How To Successfully Host A Hybrid Corporate EvenT

The world of corporate events has evolved rapidly after the pandemic. Now, apart from offline events, we have two more options – fully virtual and hybrid events. Hosting a hybrid event is not as simple as live-streaming a meeting. It requires careful planning and a focus on delivering value to both in-person and virtual attendees. This is why you will often find companies confused about which one to choose. In this blog, we talk about when to host a hybrid corporate event and how to execute it successfully. 

When to Host a Hybrid Event

Not every event needs a virtual option. So how do you know when to host a hybrid event? As a host, it is important to ask: Are your attendees located in multiple cities or countries? Are they tech-savvy and comfortable with virtual platforms?

Hybrid events are perfect for effectively engaging both in-person and online attendees. Some common examples include trade shows, sales kick-offs, conferences, and global town halls. But when exactly should you choose hybrid? Hybrid events are especially helpful when some attendees cannot be there in person. This might happen if:

• Travel is not feasible due to time, cost, or personal preference.

• Companies have tightened travel budgets for a limited number of attendees.

• The event venue has restrictions like limited space.

Hybrid events are especially helpful when:

• You are launching something new and want to reach a global audience.

• Your event is heavy on knowledge-sharing – something like training sessions, webinars, or leadership panels.

• You are expecting attendees with accessibility needs.

To gauge whether a hybrid format makes sense, you can directly ask your attendees. Send out a pre-event survey to ask attendees about their preferences and circumstances. If a huge chunk says they would only be able to attend virtually, it is then a clear sign.

Types of Hybrid Events

Hybrid events come in many forms, but they can generally be divided into two main categories: internal and external. Each type has a unique purpose and audience. This makes hybrid formats versatile for various scenarios. Let us see the differences between internal and external hybrid corporate events.

Internal Hybrid Events

Internal hybrid events are designed to benefit your company’s stakeholders. This includes employees, managers, executives, and staff. If you run a huge company, gathering everyone in a single location can be quite difficult. Hybrid events bridge this gap successfully.

Examples of Internal Hybrid Events:

• Sales kickoffs 

• Global town halls

• Larger team meetings

• Company spirit weeks

• Employee training programs

External Hybrid Events

External hybrid events engage audiences outside your company. They can be clients, prospects, partners, or industry professionals. These events are excellent for reaching a wider audience while reducing costs and environmental impact.

Examples of External Hybrid Events:

• Conferences and trade shows

• Customer conferences

• Product launches

• Networking webinars 

• Thought leadership panels

Key Elements of A Hybrid Event

One of the biggest myths about hybrid events is that all you need is a reliable virtual streaming platform. In reality, a successful hybrid event requires the same attention to detail as an in-person event. This one also has the additional task of creating a good virtual experience. Let us look at the key elements of a hybrid corporate event:

1. Engaging Content

Content is the backbone of any event but more so for hybrid events. You are not just speaking to the in-person crowd, you also need to keep remote attendees from falling asleep.

Here are some great tips to make your content shine:

• Make sure your speakers understand how to tailor their presentations for both your live and virtual audiences. A great way is to use visuals and storytelling to keep them interested.

• You can also do some live polls and Q&A sessions during your event. Many events also have chat rooms for in-person attendees to connect with virtual ones.

• Shorter sessions have more impact than hour-long presentations. Long presentations cause “Zoom fatigue” for virtual audiences.

2. Strategic Marketing

With hybrid events, your marketing efforts have to work double duty too. You will need to attract both in-person and virtual attendees. The first step to attracting a virtual event audience is to build a website. Build an aesthetic-looking, user-friendly website to list all your event details, schedule, and benefits of attending the event. Next, send emails and ads and make them personalized and targeted. Social media is a great place to share sneak peeks, speaker highlights, etc. to create buzz.

3. Registration 

Hybrid events need a smooth registration process to accommodate both physical and virtual participants. Registration is usually done through a landing page. This is the page where the audience lands after clicking on an ad or email. So create an easy-to-navigate page with all your event details and branding.

Give different registration options for in-person and virtual attendees. For example, virtual attendees might register for specific live workshops, while in-person attendees can choose their seating preferences.

Later, you can use automated emails to nudge users who didn’t complete their registration process. You can also send automated emails to remind those who signed up for the event.

4. Appointment Scheduling for Networking

Networking can be tricky at hybrid events. You will need to be the facilitator to connect in-person and virtual attendees. Here’s how to simplify networking at a corporate event:

• Use scheduling tools to let attendees block times for networking.

• Allow attendees to see each other's schedules to coordinate meeting times.

• Plan specific windows in your event agenda for attendees to interact

5. Technical Infrastructure

Don’t underestimate the importance of reliable technology. A great hybrid event requires a good mix of physical and virtual tools.

High-definition cameras and professional sound systems are a must for live streaming. Poor quality can cut off your virtual audience. Event platform also plays a huge role as your choice will decide how many people you can host simultaneously. Also, having a dedicated team available to troubleshoot issues is a must. 

6. Post-Event Engagement

Your hybrid event does not end when the sessions are over. Post-event follow-ups are needed to keep your audience engaged.

Here are some thoughtful ideas for post-event engagement:

• Provide access to session recordings for attendees who missed live streams.

• Ask everyone to fill surveys to improve your future events.

• You can keep your chat rooms open for a few days post-event to allow attendees to connect and interact.

Conclusion

It is no unknown feat that hosting a hybrid event is difficult. But when your guest count is in the hundreds or thousands, it becomes even more tedious. With people needed on-site for managing technical hiccups to solving online glitches, you need a huge support system to make your event a success. You also need expertise in branding, vendor management, venue decor among so many other things. Encore Events is an event planning company in India providing packages with end-to-end management of large corporate events.