Opinion 29
What ’ s the hybrid hurry ?
Should we be rushing to stage hybrid ? Or should we be utilising all that virtual has to offer ? Showcase ’ s Dave Harding-Lyle believes its the latter
Freedom day has come , restrictions have been lifted , people have started to jet-off abroad and working from the office is now back to being a thing . But are we really out of the Covid-19 woods ?
We read everyday that somewhere in the world a new variant is causing cities and countries to go back into lockdown , so should we be taking a more cautious route back to normality ?
Hybrid events are being talked about at the moment as the bridge between virtual and live and obviously they have their place in the event calendar . We at Showcase have been approached regarding hybrid events , but is it a bit too early to start thinking about them ?
Could it be that virtual events are as relevant as ever ? In our opinion the answer is , yes . What ’ s the rush in returning to in-person events , when virtual events are still the safest way to operate and equally importantly , if created properly and the correct technology is employed , are as engaging as any other event medium .
So what goes into making a successful virtual event ?
There ’ s no point in just having the technology , the event needs to be an interesting and well-run event . The platform technology that hosts the event needs to be completely flexible , so it can be tailored to the event .
I would suggest using an on-line platform that best mimics a traditional event . Look for one that gives you : pre-launch marketing , registration , exhibition , live stage , exhibitors and visitor tracking & analytics , polling , live Q & A , chats and sponsorship .
A platform that can be made fully e-commerce would be a bonus so if you want to sell tickets for your event . Basically my advice it to treat your virtual event in the same way you would a traditional live event .
One of the benefits of a virtual event is on-demand . With a worldwide event it ’ s difficult with time zones to pick a time that suits everyone , so another important element when planning your virtual event is to use a platform that gives you on-demand immediately after the event . That way no one feels like a second class citizen .
People can sometimes forget the benefits of virtual , health and safety aside , and I think one of the main ones is post-show
“ PEOPLE CAN SOMETIMES FORGET THE BENEFITS OF VIRTUAL , HEALTH AND SAFETY ASIDE , AND I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN ONES IS POST-SHOW STATISTICS .”
statistics .
With virtual , because everyone is watching the event the same way , ie virtually , then getting post-show statistics should be easier . I would recommend using software that gives you this data in useful easyto-read format , as apart from being easier to digest , it can also form the basis of your post-show report to sponsors and stakeholders . Who doesn ’ t love the hard work being done for them ?
We at Showcase appreciate the benefits that hybrid events bring , we are just reminding people not to ditch virtual completely .
In a world where travel , sharing the same space with strangers and socialising are still not the normal , it ’ s important to remember that there is still a very effective way to launch your product , meet , inform and share ideas and that in our mind is a virtual event .