4 key takeaways from the Hybrid Shake-Up
Discover the key takeaways from our latest event that will help you power up your hybrid events.
The Hybrid Shake-Up was an industry gathering of experts about the hybrid event world, including planning, content, and interaction.
The event prepared industry professionals for the future of hybrid events, delving into topics such as the best communication strategies, safety protocols, engagement, and networking practices for successful events.
So, we have highlighted the key takeaways from the event, outlining the vital insights it brought to event professionals.
If you missed the event or would like to revisit the sessions, you can access it on-demand here.
4 key takeaways from the Hybrid Shake-Up
Hybrid events are here to stay
First, one of the overarching discussion points across the Hybrid Shake-Up was that hybrid events are not going anywhere, even after getting over the current pandemic.
As Ashton Arnold (National Account Director @ Meeting Tomorrow) commented, a vital benefit of hybrid events is capturing the largest possible audience.
Indeed, post-COVID, there will still be people who will prefer to attend virtually because of time or budget limitations or their stage in the buying journey. For instance, if a person is early in the buying journey, they may not want to commit themselves to a full-day conference but may dial in virtually for a specific session.
In the same line, the value of hybrid events for sponsors is also higher. They can reach a broader audience while the cost per impression is lower than an only in-person event.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of hybrid, check out our new infographic, delving into the pros and cons of virtual, in-person, and hybrid events.
Hybrid events involve two experiences but one community.
Then, the various Hybrid Shake-Up panels agreed that hybrid events comprise two distinct experiences but bring together one event community.
On the one hand, organizers should create different and unique experiences for the virtual attendees and the in-person attendees. That requires more planning and staff than if it was a solely virtual or solely in-person event.
On the other hand, Bobby D.Ehlert (CIO and Co-Founder @ Inspire Hearts Fundraising) emphasized time and time again the importance of cross engagement.
Hybrid event organizers need to give attendees opportunities to cross paths and interact with each other. Specialized hybrid event platforms offer event mobile apps with features facilitating these connections, such as live chat or polling.
Similarly, Catherine King – The Hybrid Shake-Up host – suggested an intertwined networking experience, matchmaking in-person and virtual attendees and making them feel involved.
Safety protocols are vital to successful hybrid events.
Kathleen Mulder (Founder & CEO @ Hybrid Events & Resources) noted that every aspect of the event has to be considered through the lens of safety – encompassing everything from event marketing to event production.
From a communications standpoint, organizers need to make protocols crystal clear and communicate them consistently so that people are confident about attending in person.
Crucially, pandemic protocols extend to partnerships with suppliers and vendors. As Meagan Cook (Chief Operating Officer @ NOLA Hospitality SAFE) pointed out, event planners need to select partners based on their ability to meet safety standards.
Furthermore, the Hybrid Shake-up speakers stressed that enforcing event safety protocols requires full-time dedication and effort from organizers. Ms. Mulder suggested hiring a safety compliance advisor, a contractor knowledgeable in the right equipment to use, and the local safety protocols to follow.
And Ms. Cook recommended leveraging the cutting-edge technology we have at hand to enhance safety. For instance, organizers can implement contactless event check-in solutions.
Don’t ignore neuroscience.
Finally, Bogdan Manta gave us a masterclass in neuroscience for events. He pointed out that most human decisions start from the primal brain and then go on into the rational brain. In that sense, organizers should consider tapping into the primal brain as a way of evoking positive emotions.
Then, Mr. Manta turned the spotlight on the importance of evoking the five senses in hybrid event experiences. He illustrated this through the examples of casinos in Las Vegas that use visual patterns to put your attention in a specific direction and stores that use perfume to trigger a particular color in your brain.
At last, he talked about how neurotransmitters shape event experiences, including noradrenaline that increases concentration and focus, dopamine that brings pleasure, glutamate involved in learning and memory, and serotonin that regulates mood and emotions.
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[hubspot portal=”5958648″ id=”de0c0cbb-e144-4596-8bde-5ca391770991″ type=”form”]About the Author / Gabriel Marin
