Hybrid Events: A New Type of Corporate Event Amidst COVID-19
As we move through the stages of reopening, we continue to look forward to a time where we can all unite for large, festive parties once again. Until then, we’ve come up with some great hybrid event solutions that will continue to create a unique environment for people to connect safely and enjoyably. In fact, we’ve had so much success with our corporate hybrid events that we expect them to be a fixture even after the dust from COVID-19 has settled.
What are Hybrid Events?
Hybrid events effectively split your guests into two groups: in-person guests and virtual guests. Instead of committing to a fully virtual event, hosts are given the flexibility to permit guests to an actual venue as well, provided that social distancing guidelines can still reasonably be upheld.
Benefits of Corporate Hybrid Events
It’s no secret that limitations on in-person groups will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Luckily, the number of online guests is virtually unlimited. This promotes exponential audience growth. Plus, you can reach all over the world to find attendees since travel time/cost is no longer a factor.
Another large benefit, depending on the goals and objectives of the event, is the ability to gather data about your attendees. Pre and post event surveys, polls, attendee paths, ensuing social media trends and the locations that your event reached all contain valuable data. With this data at your disposal, the sponsors and marketing teams can use it to analyze and refocus their sales approach to provide improved event content in the future.
Ticket Prices for Hybrid Events
Virtual tickets should cost less than in-person tickets. A live ticket most often includes meals, live event talent, event experiences, lighting and tech, décor, rentals, venue costs, production costs and more. Virtual guests are only paying for the online experience, and having a large number of virtual guests would allow for the costs to be spread out and each ticket to be a lower price. Also, you can create post-event attendance and continue marketing even after the event is over. The price for post-event tickets should be a fraction of the overall event, as guests will likely miss out on any live features the in-person or online attendees benefitted from, but they can still enjoy watching the event unfold after it’s already ended.
Sponsor Involvement
A great way to increase virtual guest engagement is to rely on sponsors to do some of the legwork. Sponsors could reach both audiences by shipping swag to VIP online attendees before the event. There could be virtual trade shows or product demonstrations offered to the virtual guests. We’ve also noticed successful sponsor engagement with contests for drawings, giveaways and trivia challenges. Sponsors could even come in the form of a national restaurant chain offering meals that can be picked up or delivered to be enjoyed during the event. While having sponsors cover these costs is ideal, you could still provide the same benefits by increasing ticket prices if you are unable to secure any extra support.
We Can Help When Planning Your Upcoming Hybrid Events
Innovative Party Planners is your resource for event design and planning in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Virginia. To learn more about our event planning services and how we can help make your event one of a kind, contact us by calling (410) 998-9999.