Virtual Watch Party Guide SLC2025

Elevate Your SLC Experience with Community

MARCH 20, 2025 HYNES CONVENTION CENTER, BOSTON, MA ONLINE FROM ANYWHERE ON-DEMAND FOR 90 DAYS

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What is a Virtual Watch Party?

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Benefits of Virtual Watch Parties

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7 Strategies for Hosting a Conference Watch Party

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Client Example: Beacon Hill Story of Impact

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Watch Party Checklist for Success

Each year, at the Simmons Leadership Conference we brake new ground, refining our hybrid format that allowed attendees to join virtually or in-person in Boston. The response was overwhelmingly positive, especially from virtual attendees who praised the rich and intimate experience.

As we fast forward, SLC2025 is making a global return, transcending geographical limitations. Our inclusive leadership conference invites individuals and teams worldwide to dive into

a wealth of knowledge, inspiration, and skill-building sessions.

This isn’t just another leadership conference; it’s a dynamic, global platform for cultivating leadership and you belong here.

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If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it goes beyond passive viewing, transforming SLC2025 into a communal event focused on sharing ideas about how to support and promote diversity in the workplace.

A watch party or virtual screening event is an organized session where a group of people – either colleagues, agencies and clients, or even friends – come together virtually to view the live streamed event on March 20th.

A virtual watch party enables you to create a shared space for impactful discussions, fostering connections, sharing diverse perspectives, and building engagement and community.

“In a world accustomed to virtual conversations, we recognized the need to elevate our standards and broaden our best-in-class solution to deliver an interactive and captivating virtual experience. We imagined bringing this transformative experience directly to your team – no matter where they are. And we are not just talking about attendance; we’re talking about active participation, engagement, and a true community-driven adventure.”

Kristen Palson SLC Executive Producer

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Hosting a watch party for the

SHARED EXPERIENCE

COMMON GROUND

Watching together creates a shared experience, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie among team members. Teams can customize their watch party experience based on their specific needs, preferences, and goals.

Discussing conference sessions provides a shared context, making it easier for team members to relate to each other. Incorporating team-building activities or icebreakers during breaks enhances the overall watch party experience.

DISCUSSION OPPORTUNITIES

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEARNING

A watch party provides a platform for team members to discuss insights, share perspectives, and collectively digest the information presented at SLC. Virtual watch parties encourage active participation and engagement, preventing the feeling of isolation that can occur during remote conferences.

Team members from different departments – across different locations or time zones – can share their unique perspectives, leading to cross-functional learning and collaboration. Teams can leverage interactive features of virtual platforms to enhance engagement, such as live chats, polls, and Q&A sessions.

Simmons Leadership Conference goes beyond just “watching” conference content.

By leveraging these advantages, teams can transform a virtual watch party into a valuable opportunity for team development, collaboration, and professional growth.

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ECONOMICAL ALTERNATIVE

4+1 SPECIAL SAVINGS

Hosting a virtual watch party is a costeffective alternative to sending team members to SLC in-person, saving on travel and accommodation expenses.

Save 20% when you build an online group. For every group of 4 you register, earn an additional online ticket absolutely free.

INTERNAL NETWORKING

TEAM BONDING

Team members can network within the organization, fostering connections that might not happen organically in a remote work environment.

The informal setting of a watch party facilitates casual networking, strengthening relationships among team members.

No problem!

Virtual watch parties aren’t exclusive to teams.

COLLECTIVE INSPIRATION

SHARED GOALS

Experiencing SLC collectively can amplify the motivational impact, inspiring team members to implement new ideas and strategies.

The shared experience of learning from industry leaders and experts can create a collective sense of purpose and motivation.

Individuals can also organize and participate, connecting with like-minded individuals, sharing insights, and being part of a larger SLC community.

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1. PRE-EVENT PLANNING

4. ENCOURAGE INTERACTION

Set Clear Goals: Define the objectives of your watch party. Is it focused on networking, in-depth discussions, or a mix of both?

Assign Roles: Designate roles for hosting, moderating discussions, and managing technical aspects.

2. CREATE A WATCH PARTY AGENDA Session Highlights: Identify key sessions or speakers to focus on during the watch party.

Discussion Breaks: Schedule breaks between sessions for team discussions and reflections.

Live Chat: Utilize the chat feature for realtime reactions, questions, and team interactions.

3. PROMOTE SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT Hashtags: Create a unique hashtag for your watch party and encourage attendees to use it on social media platforms.

Live Tweeting: Foster engagement by livetweeting key insights, quotes, and reactions.

Engagement Activities: Integrate polls, quizzes, or challenges related to conference content.

5. ENSURE SEAMLESS TECHNOLOGY Test Ahead: Provide instructions and conduct a test to ensure smooth playback and ease of use.

Offer Support: Provide a dedicated team for assistance.

6. POST-EVENT NETWORKING Virtual Networking Hour: Plan a postconference networking session where attendees can connect on a more personal level.

Discussion Forums: Set up online forums or discussion boards for ongoing conversations after the conference.

7. FEEDBACK AND REFLECTION Post-Event Survey: Gather feedback from attendees to understand what worked well and areas for improvement.

Reflection Session: Host a brief team reflection session after the conference to discuss key takeaways and insights.

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CLIENT STORY OF IMPACT

Beacon Hill Staffing (BHS), a national staffing agency

specializing in IT, has successfully engaged leaders from its nine U.S. offices by hosting virtual watch parties of the Simmons Leadership Conference. After attending the conference virtually in 2020, BHS has continued to participate both in-person and virtually, with a focus on maximizing impact through these watch parties. These events enable the team to experience the content in real-time together, despite

being geographically dispersed.

What began as a small initiative with just one individual attending the conference has now expanded to include leadership from across the organization. Each year, the senior leadership team invites participants to gather at BHS offices nationwide to watch the live broadcast and engage in meaningful discussions about the concepts presented by the speakers. This format allows for real-time, actionable learning that leaders can immediately apply to their roles within the business.

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The success and growth of this highly anticipated leadership experience—characterized by watch parties—can largely be attributed to the strong support from senior leadership. Each senior leader is committed to bringing the conference's insights

back to the organization, ensuring their teams benefit from the content in a tangible way. Senior leadership’s belief in the value of the program and their messaging around it has been essential in driving adoption and excitement, making this shared learning experience an integral part of BHS’s leadership development strategy.

After the conference, leaders participate in follow-up calls to discuss key concepts and ideas, allowing them to address critical themes that shape BHS’s culture. These shared experiences have helped establish a common language around key leadership concepts and challenges, fostering alignment as they drive the business forward. As a result, there is now a

Since our participation in the Leadership Conference began in 2020, our attendees have primarily been women. At Beacon Hill, we take immense pride in our strong representation of women in leadership. However, we previously overlooked the valuable insights and inspiration that our male leaders could also gain from this experience.

Witnessing their enthusiasm and engagement —on par with their female colleagues — was both exciting and transformative. It fostered deeper conversations, enriched discussions, and reinforced the conference’s impact across our entire leadership team.”

stronger focus on self-awareness and emotional intelligence,

with leaders reflecting on their personal leadership charters and how they can continue to build for the future.

Hallie Tucci Beacon Hill Staffing

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VIRTUAL WATCH PARTY

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SECURE OUTSTANDING PRESENTERS!

DONE! The Simmons Leadership Conference features an exceptional 2025 speaker lineup.

PERFORM A TECH TEST.

Test the platform and streaming setup in advance to ensure a seamless experience.

COMMUNCIATE IN ADVANCE.

Provide clear instructions to attendees for easy access and participation.

ASSIGN IN-HOUSE MODERATORS.

Have a dedicated team member to manage those in the room together.

ENCOURAGE SLC INTERACTION.

Foster engagement with live chat, Q&A, and networking opportunities.

ACTIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT. Use the #SLC2025 hashtag to extend the conversation beyond your group.

PROMOTE ONGOING INTERNAL NETWORKING. Step 6

Step 7

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Set up virtual spaces (Slack, Teams, WhatsApp) to keep discussions active before, during, and after the event.

GATHER FEEDBACK.

Collect attendee insights to improve future events.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT TRACIE CHARLAND MARCH 20, 2025 HYNES CONVENTION CENTER, BOSTON, MA ONLINE FROM ANYWHERE ON-DEMAND FOR 90 DAYS

Director of Simmons Leadership Conference Corporate Relations p. 617-521-3830 | c. 617-365-9770 Tracie.Charland@simmons.edu

inclusiveleadership.com leadershipinstitute@simmons.edu Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership 300 The Fenway | Boston, MA 02115-5820

Simmons University was founded in 1899 for one reason: to support women as they develop financial independence. In addition to our rich history in fostering equity for women, the work of understanding inclusion is also foundational for the Institute for Inclusive Leadership.

Simmons was founded by male ally and upstander John Simmons well before the words “ally” or “upstander” were in common use. The work that Simmons faculty and administrative leadership has fostered over the 125 years has played a significant role in setting the stage for women’s leadership efforts in the world today.

• Simmons is home to 1,750 undergraduates students and 4,500 graduate students • The undergraduate school is a four-year, private, non-profit, non-sectarian university