Hosting a cybersecurity event can not only empower your team, but it can also strengthen the posture of your organization. The real choice isn’t if you should host an event — you definitely should — but how to host it. Cyber security events can be a virtual event experience or in-person, and there are several speakers you can hire for either option.
Here, we’ll take a look at the differences between hosting a Mitnick Security virtual cybersecurity event and hosting an in-person event with a different speaker.
Cost-Effectiveness and Return on Investment
With many workers now operating remotely, bringing together the team for an event can be difficult — and expensive — due to travel, lodging, and securing a great location for an in-person event. These conditions can be further complicated if the event is canceled, rescheduled, or has a decreased attendance rate due to unavoidable circumstances such as illness or family emergencies.
With a virtual event, you can focus your efforts on booking the right speaker and hyping up the event to your team with emails and additional information. Since the event is online, employees can tune in from home even if they are feeling under the weather.
An increased attendance rate because of the convenience of a virtual cybersecurity event improves your return on investment (ROI). Additionally, with a Minick Security virtual event, you’ll have the option to include replay rights of the keynote in your speaking agreement to allow employees who missed the event — or those who just have to watch it one more time — the opportunity to experience the event at their convenience.
The Power of Video — And the RIGHT Speaker
According to several studies, video learning has proven to be more effective than in-person lectures. This could be explained by a number of reasons, including the addition of visual aids and actual examples of cybersecurity breaches.
When selecting a speaker for your next cybersecurity event, you want someone who will:
- Engage with the audience.
- Provide insight through a Q&A.
- Openly share their knowledge and experience.
A formal lecturer often does none of these things, which may make the audience members feel like they’re at school trying to remember complex terms instead of at a cybersecurity experience. This is where a speaker who can create interest through formats such as live hacking demonstrations can help make learning impactful for the audience through engaging storytelling and utilizing fresh content.
Although the right speaker can make an in-person event more interesting, today’s technology allows for a unique, virtual experience that is unforgettable for your audience. However, a speaker who is used to in-person events must be adaptable in providing that same level of quality and engagement virtually in order for a virtual event to be equally successful.
A vibrant virtual speaker who uses a hands-on approach to learning will help draw in the audience and leave them feeling more knowledgeable and prepared to protect themselves and your organization from threat actors.
Flexibility
With an in-person cyber security event, your guest list is limited to the number of seats available at the event’s location. Renting a large auditorium to fit as many of your employees as possible may seem like a good idea, but it can be a waste of money if not everyone attends. Additionally, changing the date and time of the in-person event can be nearly impossible due to the limited availability of the speaker, the event location, and the audience.
With a virtual event, there is no limit to the number of people who can attend, and the attendees can watch from any device, enabling them to participate no matter where they are located. Additionally, the audience may have the opportunity to use a built-in chat feature to ask questions during a virtual event. At an in-person event, there may not be time for the audience to get their questions answered or there may be no way for an audience member in the back of the room to get their questions answered.
Measuring and Reporting Cybersecurity Event Metrics
At an in-person event, your organization may not have a way to see who attended the full event, who came late, or who left early. What’s more, there usually is no metric to analyze for audience participation and engagement during an in-person cybersecurity event.
At your virtual cyber security event, you will know who attended based on the statistics captured by the virtual event platform. These statistics may include:
- Who clicked on the attendance link.
- Which audience members were late or came early.
- Who may have “tuned out” by going idle.
With this information, you can get more out of your cybersecurity education event and increase your ROI.
Additionally, your virtual event planning would benefit from including surveys sent before and after the event to understand the impact of your virtual speaker and to find opportunities to cover different cybersecurity topics.
Virtual Events by Kevin Mitnick: Entertainment With A Purpose
Cyber security training can be impactful, but only if it’s informative and engaging. That’s why a virtual event hosted by Kevin Mitnick can revolutionize the way your employees see the importance of protecting themselves and the organization.
Not sure how to host a virtual cybersecurity event that will be remembered? Download your free checklist today to learn the best tips and tricks for hosting a successful virtual event.
