We’re delighted that you’re considering Gather for your virtual event! We’ve collected a list of questions that will help you plan and host the best possible event. Thoughts are grouped roughly by the classic who-what-when-where-why-and-how problem-solving questions.
Why
The first thing to decide is why you’re having the event. Whether you're throwing together a monthly game night with friends or planning a professional event, having a clear purpose will drive how you design your event and what tools you might need to achieve your goal. In addition to the overall why, follow-up questions could include:
- What do you want to accomplish? (e.g., do you want people to have fun? learn? network?)
- Why should people attend? What will they get out of it?
What
Next, you need to decide what you want to do (and not do!) at your event.
- What is the content? Will it be live, recorded, or a mix?
- Is there a theme? What is it?
- What is your budget?
- What is your backup plan if someone cancels, a session ends early, or you have technical difficulties?
Who
You can’t host an event without people! Within each of the following groups, ask yourself—what is their level of comfort with Gather? Do they have any special needs? What will make these people want to be a part of your event?
- Who are your guests?
- Who are your speakers?
- Who are your sponsors?
- Who is your support staff?
- Do you need a host or emcee?
- How many people, total, will be at your event?
When
Pick the date and time for your event. Before you set the final date, ask yourself:
- Do you need a schedule or agenda?
- Will multiple time zones be involved?
Where
If you're reading this, then the answer to this question is fairly simple: your event will be in Gather! But keep in mind it's perfectly normal to use Gather as one tool in your toolbox. You may want to host large presentations (150+ people) on Zoom or use YouTube to livestream a keynote speaker, but move to Gather for more casual, interactive social experiences.
How
How is the most important question to ask yourself. The good news is, the Gather support team, help center, and Ambassadors are all here to help you achieve your vision. If you don't know the answer, just reach out and ask!
- How will you design your Space? Will you use a Gather template, create a Space from scratch yourself, or hire a Partner to bring your dream to life?
- How will you market your event?
- How will people register or RSVP?
- How will you know if your event was successful?
- Can you do this on your own, or do you want help?
Next Steps
Now that you've thought about the most important parts of planning and hosting your event, you can move on to the key steps:
- Create an account: We don't want you to create a Space and then lose all your work!
- Use the events checklist: Head to https://gather.town/get-started and we'll walk you through the key details of your event! You'll pick and customize your Space, create an event landing page, and manage key admin tasks.
- Make a reservation: If you're planning on a Gathering of more than 10 people, make a reservation or start a monthly subscription. You can do this from the checklist or any time from your Space dashboard.
- Send the invites! Whether you copy and paste the URL of your Space, share your landing page, or send invites through the app, it's easy to share Gather with others.
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