Hybrid event solution
Last year it was impossible to have a physical live event, so the online hybrid event solution was the only option.
However, we know how eager everyone is to get back in the room as there is nothing like being face-to-face with your colleagues, friends and fellow professionals.
As we go forward it is time to find the balance and go hybrid.
One of the most important factors to consider is that a hybrid event solution event will take the same, if not more, planning and preparation as an on-site event. It is not just about setting up a virtual streaming service – it’s one event with two simultaneous modes of delivery. If you want to educate, inform and celebrate with a wide and varied audience it could be the perfect solution.
To make this happen your event strategy will need to adapt, the change raises questions, some of which we have hopefully answered below.
A hybrid event solution might be a business decision
With the regularly changing rules and restrictions decisions have been made for us, however, the freedom remains to choose which venue and digital platforms best suit you.
A hybrid event solution might be a business decision, and an opportunity for your attendees to be involved.
Whether you have a section of your audience who can’t physically get to the event for safety and logistical reasons or the onsite location has capacity limits, by giving people choice they will see how important they are to you. Guest input provides data for the likely on-site numbers and how best to plan the agenda for maximum impact.
It might even be that before the pandemic you struggled to get all your executives in a room due to clashing diaries, let alone now. Having some participants attend in-person while streaming with the others could be the perfect option.
Maybe you feel it would be best to have an event where instead of getting everyone in one central space you set up local hubs and then each group virtually interacts with each other.
The choice is yours.
Connection through a hybrid event solution
By using virtual and cloud-based technologies alongside on-site sessions, you can ensure everyone stays connected to your message. Delegates still have the maximum opportunity to connect with each other, which means you are more likely to get higher attendance numbers and better post-event feedback.
Whether people want to connect face-to-face at a coffee break or in a breakout room, the success of an event can hinge on how you connect with the audience and give them options to interact. This is even more essential for hybrid events where you have different needs and engagement levels to manage simultaneously.
Creativity
Marketing and promotion of the hybrid event solution are even more important with hybrid as you will have audiences accessing content at different times and in different ways. Creativity is key, to foster pre-event engagement. For example being fluid in how you create the invites, or which platforms you use to host event info.
The joy of this new way of working is that it has broadened the options available to you. Whether 100% digital or completely physical – you could even have a hybrid approach to your event communications.
We can help you with the perfect technical production systems to kick off any event or brighten up even the most intense breakout room, by supplying the right people to make your ideas a reality.
Cost of an hybrid event
Hybrid events can be designed to meet any budget. Budgets have always been one of the biggest considerations for events, but the hybrid option gives you the chance to open up your audience creating better ROI and audience engagement.
Maybe it means that you have the winning sales team connect remotely whilst having their leader onsite or allow you to offer tiered pricing for an event to be on-site or online.
Saving money onsite might be exactly what you need to open up your event plans but always remember that with a partner like Neutrino we can chat through all the pros and cons to make sure the solution works for you.
Cooperation
You may have found that your events have worked really well virtually, so post-pandemic there will definitely still be a place for them, or you might have found people are asking when the real events will be back!
The great news is that we are all now well equipped with the tools and techniques to adapt, meaning that your audience will have an openness and ability to co-operate that may not have been likely pre ‘lockdown’.
On a different note, it is also important to remember technology doesn’t always co-operate. What works for small group chats is not enough to deliver a large-scale virtual or hybrid event. Don’t take chances, we are here to offer help and advice to make sure your events have the right equipment and production infrastructure to go without a glitch.
Content
Even more essential at a hybrid event than any other is ensuring the content captivates not only the on-site attendees but those virtually accessing too.
You need to make sure everyone is involved – think about if you are doing a Q&A how do you make it fair and interactive for all? Do you need handsets for those in the room and an online forum for offsite participants?
Whether content is shared live or made accessible for those off-site to download independently (so they can catch up later) is an important decision. You have the chance with hybrid events to make sure that the content and event is kept in people’s minds long after the final chairs have been packed away.
Collaboration
Hybrid events can offer more collaboration than ever before, with online polls and onsite Q&A’s you can get everyone involved.
Don’t forget that speakers need to be prepared to be able to deliver to both audiences and you need to structure sessions so that you can get people working across both attendance methods.
There is a lot to think about, but when it is done right the results can be exceptional.
Customisation
You will need to look at your event to establish which elements will translate well for people in the room and in their living rooms. This is where you will need to give the option for people to customise their experiences.
Even from the start of the registration process, it is essential that you are clear that you have two audiences and two types of people that you need to cater for. You can create customised registration paths for your in-person attendees versus your virtual attendees so they can sign up for appropriate sessions.
(Low) Carbon
Making what was a live event a hybrid event means you can keep the environmental impact low. Fewer flights, fewer tanks of petrol and fewer materials, equals less waste. Plus, at Neutrino we use local crews and kits wherever possible so when we work together it just adds to that eco glow you can wear knowing you have made a difference.
To create a successful hybrid event you will be swapping onsite crew for virtual assistant support and switching hotel rooms for virtual hosting equipment. That is where we come in, to provide the knowledge and know-how to help you make the shift in delivery to a hybrid event. We will come up with a plan that will work for you and your audience. We can be flexible for you, your event and your attendees.
If you would like to find out more about hybrid events or have a chat to see how they fit into your plans, then we would love to hear from you.