The rise of hybrid corporate events comes when the threat of COVID-19 has been controlled. It allows corporate event participants to choose the mode of attending that’s more comfortable for them. At the same time, those who aren’t recommended to go out due to health risks don’t have to worry about experiencing the fear of missing out.
However, corporate event management isn’t as easy as participating. The planning team should be knowledgeable and experienced enough, especially if it’s a huge event.
But there’s always a first time. So, if it’s your first time to be a part of the corporate event planning team, here are some of the best practices you should implement.
1. Establish Clear Goals and Objectives
Before anything else, you should define clear goals and objectives. Whether you’re planning to boost employee engagement, increase brand awareness, or promote networking opportunities, having clear objectives can significantly help in choosing the right format, and creating the ideal content.
Once you identify the objectives of the event, the next step is to start the planning process. In doing so, you should consider the ratio of the online and face-to-face participants (including their needs), networking opportunities, and engagement rates.
2. Utilise the Right Technology
Whether the number of face-to-face participants is significantly bigger than the number of online attendees, they should still experience premium treatment. To achieve this, choosing the right technology is the key. So, you should invest in corporate event management platforms that offer interactive chat functions, seamless access to social media, breakout rooms, and live streaming functions.
Besides, if you invest now, it’s guaranteed that you can use the platform more often in the future, especially if the event turns out to be successful.
3. Optimise Engagement for Both Audiences
Both the live and online audiences should be able to participate and engage with the programme. Consider using interactive tools, such as Q&A sessions, breakout rooms, and live polling. If there’s a unified platform that all participants can use, then the online participants won’t feel left out.
In addition, utilising technological platforms allows virtual participants to interact with the face-to-face audience seamlessly. But even if you invest in the right platform, you still check whether it’s working properly on both ends.
4. Focus on High-Quality Production
Aside from online technology, you should also invest in high-quality production. It includes a strong internet connection, skilled technicians, and professional audio-visual equipment. Besides, hybrid corporate events require a high-quality set-up, especially since the online participants should also clearly understand everything that’s happening in the face-to-face venue.
At the same time, the live audience should also be comfortable with the quality of lights, sound, and visuals that the programme offers. Additionally, having skilled technicians can help with real-time assistance.
5. Create Seamless Networking Opportunities
Even if networking isn’t the main objective of the event, corporate events still offer various networking opportunities. If you think about it, all individuals are in the same industry, so there’s always room to network. Besides, corporate events should give the participants time to network with each other, whether they’re online or at the venue.
As a part of successful corporate event management, you can incorporate and encourage the use of social media by creating a hashtag. In addition, you can also have a game where an online participant matches the face-to-face participant so that they can network.
6. Offer Ideal Content
Allow the participants to access the content even after the event. By the time they access the event again, make the necessary adjustments based on their feedback. For instance, if the experience of the online audience is less exciting than the experience of the face-to-face audience, you add more activities that will prevent them from getting bored.
7. Conduct a Test Run
Having a test run of at least a few hours before the event starts is crucial in hybrid corporate events. List all the parts of the event that will be used, and ensure that they’re working well. When you encounter problems during the test run, it’s best to replace or fix them right away. At the same time, don’t hesitate to have a backup plan.
For instance, in terms of electricity, even if the venue rarely encounters blackouts, you should still ensure that you have a generator.
8. Gather Feedback and Measure Success
Don’t forget to create an online and printed feedback sheet. Include simple questions, and ensure that the answers are measurable by various categories. For instance, if the question is “How much did you enjoy the food?”, you should include answers such as very dissatisfactory to dissatisfactory, neutral, satisfactory, and very satisfactory.
Final Thoughts
It’s best to keep in mind that hybrid corporate events will continue to be one of the most popular approaches. By considering the best practices mentioned in this article, you can have a smooth planning and execution process, that leads to success.