Digital Event News October 2021 | Page 41

October 2021

Opinion 41

6 proven ways to monetise your hybrid event

Swapcard ’ s general manager , Walid Bengeloune offers tips for monetising the hybrid model
1 . Put your website to work for you Having a clear understanding of the benefits associated with attending an event in-person versus virtually is the first major step towards increasing your audience size .
By taking the time to design different experience levels ( freemium to premium ), planners are able to customise the journey and level of access for each persona ( attendees , speakers , sponsors , media , and so on ). This is where your website plays a strategic role in appealing to your two different audiences .
Having an intuitive and responsive event website is a must-have when appealing to your potential audience . The website should instil FOMO ( fear of missing out ) whereby each participant will quickly understand why they don ’ t want to miss out on the opportunity to be part of an amazing event experience .
It ’ s also important to use your website as an opportunity to educate potential attendees about the benefits of participating in-person versus virtually . Make it clear what they will gain from each type of attendance , give them talking points to convince their boss that they should pay to join , and also bring in quotes on what the previous year ’ s attendees have to say .
2 . Capitalise on sponsored sessions Content is king and it can include : pay to play or click to play for live , simulive , pre-recorded , on-demand .
According to Swapcard ’ s latest research in the Business of Virtual Events , sponsored content is the most important element for a partner ’ s ROI .
Sponsored keynotes , workshops / roundtables , leadership sessions , masterclasses , certification programmes , training and / or product launches will place sponsors directly in front of the audience they are vying for .
Allowing sponsors to speak in-person or virtually is also an interesting and flexible way to expand a sponsor ’ s reach and visibility .
3 . Find ways to network strategically The goal before an event is to accelerate interactions between the most proactive audience members . The first meeting could be managed by a facilitator / matchmaker / super concierge to optimise the experience of each VIP attendee and make sure that they will meet the right people in-person and / or virtually .
Alternatively , consider having a platform such as Swapcard that offers AI powered matchmaking . This makes pre-event networking effortless for your proactive audience .
Instead of wasting time manually going through participant lists and guessing who would be the best match , the AI does the work for them . All they have to do is log-in , fill out some information , and the AI will suggest customised matches for the best networking experience .
The event is your time to shine , so be sure to design diversified networking spaces that will enhance your audience ’ s matchmaking opportunities .
Some ideas you should consider having include : individual and group workshops with speakers , outbound / inbound meetings with peers , pro-finder ( smart filters based on job title , industries , region , and so on ), a knowledge hub ( smart filters based on topics and participation interests ), or a group chat room . These are just some ideas that you can put into practice to help the attendees build their own networking journey .
4 . Generate brand activation with ads Onsite advertising is here to stay . A sponsored networking lounge ( and all the brand activations that come along with it ) is the most common experiential marketing strategy that will create an immersive and vibrant in-person experience .
That ’ s in addition to the traditional banners , strategically placed logos and other marketing materials that draws eyes to your brand during an event .
Even though onsite advertising is highly successful , that doesn ’ t mean that you should ignore online advertising . Online advertising will also allow sponsors to get more exposure before , during and after an event .
Some ideas to integrate sponsors into online advertising include : logos on invitations and reminder emails , sponsored push notifications , logos and banners in all the sections of the event platform .
5 . Use data and reporting to your advantage Key reporting indicators that you should look for in order to maximise your prospects include : virtual booth visits , in-person lead versus virtual leads , meeting notes , gamification results , inbound lead boards , and event follow-up ( Export , CRM , Linkedin Sales Nav , etc ).
6 . Build on momentum with a year-round community Extending the visibility of sponsors through their content , products and services allows them to connect with members all year round , not only at an event .
It also gives organisers the ability to implement and automate a subscription model ( monthly fee or yearly fee ) for access to this worthwhile content , a monetisation opportunity that didn ’ t exist before .