The Two Biggest Reasons to Go Hybrid For Your Next Event

Written by: Alex Barros 

Imagine sitting in a hotel ballroom surrounded by the buzzing chatter of guests excited to be a part of your event. A panel of speakers makes their way onto the stage to thunderous applause. After a brilliant presentation, a guest from six time zones away raises their virtual hand. After being called on by a panel of speakers, they utilize their unique cultural perspective to bring new questions and valuable information to the conference.Imagine sitting in a hotel ballroom surrounded by the buzzing chatter of guests excited to be a part of your event. A panel of speakers makes their way onto the stage to thunderous applause. After a brilliant presentation, a guest from six time zones away raises their virtual hand. After being called on by a panel of speakers, they utilize their unique cultural perspective to bring new questions and valuable information to the conference.

After the panel, a speaker who was initially anxious about traveling to your event due to health concerns can give their moving speech to the crowd from the comfort of their own home. Perhaps a guest from a foreign country who does not have the means to attend physically and does not speak English can be a part of the group and make their voice heard through the aid of a translator. Imagine being able to reach thousands of more attendees by being able to tap into an audience across the globe where travel limitations do not exist and attendees can participate from the comfort of their home.

These scenarios are not hypothetical. These are the stories of real people from genuine events. They have been able to participate solely because the event was hybrid.

So what is a hybrid event? A hybrid event is the marriage of in-person meetings and virtual conferencing. What can a hybrid event do for you and your guests that a strictly in-person or virtual event cannot? Let’s first list some of the pros and cons of in-person and virtual events to see how a hybrid event can improve the experience of all of your guests.

The Gold-Standard:

In-person events have  until now been the only way of holding events. It is a tried and true method of bringing guests together, and until now, there has been no real reason to change that. What in-person events allow is a connection on a personal level, while showcasing your message in a unique way that will 

Face-to-face personal connection is the driving force behind team building, networking, and relationship building. 

While content such as panels, Q&As, and social events draw guests to register for your event, it is the connections and experiences that stay with them long after the event is over. When one attends an event in person, one can make these connections that are just not as prevalent online. 

The Online Connection:

Have you ever watched a TV show that was filmed before a live audience and wondered why the audience was laughing so hard? Of course, it is partly to do with cue sheets or lights to prompt the proper response, but there is also another piece. 

When one is watching an event in person, one is more engaged with the content and the speakers. Jokes land harder, emotions run deeper, connections are powerful. When one is watching an event virtually, it is easy to get distracted by a pet, family members, or food on the stove. This is the downside of virtual events. 

Nevertheless, virtual events offer a lot that an in-person event cannot. Virtual events offer unprecedented accessibility for guests from across the globe to attend your event. The only barriers to entering a virtual event are a compatible electronic device and an internet connection. 

Virtual events remove the pressure, time, and cost of travel, hotel stays, and rental cars. Instead, one merely needs to sign into Zoom on their mobile device. As a result of this ease of access, more potential guests are likely to register than with traditional in-person events. 

On top of this, in today’s world of social distancing, virtual events let all guests feel safe in the comfort of their own home, able to participate regardless of health concerns. 

With features such as interpretation and captioning, virtual events also allow those with disabilities to easily participate when they otherwise may not have been able to. 

While in-person events are stellar opportunities for building relationships, virtual events can be the opposite. Because guests are in the comfort of their own homes, they often remain muted with their videos off, stifling what could be new and exciting relationships. 

So, what are the two biggest reasons to go hybrid? 

Connection and accessibility. 

If you want to preserve your guests the opportunity to make connections from in-person events and allow guests from all over the world to hear your message, hybrid events are the best option. 

If you’re thinking of holding a hybrid event and don’t know where to start, reach out to us! We’re happy to help!