How to Engage On-Site and Virtual Attendees at Hybrid Events
"People will remember how you made them feel"... especially at your event.
Maya Angelou knew what she was talking about when she said that folks won't remember what you said nearly as much as the way you make them feel - part of it is human nature and our short memories. But a larger part of it is the craving we all have for emotional connections to each other - now more than ever... and events are one of the most potent opportunities for connection!
The challenge that so many hybrid events and hybrid conference planners are facing right now -
"How can we make our 1st hybrid event run smoothly?"
"How do I help at-home attendees and on-site attendees feel connected?"
"How do we translate the on-site experience virtually at the same time?"
Which gets me thinking. And questioning. And experimenting with my 150+ virtual and hybrid events that I've done - and here's what I've found out:
#1 - Ask Attendee-Focused Questions:
It starts with asking questions and getting to know your attendees - every way you can. Here's 3 I always start with:
Where are the attendees? These people could be from all over the country! How do I connect with them? How do I let them know I see them, including their time zones and acknowledge we "see" where they are?
What are their needs and how are they different from on-site attendees? If the person in the back row can hear me, see me and laugh with me, then the AV is working great and they're engaged. But the person sitting in their living room, telling their daughter to shush while they're online at your event - what are their needs and how can we cater, engage and re-engage with them during the event?
How do we want to hear from attendees? And WHAT do we want to hear from them? It's real easy to ask a question to an audience, but to get that guy from his living room to speak up might not be so easy. How can I get into his head?
From asking registration quotes to taking social media surveys and more, getting to know your attendees on a deeper level can help you plan a great event they'll love and return to!
#2 - Choose your emotional messages:
Like Maya taught us, emotions last with folks. So ask yourself: What do I want my attendees to feel after leaving my event? After they finish the opening keynote? As they walk into the happy hour networking Zoom room?
And then incorporate that emotional goal into the words, images and agenda with your emcee leading attendees there.
In my experience, a great event is often an emotional rollercoaster and as an emcee, it's my job to take attendees along the highs, lows, fun and more serious sides of sessions, agendas, speakers, topics and themes.
Part of a hybrid emcee's job is to guide attendees' energy and emotions so that they have a diverse, transformative experience at your event.
Some of the most universally connective and positive emotions meeting planners and conference committees want to give their attendees are feelings of:
I see you!
You are one of us!
We have catered this thoughtful experience with you in mind!
You are with us, every step of the way!
Can't wait until you are able to be here next year with us!
Interaction increases your experience - we promise to interact back with you!
So how will you emotionally give your attendees the gift of feeling?
#3 - Know your success signals:
How to know that you’ve achieved success with hybrid and virtual attendees should be a topic for deep conversation and reflection with every event and conference team today.
No longer will surveys tell the full story, especially when you will have such different types of attendees, mitigating circumstances and - let's be honest - varying reply numbers to your surveys. So what will you measure all of your hard work and impact by?
Here's a few ideas from my recent hybrid annual conferences for associations:
How many folks came to happy hour?
How long did folks stay logged onto the network?
How many chat interactions did you have? (Hint: Make sure your emcee and keynote speakers are referencing the chat, asking for feedback, etc to increase this!)
FINAL THOUGHT:
Events make an impact. The question is - what lasting impact will you design and create for them? I hope it's one where every attendee feels included, seen and supported. One where you don't have to do all of this yourself - your emcee, your keynoters and your staff all work in harmony together. And an event where you can look back and know - you've made a difference to many.
Have a question about a strategy for your upcoming event? Email Rachel here for a free 15-minute emcee hybrid conference chat!