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  • 1.  What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    Posted 07-12-2021 11:28

    Hello community members! Let's kick off our next Huddle of the Week discussion, continuing the conversation around the industry's latest buzz word = hybrid!

    We know the industry is learning from their experiences like never before. Let's share your new "secret sauces" when you are planning or supporting hybrid events. We know everyone is trying to get innovative and see how you can drive more participation to your events or the events being hosted at your property, and you are doing so through new discoveries from hybrid events. So, let's discuss:

    • What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?
    • How will the success factors differ for a planner, and how will they differ for a supplier?

    Let us know your thoughts below! #HuddleoftheWeek #VoiceIt


    See hybrid in-action at Cvent CONNECT 2021 - register today!
    #BiddingonGroupBusiness
    #ManagingVirtualEvents
    #SourcingaVenue

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    Danni Czark
    Senior Associate, Online Community Marketing
    Cvent
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  • 2.  RE: What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    User Group Member
    Posted 07-12-2021 14:07
    Danni,
    Something we've learned from a University perspective on certain events is to make sure you keep the virtual audience engaged. This can be tricky and as a Planner you have to determine "what is the priority - in person/virtual OR both."  I found it important to engage the virtual guests with polls (even if not in person), ensuring their questions are addressed in the Live Q&A, and IF possible find ways to bring the virtual audience into the room.  If you are in Zoom - bring them in and spotlight them on the big screen etc.  Allow them to unmute at certain times. 

    The challenge (and I've yet to solve this) is how to 100% keep it fluid and seamless. I think there are a lot of learning curves and for much of it it's a live/learn scenario.

    I'd also be curious as to how people have combatted International/different time zones.  BEYOND it's recorded and On-demand. Anything you've discovered that maybe helped engage that audience more beyond them participating at 3am their time :).



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    Lesley Irminger
    Events Coordinator/Contract Manager
    George Mason - Office Of University Events
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  • 3.  RE: What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    Community MVP
    Posted 07-13-2021 08:49
    We have not yet done any hybrid events and haven't spent the time to do any research on what best practices are, so while I don't have anything to contribute on this topic, I'm interested to read the responses!

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    Lori Wildman
    Senior Marketing Manager
    DuCharme, McMillen & Associates, Inc.
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  • 4.  RE: What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    User Group Member
    Posted 07-13-2021 09:44
    • What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before? We've yet to do a hybrid event but I think the biggest key will be ensuring the virtual attendees remain engaged and feel like they're getting the same experience. So perhaps if you're having a specialty food or experience there's some way to give or translate that to the virtual attendee. A way to give them a 'seat at the table' per say. Make their view and experience as if they're there in person too.
    • How will the success factors differ for a planner, and how will they differ for a supplier? We haven't really done this year but planner will be focused on what those experiences are / should be and supplier will be focused on providing the technology and tools to make it so.

    Really interested to see what those who have done hybrid have to say!

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    Rachel
    NJ
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  • 5.  RE: What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    Posted 07-13-2021 10:03
    • What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?
    • We have yet to hold a hybrid event, but I would imagine the key area of focus would be how to maintain the same level of engagement for both in-person and virtual attendees, and how to create a seamless experience for both
    • How will the success factors differ for a planner, and how will they differ for a supplier?
    • Similar success factors as with in-person events (# attendees, engagement, survey-generated feedback) but the added metric of tracking this for virtual attendees


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    Bouran Qaddumi
    Sr. Manager, National Field Training
    Cajun Operating Company d/b/a Church's Chicken
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  • 6.  RE: What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    User Group Member
    Posted 07-13-2021 13:27
    Hi Danni and all,

    • What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before? That's a fun question as I guess the answer is: I don't know yet what I haven't heard before. ;-) We will likely be hosting our first hybrid event in 2022. Our planning team is already starting discussions on how to divide up the space at the conference center for "in-person only", "online only" and "combined sessions. We will be working with their AV teams to select the most appropriate technology for each type of sessions. We also plan to have rooms dedicated for the virtual sessions and team (a command center of sort). 
    In answer to @Lesley Irminger, we have offices in Europe and have hosted sessions at Europe times to accommodate our international guests (it works well enough for our Asian guests too as it's early afternoon for them). And yes, a few of us woke up at 1:30am to be in attendance from 2:30am to support our European presenters and exhibitors. Fun times! Having this level of localization was truly appreciated by our international guests.



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    Sophie Pierronnet
    Education & Training Manager
    Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.
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  • 7.  RE: What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    Posted 07-15-2021 04:31
    Edited by Laura Maestro 07-15-2021 04:32

    Hello all!

    Perhaps the most typical risk associated with a hybrid meeting is that remote participants are left out, i.e. they become so-called "second class" participants. Face-to-face participants can easily take the facilitator's or trainer's attention because face-to-face communication enables more diverse ways to communicate. In order for everyone to get the most out of the encounter, all participants should be brought to the same line, as it were, by planning the meeting with the needs of digital participants being kept to the fore. 

    In practice, this means that the ways of participation applied in face-to-face encounters, such as flip charts, whiteboards, sticky notes, and hand-up voting, need to be put aside. However, inclusion should not be reduced; instead, this should be done digitally. Voting, brainstorming, reflecting, task submissions, and questions can be easily implemented via mobilephone or laptops, regardless of whether a person joined in from the classroom or remotely. When the same work platform is used for both the encounter work itself and preparation, the platform will also be familiar to everyone in advance and logging in will be easy. 

    Try these: When you ask questions out aloud, you can first ask for the remote participants for their thoughts and only then turn to those participants who are present. Technology permitting, bring remote participants as video images onto a screen of their own in the classroom, and make sure that they also hear the comments, not just the speaker's voice. The remote participant's experience is not a good one if he/she hears the answer to a question that he/she did not initially hear properly. So, reserve a moment in your preparation time to test the technology. This ensures good audio and image quality. Good preparation and familiarity with the technology also provides confidence and peace of mind to the facilitation of the event. 



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    Laura Maestro
    CSE
    Nexia International
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  • 8.  RE: What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before?

    Community MVP
    Posted 07-16-2021 11:13
    Hello Danni! 

    • What are some key success factors for a hybrid event that you've never heard before? The prep work to kick off a hydrid meeting is key
    • How will the success factors differ for a planner, and how will they differ for a supplier?:    We always share the same goals in hosting a meeting, however with Hybrid meeting hotels aren't able to  "service" guests attending a Hybrid Mtg.  We will need to rely on the planner to share the feedback from virtual attendees with us!  


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    Colleen Beck
    Director of Sales & Marketing
    The Westin Tampa Bay
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