Linda Baker is president of Conference Managers, a firm she founded 30 years ago to help association events with site selection, housing, logistics and more. She leads a team of experts who help clients create powerful experiences for their event participants.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the events industry. We know it’s unlikely that it will just be “over” and things will “go back to normal.” While it’s disheartening to think of what we’ve lost as an industry, we have the exciting opportunity to build a new and better events model. Once in-person events return, building a hybrid meetings model could position your organization for even greater success.
A virtual component added to your in-person experience, whether it is part of a single large annual event or separate stand-alone virtual conferences that connect stakeholders throughout the year, can bring multiple benefits to your organization. It can boost your meeting content by reaching a wider global audience, offer flexible timing and offer real-time engagement through live-streaming.
Here’s how to build a hybrid events model for the future:
This process is twofold. Map out the outcomes you want from a virtual component itself and the outcomes you want from the overall hybrid meeting experience. Additionally, as you think about outcomes related to the virtual component, consider how they may differ from those of a solely in-person meeting so that you can align all of the stakeholders’ expectations.
Some examples of outcomes related to the virtual component include:
Some examples of outcomes related to the overall hybrid experience include:
You probably know who attends your event in person, but who else could you reach with virtual components? A hybrid event will be accessible to a wider audience such as young professionals, those who don’t have a travel budget or can’t afford to take extended time away from the office. To identify them, ask “If travel wasn’t a factor, what would motivate people to join our event?” Is it continuing education, networking, exhibits or something else? Can that motivating factor be delivered virtually in order to attract more attendees?
Many technology platforms exist to deliver the virtual experience you desire. After you identify your outcomes, you can research platforms that offer features to facilitate networking, education, exhibits and more.
If you plan to connect your virtual component directly to your in-person event (for example through live-streaming of sessions), ensure the right internet and bandwidth are included in your facility contract. Address other audio-visual and internet needs for your hybrid event with your vendors so that you can deliver a highly produced experience.
Some ways to use technology ensure a positive experience for virtual attendees whether as a separate component or part of the in-person event include:
Once you have the first three pieces of your hybrid event plan in place, you’ll be able to work creatively to build a powerful program for both in-person and virtual attendees. Infuse compelling content into your virtual and experiment with different ways to connect the two audiences. Activities such as job fairs and interviews can be held to connect your in-person attendees with virtual participants. You can also include the remote audience in focus groups, which could potentially benefit both the virtual attendee and your exhibitors or sponsors.
Good things often come out of difficult times. Adding more virtual opportunities to your events is definitely adding value for your community. Our world has become much more connected, and engaging global audiences is one more way we can share solutions and learn from each other.
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