Delivering Successful Virtual Meetings

We are experts in the development and execution of virtual meetings, providing flexible, tailored and creative solutions to ensure they are successful and capitalise on the benefits of virtual attendance that are not possible face-to-face.


The many meetings that are vital to the healthcare sector have necessarily gone virtual, from international congresses and launch events, to advisory boards and internal trainings. Although face-to-face meetings will eventually become possible again, there’s no doubt that virtual meetings are here to stay.

Our Scientific and in-house Design Teams are continually growing our skills and sharing our experiences, to provide the high-quality work and exceptional customer service that our clients expect.

Read on to discover more about the virtual meeting services we offer…

With over 10 years’ experience running small discussion-based meetings, such as advisory boards, workshops and trainings, we understand the components needed for these to be successful and have adapted our approach to ensure these are maintained when meetings are held virtually.

For example, with all the distractions of home, maintaining participant engagement in virtual meetings can be a particular challenge! We factor this into the meeting structure, and use imaginative solutions to ensure discussions are focussed, engaging and productive.

In 2020, we have supported more than 5 virtual advisory boards. These have utilised Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, Mural and Slido; we are continually researching platform options and are happy to adapt to work on your preferred platform.

If a meeting isn’t suited to being run live – for example, if questions require substantial thinking time, or if attendees are in multiple time zones or speak different languages – a forum-style “meeting” might be appropriate, where written discussions take place on an online platform over a longer period, from several days to a month. This innovative, flexible approach enables attendees to contribute when it is convenient for them.

We use online platforms such as Within3 and MedCrowd, and would be happy to advise on whether a forum-style meeting is suited to your objectives.

For larger presentation-based meetings, such as congress symposia, other educational events and trainings, extra preparation for virtual delivery is key, including pre-recording what is possible, and having back-up plans for if technological issues should arise during live sessions.

We proactively engage with meeting organisers to understand the technical specifics of each meeting, and ensure speakers are prepared to present and interact with a virtual audience effectively and comfortably – a new experience that can be challenging for even the most experienced speakers.

Beyond the meeting itself, we can support with the development of digital advertising materials, and enduring materials to extend the impact of a live meeting over time.

In mid-2020, we supported a virtual satellite symposium at a large, international conference, which had over 3,000 views.

Many scientific congresses have moved to digital congress platforms. The Publications team at Costello Medical can develop both oral and poster presentations suitable for use at digital congresses and are adapting quickly to changes in presentation requirements and deadlines.

We also provide support with a variety of enhanced content, such as adding audio snippets to scientific exhibits, to take advantage of the additional opportunities for facilitating the dissemination of key scientific data that are possible at virtual meetings.

From March to July 2020, we prepared over 70 oral and poster presentations for a range of digital congresses.

Our support encompasses all facets of our clients' digital congress presence, from strategic input on congress communication plans to the design and development of content for virtual booths and congress hubs, such as animated video content. Further to the event itself, we can support with pre- and post- congress materials for optimal impact.

We strive to create meaningful content that attracts and engages visitors, whilst continually measuring key performance indicators and visitor metrics.

Please see our Behance page for examples of the work of our in-house Design Team.

Overall, the team at Costello Medical are aware of the many challenges that can arise when running meetings virtually, including compliance requirements, technical difficulties and keeping participants engaged. We work proactively with our clients to anticipate and overcome these challenges.

Please get in touch if you would like to know more about our capabilities in supporting virtual meetings. We would be happy to discuss how we can best support you and your individual project needs.