Do you have a hybrid strategy in place?
As fall event planning ramps up, does your plan include a hybrid strategy? If not, now is the time to get one in place – and fast! A recent survey by Northstar Meetings Group reveals 82 percent of event planners will hold live meetings this year. In addition, more than a third of respondents plan to accommodate both in-person and virtual audiences. There’s no denying that hybrid events have gained significant traction. As companies continue to announce their return to live events, a majority of these events will leverage a hybrid approach.
We’ve had several discussions with customers and partners surrounding the hot topic of hybrid events. As a result, here are some of the common questions we’re hearing: “What resources do I need to support a hybrid event?”, “How much does it cost to produce a hybrid event?” — and more importantly, “How do you measure hybrid event success?”
Lucky for you, we’re here to help tackle some of the mystery behind the unknown world of hybrid events, starting at the very beginning – developing a hybrid strategy.
Your Hybrid Strategy: Piecing Together the Puzzle
Let’s talk strategy. In the hybrid world, it’s all about defining your audience, both live and virtual, identifying key areas of impact, and uncovering opportunities for engagement.
As you develop your hybrid strategy, you’ll want to acknowledge the following key pieces of the puzzle:
- Define how you’ll measure success. Every event is unique and has its own set of goals. Your goals may vary from audience attendance and pipeline growth to sponsorship engagement and interactivity. Clearly defining your key event objectives is the first step to success.
- Map out your attendee journey. Remember this is one event with two distinctly different attendee types – live and virtual. Each must be paid special attention to ensure their full engagement. To map out your attendee journey, first identify and chart key impact moments from the event’s beginning to end. For instance, highlight areas where you can use tactics that enable both audience types to maximize their connections, learning, and engagement. These tactics may include pre-event communication, content created uniquely for each group, and video-on-demand created to extend the conversation.
- Determine your hybrid event budget. A hybrid event encompasses the live and virtual experience and requires specific resources to enable this connection effectively. Here are five things to consider when assessing your hybrid event budget:
- Project Pre-Production and Planning
- Content Strategy and Execution
- Virtual Event Platform Assessment and Implementation
- Live Event Production
- Virtual Event Production
Each of these areas are fundamental to the execution of a successful hybrid strategy.
When it comes to hybrid event production, there’s a lot to discuss and consider. The good news is you don’t have to navigate the complex unknown alone! Let’s work together to create a winning hybrid strategy. Connect with our team of event experts to discuss your next event.
