Stand-up reception, online.
▶ Watch · Free From Food Awards 2013 Highlights/p>
In short —
Networking is the whole point of the Free From Food Awards. Replicating that in a virtual format sounded difficult — until Evessio's Awards Room delivered 2,500+ chats and nearly 100 video calls in a single evening.
A success story
The Free From Food Awards 2021 is one of those stories. The event not only replicated the same experience — it saw higher interaction and communication between attendees than the in-person version.
The Free From Food Awards are focused on bringing the free-from community together and creating an environment where sponsors and attendees can easily network. In May 2021, the organisers sought a virtual solution to replicate their live awards ceremony and turned to the Awards Room, powered by Evessio.
Stand-up format
Originally a stand-up reception — guests free to move around the room.
Pre-event setup
Guests created profiles with LinkedIn before the event.
Guidance video
Full visual tour of the room ahead of the night.
Targeted networking
Attendees could see who was attending and plan their chats.
The original format mattered
The event has always been a stand-up reception — guests free to network and move around the room without being restricted by formal table seating. That engaging format needed to be at the heart of the digital event. The organisers were clear: the same quality of connectivity was required from a virtual ceremony, since one of the most significant reasons for holding the awards is to strengthen long-standing relationships and discuss developments in the free-from community.
Networking that exceeded the in-person version.
Two-way conversations were the norm across the night. Almost all seated guests made conversation — strong evidence of higher engagement than at comparable physical events.
Setting up for success
Communications between guests had to be engaging and unrestrictive. With this in mind, the approach to adopting the Awards Room was firmly rooted in ensuring that the platform's networking functionality was fully utilised. The event organisers worked closely with Evessio in their strategy — and the results were phenomenal.
To ensure the full range of tools was used, all attendees were given a thorough grounding in the platform in advance — including a guidance video and visual tour of the room provided by Evessio. Guests were also encouraged to create their profiles in advance — including LinkedIn links — letting them see who would be attending and target their networking before the event began.
Straight from the room
From the team behind the awards.
The Awards Room delivered more than we could have hoped for.
The support from the Evessio team was astounding — immediate responses.
Never feeling like we were any trouble with our numerous questions.
Taking on board any small adjustments we suggested.
A successful live networking event, digitally
The Awards Room exceeded expectations around hosting a digital networking event. This is evidence that a highly successful live networking event can be replicated — and even surpassed — in a digital environment. Utilise the tools, communicate clearly with your platform partner, and the result can be outstanding.
Need a virtual event that delivers real networking?
See how the Awards Room turns digital ceremonies into genuine connections.