I attended the Virtual Edge Summit last month hoping to learn more about the future of virtual events, and what I learned is that we’re way behind. I could count the number of show organizers in attendance on one hand. Maybe the rest of you were attending virtually?

Virtual events aren’t a fad. And your exhibitors are way ahead of you. True, they see their own virtual events in a different light — as a way to save money, bring together global groups for collaborative work, etc. But their familiarity and expertise working in these environments means they’re going to want to incorporate more of the virtual applications in all their physical events — including yours.

It isn’t necessary to throw yourself into some Second Life, avatar-filled version of your event. A simple experiment with streaming content is a good start. For us, that’s probably the best thing about virtual events: the ability to dial in home audiences, extending the reach of your event — and its exhibits — to those who can’t make it onsite. And, no, it won’t cannibalize your physical event. But it will open up a new revenue stream.

Much of the conversation at the event circled around the idea of “perpetual environments” with “pulse events.” Imagine a 365-Shoe World, with a January boot show and a February athletic show. Kathy Sulgit, Director of Corporate Events with Cisco, says she sees the day when her virtual event is the company’s Web site.

How many of you have been around long enough to remember when Web sites were first being launched in the ’90s? We worried that those, too, would make our events superfluous if buyers and sellers could meet and conduct business online. And many of us resisted the Internet. E-commerce sites were launched around us and we probably lost a year playing catch up.

Yes, virtual events are definitely still in their infancy. There are technology issues, engagement issues and measurement and ROI questions. But isn’t it best to get on board when something is in its infancy, rather than after it’s passed us by?

Donna Sanford, Publisher