by Earl Murtagh-Naughton – Head of Marketing
Many companies adopted virtual events as a means to stay in touch with customers, shareholders, and industry members during the pandemic. But are virtual events here to stay?
As people embrace the joys of getting together with colleagues for in-person events & networking, it doesn’t mean we should abandon the advantages of virtual or hybrid events in favor of in-person gatherings.
Reasons to Host Hybrid Events
The pandemic is not yet over, and many people are still hesitate to travel. What’s more, people in various countries may face border restrictions and cannot travel abroad for events yet. As people still recover financially from the effects of business shutdowns, traveling for events may be cost-prohibitive.
Finally, some people have just grown accustomed to the convenience of virtual events and see no reason to venture out into a crowded conference room when they can have a similar experience from the comfort of their home office.
However, no doubt, many people prefer the one-on-one connections and energy of live events. Hybrid events can help you expand the audience you reach. You can provide event attendees with the type of experience they desire.
Tips to Host Effective Hybrid Events
Hosting a hybrid event can be as simple as streaming the activities going on at your live sessions. But the most successful hybrid events feature unique elements for both types of attendees.
Consider if you can offer exclusive Q&A sessions for virtual attendees or additional content on-demand that is available to all attendees. You may also set up virtual networking rooms so that remote attendees can experience some of the connection and camaraderie live attendees will enjoy after-hours and between sessions at in-person events.
Promote Your Hybrid Event through Multiple Channels
If you’ve focused on promoting smaller, in-person events in the past, the shift to hybrid events requires expanding your focus. Use multi-channel marketing, including paid search, social media, and email marketing, to attract people across a wider geographic base will be important.
Of course, traditional marketing methods of flyers and radio ads may work to attract attendees at the local level. Make sure to emphasise the unique benefits offered to both types of attendees.
Focus on the Content
When you’re putting together programming for hybrid events, remember that the quality of your content remains the most important element of the event for live and remote attendees. Technology should be there to your message and should never distract from the event.
At IMS, we can help you create a more consolidated event programme with the best technology at the forefront for large or small events, virtual or in-person events either in-house or externally. We can help create a platform where you can engage with attendees and sponsors and get all the information you need.
So if you’d like us to help you to set your event up for success:
