London Inc. September 2021 - 44

S PECIA L EDIT ORIA L SEC T I ON MEET I NGS & EV ENT S
Bridging the gap
g
As we transition back to
in-person meetings, hybrid
events will play a big role.
Here's how to do it right
HYBRID MEETINGS AND EVENTS have been
around for a quite a while, but the pandemic has truly
accelerated the necessity for corporates to consider
all virtual and hybrid meeting options.
Although we may see a decrease in pure virtual
events, it is likely that hybrid events are here to stay,
so managers should consider including hybrid events
within their meetings and events programs as part of
the marketing mix spend.
Another driving force is that in the early stages
of returning to in-person events, they will likely
come back on a more local, less travel and reduced
attendee basis, with hybrid events providing the
opportunity to reach a much wider audience in a
more cost-effective way.
Here are some key dos and don'ts for organising a
successful hybrid event.
DO:
Start planning early. You need to give the providers
and yourselves plenty of time to create the perfect
event for the budget available and ensuring maximum
audience impact. The recommendation would
be anywhere between two months for a small-scale
event through to six months for something more
ambitious and sizeable.
Set a proper budget. Don't assume a hybrid event
is always a cheaper option. It's a cost effective one,
as it hits a wider audience with less travel and hotel
room nights, but you are, in effect, planning two
events in parallel - the physical attendee event and
the virtual attendee event.
Focus on attendee engagement. It is vital to
consider both attendee audiences. Make a plan on
how to include the virtual attendees and have them
fully engaged. A common mistake is to focus on the
live attendees and think the virtual attendees will just
watch in. This will result in quickly losing the attention
of the virtual attendees.
According to business-to-business specialist
Markletic, 71.1 per cent of event organizers say that
connecting the in-person and virtual audience is
their biggest challenge. You could include tools
       
attendees interactively involved. There are many
ways to address attendee engagement, but always
remember: content remains king.
Test the technology. The tech set-up and platform
are fundamental to your event success. Not all
set-ups are equal. Platforms behave in many different
ways, so consider what tools you would like to
integrate into the platform, such as Zoom or Webex
       
facility being used have a technical back-up should
the power go down? This could have a devastating
impact on your whole event, so have a back-up plan
in place with both your facility and platform provider.
DON'T:
Overpack the agenda. Give your virtual attendees
time to get familiar with the platform, to connect with
others in dedicated rooms and take regular breaks.
44 | londonincmagazine.ca | SEPTEMBER 2021

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London Inc. September 2021

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