In a recent webinar, Rich Vallaster, Director of Marketing and the Tradeshow Wonk at Personify, discussed innovative strategies for successfully implementing event communities and connecting audiences at your next event. This webinar covered building event communities to increase satisfaction and retention, create additional revenue opportunities, and drive higher attendance to your hybrid events.

Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the discussion.

Your Audience Wants to Connect

As Vallaster stated early on in the webinar, “We were really good at in-person events. But, then Covid-19 happened, and Covid-19 taught us that communities matter more than ever.” People want to connect with like-minded professionals and engage in meaningful industry topics. Networking is essential for establishing vital relationships—and that is where event communities come into play. They have built-in trust thanks to familiarity, privacy protection, and ownership.

Event communities are not a new concept. Audiences have been asking for them for a while. Vallaster noted that he often heard that attendees wanted to stay in touch with the people they met at in-person events after they left. Event communities provide an outlet to keep the conversations going.

Audiences are conditioned and accustomed to utilizing digital tools to feel more connected and engaged. “We need to diversify the investment and risks associated with in-person events, and event communities do just that,” said Vallaster.

Event Communities Are the Hybrid Solution

In-person events will be the centerpieces of the digital experiences surrounding physical events. Vallaster stressed that that is “where we are headed in ‘Hybrid 2.0.’”

Webinars and online communities are going to drive people to in-person events. In-person events generate the most revenue, and digital will continue to facilitate networking opportunities and awareness around those physical events.

In a recent survey of 500 associations, Personify asked, “What is becoming more important for association members?” Personify found that 45% of respondents want to network with others in person. Still, 43% want to be able to network with others via digital platforms and communities. Thus, the data supports the importance of having an event community for your tradeshow and conference. “This truly is creating the total package,” said Vallaster.

How You Can Maximize Event Communities

Content: Your event community is your private audience. The data is yours. It is designed and scalable for your event. You can host live and on-demand videos for pre-, during, and post-event activities. Vallaster stressed that these communities encourage thought leaders to interact on relevant topics, which creates and fosters engagement. “It’s not just a virtual event; not everything is happening in a certain timeframe, “he said. It’s a year-round opportunity to solicit real-time feedback to improve your overall content initiatives.”

Revenue Generation: Sponsors, exhibitors, and industry partners are eager for opportunities to get involved year-round. Online marketplaces, sponsor advertising, and galleries for products and services are increasingly of interest for year-round exposure. The more networking that occurs online year-round, the more valuable your events will be.

Return on Investment: Event communities grow the value of your events. They foster and accelerate connections. They not only broaden your audience but also increase engagement among all audiences and offer new and exciting revenue opportunities. “The great thing about member-only areas is that they create exclusivity and desire to level up,” Vallaster remarked. “The general trend is that people wait until the very last minute. Habits have changed. That is where event communities can drive registration benefits. They create excitement to influence attendance at other events.”

Wrapping Up

Vallaster offered a lot of valuable information during the webinar for any organization interested in reaching its audience through event communities. From growing the value of your events to increasing engagement among all audiences, he made it clear that as organizations begin to stage hybrid and return to in-person events, the desire to connect is stronger than ever.

Click here to watch the webinar recording. To request a demo of Personify’s Community for Events, click here.

The post Webinar Recap: Supercharge Your Hybrid Event with an Event Community appeared first on Personify.

A few key themes developed across the 15 sessions, panel discussions and round tables with event professionals, industry colleagues, and partners from organizations and associations big and small.  If you missed the event and want to watch any of dynamic and informative on-demand sessions, we have you covered. Just sign up here.

Virtual Margins Continue to Dwindle

The data from nearly every events industry survey continues to point to the lack of revenue margins on virtual events. Our guest speakers confirmed the same understanding.  Lack of booth space revenues, physical sponsorships and the overall number of exhibitors and sponsors participating have most events struggling to make even a third of their traditional income compared to their physical event.

As companies saw less and less return on their marketing dollars and inconsistent experiences across the virtual platforms at various virtual events they participated in, the appetite continued to decline. More concerning is that some exhibiting and sponsoring companies have shifted their marketing dollars to other initiatives (including digital) to connect with their customer base with the lack of engagement in the virtual world. The understanding and company congeniality early in the pandemic has faded and companies are demanding a much higher rate of return. Many companies are waiting on the sideline until they can participate in person once again. This was especially true of larger trade shows represented at the event.

The only consistent growth area were the sales of thought leadership or education-based engagement opportunities with exhibitors and sponsors. Providing instances for companies to present education to their prospective buyer was very popular. Even sponsorship of industry executive sessions offered a chance for brands to showcase their involvement in the industries they serve. While some events had harnessed this in the past, many companies will expect these sponsorships moving forward. Unfortunately, medical shows cannot offer this type of sponsorship, given industry regulations.

Flexibility and Agility are Key

John Allen once said, “uncertainty is the only certainty there is.” Irrespective of the organization’s size, flexibility and agility are now critical for this uncertainty.  Organizers shared that even those comfortably planning for an in-person or hybrid experience are actively exploring backup plans for a virtual event should the pandemic and potential variants shift the landscape once again.

Flexibility and agility are not just tied to the approach of the events. Dealing with industry-wide labor and supply shortages and rising costs across the entire ecosystem creates a far less predictable event. Event organizers will need to adjust and often modify their existing plans to account for these ever-evolving challenges.

This approach will also be necessary for attendees, exhibitors and sponsors as they will also be faced with similar challenges in participating in your events. Exhibitors, for example, may find new payment schedules (requiring earlier and larger expenditures) from their exhibit houses and short staffing causing lengthier timelines to build their exhibits. Attendees mostly likely will find higher travel costs, reduced flights/rental cars and diminished experiences at hotels.

Hybrid event viewer

Hybrid Events Will Vary Greatly

One thing that was consistent about hybrid events–their inconsistency in design, execution and vision. Each organizational speaker had different ideas of what a hybrid event would look like for them. For some, it was mixture of virtual and in-person experiences. For others, their events would be more focused on the in-person audiences. And for many, they had yet to fully define their event.

Organizers shared their event strategy and implementation will primarily be driven by available staffing and their capabilities, budget constraints and the desire of their audience to engage in the various formats. Ironically, virtual fatigue on the part of event producers may be even higher than from attendees and exhibitors & sponsors. As that fatigue continues to grow, the interest in virtual participation wanes. For those with a larger international audience, virtual components may be the only way for those audiences to connect with the organization as many other countries are still experiencing lockdowns and travel bans.

Unlike the inability to produce anything but a virtual event last year, as the US (in particular) is returning to normalcy, some organizers are becoming far more focused on bringing back their live events with virtual (hybrid) components supporting and driving attendance to their in-person event. I agree more and more with this notion of what hybrid events will look like for most organizations. I shared this approach in my recent Hybrid 2.0 webinar.  This is especially true of larger events and organizations that need to produce much higher revenue levels in 2021. Events with a heavier conference or education component have more flexibility in terms of virtual offerings as education has been consistently delivered effectively in the virtual world.

Habits Have Changed

The pandemic has shifted consumer behavior, probably forever. The “new normal” reflects a much more just-in-time approach to every action we take and purchase we make. Beyond the shortages early in the pandemic, convenience has become paramount for consumers. Flexibility in booking, canceling and even committing to purchases has shifted.

Unfortunately, for event organizers, our policies, pricing and marketing do not align with this new behavior. The traditional room block cut-off, early bird rate and other milestones reflect the event of the past. One speaker reminded the audience that attendees have been able to sign-up for a virtual event moment or even after an event has started. Exhibitors and sponsors could often commit (depending on the opportunity) even the week prior to the event.

Event cancellation policies have only worsened the behavior by making it more advantageous to wait versus a benefit to sign-up early. As events return, consumers will also be more likely to wait till the last minute to commit to better understand their commitment at home and work. One speaker asked, “How will this behavior impact our venue contract and food & beverage orders?”.

Even the call for papers no longer reflects reality for most presenters and their topics as man industries will be drastically different in 6-8 months from when a speaker has submitted their presentation on a topic relevant today that no longer may be valid at the time of the conference. Do speakers want to speak in person or only virtually?  Will they engage with both audiences? So much has changed.

Transparency is Paramount

The return to in-person and hybrid events will involve new experiences for everyone involved. For many Event Revenue Summit speakers, an event, conference or tradeshow was the first time they had traveled. For many attendees and exhibitors/sponsors attending your event, that may be true as well. They all shared; it was different.

The hybrid experience of today will be unique to the virtual events of the past year. Behaviors and interactions will be different (read more on that here). Some experiences will be altered because of costs or availability (receptions, for example). Aspects of your event may be reduced to cut costs to keep registration reduced or similar to years past.

Some practices may be better, for example. Many clients who have staged in-person events report higher exhibitor/sponsor satisfaction as those attending and engaging with them are more serious in their buying habits.

Differences (and potential benefits) will not only need to be communicated, but it will also be critical to be transparent to audiences. This will not be the same event as it has been in the past.

Next Steps

Regardless of the changes happening in the industry, one thing was clear from the Events Revenue Summit – the industry is rebounding quicker than some could have ever predicted. Audiences are showing a healthy appetite to meet again in person with a desire to engage in new ways before, during and after your event. Events will improve because of the lessons learned in the virtual world and the new audiences gained during this trying time.

And finally, in-person events will never be fully replicated in the virtual world. The margins alone make it prohibitive for long-term success. In-person interaction was not replaced with screens and technology. That technology will be used to augment, support and improve our in-person events in the hybrid world we are fast approaching.

Miss the event but want to watch on-demand?  We have you covered, watch now.

The post 5 Key Take-a-Ways from the Events Revenue Summit appeared first on Personify.

So, what happened?

Continued success is what happened. Our traditional events continued to grow in both attendance and revenue. In addition, their relative predictability and reliability made them desirable for organizations, associations and independent show organizers of all sizes, many of whom events are often a large portion of their organization’s budget.

Sure, there were years with small fluctuations by city choice, weather-related issues, or local and regional incidents that impacted a host city. Still, these were frequently acute and effected only a minuscule fraction of the events industry. For example, even shortly after September 11th, I was chairing a large outdoor, 60,000 plus attendee event, and we were able to move forward with only slight modifications to our event. We plan for these types of things – it’s what we do.

In mid-March 2020, that all changed. COVID-19 revealed that in-person events were far more fragile than anyone imagined. The New York Times quoted me last year; nobody had this in their event planning playbook. Many were forced to cancel or postpone their events with no alternative. Others with more runway were able to pivot to a virtual event, often their very first.

Most professionals were “on the job training” as they built out virtual experiences in unfamiliar and new and emerging event technology. Early on, attendees and exhibitors alike understood the challenges and want to remain involved to support the organization and event. However, all audiences had little experience in engaging in this new world.

As COVID moved from a few-week event to a full-blown global pandemic lasting through today, there have been many lessons learned and opportunities for event professionals to build their events to better weather the post-pandemic era upon us.

Bigger and Wider Audiences in the Virtual World 

The removal of many traditional in-person barriers such as time, travel and expense opened the door to wide-ranging audiences at virtual events. Countless organizers saw participation from entirely new audiences–from geographic diversity to adjacent markets, the level playing field opened unseen doors. Indeed, some of this growth can be attributed to a lower price point (sometimes free), but these new contacts represented untapped potential.

The prospect is now on organizers, membership managers and marketing teams to harness this audience going forward as they have already shown a propensity to engage virtually.

Connecting these new and existing audiences in more meaningful ways throughout the year online should generate new opportunities. Even those who may never attend an in-person event (for whatever reason) are still valuable through increased engagement with your exhibitors and sponsors, membership capacity, participation, or additional purchases with your organization.

Engagement Wins with Greater Competition 

The upside to the removal of those barriers has been the ability for more to participate virtually. The downside is the greater competition of digital experiences, both personally and professionally. This is a significant shift from competitor events rarely, if ever being in the same venue, location, dates or even times. As many are aware, larger tradeshows are often booked 5-10 years in advance to avoid competitor events and secure prime locations.

However, the technology and ability to host virtual events on short notice with no physical location anchoring them have expanded the marketplace extensively. In addition, the rising trend for online content such as webinars has created a crowded space of content, connections and commerce.

CEIR reported in December of 2020 that only 54% of registrants converted to attendees. That number is expected to decrease as events return to in-person or hybrid and virtual fatigue gains strength. What is clear is that a pre-COVID registration no longer represents a lower-funnel activity. The funnel has flipped with registration now at the top and engagement far more predictive to event success and satisfaction.

Engagement is the new currency. Regardless of approach, virtual, hybrid or in-person, to compete in this crowded space, event organizers will need to build ways to connect all the audiences pre, during, and post-event. These strategic and far more frequent interactions will not only be what attendees are looking for; they will demand it as a part of their total in-person package. Likewise, exhibitors and sponsors will also be searching for events that mobilize the movement and connect them

with their desired audiences in meaningful ways. Bottom line, you can’t just have a three-day event any longer.

How is a Community Different from an Events Community?

While it may seem obvious, communities are groups of like-minded individuals sharing common interests and goals, learning new things, solving challenges, and conducting business. It sounds like your event.

Communities have been around since man first began to walk the earth. They have grown exponentially since the advent of the internet. The adage, “birds of a feather, flock together,” is true of our networks to professional ones. Communities bring together people the way events do.

For those with shuttered in-person conferences and tradeshows, the virtual world became the only opportunity to connect with their communities. Thus, the challenge arose when attempting to take a three-day engagement and expect the same results in an online world.

An events community is not just another occasion to connect with your membership, audience, or constituents. It is a way to stay in front of them year-round. And unlike traditional communities, these pay off with in-person meetings to share those desired experiences.

But We Already Have an Online Community?

Some associations, nonprofits and organizations have been utilizing online communities for years to maximize member engagement. My colleague, Erin Sullivan, recently interviewed several successful organizations who have enabled their members, volunteers and advocates to connect, communicate and collaborate in a digital space.

An events community is separate (and for a good reason). Like all good communities, a common purpose is a foundation. Just like your event, there are many subgoals each of your unique audiences is looking to achieve. They are often far different than your existing online community.

An exhibitor or sponsor, for example, wants to promote their products or services to your attendees. Your attendees want to solve challenges and connect with other attendees. Often this aligns with your educational programming or the products and services your exhibitors and sponsors want to showcase. Forums on topics, challenges, services needed, success stories are all examples of great event communities. There may be elements only available to paid registrants, open areas to attract new attendees or exhibitors and sponsors. And since this community is open beyond your traditional membership base, it will grow in new organic ways.

Also, do not confuse the fantastic efforts of your social media team. Building a community of social media followers is not the same as creating a safe and secure space for constituents to connect via a private, online branded community. They are both designed to build brand and event awareness and increase attendance, but strategically, they need to be viewed differently.

Don’t worry if you have not tackled an association community yet. An events community is an excellent post-pandemic starting point to drive revenue and understand the power and influence a community can have for your organization. We can also help. 

Why Attendees and Exhibitors Love It

Events can be overwhelming experiences for many individuals. Meeting new people, making connections, learning new ideas and even deciding where to go to dinner in a new town – all require a great deal of effort. This is especially true when you put these expectations into a few days’ timeframe.

One thing is clear, the desire to connect is stronger than ever with those sharing similar experiences or successes and resolving related challenges. Event communities nurture and facilitate those connections pre-event, so on-site they are far more natural and more beneficial. Conversations start “It’s nice to finally meet you in person” versus “who are you and what organization are you with?” The same is true for exhibitors and sponsors. Attendees will visit a booth with knowledge and intention of a company’s products and services versus, “what do you do?”

These curated and often topic-driven connections build over time in a comfortable and safe space. And while not every topic is around content, the discussions of the best places to eat (and possibly someone to share a meal with) drives value for attendees.

And unlike a traditional conference, the benefits don’t stop once it is over if you have an events community. The connections made before and during the event now have another venue to continue those relationships, learnings and excitement from your event.

The post-event engagement is often the most critical to maximizing the investment in your in-person event. As your audiences meet again in the online world, they will extend the life of your event and build loyalty and ownership – further driving future success.

Why Speakers (and their Content) Benefit 

We have all been to a conference and walked into a session with a speaker who has little understanding of who the audience is. We have also been to an amazing session and wished we could continue the conversation far after the event. Event communities help solve these common challenges.

Much like connections and networking, having the ability to interact with speakers and content during all lifecycles of your event ultimately creates better content, more informed speakers and a greater affinity for your event. For example, speakers can monitor popular topics, challenges people are facing or even ask the audience what questions they want to be answered. In addition, speakers can modify their presentations for the most up-to-date content based on your community’s interactions.

Post-event, speakers can answer questions they could not answer live, offer post-session discussions and provide check-ins with attendees. Attendees can also post questions and watch the on-demand session if they missed that session.

Why Event Organizers Love It

There are so many benefits to event organizers beyond those listed above. Event communities increase Net Promoter Scores and retention because of the enhanced value offered to attendees. They drive additional revenue with fresh sponsorship and engagement opportunities for companies who want to interact with your key stakeholders. They also provide real-time intelligence and data on your event performance – from trending session discussions that might need a bigger room to popular locations you may want to maximize as a sponsorship opportunity. No other platform or event technology can offer this level of active data and insights in a non-obtrusive way while driving value for everyone involved.

Finally, the more engaged your audience is, they will likely attend and sponsor your other events. The more satisfied they are, the more likely they are to encourage others in their networks to become involved in your organization or attend your events.

Finally… the 365-day type of engagement every event professional has talked about for years.

Looking to build your online events community?

Watch on Demand 

The post Event Communities for Your Hybrid Events – It’s Time appeared first on Personify.

2020 was crippling for many associations, organizations, and independent show organizers. The roughly 15 billion (pre-pandemic) US trade show industry is now a third of what it was, currently at 5.6 billion dollars. CEIR reported that a virtual event typically only generated approximately 30% of the gross revenues than the most recent affiliated physical event. These reduced event revenues, along with other business forces impacting revenue, is simply unsustainable. Our recent study further highlighted how critical events are for organizations and associations since many reported that historically 40-80% of their revenue comes from events! As the country opens and the final round of the Paycheck Protection Program funds are depleted, organizations will be forced to generate cash flow from their activities without the support of further government assistance.

So Why is Everyone Avoiding the Revenue Discussion?

The US and many parts of the world are still in a pandemic – some places even on lock-down. Organizers are struggling to strike a balance between recognizing current conditions and, at the same time, pushing forward as a revenue-generating event (or business). On top of that, many of these professionals must consider the additional risk factors in organizing and planning events for the first time in their career. Organizers may have children, family members or themselves may not be eligible to get a vaccine. Some may also not want to vaccinate for personal reasons. These increased personal risks and choices may come at personal odds to professionally open an event at full capacity, let alone driving revenue through these increases of in-person activities.

I recently traveled to the SISO CEO Summit myself and had to balance my personal well-being with the need to move forward for the events industry. As I shared in my blog about the experience, I not only felt safe as a vaccinated individual, I realized this was the direction we (as an industry) were moving quickly. Even at this smaller event, from the flight crew who genuinely thanked us for flying to the drivers who brought me to and from the hotel to all the event and hotel staff, the economic impact could be felt.

While associations often advocate, educate and solve global problems, the organization must remain solvent. For that matter, every organization, including nonprofits, must remain solvent to continue to provide jobs and accomplish their missions – and many of them do this through events.

And It’s Beyond Just the Events Industry

The fear to recognize that events (and their organization) must make money to survive is only one side of the equation. We have to celebrate that our events generate revenue for not only industry jobs, but for those who support the industry as well. From every rideshare driver to a restaurant near a convention center, those businesses and staff also require a return to in-person and hybrid events. Each event can often bring millions of dollars to a city in just a few short days.

So, it is time to start talking about how the industry can collectively generate higher revenues through 2021 and beyond!

But Wait…Can In-Person Events Be Safe While Still Making Money?

Of course! As I shared in Trade Show Executive Magazine, before organizers try to boil the ocean by creating vaccination event bubbles (which are impossible given the size of the events ecosystem), we need to realize that the CDC has provided us clear guidance on how to interact with the public safely. From our local grocery store to a trade show, it will be up to the individual to decide how to manage (participate) and mitigate any risks associated with the activity. We will be mixing with the general public as we move to the “new normal.” Events will be a part of that equation and we must start to recognize that.

I also understand there is still unknown and discomfort in this new reality. For many, we just somewhat figured out how to “virtual,” and now we have to “hybrid” with little to no experience with that either. While I shared in my webinar, hybrid will be different than originally envisioned, many will still participate virtually while more and more will attend in-person. Those additional revenues will help make up for likely smaller revenues generated from the in-person events. While many in-person sponsorships and exhibitions may be smaller in 2021, the margin on these activities will further support a revenue return – all while conducting events safely.

Will the Demand Be There if We Meet In-Person?

Understanding and surveying your audience frequently is key to understanding how your event(s) will perform in this new climate. Nationally, Freeman continues to track the sentiment of event audiences. In their most recent update, 85 percent of attendees and 86 percent of exhibitors expect to return to in-person events by the winter of 2021. And while this survey was conducted shortly before the change in CDC guidance, fall return data came in at 74%. The numbers will likely increase during their following survey given the recent changes in guidance, growth in vaccinations and more states opening up venues and restrictions.

Personify A2Z Events clients have anecdotally shared their in-person events generate overall higher NPS (Net Promoter Scores) from both attendees and exhibitors. Those attending events are highly engaged with all levels of the event, from education to conducting business with exhibitors and sponsors. It only makes sense this channel was forced online for over a year. As retail and many other industries have shown, the pent-up demand point to a stronger than expected recovery in most sectors.

So Where Do Should I Start?

It’s no easy task to fundamentally shift back to what we were doing with such frequency and expectancy just a little over a year ago. We must recognize much has changed with how we consume, travel and venture outside. We must change everything from our messaging and marketing to how we sell to exhibitors and sponsors as we return.

It is why we created the first-ever, Events Revenue Summit!

Watch on Demand Now.

The post The Events Elephant in the Room – Events Revenue appeared first on Personify.

SISO CEO 2021 Name Badge

While it seemed like attending my first post-pandemic in-person event would be like riding a bike, it came with some lessons learned and a few surprises.

Personify A2Z Events was thrilled to be a sponsor of this year’s SISO CEO Summit this past week in Amelia Island, Florida. It had been a little over 16 months since I last attended a tradeshow but having attended previous SISO events, I knew the event would be top-notch, from the speakers and sessions to the networking and events. What I did not know was how (or if) the way we attend or plan events a year after only having virtual offerings had changed.

I have compiled my five critical lessons learned to consider as you strategize for your first post-pandemic hybrid or in-person event.

Lesson #1: Post Pandemic Events Etiquette

The most immediate difference I witnessed was navigating our new norms of interacting with each other in a physical space. Having not seen many of our clients, friends, and partners for over a year, it was hard not to hug someone or come close to shake their hand. While we all had been tested or vaccinated, we have spent the past year making sure we were physically distanced (or six feet) from anyone not in our “pod.” Suddenly we were far from our homes and face to face.

Many defaulted to a hug or to shake hands, while others felt more secure keeping their distance and simply waving or bumping elbows. Stickers on our badges denoted who was vaccinated, but that certainly didn’t seem like a determining factor of how people interacted. We questioned each other on even using go-to conference items such as business cards to minimize the spread of germs (many even commented they didn’t even think of them since they haven’t been used in over a year). How do you manage large groups or even getting on the elevator at the end of the day? Each moment was met with split-second decision and mental note there were things were new as we ventured out.

Ironically, navigating this awkwardness created ice breakers and jokes among us. Even with masks on, you could see the smiles and delight to be back in person.  Each one of us wanted to respect what each other was comfortable with interacting. While none of it distracted at all from the event, it was just our new reality.

Quick Take – Setting expectations of post-pandemic events etiquette will be vital as you welcome back your audiences in person. Communicating that audiences may have different comfort levels of interactions. Each attendee will need to respect their fellow attendees wishes to provide everyone a higher level of comfort.

Lesson #2: Connections Over Content  

What was also immediately apparent was that networking and peer-to-peer conversation were a top priority for everyone from the moment of arriving on-site. Whether it has been the lack of quantity and quality of networking at virtual events the past year or the common desire to solve challenges – every opportunity to speak to each other was significant.

After each networking or session break, it was a challenge for organizers to drive attendees back into the general sessions. Attendees struggled to decide between the next fantastic speaker or continuing the great conversation.

The conflict of competing priorities was also confirmed at networking receptions and meals. It was hard to move attendees away (or end) these events as the desire to continue the conversation was strong. While these were all incredibly positive points for both the organizers and attendees, remaining on the schedule was challenging.

Quick Take – As your events return in person, adding additional and longer times to network may provide a better attendee experience as many have not seen each other in over a year. Provide other areas or suggestions of where to continue the conversation should your scheduled event end.

Lesson #3: Virtual In-Person Fatigue

General session at SISO CEO Summit

Virtual fatigue is a growing problem facing every aspect of our pandemic lives. From on-screen meetings, binge-watching Netflix to virtual events, we are all growing weary of the amount of daily screen time. As I approached SISO (an extrovert that hasn’t traveled for work in well over a year), I was thrilled to attend sessions. Finally seeing and hearing speakers live and interacting in-person with attendees before, during, and after each session. What I found was a new type of fatigue – post-pandemic in-person fatigue.

While previously I could turn off my camera and mute myself, I was on – live and in-person (and several rows and aisles away from an exit door even if I wanted to slip out). To be actively engaged, I could not multi-task. I couldn’t keep meetings, take calls, respond to email or Slack messages. I couldn’t promise myself I was going to watch the session recording a few weeks later. From 8 am breakfast till the end of the evening, often after 9 or 10 pm, I was interacting with others and learning. I was once again in sessions that were 45 minutes to an hour in length versus the 20-30 minutes sessions many have adopted in the virtual world. I had to pay attention to be fully engaged in the event (and I was out of practice).

So, what’s changed? While we all hate to admit it, our behavior has been altered by COVID. In the past, we would have put up an out-of-office message while attending an event and manage our non-event duties on a minimal basis. And if we did take time, we felt justified as there were plenty of other opportunities to learn and network around the corner. However, we quickly discovered the ability to manage our daily personal and professional lives during a virtual event. I applied our new accepted event virtual behaviors back to the in-person world, and it did not work.

Quick Take – Understanding how behaviors have changed during the pandemic is essential to scheduling your in-person event. Our attention spans are even smaller than before, so session length is critical to consider. Building in breaks is even more relevant for people to now manage both worlds while in-person. Length of the day and total event days will also play a factor as being away from home and home office will be a new adjustment for many participants.

Lesson #4: To Hybrid or Not 

While I and several hundred made the decision to attend in-person, I know others who could not or did not feel comfortable traveling to an in-person event quite yet. Since SISO was a purely in-person event, I watched the event unfold and imagined both the logistics and experiences involved to test theories and applications if this had been a hybrid event. Though it certainly would have been possible, and the benefits of the amazing content would have helped the hybrid audience, I saw many challenges to consider in your hybrid event planning.

The largest item that stands out to me is those who made the commitment in resources, time and risk (albeit minimized) to attend. It would have honestly been less desirable to connect with a virtual attendee if it had been hybrid. While I understand many have entirely valid reasons not to attend, I still wanted to communicate with those face to face and those who had the shared experience of being in person.

As we moved freely around event spaces (both in and outdoors), it would have been logistically difficult to connect us with good audio and video (regardless of the associated expenses with executing this experience). Attendees were continually moving on-site versus being glued to their screen. Groups grew and often broke up into smaller conversations. At outdoor events, and one, in particular, had a band playing and a strong ocean breeze – the audio alone would have created a nightmare to connect the virtual and in-person audiences.

As noted above, a virtual audience would have had trouble keeping up with sessions that flexed to meet the needs and priorities of the on-site attendees. Some sessions started late to accommodate a more extended networking session or longer lunch service. Would a virtual audience have waited while the in-person room filled back up before starting? What audience becomes the driver of the event?

I couldn’t help remembering back to my high school days of working at an independent bookstore (well before Amazon). Nothing aggravated a customer more than when an associate helped a phone customer before the customer who drove to the store. Would the in-person audience feel their needs were greater than the virtual? Would two distinct audiences still emerge?

Quick Take:  There are many considerations when planning a hybrid event. With changes in attendee behavior, the costs and logistical challenges of in-person events are more challenging than most expect. I believe a more logical model exists – watch my Hybrid 2.0 Webinar and download our Hybrid Events Planning Guide to learn more.

Lesson #5: Health and Safety

In person post-pandemic on-site rapid COVID testing.

Finally, SISO took great care to make every participant feel safe. Not only were attendees required to submit a negative test or proof of vaccination prior to arrival, but event participants could also get an on-site rapid COVID test. Attendees were unable to pick up their badge until on-site staff confirmed all the health and safety protocols were in place. Participants could denote their vaccination status on their badges, and masking was also protocoled at the event. Six feet separation in session rooms, greatly reduced table seating and hand sanitizer were also present.

Before departing for the start of the event, some family and friends seem surprised I was traveling to a business event. And while I said it jokingly, the health and safety measures along with protocol from business professionals made me feel safer at SISO than at my big box warehouse club on any given day. I can honestly say I felt safe and that both the participants and organizers also wanted the event to be safe and adhere to the guidelines. Even at meals, the ability to offer meals both in and outdoors with tables set for four versus the typical 8-10 also ensured that un-masked physical distancing was considered. From single-use materials to the staff of the resort serving meals, the details made a difference. And as I talked to other attendees, these measures are why they felt comfortable (and safe) in traveling to the event.

Quick Take – Everyone will have different levels of comfort and desire to travel as the world reopens. Clearly articulating the health and safety protocols at your event will be critical to increasing attendance over the next several years. Work closely with all your partners to secure your events ecosystem as best as possible. Also, be clear in your policies about non-compliance.

So much like riding that bike for the first time again – take a few laps around the neighborhood before venturing on a bike trail. And with anything new after such a long break will be challenging – your attendees will overlook many of the small challenges to be back together again.

Though I hope this article helps prepare you for many of the lessons and considerations, I would still encourage you to attend an in-person event as soon as possible. Your experiences will better prepare you, your team, your organization, and every constituent coming to your in-person or hybrid event in 2022.

The post Five Lessons Learned from a Post Pandemic In-Person Event appeared first on Personify.

Focused young gentlemen engaged in online event communities.

Ironically, event professionals are an industry that is changing and an industry that never seems to change. Like many black swan events, there are often long-term changes to the way businesses operate and consumers act.

According to a recent McKinsey and Company study,  90% of executives said they expect the fallout from COVID-19 to fundamentally change the way they do business over the next five years. Those same executives also reported that the pandemic would have a lasting impact on their customer’s needs and 75% said the crisis would create new growth opportunities. Could online event communities be the answer?

So, what will stick with events? 

What continues to gain traction across event manager blogs, discussion groups and industry chatter is harnessing online event communities’ power. Ironic since it is something event professionals (and audiences) have been discussing for many years, well before the pandemic. Having conducted event focus groups for years, it was common feedback. Regardless of the industry or event size, every group desired to extend their three days to year-long engagement. From the connections they made, the business conducted, the sense of community they often felt at events to the learnings, it was always an utmost desire to “keep it going.”

It makes sense given the investment of resources (both in time and money) for a three-day event. We have all been to a great session and wished we could continue the conversations with the speakers and other attendees. Most of us have gone alone to a conference and wished there was an easy way to connect to other attendees in advance to meet up on a topic or just a social meal. Exhibitors and sponsors would always prefer to start a conversation at the event with “it’s great to meet you finally” versus hear “what do you do?” The list of benefits and examples of why we should leverage event communities are endless.

So why now?

As the pandemic has endured (on gone on further than anyone ever expected), organizations realized that year-round engagement is not only an insurance policy for the risks singular in-person events can often face; it is what everyone wants in their events. As new and previously untapped audiences have attended virtual-only events, organizers are scrambling to find ways to extend and increase engagement, networking and connections as the core value propositions that in-person events were so effective at generating pre-pandemic. While everyone seems to agree that virtual events will not replace in-person events, the value of events is far more than just the in-person interactions in such a short window of time.

So how do online event communities work with hybrid events?

When it comes to hybrid events, in-person events will be the centerpieces of the virtual experiences surrounding physical events. For many organizations, the most effective virtual component will be event-branded online communities.

In our latest research study (LINK), 44% of association members shared that it’s become more important to have an online community in 2021 than in previous years. However, we found that only a tiny percent of association staff report using one. So, it not only serves to benefit your events, but it will also benefit your organization.

Sounds great, but why will it work?

Audiences are already conditioned and accustomed to using digital tools to feel more connected and engaged with their peers. Peers are one of the most trusted sources in digital spaces.

I travel a great deal for both work and personal enjoyment. When I am looking for a restaurant recommendation in an unfamiliar town, I turn to Facebook over Yelp. While Yelp provides me an overview of what the public thinks of a dining establishment, I have been in cities where Taco Bell is highly rated. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Chalupa, but my friends will make recommendations for a small local Mexican restaurant versus a chain. Or since I am a bit of a foodie, a unique local establishment, or some great BBQ. My peers will also likely know I am allergic to seafood, so they will not make that recommendation either. My peers and colleagues will better serve me, and I will trust them more than the general public.

Association and event communities have built-in trust because of familiarity, privacy protection, and community ownership. Just this past week, another Facebook data breach compromised 533 million users phone numbers and personal information was leaked. The more trust a participant feels, the more likely they are to freely engage with others.

Even if they have only attended your event once, they will likely already feel connected to the event and its community. If it is a new attendee, they will want to engage this community as quickly as possible to make the time most valuable. These are not strangers meeting online; they are a group of individuals with a common goal and interest – your event and your organization.

Will this help our in-person events?

Absolutely. Event advocacy or net promoter score (NPS) via online channels is a universal driver of attendance. And since most people attend events to solve problems, make connections, conduct business and gain knowledge and skills – your online community becomes an extension of why they already attend. This past year, our research (LINK) has shown this has grown more important, with 45% of respondents saying a chance to learn career skills or certifications is more important than in 2020. Followed quickly behind is 46% who said it was more important to network with others in-person and 45% who shared being able to network with others via digital platforms & communities.  We have all heard of FOMO.  Event communities can create it by offering “member or registered attendee only” areas, special events and sessions only available to registrants. That exclusivity will drive event registration sooner to benefit from the content, sharing and networking reserved for “club members.”

These connections and interactions create a circular loop: People want to meet the people with whom they interact in an online community. When they connect and engage at events, they contribute more to your online community in authentic, relevant and ongoing discussions.

Can we generate revenue with an online event community?

Of course! Online event communities offer companies year-long opportunities to remain in front and engaged with their target markets (your attendees). Companies can participate in many ways, between highly valuable thought leadership sponsorships and events to online advertising opportunities.

Some event organizers only allow participation in their event communities to those who exhibit or sponsor this in-person event (to drive in-person revenue), while others are extending their reach to those who may not attend in person but still want exposure to your audiences.

Regardless of your approach, there are many ways to cover the cost of the platform via sponsorships.

Are there other benefits of online event communities?

While this list extends beyond this, here a few:

Content – Most events are filled with great content. Content that expires moments after it is presented. An online community maximizes the usage of existing educational content and speakers for days, weeks or even months afterward. Some will include this as a member benefit moving forward, while others may charge for it.

Networking – Connecting our audiences has been a challenge this past year. Well-built event communities create curated and meaningful interactions and connections around affinity. Examples include topics of interest, job role/title, products, services, geography, skills, etc. And for introverts who may feel less comfortable networking in-person, a community provides a level playing field and safe space for digital networking year-long.

Data and Insights – As we learned with a year of virtual events, the data became highly valuable. Your online events community is not only a place to connect; it’s a goldmine for data, interaction insights and market and member intelligence. The data will be a real-time data source not only to plan your in-person event but can also help organizations strategically plan for 2022 and beyond.

Ready to learn more about building an online community?

If you’re interested in hearing more about our strategy and approach to online communities, watch our recent discussion with Personify’s Erin Sullivan and Benjamin Morton. During the webinar, they explore the benefits of communities for associations and nonprofits and reveal strategies to get your community off on the right foot and keep it going strong. In this session, you’ll learn:

• What an online community is and how it plays an important role in your engagement strategy that is unique from your organization’s other digital tools
• A strategy to launch a new community that will make your members and stakeholders feel welcome and understand how to get involved
• Essential best practices in online community management for organizations of all sizes
• A walkthrough of Personify’s community platform and how to bring these best practices to life within the software
• And much, much more.

Watch Now

The post Online Events Communities – Why Now? appeared first on Personify.

Vaccines have offered the largest glimmer of hope for in-person events to return (at some level) in 2021. Like many event professionals and event organizers, I am enamored by the concept of serving and connecting new and more significant audiences. We have imagined normalized revenue with the growth potential. We have been eagerly optimistic about the return to some sort of normal–albeit the new normal.

We have also all heard repeatedly (and I have stated it myself) that hybrid events are the future. But as I have discussed and learned the challenges and opportunities with clients, industry partners, and planning events myself, the hybrid vision we all discussed months ago is far from realistic for most organizations and events (and it’s not the technology that will prevent it).

Hybrid events have several definitions and variations. At the core, the goal is making sure both audiences (in-person and online) are engaged and connected (in most cases) simultaneously. Virtual events, by design, only had to serve audiences in one dimension and time. Joining all these disparate audiences while also executing a live, in-person, singular location event is challenging on many levels.

So, before you break one of your professional New Year’s Resolutions, hear me out on the considerations and the best approach to hybrid events in 2021.

Hybrid Events  = Many Definitions

First, it is essential to understand that using the word hybrid to reflect a meeting or event is not as inclusive as one might think. Is the event in one location or many? Will it include audio-only or one and two-way video? Will it be synchronous or asynchronous (meaning audiences may be participating at the same or different times)? Will participants be able to interact with speakers and other audience members? Will that participation be before, during and after the event? Will it all be live, simulive (simulated live), or all recorded or some mix? Will sessions be offered on-demand? With an in-person event following a more typical timeline, how will that impact the virtual audience? The list of questions to consider and logistics is long and suddenly, virtual-only is more straightforward.

Virtual Fatigue

If the increases in travel and corresponding COVID infections of late 2020 are any indication, the desire to get out and travel  is growing. Fortunately, the tools and techniques have gotten exponentially better in the past year to execute virtual events. Our recent study of 1,000 members and staff shared that 44% of those virtual events led to meaningful connections with their association.

But the digital elephant in the room is the growing fatigue of all things virtual. 72% of respondents from a PromoLeaf Study stated overwhelming that they would prefer an in-person conference to a virtual event. Ironically, the first references to virtual event fatigue date back to this article from Forbes from May of 2020! While that doesn’t seem that long ago, it represents the sentiment less than two months after the initial COVID-19 lockdowns.

Further fueled by remote work utilizing video features, increases in webinars and even in our daily life with Zoom holidays and birthdays to binge-watching Television, video has become even more prevalent in our pandemic world. Netflix saw its lowest increase in subscribers in four years for Q3 2020 after a record-breaking surge.

We are screened out.

Show Me the Money

For associations we recently polled (link), respondents report that 40% of their association’s revenue was garnered from events. This number goes even higher for many associations as dues revenues shrink. Strategy and decisions with regards to events will be directly related to the overall impact they plan on an organization’s financial health.

The recently released study by CEIR reported nearly half of virtual events generated gross revenues of less than $250,000 and are a fraction of the gross revenues of in-person physical events. It is no surprise to see these statistics given that the median registration cost (as reported by CEIR) of a virtual event was $200 in 2020.

While some virtual events have succeeded in generating net profit (often attributed to lower execution costs), overall gross revenues remain low. Many organizers have also had to re-strategize on engaging exhibitors as sponsorship dollars have been primary revenue drivers in the educationally-heavy virtual space. Trading in-person dollars for virtual dimes will not be sustainable long-term.

While this does seem to indicate the end of virtual events, I propose that virtual components be used to generate ancillary revenue and support in-person activities (more on that later).

Two Audiences – One Experience

The National Football League (NFL) are masters at executing hybrid experiences that fans will pay top dollar for. They have successfully connected virtual and in-person audiences to one event through technology, gamification, social media and professional broadcasters (to name a few). This behind the scenes look from the NFL homepage will give you a sense of what goes into each game-day broadcast. And while there are not officially reported numbers, estimates average production costs alone of a single NFL game at $1 million dollars. Unfortunately, creating this level of seamless and engaging real-time experiences for both audiences is out of reach for most events on staffing capabilities alone.

Many hotel and convention facilities are racing to increase their technology, production capability and bandwidth to “broadcast” from their locations. But as these improvements seem inevitable, the requirements, additional planning, increased staffing and associated costs will be prohibitive for most events and organizations. Some cities also have other labor restrictions and rules regarding broadcasting, further adding to the hybrid complexity.

Lessons from Virtual Events

As we witnessed with virtual events, thoughtful event design, engagement tools, matchmaking, and gamification without supporting event tech made meaningful connections and engaged audiences a challenge.

Creating a hybrid environment with now two very different audiences, one which will be primarily engaging in-person and the others spread out across the world creates additional barriers. For example, organizers had the flexibility to select a time that worked for the majority of the audience for their virtual event. Once a physical location is now introduced, how will an in-person networking happy hour at 6 pm Pacific time in San Diego work with a 10 pm virtual audience in New York? How will the networking take place?  Will those who have invested the resources to travel to be on-site be more interested in those in-person with them and the online audience in the background only connecting with others online? Will these two audiences segregate themselves and defeat the purpose of hybrid?

Two Audiences – Different Reasons

Two groups of attendees will emerge in 2021. The first group will be the virtual only group. They may have one or more following reasons for remaining online in 2021:

• Vaccination availability or desire to be vaccinated
• Lack of comfort or desire (regardless of vaccination status) to travel or attend events
• Inability to secure funding to attend events
• Restrictions from employer on traveling or attending events
• Only attends certain events now virtually due to costs/travel/restrictions/etc.

The second group will be the blended or in-person group. This group will attend in-person and (based on potential options) also may partake in companion or virtual offerings. Their primary reasons will be one more or the following:

• Vaccinated or not deterred by attending in-person events without vaccination
• Desire to travel and be in group settings
• Employer approval and funding to attend events or travel
• Potentially greater importance or interest to meet in-person versus online

So, what should you do?

BIB–Blended–In-Person–Blended (Hybrid Events 2.0)

As organizers plot the journey ahead, I propose a realistic approach to your hybrid events—one that will satisfy all audiences and supports the growth and return to in-person events. A strategy that will put less burden on existing teams and also keep costs reasonable.

In-Person events will be the driver of the virtual experiences surrounding that event and several tools can help facilitate this. Online communities and virtual event platforms will be the most efficient way to start online connections with your speakers, attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors. Virtual meetups, sponsored happy hours, sneak-peaks, product demos, webinars and limited educational sessions will all work to drive interest and registration for the live event. Exclusive content and other limited experiences will be offered to those who have committed to the in-person event or paid for the upcharge virtual experience.

Sponsors and exhibitors will have opportunities to participate (and pay to be a part of the pre-virtual event or be included as an incentive to participate in-person). This blended audience will have both registered to attend in-person and those who select to remain virtual. Some offerings may also be free to entice increase exhibitor/sponsors exposure, collect data and drive registration to either the virtual or in-person experience.

The in-person experience will now be the payoff to the virtual engagement before the event. Attendees will have already started meaningful engagement with other attendees, speakers and more importantly, with your highly valuable exhibitors and sponsors. Conversations will begin with “it’s nice to finally meet or see your product in-person” versus “who are you and what do you do?” Since the remote audience will not participate in live time, the pre-event discussions will have given the virtual audience the ability to participate and create relevant questions. Many sessions will be recorded and prepared for the virtual audience post-event. This removes the exhaustive need to live broadcast sessions (with the risks, staffing and associated costs).

Post-event will merge the audiences again and the content will be carefully curated and posted for the virtual attendees to consume (and in-person attendees to watch sessions they were unable to attend – furthering their value as well). Discussions around the sessions and even post-event speaking webinars, sessions, or meet-ups can further connect the two audiences. Both audiences will have a unique experience but ultimately, they will receive similar interactions, connections and content with this model.

Learn More About Hybrid Events

Want to learn more about how you can make hybrid events work for your organization? Join my FREE webinar.

Watch On Demand

The post A Realistic Approach to Hybrid Events in 2021 appeared first on Personify.

For a few short weeks in 2020, the world seemed to slow. As we progress through the pandemic, it looks like it has begun to speed up even faster than our pre-COVID lives once again. We have all adjusted, from the way we shop to the way we work, much of it “just in time” or with greater flexibility. Who would have thought that airlines would drop their $200 change fees?

I recently received an invitation to submit a session proposal for an event in the summer of 2021. While six to nine months would be a typical timeline for a call for papers/presentations (CFP), it honestly felt disconnected from reality in our “new normal.”

Of course, some industries and fields will need this time for a variety of reasons, but I question if we need to think differently about events in a COVID-19 era. My thoughts, research and opinions from the fall of 2020 regarding the landscape and topic for this event will be drastically influenced as this pandemic (and other world events) plays out. While I am not arguing that there are not evergreen topics, I want event professionals to consider adjusting the timelines or flexibility in the questioning as we approach asking speakers to participate.

So, what are some considerations as you develop your virtual or hybrid event call for papers?

Speaker Diversity

Unlike a physical event, the ability to attract a presenter from anywhere to a virtual setting opens the door for a larger pool of speakers. Distance, travel costs and time considerations were prohibitive for many to consider submitting to speak or contribute at an event. With virtual event platforms and tools such as Zoom, that few days commitment is now likely less than an hour. As you open your call for papers, consider casting a wider net and utilize your database of contacts and social media to leverage your networks to increase interest in participating remotely. Make it clear that presenting virtually is now an option.

Pre-Recording Preference?

Given the potential speaker diversity and increased first-time speaker count, asking a presenter in your CFP if they prefer to pre-record their session is important. Many may feel more comfortable in this format. Organizers also benefit by being able to review the content in advance and avoid bandwidth or technology issues that could happen during a live recording.

Speaker Quality

With a greater pool of potential speakers, it is essential to understand the speaker’s capability to present in a virtual environment. Much like school-aged children, more individuals are becoming accustomed to interacting and sharing content online. Consider asking questions about their comfort and experience with the technology of presenting at your conference or others. While this may not

be a determining factor in selection, engaging speakers are even more necessary in the virtual world. Organizers may also want to consider scheduling brief online interviews with submitters to judge their virtual performance and comfort with the technology if they cannot share previous online speaking engagements. Speakers who have ranked lower in the selection process or have concerns about speaking virtually maybe suited for recorded sessions to reduce the risk of live session issues.

Speaker Engagement

Regardless of the speaking location (physical or online), engaging attendees and commanding (potentially two audiences) will be critical for event satisfaction. Session forums, online chat, live Q&A, and post-event discussions in community forums will present new opportunities (and challenges) for both speakers and attendees never seen prior. Gauging the interest in willingness to participate and utilize these tools should be considered in scoring potential presenters.

Speaker and Organizer Flexibility

As events move towards hybrid, asking the speaker’s interest and ability to present in various formats will be necessary in your call for papers. Some speakers may only want to speak in one format. Some speakers’ willingness to speak may evolve with changing circumstances in their personal or professional lives as well as regional, national or international changes.

Should the speaker’s session be planned for in-person and must be moved to virtual-only (for a host of reasons), is the speaker still willing to present?

The further out the call for papers, the less likely a speaker would be willing to commit with certainty to an event. Organizers who have a CFP further away from the event may have to ask their speakers much closer to the event to get a “recommit” to their session in the format they selected. Some speakers may not even be willing to commit to an in-person presentation until 30 days prior. Having back-up plans, sessions and speakers will be critical. For example, if an in-person speaker is no longer willing or able to speak, do you have the ability to broadcast them to your in-person attendees, or will you replace them with another speaker who can?

Topic Relevancy

Organizations want to showcase the most relevant and timely issues during their events. While many speakers are polishing th

eir presentations moments before they present, are your speakers able (and willing) to adjust the topic(s) as the world evolves?

Organizers should also encourage (unless necessary for their topic) avoid timestamping presentation content. Even a simple reference to a day or week’s current events can highlight the change in just several weeks’ time from the recording. Providing clear language that the event has the final say to adjust will be critical.

AV Needs

Speakers and organizers must consider the needs for audiovisual for both in-person and virtual. If a presenter is speaking virtually, can capture good audio (most important) and clear video? Do they have external lighting?  Do they have the bandwidth to present live? Are they willing to record their session if a local/regional studio if available?  These questions need to be asked in your CFP solution.

Important Dates

Calling out important dates (that may be different based on the format) is critical in your CFP.

Multiple Speakers

While easy in-person, having multiple speakers for a virtual presentation adds a technical level of complexity. Designating a key point of contact and virtual leader in your CFP is also helpful. Collecting a cell phone is also critical since the person may lose connectivity.

Longer Formats

Many events host multiple hours or highly interactive workshops, masterclasses and traditionally longer sessions. How will these work in the virtual format? Asking attendees to remain engaged for more than an hour can be challenging in the virtual world. Will these be reserved for only in-person attendees? How will interactivity between the various audiences be achieved? Are your speakers able (and interested) to maintain this level of engagement with two audiences?

Honorariums/Speaking Fees

Do any of your honorariums or speaking fees need to be adjusted for this new format? Preparing and engaging with multiple audiences, potentially before, during and after your event may be more work than was previously asked of most presenters.

Design for One Audience, Plan for Both

Education teams need to focus and build a program that appeals to your community (one audience), not just the format. Attendees expect fantastic content and top-notch speakers regardless of whether they are in-person or virtually.

Handouts

Don’t forget to remind your speakers during the CFP process that just because some of the audience will be virtual, supporting materials are even more important!

Creating a seamless experience for both audiences is the biggest challenge. It starts with the time zone.  The shift from the default time zone of virtual being a selected time designed to accommodate most audiences to having a physical event complicates the issue. The destination once again is now the default. Some organizers are working to create unique experiences of both audiences. Others are carefully architecting the experience for both audiences. Shifting key sessions to more relevant times and providing those on-site educational experiences that can be consumed later or on-demand is the most inclusive.

Three Hybrid Approaches*

As you begin to outline your new Call for Papers, consider the complexity and approaches to a hybrid event. If you need help here, see our Hybrid Event Planning Guide.

1. Hybrid – Live event originating in one location with one or several remote locations (NO individual remote presenters or participants). Options can include:

• • No video
  • One-way video
  • Multi-way video

2. Hybrid – Live meeting originating in one location with one or several remote locations AND remote participants, including the possibility of remote presenters. Options can include:

• • No video
  • One-way video
  • Multi-way video

3. Hybrid – A mix of Live and Pre-recorded (“simulated live” or simulive”) sessions. Some sessions may be on-demand or one-demand with a scheduled live interaction. Options can include:

• • No video
  • One-way video
  • Multi-way video

*Adapted from PCMA Digital Event Strategist Course

What to Learn More? See our tips for submitting a speaking proposal.

p.s. The PersoniFest call for papers is now open and will run through November 6! We encourage you to submit an idea and join us at virtual PersoniFest in March 2021.

The post Call for Papers in a Pandemic – Virtual and Hybrid Event Planning appeared first on Personify.

Glamping at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Williamsport, MD

While on Labor Day holiday, I started to reflect on the summer I had “planned” and what summer ended up “being.”  Much of what had been scheduled was canceled, postponed, or changed to consider the Coronavirus circumstances. I also pondered what a dizzying array of unforeseen circumstances the last six months have been that have forever changed how we work, live and play. From the concerns and riots over systematic racism to the profound impacts of the pandemic, nothing has been absolute in 2020.

The parallels to my summer and the events industry were suddenly evident to me. We are all searching for some certainty in this uncertain time. Anything. Something. But much like my summer, I realized I had to cherish the opportunities and new experiences this moment in time has created. As a family, these include many day trips to explore the fantastic states immediately around us. We “glamped” for the first time, tubed down the Potomac River and took advantage of the beach being only a few hours away. Each experience was different than what had been planned but was also new, unique and satisfying.

Early Virtual Event Mistakes

When virtual events were the only option, many organizers simply attempted to turn their in-person meetings to online events without modifying the experience to adequately accommodate the virtual experience’s differences. The “plop and drop” method, as I like to call it, was frustrating to attendees as well as exhibitors and sponsors.

To be fair, most event planners had little time to make the necessary changes and little information on how to host a successful virtual event. As the pandemic has continued, savvy organizations have worked to fully understand the limitations and opportunities to provide much more valuable experiences. But just as quickly as the technology and planning of virtual events evolved, the world has evolved around us.

With the announcement of IAEE’s Expo! Expo! and a few other events moving forward with a face-to-face meeting and a virtual component, it is clear the demand for both will remain the “certainty” for the near term. Some constituents (and organizers) are anxious to meet again in-person, while others prefer a desire to join virtually, the case to cater to both only gets more substantial for hybrid events.

Hybrid Event = Many Definitions

Using the word hybrid to reflect a meeting or event is not as inclusive as one might think. Is the event in one location or many? Will it include audio-only or one and two-way video? Will it be synchronous or asynchronous (meaning audiences may be participating at the same of different times)? Will participants be able to interact with speakers and other audience members? Will that participation be before, during and after the event? Will it all be live, simulive (simulated live), or all recorded or some mix? Will sessions be offered on-demand? With an in-person event following a more typical timeline, how will that impact the virtual audience? The list of questions to consider and logistics is long and suddenly virtual-only seems more straightforward than we imagined.

Hybrid Events in Our Daily Lives

Since many event professionals (once again) have never planned or executed a hybrid event, it is helpful to think of something in our daily lives that effectively replicates a mixed experience. While I noted above, there are many definitions of hybrid. For simplicity’s sake (and ignoring COVID for the moment), I will stick to an event occurring simultaneously with two audiences.

Since my primary DC area football team no longer has a name, let’s go with a Baltimore Ravens game. With any televised sporting event, there are two distinct audiences “attending” the same event at the same time. Some could argue that you cannot compare being in a stadium to watching it on television, but each has its associated costs and benefits. Companies covet both interaction and awareness of their brand’s participation and both audiences. And technology and social media have furthered increased interaction from the online audience.

Where it gets interesting is that the production of a sporting event is high. There are sportscasters, personalities and interactive tools to bring the live event to your home and online. You are not merely listening to the announcer in the stadium. They help translate the in-person experience, mixing in the audio from the stadium and connecting the audiences. Because of the nature of sports, most likely, you won’t watch a game a week later on-demand, unlike an event. While that is true, we don’t have enough data yet to say the same for virtual events. One game and two different experiences shared by millions of viewers, many, if not most who will never attend a game in-person.

New Audiences for Hybrid Events

Hybrid events will offer a more significant opportunity to reach more extensive and diverse audiences. We also need to move past the concept that these attendees will cannibalize our in-person events. In the short-term, many either cannot travel (due to restrictions) or don’t feel comfortable for health and safety, so the virtual element is their only choice. Longer-term, the online audience most likely will have never or never intended to attend in-person (for a multitude of reasons). This broader audience will create more value for your exhibitors and sponsors and attendees as your community grows.

Hybrid and Virtual Events ROI 

Another upside of virtual events has been the additional data, some of which would have been either cost-prohibitive or impossible to capture. As companies recover from shutdowns, a sluggish economy and potentially poor virtual events experiences, it is even more imperative to provide a return on investment.

Data will be critical to highlight the exposure of those exhibitors and sponsors in both the in-person and virtual world. Historical participation and “gut instinct” will no longer provide the typical number of exhibitors and sponsors in a pre-COVID world. Virtual only exhibitors may also be a new revenue stream for some events.

Lemons into Lemonade 

So much like my summer, I was forced to take the bad and make good (and sometimes even better). For event professionals, this is now that moment. Your hybrid events should create an experience that every audience (attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors) seamlessly interact within both the physical and virtual spaces. They will challenge the way we think or attend events moving forward.  And more importantly, they can be the intersection of the best from the physical and virtual worlds. As Deepak Chopra once said, “All great changes are preceded by chaos.”

Learn more about planning hybrid events at our FREE on-demand webinar!

The post A Half Year Reflection on Events in a COVID Era appeared first on Personify.