Planning Hybrid and Virtual Trade Show Talent

April 30, 2021

Joanne Brooks

Joanne Brooks is president of Creative Impact Group, a full-service production company based in Northbrook, Illinois, that specializes in live, virtual and hybrid events. With an extensive background in show business, Joanne coordinates seamless events that bring together talent, technology, marketing and design.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has brought some much-needed positive news, but it will still be months before associations and businesses can plan the large-scale in-person events and trade shows they once did. In the interim, many are opting for virtual or hybrid trade shows, conferences and meetings. 

Yet for hybrid events to be successful for both online and in-person participants, meeting planners must encourage engagement for in-person attendees as well as for virtual participants. The entertainment and speakers (talent) provide much of that value and help to ensure continuity of experience between in-person and virtual participants. 

Several considerations must be made to help ensure the talent booked exceeds expectations for your entire audience—regardless of whether they are participating online, in-person or both.  

Considerations When Planning Talent for Your Virtual or Hybrid Trade Show

  1. When considering talent for your trade show, meeting or event, take care to consider the demographics of your attendees. For example, a social media influencer could be a great speaker at an event with a large millennial or generation Z population but likely would not be a draw for an older crowd.
  2. Celebrity names draw attendance and publicity. When deciding upon a celebrity speaker or entertainer, first look at the person’s Google News stories. Take care to ensure that they were not involved in any negative press or scandals that could come back to haunt you and reflect negatively on your organization or association. 
  3. Trade shows typically include numerous speakers. Before the trade show, survey your potential attendees to see what topics your participants would be interested in learning about. Make sure that your speakers collectively offer something for everyone and include a variety of topics regardless of industry (e.g. supply chain, personal and business cybersecurity, finance, emerging technologies). After each presentation, make sure to leave enough time for a Q & A for online and in-person attendees. Make sure the questions are vetted by a moderator before being read aloud. 
  4. Keep the entertainment interactive and engaging. Some examples include opening a trade show with a ribbon cutting with celebrity look-alikes. This will work well virtually or in-person. A photo booth for both live and virtual attendees is a fun way for participants to make memories at the event. If you are hiring entertainment for an awards banquet or opening reception, consider having your celebrity guest “appear” in a dramatic fashion on stage, such as amid smoke or some other type of illusion. The celebrity guest could sign autographs in person and mail autographs to virtual attendees who sign up for that perk via a digital sign-up sheet. 
  5. The entertainment selected for your opening reception or awards dinner should suit the theme of that gathering. For example, casino nights work well in virtual and in hybrid cases. Entertainment that would align with a casino night theme, for example, might be a rat pack band or jazz trio. 
  6. Be sure to request recommendations, reviews and a presentation sample before booking your speaker or entertainer.  
  7. Regardless of whether your trade show or event is hybrid or solely virtual, ask attendees to respond to polls to get feedback on the speaker(s) and/or entertainer(s). 
  8. Rehearsals are the key to a successful event. Make certain your talent has a rehearsal scheduled with your audio-visual team for both the virtual and live aspect of the event to ensure a seamless presentation.
  9. For in-person, live portions of hybrid events, make sure there is adequate stage lighting and a reliable sound system. For virtual events or the online portions of hybrid events, be sure to have good tech support.
  10. Have a backup plan or substitute celebrity in place in case the speaker or entertainer is ill or there is an unforeseen act of God. 
  11. Perhaps most importantly, consider contacting a professional production company and event supplier that represents and vets reliable, professional speakers and performers. They can save time and be more cost-effective than planning all of the details on your own. 

Regardless, choosing the right talent for your trade show or meeting can ensure that the event has maximum impact and is both memorable and successful for virtual or in-person attendees. 


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Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.    Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.    Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.   The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.    MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.     MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.