Guest Blog Post by Dan Petrovic

Security planning is a crucial component of the event planning process, especially when the event involves a large number of people. Planning an event with no security has been tried before, and it often results in tragedy. The most famous example of an event that had a lack of security planning is the Altamont Free Concert of 1969.

The road manager of The Rolling Stones decided that the Hell’s Angels motorcycle club could handle keeping the crowd safe and away from the stage. The result was a violent night filled with extensive property damage, dozens of injuries, three accidental deaths, and one stabbing. Event security is certainly not something that can be made up on the fly and it requires careful planning.

Threat Assessment

Security planning takes careful consideration that depends on what kind of event is being planned, the layout of the facilities, and how many people are expected to attend. If the event is simply overwhelmed with security staff, this could negatively affect the image of the event, or inconvenience the people attending the event. By identifying potential threats, security can be focused on the areas that will most likely require their attention.

One way to do this is by creating a risk assessment matrix. A matrix can be created by looking at a past history of events and considering how likely incidents are going to happen again. For example, previous concerts might have had problems with audience members trying to rush the stage, so the stage area should be identified as a high risk area in the matrix.

If the parking area for an event is in a well-lit area with enough space for the free flow of traffic, that could be considered a low risk area. Planers should also try to picture the people that would benefit from the failure or disruption of the event, and how they might try to accomplish it.

Making the Plan

Once all threats are assessed, the next step is planning what staff and materials are needed to address each identified threat or risk. There are several components that should be considered in such a security plan.

The first component is deterrence, factors that would deter someone that would want to disrupt an event. Some components of deterrence could include lights and security cameras. If the deterrence is not enough, the next component is prevention, or how effectively an item or person would be when intercepting a security disruption.

Special barricades are made to handle crowds and these are more effective at keeping people in a designated area than simple caution tape. Another component to consider in a security plan is incident preparedness. Good incident preparedness includes having a clear evacuation plan if there is a fire or bomb threat, and having ambulances on stand-by in the case of a medical emergency.

Hiring the Right People

All good plans are worth nothing if they are not implemented by quality security staff. Some events might be secure enough with onsite security that’s already available; other events require hiring a professional security company.

Security personnel should also have experience working with similar types of events. Local emergency responders will be able to identify practical threats based on their experience and include strategies to deal with such threats in a security plan. Each staff member assigned to a certain duty should not just know what to do in their assigned area, but also the emergency incident plans.

All members of staff also need to be able to communicate with other members in case of a large scale incident. Since a good security plan will identify vulnerabilities, staff should be kept somewhat on a need-to-know basis regarding other specific plans.

In summary, the first step in implementing a security plan is to know the risks. Once that is done, the person in charge of event security needs to know how to address each risk and create a compressive security plan.

Make sure to hire well trained staff that knows the plan and can communicate effectively. With such a plan, even the most complex event will pass without any incidents.

Dan Petrovic is a marketing and security specialist from Australia. He writes articles on marketing and security for several blogs in his free time. He is currently working for Custom Lanyards as a consultant.

Nearly two years have passed since I wrote my first blog article about Hybrid Events, on McCurry’s Corner.  Since that time I have written more than thirty articles on the subject.  I have also managed, at some level, around a dozen Hybrid meetings, and attended nearly as many, as a remote participant.

I am fascinated by the evolution of technology and development of “next practices” (rather than best practices) that follows it.  In the Hybrid meeting space, one of the innovations that has bubbled to the surface has been the use of Virtual Hosts. (or Virtual Emcees)

A Virtual Host Defined!

Photo by Reflections Photography and courtesy of Meeting Professionals International (MPI)

For those of you not familiar with this term, a virtual host is an individual who’s job is to address the remote, or virtual audience at a Hybrid event.  Their ongoing mission is to engage remote participants, creating opportunities for them to interact with presenters and f2f attendees.

Interestingly, the use of virtual hosts/emcees is so new there is no entry in Wikipedia addressing the topic.  (Perhaps I should start one) 

Picking the right person to be your event’s virtual host is as important as the concept itself.  Two people who come to mind immediately, when I think about this subject, are Emilie Barta and Glenn Thayer.  They are both talented people, with a passion for broadcast video work.  And… they both light up the camera!

Emilie and Glenn are pioneers in the “Hybrid Events” world.  They each have their own unique, but equally effective style of doing their job. I asked Emilie and Glenn to share their thoughts on the value of a Virtual Host/Emcee.  Here’s what they had to say:

Emilie Barta — “The most important function of a virtual emcee is to be a conduit for the virtual audience and allow them to not only share in the experience, but to have an experience that is all their own.  You (Event Professionals) have a responsibility to your virtual audience, especially if you are charging them admission.

Virtual audiences pay attention to how they are treated, and are quick to point out if they are being ignored or taken for granted.  BUT if you have a virtual emcee who is always at attention, who is never scripted, and who goes out of their way to make the virtual audience feel welcomed, taken care of, and actively engaged in your hybrid event…you will have a virtual audience who increases the success of your event through word-of-mouth and social-media-sharing.”

Glenn Thayer — “A virtual host is the person that links the remote audience to the event itself. Not only does the virtual host relay information and report on happenings at the on-site event, they also act as the “voice” of the remote audience, asking questions and interacting with presenters and face to face participants on their behalf.”

Whether you refer to these professionals as virtual hosts or emcees is your choice.  What’s most important is their expertise will add significant value and depth to your next hybrid event.  Here’s why:

3 Reasons to Hire a Virtual Host

Engagement, Engagement, Engagement — One of the most difficult aspects of successfully executing a hybrid event is to continuously engage the remote (virtual) audience. If the right host is hired they will relentlessly work for you to accomplish that goal.

Get the F2F Audience & Presenters Involved — Before and after sessions, as well as during breaks, your virtual host may interview attendees and speakers.  They will facilitate a conversation with remote participants, interspersing their own journalistic perspective into the dialogue.

The Voice of the Virtual Attendee — During sessions, using Twitter and/or the live streaming platform your host will field comments and questions from the remote participants and share them with the f2f audience and presenter(s).

If your organization has taken the plunge into the hybrid meetings realm, you really should strongly consider adding a virtual host/emcee to the program.  While this support is going to impact your meeting budget, it is money well spent as the payoff will be attendee satisfaction and new customers.

Attendees will appreciate and remember your organization’s thoughtful approach to event design.  More importantly many of them will attend your next year’s conference in the flesh as a result of your great work!

Question:  If you are already utilizing a virtual host for your event, what are some other reasons you would recommend their use to other event professionals?  Please share with us!

Last week I published an article providing updated information regarding the ongoing Labor Reform challenges at McCormick Place (and Navy Pier) in Chicago.  Surprisingly (to me at least) the blog article sparked significant interest across the industry as it has received more than 700 click-throughs (hits).  (425 on Monday alone)

My blog post apparently also caught the attention of at least one Chicago Union Leader.  Frank T. Libby, President of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, contacted me to discuss his union’s view on this situation.  We had a good conversation.  At my suggestion Frank later added his thoughts to the comments section of the aforementioned blog article.

Frank questions why there aren’t “markup limits” imposed upon Show Contractors, who ultimately deliver inflated pricing to exhibitors, including for labor.  Great question!  He also feels the core issue hindering Chicago’s ability to compete with other first tier cities has to do with how McCormick Place is funded.

“The heart of the problem is that McCormick Place is at a serious financial disadvantage to our competitors in Las Vegas and Orlando to name just a few. Those convention facilities receive substantial financial commitments from their respective cities and states. Because of those large financial commitments they are better positioned to ensure lower overall costs to exhibitors. This is the number one problem that needs to be addressed and solved.” – Frank T. Libby, President, Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters

I contacted the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) to provide them with an opportunity to weigh in on this topic.  At this time they have chosen not to officially comment on the situation, until the current legal review has run its course.  However, a resolution of this matter is high on their priority list.

Regardless of their viewpoints, all sides clearly have “skin in the game” and understand what’s at stake for the City of Chicago.  The undeniable truth is if this struggle is not resolved, fairly and equitably, everyone loses.  The city, the convention centers, the labor force, the contractors, and of course, customers, will all feel the pain.  No one wants that!

If the “stay” is denied, and Judge Guzman’s recent ruling (March 31) overturning some pieces of the 2010 legislation is upheld, some organizations who decided to hold their conventions in Chicago, based upon the labor reforms, may reconsider their choice of convention cities.  I sincerely hope that does not happen.

In his closing paragraph to his comments on my blog Mr. Libby stated, “I commit today—as I have in the past—that I am ready, willing and available to sit down with the state, the city, the MPEA (McCormick Place) and all other interested parties to begin a dialogue. A dialogue that must lead to real meaningful solutions to the financial issues at McCormick Place. The cost of failing to do so is too great.”

Amen to that!

Yesterday I read a really interesting blog post written by Dennis Shiao.  In his article, entitled “A Virtual Blog Posting” Dennis raises the question of whether the term “virtual” is really the best way to describe what is really a “digital” event.

According to Wikipedia, the term “virtual” implies “that which is not real” or is used to mean almost, particularly when used in the adverbial form e.g. “That’s virtually [almost] impossible.”

Based upon those definitions I really believe Dennis is on to something.  In my world, I have actually avoided using the word “virtual” for some time when referring to digital, or online event experiences, as the term leaves me cold.

Conference Participants:  Who Are We Anyways?

Ask yourself this question;  if you are attending a conference remotely do you appreciate being referred to as a virtual (almost real) attendee or a remote (online) participant?  The term “live attendee,” when referring to a face2face participant, also bothers me.  Where does that leave their remote counterparts? (“dead” attendees??)  As an event organizer it is my hope that all participants at my events are “live.”

These days, it is more difficult to differentiate between who is online, and who is face2face at conferences.  For example, in a Twitter back-channel conversation, which is becoming commonplace at conferences, it is literally impossible to discern the difference.

Remote participants are oftentimes contributing as much (or even more) to the conversations occurring at conferences, as their face2face colleagues.  Of course face2face attendees have an edge at cocktail parties and other “on-premise only” networking events.  

Meeting Attendees:  It’s About My Experience, Not My Location!

As the inclusion of digital attendees continues to gain broader acceptance in the face2face meetings arena, the lines distinguishing between face2face and remote participants will fade.  I firmly believe Event organizers will no longer care, other than planning for logistics, on whether an attendee is physically located at the event, or attending through online digital channels.

The most important focus, for planners, will be on creating memorable conference experiences fostering quality conversations, collaborative learning experiences, and productive brainstorming sessions. Technology will be the bridge to ensure this happens seamlessly, amongst all attendees, whether they are participating remotely, or face2face.

Most of us agree the ideal way to connect with other people is still via traditional face2face encounters.  Reality is face2face participation at an event is not always a viable option for all prospective attendees.  With the growth and improvement of technology it is now feasible to have a value-rich conference experience as a remote or “digital” attendee.  A whole lot of learning and business is getting done that way!

Question:  How do you see the future of events evolving?  What are your thoughts on how online and face2face channels will continue to blend together?  Please  your comments.

Have you ever lived someplace that you were so passionate about you would relentlessly defend your right to reside there?  Possibly some people around you may not see or understand the value of your chosen community the same way you do.  These naysayers may do their best to discourage you from living there, because they perceive it doesn’t suit them.  Sound familiar, or not?

By now you may have guessed I am not speaking of the house in which I live, or the neighborhood it sits in.  I am talking about a community of interest… A gathering of like-minded people with similar passions.  Folks, in my world that place is EventCamp.

A community of interest is a community of people who share a common interest or passion… Participation in a community of interest can be compelling, entertaining and create a ‘sticky’ community where people return frequently and remain for extended periods. Frequently, they cannot be easily defined by a particular geographical area.  — Wikipedia

So what is it about EventCamp that has captured so much of my interest and attention?  What unique characteristics of this splendid community have instilled in my soul, a spirit of unwavering support?  Here are some thoughts…

5 Reasons Why EventCamp Rocks!

Reason #1:  Innovation Lab — Each and every EventCamp conference has its own unique personality and flavor.  Consistently, attendees share with one another new ideas, or concepts, in a trusting environment of experimentation.  While organizers, presenters and attendees strive for excellence alike, we collectively embrace failures as part of the path leading to success.  The learning lessons that emerge from each event are usually amazing and sometimes game-changing.

Reason #2:  Social Technology Mecca — In my mind EventCamp is a central place, for event professionals to learn about social media, and it’s evolving role in the business world.  Our community has been fortunate to feature presenters, across the four EventCamp conferences that have taken place thus far, that are among the most respected individuals in the New Media business.  Many meetings and events industry organizations are watching our events closely, and have actually introduced components to their events, modeled after ideas expressed, or tested at EventCamp.

Reason #3:  Thought Leader’s Haven — EventCamps are a safe place for attendees to exchange ideas, collaborate and share opinions regarding common topics of interest.  Our events take place in a relaxed, creative environment, with no rules or expectations, other than open, honest and respectful communication.

Reason #4:  Quality People Attend — Through EventCamp I have met some of the most amazingly wonderful and smart people in my entire career.  Clearly, there exists a spirit of generous and unselfish collaboration across the community.  I cherish these new relationships, and as with anything great, I crave more of them!

Reason #5:  Personal Growth — There is no question my approach towards doing business has shifted, and my life has been positively impacted as a result of my experiences with EventCamp.  From the relationships I have developed through the EventCamp community, I have learned a great deal, both personally and professionally.  In several cases these initial contacts have evolved into lifelong friendships which I will cherish forever.

I am personally very excited about what the next year will bring to the EventCamp community.  I hope you are too!  If you haven’t attended an EventCamp conference as of yet, you really need to take the plunge.  It will be well worth your time.

I look forward to revisiting with  you, next year (2012), at about this time, on all the innovations that will inevitably occur between now and then in our community.

Question:  Do these ideas resonate with you?  If you have attended an EventCamp, what are your impressions?  What could be better?  If you have not attended one of these events, why not?

Note:  Many thanks to Dawn Young, of the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, for providing me with much of the information in this blog article

It is well documented in the events business that Chicago is perceived as a desirable first tier destination for convening meetings, conventions and conferences.  With a breathtaking skyline, stunning architecture, world class culture, outstanding restaurants and bars, and friendly Midwestern folks, why wouldn’t it be? 

McCormick Place South Building Entrance

The proverbial “thorn in the side” for most event professionals has, for many years, been Chicago’s reputation for being a difficult and expensive place to hold an event, due largely to “off the chart” union labor practices, and expense.

Arguably, the pain of doing business in Chicago was most consistently felt at McCormick Place.  In recent years, some legacy conventions, whom had met in Chicago for decades, began to consider (and in some cases select) alternative locations for their future events.

Thanks to legislation passed in 2010, by the Illinois General Assembly, changes of historic proportions, have been made, to the rules for doing business at McCormick Place, and it’s sister facility, Navy Pier!  For more information on the events leading to these changes, please click here.

A couple of weeks ago, in Experient’s downtown office, I participated in a “lunch n’ learn” seminar, led by the sales team at the  Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.  From that presentation I was stunned by the depth of the changes made at McCormick (and Navy Pier).  I firmly believe Chicago, with its new labor rules, pricing and guidelines, will be able to compete, in the future, with just about any major convention destination.

McCormick Place — A Friendlier Place to Do Business!

So here is what has changed at these two facilities –

• Standardized Straight Time, Overtime, and Double Time Labor Provisions
• Expanded Exhibitor Rights including
  • No Square footage maximum for self-directed booth setup
  • Allowed usage of ladders, hand tools and cordless tools by exhibitors and show managers
  • Use of power tools to install all signs, graphics, props, balloons, other decorative items, and Show Manager or Exhibitor drapery – including table skirting!
  • Delivering, setting-up, plugging in, interconnecting and operating Show Manager or Exhibitor electrical equipment, computers, audio-visual devices and other equipment
• Reduced Mandatory Crew Sizes
  • Official Service Contractor authorized to operate with 2 person crew
  • Official Service Contractor can increase crew size for safety reasons, efficiency, or customer request.
• Relaxed Allowed Usage of Automobiles and Small Utility Vehicles
  • Allows for loading / unloading of vehicle by Exhibitors or Exhibitor Employees
  • Exhibitors May use manual dollies and push carts to transport booth items
  • No mechanized or hydraulic lifts, carts, or scooters
  • Exhibitor must provide minimum of 2 people
    • (1) individual must be with the vehicle at all times
    • (1) to transport materials to the booth
• Relaxed Costs and labor requirements for Exhibitor and Technical Services

Image provided courtesy of Dawn Young with CCTB

• Decreased Catered Food & Beverage Pricing
  • 10% across the board reduction — all menu items
  • More Significant Cuts
    • Coffee (per gallon) – now $36.50++
    • Soda (case and individual items) – now $2.00++
    • Bottled Water (case and individual items) – now $2.65++

Here is a brief video testimonial from an exhibitor at one of Chicago’s largest annual conventions, RSNA (Radiological Society of North America) It will really give you a good sense of the changes.

So, if you have not considered Chicago, and McCormick Place recently, for your Convention, or conference, you just might want to poke around a little, as you may be pleasantly surprised at what you find.

Question:  Have you done an event at Chicago’s McCormick Place recently?  What has your experience been like, with all the labor changes.  Please share with us!

This post was featured in the recent Ebook, entitled “What’s Next in Events,” published by Lara McCulloch. (aka in Twitter as @ready2spark)  I am honored to have been selected, by her to participate in that collaboration.

With the arrival of the New Year, meetings and events professionals are optimistic about the future of their businesses.  Events industry analysts are collectively predicting a noticeable improvement, in the economy, for 2011.  They expect even better in 2012.  That is certainly encouraging!

Realistically, for now, the economy is still in “recovery mode.”  As was the case in 2009 and 2010, many businesses are exercising caution with their finances.  Subsequently business travel and education expense are still under a watchful eye.

With reduced budgets employees are, in some cases, competing with one another for company funds, making it nearly impossible for everyone that should attend conferences, and events, to do so.  Those fortunate enough to get their travel expenses approved must work hard to convince management there will be a viable return on their travel investment.

Even with improved economic conditions, there remains an education void for many event professionals, with fewer travel dollars to spend.  So, how do we fix this problem?

Hybrid Events May Be the Best Solution for Your Event in 2011?

Image courtesy of Janet Rudolph

In late 2009/ early 2010 hybrid events emerged as an affordable, viable alternative event solution of interest for many meeting organizers.  For context, a hybrid event is one in which organizers provide customers (potential attendees) the option of remote access to all, or a portion of the conference content, utilizing some or several forms of social technology.

In 2010 several major meetings industry associations (i.e. PCMA, MPI) successfully introduced Hybrid components into their events.  In fact these organizations are now featuring education sessions, at their 2011 conferences, to teach attendees about the advantages and “best practices” for use of hybrid technology.

Over the past couple of years I have participated in numerous hybrid events, either as a remote attendee, or as an organizer.  On both sides of the ball I have learned a remote participant experience does not replace its face2face counterpart.   However, if executed properly, in the right context, a hybrid event can serve a very functional purpose.

The Litmus Test – Why Create a Hybrid Event?

If you are wondering whether a hybrid event makes sense for your organization, then ask yourself the following questions:

• Are there customers or prospects that will most likely not be able to attend your organization’s conference due to their own financial, geographic or scheduling constraints?
• Are there potential customers you could reach, through online access, that otherwise would not be accessible?
• Are you interested in exceeding your customer’s expectations, by offering them conference access options that meet their needs, in a difficult economy?

If your answer is yes to any of these questions, then you need to strongly consider introducing hybrid components to your 2011 event.

The Hybrid events world is the new frontier of the conference business.  Since the technology and processes are so new, there are not a lot of rules, and only a handful of best practices to follow, as of yet.  However, the quality of these events is accelerating.  It is fair to say new enhancements will bubble to the surface in 2011.

In a shaky economy, and with many quality online education alternatives available to business people, organizations can no longer rely upon their past successes with traditional conference design to attract attendees.  In this social technology era, folks have more online options available to them than ever, to address their education goals.

Organizations can certainly choose to ignore these competing online education channels, at their own peril.  A smarter approach may be to jump on the hybrid event “bandwagon” meeting the competition head-on.

There may be an opportunity for your organization to strengthen its relationships with customers by offering them innovative hybrid conference solutions that will meet their unique needs during this economic recovery.  The payoff, for your thoughtful approach will be their extended loyalty towards your conference and organization far into the future.

For the last ten years I have attended Association Forum’s Holiday Showcase,  an annual Chicago December tradition for event professionals.  This “Feel-Good” event has always had a reputation, in the hospitality industry, for being a “must-attend” function.

Holiday Showcase, in the past, has been viewed by many people (myself included) more as a social event, than an educational conference.  Indeed the program has always had an education component but the centerpiece of Showcase is it’s exhibition.

For many years the event sold out and always had a waiting list. CVB’s and hotels dominated the show floor. For all practical purposes the exhibits were a “who’s who” in the Hospitality industry.  Adding to the festivities were the Hotel/CVB parties   …… one huge industry holiday celebration.

Due primarily to a historic recession business has changed significantly over the past couple of years.  Companies are now more prudent with their spending.  Organizations are more selective about which events they will participate in as exhibitors.  The reality is business people must do their homework to justify their participation in trade shows and conferences.  They must sell their managers on the ROI of an event in order to receive approval to attend.

Holiday Showcase Expands Education Program!

Christie Tarantino

For some time the folks at Association Forum recognized the need to evolve and expand the Holiday Showcase event.  With an eye on it’s members shifting needs the planning team has focused on growing the education content and featured technology.   I recently spoke with Christie Tarantino, President and CEO of Association Forum.  Christie is passionate about re-engineering the Holiday Showcase.  Beginning with the 2010 event attendees will see some exciting new enhancements.

“This year, we’re trying a lot of new things and will be showcasing many different technologies. We wanted to show you what’s out there and give you a chance to test drive it from an attendee perspective so that you can take back what you learned and apply it to your own organizations and meetings. If you haven’t been to Holiday Showcase in a while I’d encourage you to take in the whole day this year. We’ve kept the great things about Holiday Showcase and tried to introduce other things to take the education and networking to a whole new level.” — Christie Tarantino, President and CEO, Association Forum

Take a moment and check out this cool video preview of Holiday Showcase 2010.

New Holiday Showcase Features for 2010

Here’s a recap of the new features being added to the event:

Education Content — Association Forum is doubling the number of education sessions and hand-picked topics with speakers that will attract more seasoned event professionals.

Technology — Attendees will have the option to preview a number of new, interactive technologies (e.g. downloadable mobile applications, speed networking, appointment setting, interactive show floor maps, online interactive guide) They will use these tools to communicate with speakers, exhibitors and each other.

General Session/Lunch Combined — This year, John F. Crowley (whose story about saving his children’s lives is featured in the movie Extraordinary Measures) will be the Holiday Showcase Keynote presenter. A great networking lunch, in the same room, will follow this inspirational speaker.

All Events in Hyatt Regency Chicago East Tower — If you’ve been to Holiday Showcase before, you remember walking. A lot. To save attendees time and “make their feet happy”, all events will be in just one (East) tower so they can make the best use of their face-to-face time with colleagues and peers.

Cell Phone Service in Exhibit Hall — To maximize productivity and interactivity, Association Forum has added cellular service that will be available in the exhibition hall.  Attendees will be able to use Twitter (event hashtag of #HSC2010) and other social media tools to follow Holiday Showcase news as it happens.

Online Communications Task Force — Attendees may meet members of the Association Forum’s new online communications task force, get a tour of the Association Forum’s new website, learn how to set up a member profile called “MyForum” on associationforum.org and learn how to use a new buyers guide to connect with supplier partner members.

Photographer Services — Members will be able to take a complimentary, professional headshot to use for their new member profile or other business-related purposes (NOTE: This is a members-only benefit.)

“We believe it’s really important to attract more business service and technology exhibitors for long term sustainability and to attract higher level decision makers. Association Forum is working hard on that one.   If we’re successful with that, there will be increased value to CVB’s and hotels too.” – David Lutz, Managing Director, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting

I am really excited about and can’t wait to experience all the great changes coming to Holiday Showcase.  Kudos to Association Forum for having the presence of mind to re-think it’s structure and features.  If this event is not currently on your calendar, then it should be!

Hope to see you at Holiday Showcase on December 14, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago!

There seems to be a lot of conversation lately about the best approach for producing Hybrid Events.  Many event professionals want to know what the magic formula is for budgeting them.  Truth is there is no one specific answer.  There are just too many variables.

Organizations hold meetings and conferences for different reasons.  Some choose to add hybrid events, with specific objectives in mind.  Adding to the dynamic are customer needs and expectations which vary, from event to event, and funding sources, which can be distinctly different as well.  The real key to identifying the best approach for a hybrid event is to become strategic about planning it.

Strategic Best Practices for Hybrid Events

Here are some issues to consider:

Strategic Issue 1:  What is the desired hybrid event experience you wish to provide to your customers? Looking at it another way, why are you holding this/these event(s)?

• to provide an alternative for customers unable to attend face2face, due to expense or time constraints?
• to demonstrate your organization’s technology prowess and thought leadership?
• to showcase (new and existing) products and services to potential buyers and/or existing customers?
• to grow your attendee-base by introducing hybrid components to prospects, extending your market reach and stimulating interest in the face2face event?

Strategic Issue 2:  What are you funding resources?

• How much capital do you have available to spend?
• Can event registration fees be increased to offset hybrid event production expenses?
• Are there potential sponsors available, either financial, or in-kind, to help offset costs?

Strategic Issue 3:  How important is production quality and which pieces matter most? Answering these questions will help you identify your equipment and labor requirements.

• Does Video need to be ‘HD’ quality or will a less expensive feed from a Flip camera suffice?  (or somewhere in between) This helps to identify camera and lighting requirements.
• Is it important for audience interaction to be captured on video?  Or will audio support only be acceptable? Enables you to identify # of camera’s, camera operators and related hardware support.
• Will sound be broadcast only from presenter(s) or will there be audience interaction, such as Q&A?  Determines number and type of microphones needed, soundboard, operator, microphone runners, etc.
• Is multi-directional webcasting required?  If so, will both audio and video be delivered in that manner, or in what combination? identifies scope and complexity of broadcast, off-site coordination support, additional equipment/labor, and Internet Connections.
• Do  you want to keep customers engaged during breaks and between sessions?   Drives a decision on whether to engage the services of a “virtual emcee” (Suggested!) or not.

Credible Business Partners Make a Difference

I highly recommend engaging the assistance of a reputable audio visual company to help you identify what is needed and at what cost.  One critical element to a positive Hybrid event experience is to retain the services of a professional hybrid event producer, if you do not have that expertise available in-house.  A show producer will ensure that you don’t forget about any of the important planning pieces for a successful event.  They will also help you shape the strategic direction of the event.

Addressing these strategic issues with your events team, will lead to a more focused plan for budgeting and implementation of the hybrid event.  Should you find you are not able to generate the financial resources to accommodate your desired event experience outcome, you may need to re-evaluate the scope of the event or find alternative funding sources.

Question:  What have I missed here?  In your hybrid event planning experience, what strategic challenges have you faced and how did you adjust to improve the next planning cycle?  Please share!

In the Meetings and Conferences business 2010 has been touted by many as the year of Hybrid Events.  Most event professionals now understand the value of providing remote participation alternatives to their customers.  A tough economy, increased competition, and affordable, yet sophisticated technology has driven that point home.

In the future it will not be sufficient to just offer hybrid components at meetings and conferences, as many organizations are already doing that.  The next challenge, for event organizers,  is to refine the quality of their hybrid events.    Organizers will need to find ways to distinguish their events, from others,  in order to rise above their competitors.  Here are some thoughts on how to accomplish that:

Perfecting the Attendee Experience

Professionalize  Video Webcasts — Pointing a camera at a speaker and then letting the webcast flow is not very engaging, by itself, for most remote attendees.  Unless the presenter is really skilled at capturing an audience’s attention, they will eventually lose their attention.  A well thought out video production can help to prevent that challenge.

• A skilled camera operator offering Pan shots across the audience will mix things up a bit for remote attendees.   Often they will recognize at least some of the face2face attendees, which adds an element of excitement.  This type of camera coverage also captures audience reaction to the presentation, which adds dramatic appeal to the event.
• Enhanced lighting significantly improves the quality of the video experience.  Even the best meeting rooms do not provide optimal lighting for camera work.  Even a couple of light trees, at minimal expense, will do the trick.

The Pre Event Show — Utilizing a virtual emcee, organizations can treat their remote attendees to a pre-event show, teeing up the event, just for them.  This added touch will make them feel special, and connected to the event.  A perfect example of this was the recent EventCamp Twin Cities Conference, which featured this type of activity.  It added a lot of flavor to the experience.  Click here to access the free replay of the program webcast.

Emilie Barta, Virtual Emcee

Post Event Interviews — At the Event’s conclusion, it is really effective to interview the presenter and/or the face2face attendees, on camera, using the already-referenced virtual emcee.  Integrating Twitter (using a Hashtag reference), or the webcast  chat platform  attendees can ask questions of the presenter.  Interviewed attendees may offer their insights and reactions to the event experience as well.

Select the Right Webcast Provider — Event professionals must research and select a webcast supplier that provides a highly functional and pleasant webcast experience, for remote attendees.  A platform containing side-by side live camera and a/v support (i.e slides) with adjustable window sizes, is optimal.

One thing is for certain … Hybrid components have become much more than bolt-on features to today’s meetings and conferences.  They have become essential.  A professionally managed technology plan will ensure  interactivity between remote and face2face attendees is seamless, adding significant excitement to most events.

After all human beings like to network with one another and when you give them an event that easily supports interaction, whether it is virtual or face2face, or both, they will embrace it.

Question:  What enhancements have you added to your organization’s hybrid events?  What difference did it make to the impact on your attendees?  What do you see changing in the future?