In the new normal where large-scale business events are currently not accessible, virtual events are the best option. In the recent months, a new type of event has been rising in popularity – hybrid events.
Hybrid events are simply a combination of in-person and virtual experiences. They are a great pivot for any live events such as conferences, team meetings or product launches, with a virtual component added to it so that your audience can participate and experience the event, no matter where they are.
In a nutshell, a hybrid event is
It may sound complex, but running a hybrid event is manageable, especially with the help of event vendors. At ONE°15 Marina, we offer Hybrid Event Packages where our meeting professionals take care of your event from planning, logistic-support to providing the right live-streaming solutions.
In this article, we dive into 5 tips to plan and host a successful hybrid event.
The most successful hybrid events enable the virtual attendees to experience the event almost like they are there physically, in real time.
To simplify your event planning, choose a reliable event vendor where you can leverage their expertise, services and technology in one stop. This is especially important for complex hybrid events that require multiple live-streams, logistics support and a venue set-up.
ONE°15 Marina’s hybrid event packages include a variety of high-tech equipment such as video-streaming with on-site technical support, audio mixer & TV on-stand, green screen backdrop and more. In addition, you will also be able to host your event at our versatile waterfront venues where we also provide event set-up, food & beverages and a dedicated events coordination.
To run a successful hybrid event, having a holistic agenda that caters to the two groups of attendees is critical. Always put your audiences first, and strive to engage them in every touchpoint. Here are 5 ideas to build your agenda:
Your virtual attendees can come from anywhere in the globe. Hence, we recommend to plan your start and end time that best caters to the majority.
To avoid distractions and keep things lively, displaying your agenda and audio reminders of the session starts will help attendees stay on track.
We all know how draining a long-running virtual meeting can get, so be mindful to not tire your attendees out. We recommend incorporating a 10 – 15 minute break once every hour to refresh from screen fatigue.
A great way to take care of your attendees is to provide them with meal kits. Browse our hearty bento meals where we offer Chinese, Japanese, Malay and French cuisines with vegetarian options.
We love live polls and Q&A sessions simply because they are fun, interactive and help promote greater engagement. In addition, speakers will also feel more connected to the audiences!
In addition to stronger engagement, making the effort to hire entertainment can also be a chance to impress your attendees and make your event a memorable one.
Some examples are a live singing show, cocktail tutorial or even a wellness session. In our premium full-service package, we also offer a 20-minute virtual magic performance to dazzle your attendees.
Never leave the audience out! Live-streaming an event, presentation or meeting is not an engaging experience unless there is frequent audience participation.
To achieve this, consider including real-time polling, chat functionality, quizzes with prizes, virtual trivia game shows or even team-based activities to encourage attendees to connect with one another.
One of the greatest takeaways from an event is the connections built with like-minded individuals. Although the human touch of in-person networking is not easy to replicate virtually, we can still come up with creative ways for in-person and virtual attendees to build relationships.
Strategies for virtual networking can include breakout sessions hosted over video-conferencing, or a hybrid hub brings attendees together on one platform.
Despite most hybrid events being hosted live, we can always inject flexibility by offering pre-recorded content during the event.
For example, you can showcase a pre-recorded session during a break-out session where attendees can view the content at their own time. Afterwards, the speaker can then continue with a Q&A session.
The benefits of having a pre-recorded event is the content is updated on-the-go, and it can also be re-shared to different groups of attendees. Moreover, it also lends presenters extra flexibility.
Incorporating hybrid events into your event strategy is key as we navigate through the new normal. If you are interested to learn how to plan your next hybrid event, or understand how we can help, feel free to get in touch with our team here.
