“Hybrid event” is the most important new term in the event planning world. It is expected to remain at the top of everyone’s minds through 2021 as we gradually shift back to meeting in person. Even after live events ramp up again, hybrid will remain a vital part of the events landscape for years to come. While large-scale experiential gatherings, such as annual association meetings, will largely move back to in-person events with smaller virtual components, events like trainings and workgroups will likely remain online.
The concept of hybrid can seem overwhelming to people who don’t live and breathe events every day. However, Team JDC can walk you through the hybrid planning process step by step, breaking it down into bite-size components that enable you to plan your event with confidence.
Here are the essential elements of hybrid event design:
The world remains in a constant state of flux, filled with global factors beyond anyone’s direct control. Hybrid events allow organizers to be nimble and plan with flexibility, bringing some people together in person while others participate remotely. Perhaps you have members who can’t travel because of budget constraints, or they have health considerations that would make them more comfortable meeting online. Or perhaps your venue of choice has capacity limitations due to social distancing requirements, and you simply don’t have space to host everyone in person.
After a year of isolation, everyone inherently understands the value of meeting in person: live events foster deep connections and expedite commercial transactions. However, a virtual offering allows participants to attend when they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. This means you have two separate audiences, each with their own unique needs. JDC Events can work with you to design an event that delivers a meaningful experience to both groups, applying your event goals to each mode of participation.
With dual participation tracks, it’s important to plan an agenda that is relevant to all attendees. A well-planned hybrid event offers just as much value for remote attendees as in-person attendees. Just as importantly, it incorporates opportunities to bridge the gaps between the two groups. You’re not hosting two separate events; you’re hosting one event on two tracks. Team JDC can help you strategize content that connects with everyone and provides points of intersection, so the two groups don’t exist in isolation from each other.
Determining the points where the audience’s experiences parallel, and where they intersect, is a matter of staying at the forefront of event trends and understanding the tech tools at your disposal.
For example, a keynote session could be viewed simultaneously but separately, with the in-person participants watching the presenter onstage and the remote participants viewing a livestreaming feed. But if the presenter wanted to incorporate audience engagement through polling, this would create an opportunity for the audiences to intersect: The in-person and remote attendees could all complete the polls from their phones, regardless of where they are. The polling app would then aggregate all responses, showing a complete picture of the audience’s answers. This is just a small snapshot of what’s possible; there’s a wide range of options to create bridges between the two groups.
With twice the audience comes twice the production, and trying to keep all those balls in the air might seem impossible. But here, JDC Events has you covered. We have decades of experience producing events in both the live and the virtual worlds, so we understand how to keep planning timelines on track and nip problems in the bud. We’re experts at sourcing technology, maintaining best practices in health and safety, managing speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors, and offering high production values. If you bring the vision (or even a kernel of a vision), we can guide you through the process of bringing that vision to life.