Use These Event Production Tips To Plan Lucrative Hybrid Events
Now that you’ve mastered hosting virtual events for your company, successful event planners like you need to embrace hybrid events to meet the ever-changing needs of the event planning industry.
Hybrid events offer the best of both worlds. Since you are giving attendees options on how they access your event, you expand your brand’s reach while capitalizing on the engagement opportunities of in-person events.
Virtual attendees can participate from the comfort of their own homes, while a live audience attends live events.
But what do you need to do to ensure your hybrid event is a success? Let’s take a look at seven steps you need to take to guarantee a successful hybrid event.
6 Tips For Hosting A Successful Hybrid Event
Hosting a hybrid event isn’t much different from hosting an in-person event or a virtual event. It’s important to note that it isn’t just a live stream of an event to an online audience.
A high-quality hybrid event combines the best of both event types to create a truly engaging event experience regardless of which access option the attendee has chosen.
Let’s take a look at six steps event organizers need to take to ensure virtual attendees and in-person, attendees receive the same high-quality event experience during your next hybrid conference.
1. Choose A Reliable Hybrid Event Platform
The most important part of your hybrid event is the platform that gives your virtual audience access to your event.
Without a high-quality, fully managed hybrid event platform, any virtual component you plan will fall flat and prevent your online attendees from a positive event experience.
Your hybrid event platform should be fully managed and offer customizable options.
-
Seamless Integration Between Live And Virtual Components
-
Integrated eCommerce
-
Custom Reporting
-
24/7 Tech Support
When you choose a virtual event platform that offers fully managed events, it means you can focus your energy on helping at the physical event. In contrast, the event team ensures a seamless digital experience.
2. Balance Your Event Agenda
Successful hybrid events are all about striking a balance between your two different audiences and their unique needs.
To make your event a success, you’ll need to find the common groups between in-person attendees and your virtual audience.
You can start by defining the expectations of each group, as well as their qualities.
|
In-Person Audience Qualities |
Virtual Audience Qualities |
|
|
When looking for the middle ground, the best event management strategy is to break up your agenda.
Your virtual audience doesn’t have to attend every single session in real-time. Those presentations can be recorded and posted to your media library for virtual audiences to watch on-demand.
Offer a select amount of sessions to both audiences and focus on heavy interaction. Use live polling, Q&A sessions, and creative ways for both audiences to engage with each other.
3. Create Buzz Around Your Hybrid Event
No matter what type of event you are planning, you want people to be excited. Hybrid events are no different. The more excited people are, they will most likely engage with each other and connect with your brand.
Event buzz spreads awareness of not only your event but your brand as well. Social media offers the perfect channel for your current registrants to spread the word to potential attendees. This user-generated content marketing strategy is a great way to build event buzz.
Here are some tricks to incorporate into your event marketing strategy for your upcoming hybrid meeting.
-
Hybrid Event Social Media Page
-
Unique Event Hashtag
-
Countdown Clocks On Your Landing Page And Email Campaigns
-
Social Media Photo Contests (Using Your Hashtag)
-
Hybrid Event Swag Or Free Gifts
The more ways you encourage people to talk about your upcoming event, the more likely you will draw in desirable attendance numbers.
4. Utilize The Best Audience Engagement Features
Your live audience will likely be automatically engaged with your event just by being onsite and face-to-face with presenters.
However, there is a good chance your virtual attendees will be multitasking or potentially distracted by their environment. This means you need to leverage your virtual event platform’s engagement features to keep your virtual audience tuned in.
Here are some engaging features to look for in your virtual event platform.
-
Live Chat
-
Screen Sharing
-
Live Polling
-
Quizzes And Surveys
-
Breakout Sessions
These features will offer engaging virtual experiences that will provide high value to your online attendees.
5. Connect Your Virtual And In-Person Audience
This step is the most challenging but most important part of any hybrid event. If you are looking to capitalize on the hybrid event experience truly, you need to find a way to connect your two audiences.
Professional networking is a primary reason many people choose to attend industry events. When you bridge the gap between your online and live audience members, you’ll create a more well-rounded event experience for all participants.
Your hybrid event platform will come in handy by offering a variety of ways to engage both audiences. The best hybrid event platforms also offer virtual booth opportunities for exhibitors and sponsors.
Ask your in-person event attendees to bring a mobile device so they can communicate with the virtual audience. Remind your keynote and other speakers to engage with both audiences as well. It’s essential to make these connections feel natural.
Encourage, but do not force, audience members, to use the interactive tools built into your virtual conference platform to ensure they have access to all the networking opportunities available.
6. Follow-Up With Your Hybrid Event Attendees
Post-event, you’ll want to thank all your attendees and provide an opportunity for them to give their feedback.
Offer them a chance to truly connect with your brand and encourage them to take the next step with your business. Include recordings from event sessions and a discount code for a new product or future event as a sign of good faith.
Don’t forget to send a “sorry we missed you” email to registrants who no-showed. Include event highlights, as well as a selection of recordings for them to view on-demand.
Host A Successful Hybrid Event To Propel Your Brand To The Next Level
Hybrid events are quickly becoming a popular choice in the event industry. They offer virtual attendees more than just live streaming in-person elements on a screen.
They allow people to connect from across the globe and will enable you to expand your event strategy by reaching more of our target audience than ever before.
When you are ready to begin planning your next hybrid event, BeaconLive experts are prepared to assist you. Our high-quality virtual event platform offers scalable solutions with over 150 interactive features.
Contact BeaconLive for more information and to connect with our team of event planners and technology experts.
.png)
.png)
%20(1).png)
