How to Run a Virtual Roundtable: A Practical Guide

A practical guide to planning, moderating and following up a virtual roundtable with senior buyers.

What a virtual roundtable is

A virtual roundtable is a small, moderated video discussion between senior people who share a problem. Nobody presents to an audience. Eight to twelve guests talk to each other, guided by a moderator and a handful of prepared questions, usually for up to 90 minutes. If you are new to the format, our short explainer on what a virtual roundtable is covers the basics.

Done well, it is one of the most direct ways to start a conversation with a named list of senior buyers. Done badly, it is a webinar with the sound off. The difference comes down to planning, and this guide takes you through each step.

Why senior buyers say yes to a roundtable

Senior buyers turn down most invitations to sit and listen. They are far more likely to accept an invitation to talk with peers about something they are working on right now, particularly when the group is small and the topic is specific. A roundtable offers three things that a webinar rarely does:

• Peer conversation. Guests hear how people in similar roles handle the same problem.
• Low commitment. There is no travel and the time asked for is about an hour.
• A voice. Guests are asked for their opinion rather than asked to watch a presentation.

How to run a virtual roundtable, step by step

1. Start with the buyer list

Write down the accounts and job titles you want in the room before you think about the topic. A roundtable only works if every guest is someone you would genuinely like to know better. A mixed room of the wrong people produces a pleasant conversation and no pipeline.

2. Choose one question, not a theme

A theme such as "the future of finance" gives guests nothing to answer. A question does. "How are finance teams deciding what to automate first?" invites a story from everyone. Pick a question your buyers are already asking each other, and write three or four follow-ups to keep the discussion moving.

3. Keep the room small

Eight to twelve guests is a good range. Fewer than eight and one absence changes the whole conversation. More than twelve and some people never speak. Expect some registrations not to turn up, so invite a few more than you need.

4. Invite people personally

Senior people respond to a short, direct invitation that says who else is attending, what the question is and how long it will take. Name the topic and the time commitment in the first two lines. Approve each registration yourself so the final room matches your buyer list. A guest who does not fit is better declined than accepted.

5. Plan the 90 minutes

Open with a short welcome and one line on why this group is in the room. Spend most of the time on the main question, leave space for a second question that emerges from the conversation, and close with one thing each guest is taking away. Send the questions in advance so people arrive with something to say.

6. Moderate lightly

The moderator's job is to ask, listen and bring quieter guests in. They should not lecture and they should not defend any company's products. If a sponsor or host speaks, they speak as one voice among many. The moment the session turns into a pitch, senior guests leave and do not come back.

7. Follow up within 48 hours

Send each guest a short thank you that quotes something they said, with a summary of the main points. Then decide who to speak to next. The roundtable is not the end result. It starts a relationship, and the follow-up is where most of the value is won or lost.

Running a roundtable for guests in the US and UK

If your buyers are on both sides of the Atlantic, time zones need a little thought. A start of 11:00 am Eastern is usually 4:00 pm in London, which works for both groups. Mid-week mornings in the US are the safest choice. Avoid Mondays and Fridays, check US and UK public holidays before you fix a date, and remember that the clocks change on different dates in the two countries, so the gap shifts by an hour for a week or so in spring and autumn.

For groups spread more widely, run separate roundtables for each region instead of forcing one awkward time. Smaller regional rooms usually give better conversations than one large mixed session.

Common mistakes

• Inviting too many people. Large rooms turn into webinars.
• Pitching. Senior guests can tell within minutes, and they will not return.
• A vague topic. If guests cannot say in one sentence why they are attending, they will not attend.
• No moderator. Without a neutral voice, the loudest guest takes over.
• No follow-up. The conversation was the opening, and without a next step it is wasted.

How ELN runs virtual roundtables

We run virtual roundtables for B2B vendors. We use your ideal customer profile to find and register senior prospects, a moderator leads a discussion built around a sponsor-friendly theme and prepared questions, and you approve every registration in real time so the room matches your list. Afterwards you receive the attendee data you need to follow up. Roundtables sit well alongside other formats too: a webinar builds a pool of interested people, and a private dinner brings the strongest prospects closer. For a worked example of the format in action, see CISO roundtables that build real pipeline.

If you would like to run a roundtable with the buyers you want to reach, get in touch and we can talk it through.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a virtual roundtable be?

Between 60 and 90 minutes works well. Shorter does not leave enough time for a real discussion, and longer is hard for senior people to commit to.

How many people should attend a virtual roundtable?

Aim for eight to twelve guests on the day. That is small enough for everyone to speak and large enough to survive one or two absences.

What is the difference between a virtual roundtable and a webinar?

A webinar is presented to an audience, which watches and asks the occasional question. A virtual roundtable is a discussion between the guests themselves, led by a moderator. A webinar builds reach. A roundtable builds relationships.

Who should moderate a virtual roundtable?

Choose someone who is comfortable asking questions and staying neutral, ideally with some knowledge of the topic. The moderator should not be the person selling to the room.

What should happen after a virtual roundtable?

Send each guest a personal thank you and a short summary within 48 hours, then speak to the most engaged guests about a next step, whether that is a call, a dinner or another roundtable.