How can businesses adopt hybrid events?

In the previous blog, we have discussed the concept of hybrid events, including their different types and applications. Hybrid events can help connect with the familiar audience who may emotionally connect with the company’s working and internal environment. Now, it is time to know how businesses can make the best use of hybrid events for brand promotion, product demonstrations and connecting with their customers for better performance and review. Hybrid events help companies demonstrate their products through tools like live streaming, experiential marketing and engagement activities. Even audiences sitting in a different place can buy the product and even present their views online. With the help of online-offline integration, the company can understand the customer’s buying behaviour both in the real and virtual world. The reviews provided by customers will enhance transparency, build solid brand advocacy and help tap into a broader market. Hybrid events will help the product or service perform better as customers try and test it. You will be witnessing some of the real – life examples where large multinational companies have used hybrid events for engagement and boosting customer numbers.

Last month, Vantage explored the concept of using hybrid events in workspaces. Hybrid events combine offline and online customers into one place and help companies connect with both audiences simultaneously. This month, team Vantage will explore how businesses can use hybrid events to generate revenues, challenges in hosting hybrid events and a step-by-step guide to planning a hybrid event.

The future is hybrid

The digital hybrid market changes everything. Interactive and experiential events provide us with the opportunity to learn about our attendees in a way brands could never before. Hybrid events help us know what our digital customer needs and find ways to facilitate solutions. Digital engagement merging with physical events allows generating leads to develop B2C relationships, driving pipeline and even increasing revenue, both directly and indirectly.

Hybrid events are budget-friendly

Apple is the best example of hybrid events. Apple special events have been live-streamed to audiences across the globe since the beginning to seek their attention worldwide. Apple uses hybrid events to showcase their latest products to Apple fans and technology gives the fans an advantage to see the products first-hand. In September 2019, Apple stated that hybrid events helped their company form a good PR exercise and hybrid events also resulted in increased global engagement. As the customers can see the products through live streaming, the company’s expenses are reduced, resulting in a high-quality service that was certainly evident in the September Event conducted by Apple. Therefore, we can say that Hybrid events help save the company’s resources focusing on improving the quality of services delivered to clients.

Hybrid events cover a broader market

Hybrid events also help communicate with a broader market using offline and virtual audiences. Hybrid events by MozCon is one such example. MozCon is a digital marketing conference that records all the sessions at a physical venue. The company uses hybrid events to cover a broader market and let the audience access new SEO trends, digital marketing and more. The online conference ticket was cheaper than the in-person event for better engagement and attendance. The fair ticket-pricing strategy resulted in higher attendance, profitable for both organizers and the audience.

No third-party interference

Adobe stated that the future is hybrid and built on trust between two entities in its recent blog. Half of U.S. workers prefer hybrid work models. Hybrid events come with uninterrupted collaboration. The hybrid model has helped Adobe get in touch with the customers through live streaming regardless of their demographics. As a result, customer engagement and better communication between the company and the customers without any third-party interference.

Hybrid events reduce demographic barriers

INBOUND by Hubspot is also one of the most interactive hybrid events where the sessions are recorded virtually. Who can think of an online platform used for entertainment and stand-up? It’s well worth emphasizing your entertainment to stand out from the crowd! Technological revolutions helped remove the demographic barriers visible in the hybrid events conducted by Hubspot.

It is time to use the power of technology to create a hybrid experience. After discussing the benefits, let’s talk about the challenges in hosting hybrid events.

Challenges in hosting hybrid events

As the name suggests, hybrid events bring offline and online audiences. There are some challenges when hosting hybrid events. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges that businesses might face when hosting hybrid events.

Planning one event, not two
Understanding the aspects of a hybrid event can be a bit confusing. Unifying both the offline and virtual audience into a single platform is challenging. Managing the logistics, costs and management needs smart monitoring when planning a hybrid event. Keeping a steady and smooth balance between the formats is challenging.

Finding the ticketing strategy

The biggest challenge when hosting a hybrid event is the ticketing strategy. Event organizers are challenged to develop their ticket prices to ensure that the audiences receive the information they need.

Increasing live engagement

When audiences are connected virtually, it is difficult to determine whether they are attentive or not. The content should be engaging and interactive simultaneously. Now the challenge is how to increase live engagement? As per the information provided by talking tree creative, 71% prefer live events over pre-recorded webinars or sessions. Inability to present innovative and engaging content might create a direct impact on the attendance of the audience.

Choosing the right venue

When considering hosting a hybrid event, interaction and engagement with in-person and virtual audiences are the most important. The speakers might not connect with the virtual audience due to a lack of internet connection. Camera placement on the stage with a clear audio and video representation is still a challenge with hybrid events.

Catering to different time zones

Serving the customers in different time-zone is always a challenge. Time zone reduces the reach of the audience. Therefore, working and adjusting the live streaming according to the time – zones of the customer is significant. It might lead to late working hours, mental health issues and low productivity inside the organization. Taking into account remote audiences and setting time is a challenge when planning a hybrid event.

The above mentioned are some of the challenges when hosting a hybrid event. Let’s have a look at the step-by-step guide to planning a hybrid event.

Step-by-Step Planning for Hybrid Events

Every problem comes with a solution. Hosting a hybrid event can be challenging, but at the same time, you get to know about the tools and platforms that can be used for smooth hybrid event conduction. Let’s open the discussion to give away the step-by-step guide to planning a hybrid event.

Step 1: Get an enhanced platform

Creating a unified platform is a challenge. You should have an engaging platform or software to handle harmonious collaboration. Invent is one of the best hybrid event platforms providing a virtual lobby to place your online and offline audience. The program comes with robust-video streaming capabilities. Communique Conferencing provides businesses to use 3D designs during their presentations for better customer engagement.

Step 2: Plan a ticketing strategy

A ticket pricing strategy will help give the audience streaming to what they have paid for. A fair ticketing strategy will help attract a genuine audience, providing information about the event. Data Science Conference (DSC) US Healthtech in 2021 used a ticketing strategy before conducting hybrid events. The paid tickets were given perks to playback and access keynote speeches after the conference, whereas the unpaid members were given one-time access to the conference. Here is where you can look for a good ticketing strategy.

Step 3: Give your guests voice

Let your guests speak and give their opinion. It is essential for an engaging event. Help your audience know more about the brand and resolve their queries. Letting the audience speak makes them feel valued and respected. Companies investing in hybrid events intend to establish two-way communication to create a buzz around social media. The user-generated content helps the company attract audiences covering a broader market for profitable business opportunities. As a result, audience engagement with the event increases.

Hybrid Events in 2022

At the start of the blog, we have discussed hybrid events and their application to businesses. We looked at the examples of real-life companies like Apple and Hubspot using hybrid events, challenges in hosting hybrid events and strategies to overcome the obstacles.

In 2022, companies are looking for hybrid events to communicate with their customers. Hybrid events are trending in the corporate world. We will be witnessing real-life companies using hybrid events for brand promotion, live streaming, and even connecting offline and virtual audiences in a single platform for better engagement and transparency.

If you need help with organizing a hybrid event, contact us to make the entire process hassle-free and fun.