Is your event budget staying flat (or maybe it’s even decreased)? How do you continue to deliver member value, especially if some of your audience is not in-person? Hybrid events are a great solution to help support members whose travel dollars or permission might risk drying up. But how do you ensure value for all attendees? How can you facilitate connection, demonstrate member value, and reinforce your organization’s value (especially if your annual meeting is the main benefit)? As we’re always preaching, intentionality is key. It creates a more balanced experience for everyone. Below are our hybrid event best practices to prevent virtual attendees from feeling left out.
Center your goal
Every event has a goal. Whether it’s entertaining, educating, engaging, or elevating thought, make that central to how you build out your event.
Strive for Clarity
Provide as much information as possible ahead of time around sessions and their format. Hosting a pre-event cocktail hour? Include those details with the registration information. When planning an online-only breakout, make the location clear on your registration page so people know what they can sign up for and what format to expect sessions to take. If your technology requires attendees to set up accounts beforehand, make sure they know. Don’t make attendees guess.
Address equity
Adding hybrid events to your schedule may force your organization to consider equity among attendants. Considering equity isn’t limited to hybrid attendees but all attendees and could improve every attendee’s experience. This could include admission discounts, seating considerations, closed captioning, partnerships with broadband partners to improve access, and quiet spaces at conferences to help those with sensory overload.
Make materials easily available
While you may opt to have hard copies of agendas and handouts for those who are in-person, make sure online versions are available ahead of the event. Similarly, make sure virtual attendees have necessary meeting room information ahead of time, (e.g.,) including easily accessible calendar holds.
Set etiquette
Establish protocols for those not in-person—should they have a background, mute microphones? Do you plan to use the chat function? If so, when and how should attendees use it? Clarify policies and align your organization’s expectations of everyone in the meeting room/conference. Are recordings allowed? How should people ask questions? What’s the policy on confidentiality, harassment, etc.? Address etiquette prior to the event (in writing for all to see) and reinforce etiquette when the event kicks off. Manners matter.
Choose speakers wisely
Ensure your speaker is comfortable and able to include all participants. The speaker must be prepared to moderate discussions, so everyone has the chance to make their voice heard. Establish a protocol for participation—raising an emoji or real hand, for example. If an in-person speaker is not prepared to include virtual participants, then play to the speaker’s strength: Keep the session for in-person attendees and provide virtual participants a recording afterwards and see if the speaker will offer 15-30 minutes to answer questions virtually. Look for creative solutions to connect and engage speakers and virtual attendees.
Create connection
People attend events not only for their own purposes (e.g. receiving credits, or learning a new skill), but also to connect. If you’re hosting an in-person networking event, make sure to host a virtual one. Find out what issue is top of mind for virtual members and facilitate an introduction or time with someone who has navigated similar waters. Make time for people to brainstorm and work together to solve industry issues. Connection isn’t based on time but quality: Short, high-quality interactions during events can leave attendees feeling energized and connected.
Prep your tech
Confirm your tech has the appropriate bandwidth and that your event space can handle the butts in seats and the people on screens. Equip your team with high-quality cameras and microphones.
Reduce cyber security risks
While it is nearly impossible to avoid all risks, you can effectively prevent and mitigate many risks. Assess your organization’s cyber hygiene and then work together to create policies and plan on how to keep all attendees safe as well.
Any organization that holds events feels the pressure to deliver value to their members with that event. Hybrid events allow more people to attend, especially if there are considerations outside of their control. If any attendee (regardless of location) feels like an “afterthought,” it can hurt your event and brand. So be sure to consider a wide variety of people to maximize the positive attendee experience. Harnessing the power of hybrid event best practices with intentionality ensures all attendees feel included.