Whilst we are seeing more confidence from our clients in planning events this year, the constant challenge of snap border closures continues to be concerning. The hybrid event is emerging as a key solution in 2021.

What is a hybrid event?  Glad you asked! 

A hybrid event can take numerous forms, all of which combine a portion of the event being in person, with a virtual component. This may mean you have teams located in various “live sites” perhaps in each state of the country, and link them via “telecast” style presentation; or you may have a live conference where you have an audience attend, as well as streaming to others watching from their home or office locations.

Planning a Hybrid event will allow more flexibility should there be changes in regulations around attendance to your meeting, and reduce any uncertainty for your attendees in travelling to a location.

Many companies are finding a new audience for their events by providing a variety of ways for an attendee to join the event, often attracting first-time attendees who have been unable to attend in person previously.  Getting a first-hand experience of your event may encourage the attendee to cement it into their calendar for the future. Providing users with flexibility is key to a great customer experience. Offering both in-person and virtual-only access to live content gives attendees a choice to watch from the comfort and safety of their own environment should they not be willing or able to travel to attend the event in person.

We’d certainly recommend being proactive with your event planning – studios, speakers and experienced AV teams are all in demand.  Planning does take time in the virtual/hybrid space, so engage experts to assist you.  There are definitely lots of learnings we can share from experiences over the last 12 months. With some slight tweaks to your programs to enable the delivery in a hybrid format, your attendees will gain maximum impact from your event.

Hybrid events are just one step towards us meeting together in person like we used to – embrace it and start planning now!  The Cornerstone team would love to help you with your plans – 

Contact us today for our expert advice on all your hybrid event needs.