Hybrid events are here to stay! Combining live demonstrations with a virtual audience needn’t be a tricky task, especially if you partner with an experienced event production company. As an event manager, you might panic about the difficulties of engaging both an in-person and virtual audience or how to get them to interact with each other. Worry not! We’ve pulled together five key points to make sure your hybrid or virtual events go off without a hitch.
Pick a Great Filming Location
All hybrid events will have some element of streaming, which might be a talk on a particular subject, a demo, or an interactive workshop. Your location doesn’t have to be anywhere picturesque. Just a room at your premises where you can easily see the speakers or any props you might need.
A product demonstration might need space for a camera person to get in close, or you might want wider shots. Think about the light and windows–are there blinds you can use or a simple board or two you can move to prevent glare or too much shadow? Great demonstrations often have two cameras, one for wider shots and one for close-ups. Give your creative streak some freedom!
Accommodate Your Guests
If you have in-person attendees, they need to be safe and suitably spaced. Make sure they know what the arrangements are beforehand and are happy with them, so there are no surprises on the day. Always check with your guests if they need any special accommodations from you. Not everyone will volunteer this information, so it’s always best to ask. Consider digital feedback forms or polls to minimize touchpoints.
Trust That Guests Will Come
As an event manager, you may panic that people won’t come to either your virtual events or hybrid events. Research done in 2020 showed that 65 percent of hybrid events saw the same levels of attendance, while 23 percent had attendance actually improve. Clients expect to see you online and are happy you’re keeping them both safe and well-informed. If you create it, they will come.
Stick to a Theme
With extra attendees possible thanks to virtual attendance, it’s easier to keep everyone engaged when you have a cohesive theme. You might run a Big Data conference, but which aspect of Big Data are you going to focus on? Do you have a keynote speaker with a body of work that you can reference? What’s the key pain point for your attendees? Find yourself a theme or a couple of key points and revolve your event around those.
Be As Professional (or Not!) As You Would Be in Person
If your meetings are normally laid-back affairs with the CEO or other executives in jeans and t-shirts, then stick with that vibe. If you’d normally dress to impress, then go with that. Your virtual audience wants to know the real organization just as much as your in-person attendees. There’s no need to change how you interact with your attendees just because they’re not in the same room as you. Although on the dressing up smart point, avoid too many pinstripes—they don’t look great on camera!
Whether you go with a hybrid event or a fully virtual event, it’s a chance to keep your organization in the public eye and let your users know that you’re thriving. Talk with us at [CTI or AVN] about how we can help you get your ideas for hybrid events off the ground.
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