4 steps to a successful AMA meeting

EMS, MICE, VR - the event industry is full of abbreviations and acronyms. Sometimes it is difficult to keep track of them all. One of these abbreviations that has become increasingly popular in recent years is AMA. But what exactly does AMA mean and what is behind an AMA meeting? We answer these questions and more in this article.

What is an AMA meeting?

AMAs, also known as "Ask Me Anything" meetings, are interactive events in which a person, often an expert in a particular field, answers questions from a group. The format originates from social media, but is now used in a wide variety of industries. This is because AMA sessions offer a unique opportunity for direct dialog between participants and experts, promote the open exchange of information and increase community engagement. The popularity of AMAs is based on their ability to create transparency, trust and proximity between the parties.

AMAs are also becoming increasingly popular in companies. They are used to provide a platform for CEOs to answer questions from employees, customers or the general public. In this way, organizations can provide better information about their decision-making processes and at the same time take into account the concerns and needs of their stakeholders.

How to plan an AMA session?
To ensure that nothing goes wrong at your next AMA meeting, we have summarized the most important steps in the planning process.

1. Choose the right format and the right platform

At its core, an AMA should of course fulfill one task and that is to create an exchange between speakers and guests. However, the exact structure is up to you. First of all, you need to decide whether you want to hold the event virtually or on site. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

Face-to-face event:

Advantages:

  • More personal interaction possible
  • Greater sense of community
  • More exchange among the participants

Disadvantages:

  • Lower reach, so potential participants may be excluded
  • Time limits

Digital event

Advantages:

  • Global reach
  • Greater flexibility in terms of time and place
  • Anonymity is easy to maintain

Disadvantages:

  • Fewer direct contacts
  • Distanced atmosphere
  • Technical challenges

For online events(opens in new tab) in particular, the structure and success of the AMA session depends heavily on the technical requirements.
When choosing the right software(opens in new tab), it is important to consider the specific requirements of your company, integration with existing tools and user-friendliness.  

Event software in comparison:

  • Veertly: Veertly is an all-in-one event platform(opens in new tab) with a variety of features, including video and chat, networking, and file downloads. It offers an integrated Q&A feature with moderation, where participants can ask questions and upvote ideas, as well as the option to integrate third-party apps. The platform is accessible via the browser and offers the option of access control via SSO (single sign-on) and guest lists.
  • Slack/Teams: Most companies already use one of these two platforms for their daily communication, making Slack(opens in new tab) and Teams(opens in new tab) are a straightforward choice. On Teams, AMA sessions can be seamlessly integrated into everyday work through integration with other Microsoft products such as Outlook and SharePoint. On Slack, AMAs can be conducted via specially created channels and the integration of apps and bots. Both collaboration tools allow participants to ask questions, share resources and engage in dialog.

2. Defining the topic and schedule

Once the basics have been covered, you should determine the topic. Consider what questions or topics should be covered and how they fit with the company's strategy or current events. AMA meetings can last from one hour to several hours, depending on the complexity of the topic and the expected number of questions. The scope of the topic, the attention span of the participants and the number of breaks should therefore be taken into account when determining the schedule.

3. Invitation to the target group and promotion of participation

To draw attention to the event and invite participants, there are various channels such as email, social media posts or newsletters. Explain the purpose of the AMA meeting and emphasize the opportunity to ask questions directly to management. Here are some steps you can take to get commitments from the right people.

1. Identify target group

Clearly define who the target group is. Are they internal employees, customers, potential customers, partner organizations or the general public?

2. Use communication channels

Different target groups are best reached via different channels. Internal tools such as email, company newsletters or the intranet are suitable. For external participants, social media platforms, company blogs or newsletters are ideal for distributing the invitation.

3. Create and send invitation

Design an appealing and informative invitation that includes the topic, schedule, platform and other relevant details of the AMA meeting. The most important information should be clearly communicated.

4. Encourage participation

Your target group is most likely to be persuaded to attend by the benefits of the AMA meeting. This could be exclusive insights, the opportunity to ask questions directly to management or the chance to learn from the experiences of others. Encourage potential attendees to submit their questions in advance to encourage interaction during the session.

4. Preparation of questions and examples

To get the AMA session off to a smooth start and encourage active participation from participants, it is helpful to prepare some questions in advance as a starting point. These questions should be relevant to the topic of the AMA session and cover different areas to allow for a diverse discussion.

Here are some tips for preparing questions and examples for your AMA session:

  • Relevance of the topic: Think about which aspects of the topic could be particularly interesting or important for the participants.
  • Variety: Provide a variety of questions and examples to cover different aspects of the topic and cover both general and specific aspects.
  • Interactive elements: Supplement open questions with interactive elements such as surveys, polls or discussion prompts to encourage active participation.

Before you get started with AMA

As laid out above, AMA meetings offer a variety of benefits for both the organizing team and participants. While the platform, invitation and agenda are all important details, at the core is the exchange between management and stakeholders. The basis for a dialog is therefore the honest and open answering of the questions that arise. In this day and age where transparency and communication are key, the AMA meeting is a great way to gain valuable insights and strengthen your community.

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