Important Note: Any stated order or time listed is approximate and subject to change. Colleagues, clients or prospects planning to watch your presentation should plan to be online by the stated event start time.  For live events, transitions between presentations, technology, and the general nature of a live production can sometimes put us off schedule slightly. Be prepared to present at any time during the scheduled event.

Virtual Water Expo presentations will begin at 10am ET each day. Each company presentation will last approximately 15 minutes.

Expo Schedule

How do people register for the event?

Anyone who is NOT actually delivering remarks or a presentation (whether they are within your company or not) must register via the general access registration page. Registration will be open through the second day of the expo.

Do I need to register for the event as a presenter?

No, all presenters will be provided with a special access url via a calendar invite from the production team once we receive your presenter's email address. Please make sure your presenter invite with access url has been accepted and is in your calendar prior to your scheduled pre-record or the event itself if it is scheduled to be live. 

Do other members of my company need to register for the event to view it live?

Yes, they must register via the general access registration page.

How do I access the live session as a presenter the day of the event?

You will be provided with a special access url via a calendar invite from the production team once we receive your presenter's email address. Please make sure your presenter invite with access url has been accepted and is in your calendar prior to your scheduled pre-record or the event itself if it is scheduled to be live.   

Download and review our Virtual Expo Speaker Checklist prior to your pre-record or tech check if the event is live to guide your technology preparations and presentation.

When will I know the date and time my company is scheduled to present?

Presentation schedules are typically published on the general access registration page as the event draws close. You will receive notification of the schedule from the event production team and/or your business development contact at that time.

How long is my presentation?

Each presenting company is afforded 15 minutes to engage with the audience.  We recommend reserving a minute or two at the end of your demonstration/remarks for audience Q&A. (If the event is being pre-recorded, we will use a seeded question that you supply for this Q&A component.)   

What should my presentation comprise?

This is your presentation and your 15 minutes to engage with your audience.  There are a couple of approaches that would work well.  First, you could provide a product or solution overview, giving details of the features and, more importantly, the benefits of the solution you are presenting to the audience.  Second, or another option, would be to discuss the trend(s) that you are seeing in the marketplace and the role your company, brand or solutions play within those trends.  It's also a good idea to give as much visual representation to your offerings as possible.  For example, images of your equipment, technology, or solution in use are great to include in your presentation. Further, if you are able to present in front of your equipment or show your solution in action on-screen, even better.  At the very least, you should use a professional, branded backdrop, good lighting, and quality sound and video equipment to present well to your audience. 

Important Note for Live Events: if you plan to have more than one speaker make remarks and they are in different locations/on different camera connections, please notify your Water Online contact immediately, so our team can make note of your request.  If there is space to grant more than one connection, we will accommodate that if possible.  We will notify you as soon as possible if we are able to accommodate the request.     

Q&A

Each 15-minute presentation will include an audience question and answer component.  We recommend reserving a minute or so following your remarks/presentation to accommodate one or two audience questions.  For a live event, the moderator will facilitate the Q&A exchange by restating the question submitted by the audience member, which is then answered live by the presenter.  If no suitable questions are submitted by the audience, or for pre-recorded events, the moderator will pose the seeded question submitted by the presenter or fill any extra minutes with questions of their own for the presenter.        

What format does my presentation need to be?

Your presentation should include a demonstration of your equipment, facility, or technology offerings.  PowerPoint sildes to accompany this should adhere to the following parameters:

1. 16:9 widescreen PowerPoint format
2. No specialty or custom fonts - Arial, Times New Roman, and Calibri are safe bets
3. Images and animations are OK
4. No videos embedded in the PPT
5. No timed transitions within or among slides

When are my presentation slides due?

Presentation media are due no later than the final materials due date listed below. This section is also where you can view the materials you have submitted and update your submission (by clicking the "Submit Materials" button). Updates must also be completed by the materials due date. Late submissions may not be accepted, cannot be guaranteed compatibility with the platform, and may forfeit your inclusion in the expo.

Will I be on video?

Yes, whether pre-recorded or live, the expo is intended to mimic a physical trade show as much as possible, and requires presenters to be on video with audio. 

How will the event flow and what will transitions between presenters look like?

The expo will begin with a very short introduction by the moderator. Each presenter will then have 15 minutes to present, including any time for Q&A with the audience. Transitions between presentations will be very brief and include a simple introduction of each presenter by the moderator. The session will conclude with brief parting remarks by the moderator. 

What kind of equipment/technological setup do I need to participate as a presenter?

You will need a solid internet connection (hard-wired is the most fail-safe), a laptop or desktop computer, a high quality web cam, built-in or freestanding microphone, and wired earbuds/headphones (we do not recommend wireless/Bluetooth earbuds or headphones).  Google Chrome browser and whitelisting On24 on your corporate firewall are recommended. Please consult with your a/v expert for facility tours or equipment demonstrations where there are noise concerns or special video arrangements needed. 

What kind of room/space and background should I use for my presentation?

The best location for your presentation is in front of your equipment/in your facility.  We highly recommend a professional, branded backdrop/banner as well.  Please note that virtual backgrounds are not available with all webinar tech platforms.  Please check with our technical director for specifics.

How do I ensure my technology will work during the live event?

If the expo is scheduled to be broadcast live, presenters must attend a pre-event tech check to test audio and video performance. It is critical that the same equipment and location used during the tech check is what will be used during the live event. Tech checks are typically scheduled approximately one week prior to the live event; you will hear from the production team with available dates and times. While we will do our very best to help you prevent any issues, we cannot guarantee performance. Your best defense against issues is to follow all of the advice, guidelines, and warnings of the producer before, during, and after the tech check and to use an a/v expert where needed.  You can also request time with the producer for additional testing or practice if needed.

What technology platform is used for this event?

On24

What do I do if I am having technical difficulties the day of or during the live event?

If the expo is scheduled to be broadcast live, you can reach out to producer Miles at mszkoda@vertmarkets.com up to 30 minutes prior to the live event (be sure you can be reached on the contact number you provided). Within 30 minutes of the event or during the event, if you become disconnected and are unable to use the team chat function within the technology platform to resolve your issue with the producer, please contact event director, Angel at 814-706-3354. Both Miles and Angel will be monitoring phone, email, and team chat leading up to and during the event to assist. If tech difficulties render you unable to present or complete your presentation, the moderator will step in to inform the audience that there have been some technical difficulties and you will be moved to the end of the live session in order to try and resolve your technical difficulties on the back end in the interim.  As a last resort, you may be asked to dial in by phone and complete your presentation by audio only (because of this possibility, we highly advise having a hard-copy printout of your presentation deck available; we will do our best to advance any slides you are using at your verbal prompt).

If the Virtual Water Expo has been planned as a pre-recording (your Water Online contact will have communicated that to you), here is what to expect.  Instead of logging onto the On24 platform on the broadcast dates, you will work with the Water Online team to schedule your pre-record at least a week prior to these dates.  At that time, your speaker(s) will be prepared to present on video just as they would if the event were being broadcast live.  This means you will want to dress properly, have your branded backgrounds ready, have tested your technology, and have practiced your presentation to ensure a smooth pre-record.  While pre-records will not be available to view, edit, tweak, etc. before the event is broadcast, any major glitches or mistakes during your pre-record can be re-recorded during that time.  From an audience perspective, the experience during the broadcast will be the same as it is with a live event.  They will be able to submit questions, download slide decks, and utilize the various engagement tools on the interface just the same. You will receive all registrant engagement data one week following the broadcast, just as you would with a live event.     

Please direct this information to your marketing/promotion team. This tab provides supporting collateral for any marketing efforts you plan to execute with your customer and prospect base.

1. Use this link for access to the following:
   • LinkedIn Images
   • Event logo
2. We will be sending suggested text and a personalized HTML file highlighting your company’s presentation for social media promotion. To request this again or for any additional files to help in your personal promotional efforts, please email aclark@vertmarkets.com.

Who will the event be promoted to?

The Virtual Water Expo is promoted to Water Online's database of subscribers, as well as targeted recipients on LinkedIn. Additionally, each presenting sponsor is encouraged to promote to their clients and prospects. 

How will the event be promoted?

Beginning around 6 weeks prior to the live event, Water Online promotes the event through several channels, including, but not limited to the list below. We encourage our presenting sponsors to do the same.

• Our websites
• Email
• Social
• Newsletters

When should I start promoting the event?

The heaviest registrant traffic typically comes in within two weeks of the live event; therefore, we suggest ramping up your efforts at that point.

What materials will you need from my company?

• Company name, logo, website, and description
• Company primary contact name and contact info
• Presenter name, title, email, headshot, and mobile phone number for day-of event
• Presentation abstract
• Presentation format
• PowerPoint slides (if using)
• Seeded questions (in case no live questions are asked)

When are materials due?

The materials due dates are listed in the section below. Any materials submitted after the due dates are not guaranteed to be included in all promotional efforts.

How do I submit materials?

Most materials may be viewed via the Sponsor Materials section below. Click the yellow "Submit Materials" button to submit or update any of the fields in this view.

How will materials be used?

Logos, website urls, company descriptions, presentation abstract, format, and presenter name, title, and headshot will be used in event promotional efforts as well as on the audience interface during the event. Primary contact and presenter contact information will be kept confidential and only used for internal preparation regarding the expo.  Powerpoint slides, and seeded questions (if used) will be kept confidential until the event is broadcast.

Important note: in addition to it's use in promotional efforts, the presentation abstract that is submitted will also be used by the event moderator to introduce your speaker and presentation during the live event.  If the abstract is more than one or two sentences and/or does not offer an actual preview of what the presentation will entail, it will be condensed by the Water Online production team to fit the need for promotion and/or introduction.  

What does my sponsorship include?

As a presenting sponsor, you will receive:

• A 15-minute engagement opportunity to present your technology/product offerings.
• A complete list of name, title, company, address, and email addresses of all expo registrants within one week of the conclusion of the event.
• A complete list of questions asked by registrants during your presentation component of the event sent within one week of the conclusion of the event.
• Slide deck (or other asset) download information, including clicker details sent within one week of the conclusion of the event. 
• Company visibility via logo and name usage in various promotional efforts and on-screen during the event.

When will our company receive the registrant list?

Within one week of the conclusion of the event.

How can we view the event post-show?

The event will be digitally archived and accessible within about 24 hours following the conclusion of the live event. The archived event can be accessed via the registration link. If you are already registered for the event, it may be accessed via the same url you received by email when you signed up, or via the link that is emailed to you approximately 24 hours after the event concludes. 

Within approximately two weeks after the event, the recordings will be available via Water Online.

Can we promote the event post-show?

Presenting sponsors are welcome to promote the digitally archived event post-show and can do so using the same registration urls sent to them prior to the event (or via Water Online approximately two weeks post-show).  Additionally, your individual post-event video cut is encouraged for sharing/promotion as you see fit.