed and prepared ahead of time.
- Next up you’ll need to send out the information to everyone attending including the date and time of your virtual AGM, how to access it and how to connect and interact with other attendees.
- On the day of the AGM you should set aside an hour or two to do a full run through with your presenters/speakers so that you can test the internet connection, sound and lighting and make sure your slides are working.
- Another very important element to a virtual AGM is voting. Zoom has a polling feature that is very handy and they also put a great emphasis on security which is another crucial element to a successful virtual or hybrid AGM.
- The correct venue whether that is a home or work office with the right sound and lighting can also make or break your virtual AGM so preparing ahead is important as is fielding any questions that will arise and the need for members to communicate with each other during the meeting.
- Preparing for plan B is another important factor when hosting a virtual/hybrid AGM. Backup internet connections, laptops, audio sources etc will be invaluable if something goes wrong in the middle of your virtual AGM as will a knowledgeable tech team who can support and guide you throughout the process.
- Speaking of spare laptops, two screens can often be beneficial for presenters who can use one to present and the second one to view the meeting as the attendees are experiencing it.
- Finally then after your virtual AGM don’t forget to do a full debriefing with your team so you can discuss what worked well and also what can be improved on for the next time. A very good idea is to record your AGM and do a detailed report on your debriefing so you can learn from it each time going forward.
These are just some of the many tips and advice we can offer when you are hosting an AGM. The team at IMS are experts at planning and supporting virtual meetings and events so if you would like help in executing your next AGM, get in touch.
