7 Hybrid Conference Best Practises To Achieve Success
Conferences are a great way to learn new information, network with other professionals, and get your business in front of potential customers. However, not all conferences are created equal. If you want to succeed with your hybrid conference, you need to follow some best practises. Below are 7 hybrid conference best practises to achieve success.
1. Go beyond Zoom when it comes to technology.
Going beyond Zoom when it comes to technology can be a great way to achieve success with your hybrid conference. While Zoom is a great platform for video conferencing, there are other platforms that can provide even more features and benefits for your conference.
Each platform has its own set of features and benefits to make your conference more successful. For example, WebEx provides robust collaboration tools, while Skype offers integration with Outlook and Office 365. Choose the right hybrid event management platform that fits your needs and goals best, and you are sure to have a successful hybrid conference.
2. Use meeting facilitators or producers.
One way to ensure that your hybrid conference is successful is to use meeting facilitators or producers. These professionals can help keep the event on track, ensuring that all attendees have an opportunity to participate and that the overall agenda is followed. They can also help manage logistics, such as coordinating with vendors and handling room assignments.
If you’re not familiar with using a meeting facilitator or producer, don’t worry – there are plenty of resources available to help you get started in the right direction on the internet.
3. Share relevant content — and meet expectations — in advance.
For many, attending a hybrid conference is uncharted territory. By sharing relevant content and meeting expectations in advance, you can help ensure a successful experience for all involved. In particular, be sure to provide details on:
- What attendees can expect from the conference
- How they should prepare for the event
- What kind of networking opportunities will be available?
By setting clear expectations upfront, you’ll help ensure that everyone has an enjoyable and productive conference experience. Hybrid conferences present unique opportunities — and challenges — so it’s important to take the time to plan accordingly.
4. Change up the start time of regularly scheduled meetings.
Changing the start time of regularly scheduled meetings can help achieve success with a hybrid conference. This is because it can help to ensure that all attendees are present and ready to participate when the meeting starts. Additionally, it can help avoid scheduling conflicts for those attending both in-person and remotely.
If you typically start your meetings at a certain time, try starting them a little earlier or later on occasion to see if that works better for everyone involved. You may also want to consider holding some of your meetings online only, especially if the majority of your attendees will be participating remotely.
By experimenting with different start times and meeting formats, you can find what works best for your team and succeed with your hybrid conference.
5. Think digital-first.
To achieve success with your hybrid conference, think digital-first when it comes to content and marketing. This means that you should create a strong online presence before the event by promoting your speakers, sessions, and sponsors on social media and your website. You can also leverage email marketing to drive registrations and increase attendance.
Another important element of thinking digital-first is creating high-quality content for your attendees before, during, and after the event. This could include blog posts, videos, infographics, or even live tweets from the conference. By providing valuable content, you’ll help keep your attendees engaged long after the event has ended.
Finally, make sure to take advantage of all the latest technologies available to enhance your hybrid conference. Use virtual reality to give attendees a sneak peek of the sessions they’ll be attending, or create an interactive event app that provides up-to-date information on speakers and sessions. Whatever technologies you choose to use, make sure they support your overall conference goals.
Thinking digital-first is essential for any organisation looking to host a successful hybrid conference. By following these best practises, you can ensure that your attendees have a positive experience and that your organisation reaps the benefits of holding a hybrid event.
6. Ask your employees for feedback and take their suggestions.
Asking your employees for feedback is a great way to get started on your hybrid conference journey. Take their suggestions and run with them – after all, they’re the ones who will be affected most by the changes. You may find that some of your employees are hesitant to give feedback at first, but it’s important to encourage them to do so.
The more input you have, the better your conference will be and the more successful it will be. Make sure to thank your employees for their feedback once you’ve implemented it – they’ll appreciate it.
7. Create valuable takeaways for attendees.
One of the most important aspects of any conference is creating valuable takeaways for attendees. After all, they’re spending their time and money to be there! Make sure you have a plan in place for what content will be delivered and how it will be structured. This way, you can ensure that everyone leaves with something useful.
In addition, consider offering different types of learning experiences to appeal to various learners. Sessions can be educational but also interactive and engaging. You want people to come away from your conference feeling like they learned new things and had a good time doing it.
In conclusion
Hybrid conferences are the best way to achieve success for your company. The benefits of hosting a hybrid conference far outweigh any other option, but it takes more than just putting on an event to make it work. You need to be willing and able to think outside the box to succeed with this type of event.
If you’ve been looking for ways to increase revenue or find new customers who will love what you have to offer, then now is the time to set up a hybrid conference event.