Transitioning to Virtual and Hybrid Events. Ben Chodor

in the respiratory category.

      Results:

       Registration for the event was 77% higher than that for the company's previous product launch webcast. The program format created significant buzz with physicians, who then recruited colleagues, including some from practices previously flagged as inaccessible. The program also opened many doors for the sales team.

       64% more participants joined this event than this marketing team's previous satellite national broadcast.

       In a post‐event survey, 82% of participants reported that this was the most engaging hybrid virtual event in which they had participated. The real‐time “face‐to‐face” interaction with the speaker and a feeling of connectedness with the other live sites were cited as the top two reasons.

       The company's leadership team was so pleased with the event and resulting product inquiries that they replicated this model across three following product launches.

ADDRESSING COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS AND MYTHS ABOUT VIRTUAL EVENTS

When I started out in the streaming business in 1998, people still had fax machines, high‐speed internet at home was a luxury and didn't exist in many locations, and streaming video was not HD quality and was the size of postage stamp and then a playing card. When you started a new job you probably got a desktop as opposed to a laptop computer. Oh, and to give you some context, the iPad was still 11 years away and the iPhone was still 9 years away. Also just to give more perspective, Joseph W. Lechleider, who is credited for being one of the inventors of high‐speed internet, was probably never thinking about sending video over the internet; 4G internet was not launched in the United States until 2010. With 5G launching globally now, the ability to receive amazing quality content anywhere in the world is now well within reach.

      In the early days of the internet, online events and webinars were a small part of the events business and, quite honestly, an afterthought for event planners and conference planners.

      Cutting‐edge advancements in video, audio, and integrated communication technologies have made it possible to do much more online. Gone are the days when companies were forced to deal with bulky, unintuitive webinar programs that produced poor‐quality video or choppy, broken audio. Webcasting technology that unites high‐quality, crystal‐clear audio and video, PowerPoint, live chat, and Q&A into a single streamlined interface has removed technological barriers for large and small businesses. Now all you need is a strong internet connection and you can deliver a TV‐style broadcast right from your home.

      And with all these advancements, there is still a lot of resistance and uneasiness because of the misconceptions around virtual events.

      Before we go any further in the book, I want to take you through all the myths you're going to hear and tell you exactly why they are not based in fact.

       Myth #1: My virtual event or hybrid event will cannibalize my physical event attendance

Reality: I talked about this in earlier examples, but I'd like to give you another. A good friend of mine puts it like this: every year there are only about 70,000 total tickets to the Super Bowl. If I don't get a ticket, does that mean I'm not going to watch? Of course not; I'll watch but it will just be a different experience, and usually a cheaper one.

      The reality doesn't support the cannibalization myth, but instead it shows how you should be thinking about the bigger picture. If you only offer an option to attend a physical event, you're leaving out a large segment of your prospect universe that won't get to see any of that content or engage with any of those attendees. You're missing an opportunity to extend your reach to a global audience that you were never in front of before.

      For those determined to attend the physical event, your repeat customers, they fight each year for the travel and budget approval to see customers and partners face to face, and they're not going to give that up.

       Myth #2: It can't be monetized, and I'll lose my sponsor and attendee revenue streams

      Reality: Any good virtual event platform will have the option for you to collect attendee registration fees. Plus there are a number of customizable elements that can be monetized for exhibitors and sponsors to provide visibility, thought leadership opportunities, and custom messaging throughout the event experience. If it's customizable, it's monetizable.

       Myth #3: It's not interactive; people will just be watching presentations

Reality: This couldn't be further from the truth. A virtual environment offers participants the option to participate in live polls during a session. Based on those poll results the speaker can pivot within the presentation to put more emphasis on areas of the topic attendees said they want to hear about.

      Attendees can also take advantage of live chat, video chats, and Q&A. I've seen chat threads get really lively with people making connections, answering questions for one another, and offering their expertise on the topic. And lastly, you're able to pose questions directly to the speaker and get those answered in real time.

       Myth #4: People won't stay as long for a virtual session as they would for an in‐person session

      Reality: It's just as easy to walk out of a physical session or not even show up to the meeting as it is to click out of a virtual event. I would argue that there are more distractions at a physical meeting where most are located in cities with great climates and an abundance of leisure activities. When you click out of a virtual event, you're just right back where you started from, at your desk.

      Plus, in a virtual environment we can measure how long people stay within a session with more accuracy than a badge swipe so we can confidently tell you which sessions are the most popular.

       Myth #5: I'll only get limited reporting

      Reality: This one is always a bit of a shock to me because within a virtual environment, like everything we do online, there is always activity data being collected. Any virtual event platform that you choose should be able to provide you with enough data for marketing to develop a lead scoring model, for sponsors to know who visited their booths and what assets were downloaded, and for your executive leadership to be confident that the exact audience they targeted actually attended.

      So now that you know what a virtual event is, it's time to introduce you to some of the innovative tools you can use in order to create a compelling virtual event.

CHAPTER 2 Understanding Virtual Communication Tools

      So, before we really dive into the playbook, I'll walk you through the difference between webinars, webcasts, streaming, virtual events, and web conferences and the best use cases for each. Each of these options can be part of your virtual event, but in order to have success with each option it needs to resonate with your audience and meet your business objectives.

      Think about what you want to achieve with each program and your call to action for the participants desired. Is your goal to have them buy something, learn something, or engage with the program? Keep in mind the viewing habits of your audience: will they be watching from their computers, TVs, tablets, mobile devices, or potentially all of the above?

      Also keep in mind you don't have to pick one; I am a big fan of using a blended mix of all the virtual tools at your disposal, because they all bring something unique in the way you get to deliver your message.

WEBINAR

A webinar is traditionally an audio‐over‐slide