Now that the environment is shifting, event planners are ready to move on to the next step: part in-person, part-remote hybrid events. We’ve already seen what a virtual component can do in terms of getting your message out to a wider audience, and the hybrid version can only enhance your reach.

“I think that there’s always going to be people that can’t make it or aren’t comfortable for whatever reason, but they really want to join in on the event,” says Dana Lowenfish, Chief Development Officer of Sequence Events , a full-service planning and production agency, who sees the hybrid event as here to stay. They’ve already experimented with the format and expect that come August and beyond their dance card will be full.

But the simultaneous event stages come with their own challenges: double the event means double the planning, and careful navigation. How do you integrate and engage both the in-person and at-home audiences? But if done correctly – and keeping flexible—the experience may resonate even more, with greater rewards. Here are some tips to keep in mind when planning hybrid events.

One way to circumvent the potential awkwardness of dual audiences is to include interactive portions that bridge the realms of live and virtual. Sequence is the master of engagement: in the past year of virtual events they’ve included everything from putting on a #BestDressed competition, to having mixologists lead step-by-step cocktail classes, to silent auctions (but make sure to announce their names, says Dana. “People like to hear that their donation was accepted and have their peers hear that they’re donating that much money. It becomes a competitive act”). They’ve also imagined ways a virtual event could closely resemble reality. “We have events where people can actually get into their table. They sign on to the platform and those ten to twelve people can chat and make a drink together. Later, they can pop out of their table and watch the video stream.”

When expanding to executing hybrid events, engagement is at the top of their priority list. “We did an event where we had a few of the clients doing speeches at the venue, with an afterparty at a rooftop,” says Dana. “And while they were dancing we pulled guests in through a Zoom.” It was a recipe for a fun interactive dance party.  “We would watch guests dancing in their living room, and see the clients dancing on their rooftops, back and forth.”

A hybrid event comes with extra considerations and planning, but you can make it easier on yourself by opting for simulive: an amalgamation of a pre-recorded portion and a live interaction.  For a top executive’s goodbye party, executives were at the venue while others tuned in from home. A portion was pre-recorded, and included trivia and video, and it was pieced together.

For Sequence’s Toy of the Year Awards the actual announcing of the awards were pre-recorded, but the anticipation and excitement was very real, as evidenced by the chat feature of the virtual broadcast. “The chat was on fire,” says Dana. “Everybody was like ‘hey, I haven’t seen you in so long, how’s the other side of the world?’” This simulive feature could easily be translated to a hybrid setting, adding live presenters at a venue but keeping the chat function intact perhaps, with text screens at the tables.

There were also added benefits to having the Toy of the Year awards go virtual, which would translate to hybrid events. “It was the first year we could have kids join,” says Dana. I’ve been planning that show for seventeen years now. We’ve always said how fun would it be if the attendees could invite their family and kids could come?”

Often if you’re participating in an event from the familiarity of home, it can seem like just another day. Build the excitement up by sending out teaser projects ahead of time. For the Toy of the Year awards, Sequence included cocktail and mocktail recipes and sent them out through social media. Participants had ample time to gather ingredients and even try the drinks in advance (you know, to get it right).

We might be slowly moving towards normalcy, but we’re still in a pandemic. Utilize one of the various apps to pre-register and shows proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test. “It’s like the arenas are doing right now,” says Dana. “I think that’s going to be very popular soon.” Name tag printing can be done beforehand, with a contactless printer or contactless check-in kiosk on site. Or opt for a virtual badge with a QR code, that can be added to an Apple Wallet or Google Pay pass.

  Anything can happen when presenters are Zooming in from home, but you can do your best to make sure you have your bases covered when it comes to technology. Do test runs of their at-home AV. Is their Internet strong enough? Does their microphone work? Do they have an appropriate background? “It’s a lot of work perfecting that and getting the speaker to a place that looks professional,” says Dana. And different events call for different visual aesthetics. Some clients want a professional office look, and others may opt for something more casual.

Having the option to sell tickets for both in-person and at-home audience is a boon, especially for nonprofits, allowing for an easy and inexpensive way to expand your audience. “You don’t really have to worry about the room and capacity anymore,” says Dana.  “You can offer a ticket that’s less expensive, but they’re logging in remotely.” Take advantage of tiered tickets, offering different perks at every level. Not only will your audience expand, but it will be more engaged.  You’ll be reaching people who want to participate but may not have had the means in the past.

COVID-19 rules and regulations are changing every day, so make sure you know what’s the current restrictions are. Dana foresees the requirement of having COVID-19 compliance officers on site, and has been certified, through the Event Leadership Institute . “It’s learning how to safely plan an event, to minimize any possibility of being a superspreader or a spreader.  The course explains the different ways to do that: wearing masks, washing hands, sanitizing, testing, lots of signage,” she says. It also spells out steps of what to do if, say, your client shows up with a temperature of 100.4.  “Our hospitality industry has always been safety first, and make everyone feel like a VIP,” says Dana.  “Now we have to really work hard to make sure everyone feels like they were catered to.  Our goal is to set up a comfortable and safe environment for them to spend a few hours.”

When hiring Dana recommends choosing compliance officers that are also EMT trained, to serve a dual purpose. “If someone has a medical /protocol question they can answer it rather than say “just put your mask on.”

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