From all that I’ve heard and read, hybrid events will continue to play a significant role in the association landscape in the future. The presence of mixed events means accompanying challenges will stay with us in 2023 and beyond as association boards and staff manage a variety of new and interesting strategies, including:
- How to integrate effectively with in-person events. Content will need to be packaged attractively enough so that it can play well in live and virtual contexts.
2. How to nurture live and virtual audiences alike. Seeking to identify ways to maximize in-person attendance while expanding the virtual reach of meetings and programs to create value there.
3. How to pay for them. Hybrid meetings often come with a hefty price tag, and organizations must be strategic in setting prices (e.g., registration fees, sponsorship opportunities, and exhibits) and evaluating expenditures.
4. How to create ROI for sponsors and exhibitors in both live and virtual contexts. Making a strong connection between companies, their marketing objectives, and target audiences will play out differently in live and virtual environments. As a result, organizers must adopt strategies for mutual benefit in both scenarios.
5. How to capture content for on-demand ROI and longevity following the event. Organizations will need to view content development alongside the formats in which they will be presented so that learning and audience satisfaction will be maximized, regardless of live or virtual participation.
6. How to staff them. Undertaking a hybrid event can be the equivalent of presenting two events, with more staffing required. Organizations will need to understand the capacity of their staffing model and adapt mixed programming or allocate more human resources to it in order to be successful.
Hybrid programming will continue to be a practical means of expanding the reach of content and awareness of the organizational mission, requiring boards and staff to address these questions and more in their execution.