The New Hybrid
Back in the early 2000s, the concept of virtual events began to emerge. When I was working on-site as a Travel Director early in my career there was a lot of speculation about how our jobs would no longer exist because virtual events would take over the industry. As a recent graduate embarking on a career in the events business, this was not what I wanted to hear.
Through the years, the value of face-to-face events has proven to be irreplaceable. Virtual events and digital education didn’t catch on as expected. The companies that pivoted toward virtual events either struggled or ultimately merged with other companies. Because of this, we find ourselves under prepared for the profound impact COVID-19 has had on our industry. This is why we recently experienced a frantic pivot toward virtual events. We found that we are under resourced to support the surge from both a people and technology standpoint.
POST COVID-19
This time around, events will be different. Virtual events can’t replace face-to-face events, but hybrid events are definitely here to stay. While we’re unable to travel, we’re turning to virtual events as a short-term solution for suspended live events. When it’s safe to travel again, we predict hybrid events will be the norm.
Long standing companies like Intrado and Digitell have been continuously developing their virtual event platforms to offer robust options for simulating the live event experience. In the past few months, their innovations have been gaining exposure and we’re recognizing their capabilities. We’re realizing how these platforms offer opportunities to elevate attendee experiences through hybrid events. We can take time now to discover how hybrid events will help us serve everyone in the future.
VIRTUAL EVENTS CREATE OPPORTUNITY
In a recent article, Bob Priest-Heck, CEO of Freeman wrote, “We need to meet people where they are.” We have to be empathetic and inclusive as we plan the events of the future. The reality is that some people will not want to attend face-to-face events right away. One of the best ways to keep everyone connected is to leverage the versatility of hybrid events.
Moving forward, we will take elements of virtual events and apply them to live events to benefit all attendees for the long term. Even as PSAV champions the When the World’s Ready to Meet campaign, they recognize the value of hybrid events. They are even offering services to support virtual events in the interim.
All of this is to say that we have more tools available than ever before. We have wisdom from the past and we’re learning how to create solutions that will make the most sense for the future.
REVIVE + INNOVATE
Hybrid events will help us bridge the gap between the virtual events we are experiencing today and the live events we look forward to experiencing again in the near future. They give us the opportunity to expand our reach.
Virtual events aren’t a threat to our existence—they are an asset. In the event a company reduces their travel budget, virtual events offer ways for customers or employees to still attend. Hybrid events offer the opportunity for increased sponsorship and more creative sponsorship packages. Finally, one of the best benefits of hybrid events is that they allow for increased diversity of thought by making international attendance easier.
For our first Revive + Innovate series event, we will be talking about hybrid events and the challenges and opportunities they bring.
Here are some pre-event thought provokers to consider:
How do we engage attendees face-to-face and virtually at the same time?
How do we price for hybrid options?
Will ROI of face-to-face events decrease if a large % of attendees are online?
How will hybrid events and/or a virtual event as a “contingency plan” impact budgets?
What jobs do hybrid events create and/or change?
How do contract room blocks in the future if we don’t have benchmarks for hybrid events? What does this mean for hotel attrition?
We hope you’ll join us to discuss hybrid events and more throughout the Revive + Innovate virtual events series!
MEET THE PANEL
Carol Hanley: Head of Streaming - Intrado Digital Media
Carol is the Head of Streaming at Intrado Digital Media.
Carol has worked in the field of streaming events for the past 11 years, and is dedicated to helping her partners establish engaging digital events. Carol lives in New Jersey with her husband, Bryan and daughters Olivia and Evelyn.
Alex Rolfe: Vice President of Sales, Event Solutions - Cvent
Alex Rolfe is the Vice President of Sales at Cvent, the world’s largest provider of event management technology, where he leads sales and outreach for the company’s event management platform. Alex leverages his knowledge of event marketing to help organizations of all sizes realize a ROE, return on events.
He is responsible for cultivating business relationships with some of the world’s leading organizations, including technology and pharmaceutical companies, financial institutions, nonprofit organizations and associations. An expert on event management technology, Alex has presented Cvent’s solutions to thousands of meeting planners and has spoken at dozens of events on event marketing and meeting management.
Samme Allen: Founder & Chief Participation Strategist - Samme Allen (Emcee) Ltd.
Samme Allen is an award winning, in demand virtual emcee, moderator and meeting designer working with global audiences from pharmaceutical companies, international associations and Fortune 100 organisations. Having worked successfully across the world supporting clients with participation and engagement, Samme made the pivot to the world of online during lockdown. Having certified as an online meeting designer, Samme uses her experience at supporting business objectives with innovative meeting designs, engaging agenda mapping and working with technology to facilitate those wow experiences that all attendees expect, both in person, and online.
Want to learn more about how Soundings Connect can support your virtual events? Are you a freelancer looking for work?