In Person and Hybrid Events

To say that Covid has caused a whirlwind in the events industry would be an understatement. In a matter of days, live events and conferences that had been planned months in advance were suddenly postponed or cancelled. Virtual became the new normal, and we had to learn how to create effective programs. We navigated through the storm and learned a lot of lessons along the way. One of the most important lessons the event industry learned was that while virtual events certainly have their benefits, in-person events will always be an important part of any robust event program.

Now, it’s time to think about a different type of event – hybrid events. There will be situations, such as this global pandemic, where a virtual event were the only option. There will also be situations where an in-person event will be the most effective way of collecting leads and engaging your audience. Hybrid events, or events that combine both in-person and virtual experiences, will be an essential part of the new normal in the events industry.

Hybrid events are the perfect solution for those programs that can effectively be held both onsite and virtually. Below are some examples of perfect hybrid event programs:

1. Trade shows

2. Conferences

3. Sales kick-offs

4. Global town halls

Hybrid events are also extremely useful solutions when many of your attendees who would normally attend in person can’t. Below are some examples of when an attendee who normally might be on site for an event may have to attend virtually:

1. The attendee cannot or does not want to travel due to health or safety concerns.

2. The attendee’s organization has limited travel spend and, therefore, cannot travel to the event.

3. The venue where you will be hosting the onsite portion of the event has capacity limitations, so not all attendees will be allowed to gather onsite.

A best practice may be to send out a pre-event survey to garner the current situations and feelings of your invitees.

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Entirely onsite events should be planned when it is of the utmost importance that all your attendees be there in person. You know that most of the content will not translate well virtually, and there isn’t a good alternative to communicate it, so an onsite experience is the best way to deliver the information. Here are some examples of events that you might want to host onsite:

1. Small customer luncheons

2. Team bonding outings

3. Awards ceremonies

When you do host an onsite event, safety will be the number one priority. Make your attendees feel comfortable by offering a self-service check-in option and plan your seating with safety protocols in mind.

If you get the sense that many would prefer the option of attending virtually, a hybrid event may be the best way to go.