5 Tips from Cramer
Hybrid events bring audiences together in an exciting and flexible way. At Cramer we have been blending both virtual and in-person experiences for over twenty years- and we have learned a thing or two. When producing your hybrid event keep these 5 tips in mind.
1. Assign each experience -platform, venue, and content- its own producer or project manager.
There are a lot of moving parts during a hybrid event. To ensure that nothing falls through the cracks, it’s a great idea to have staff focused on specific aspects of the show. For example, it’s helpful to have a producer assigned to the virtual experience who can manage technical issues in real-time.
2. Add in breaks for everyone, virtual and in-person, but build in mechanisms to make sure they come back.
So often, event planners are afraid to let the virtual audience have a break for fear that they will drop off. But you can mitigate the problem by giving them cues (like a countdown clock) any reasons to return (think “cliffhanger”- any kind of tease about information or presentations to come.)
3. Understand how platform choices impact the online experience.
Today’s platforms do a great job of enabling interactivity. But it`s important to know how the features impact the experience. Be sure to ask how the presentation will be seen to online audiences.
4. Design the virtual and the in-person experiences in tandem.
It’s tempting to think that virtual events don’t need the same lead-time as in-person shows. But the truth is, they have become equally complex because the audience expectations are much higher. So, give the virtual side of the hybrid experience the time it deserves.
5. Plan unique experiences for the in-person audience to validate attendance.
We still don’t know the degree to which business travel will return in the next year. But we can be sure that people will have to justify to their companies (and themselves) the decision to attend an in-person event. It`s important to differentiate the in-person side of your hybrid event with experiences unique to that face-to-face encounter.
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