Over the past year, hybrid meetings have gained in traction as an option for larger groups, as well as teams working remotely across the country, to gather together for an exchange of ideas. While everyone is suffering from screen fatigue, it's more important than ever to make sure that the content for your hybrid meeting is consistently engaging for all of your attendees. Here are some ideas to keep in mind as you plan your hybrid itinerary:
Q&A
Whether your keynote speaker is addressing your group in person or online, recreating the feeling of "being there" for your virtual attendees is a challenge. Encourage your audience to submit questions in the chat feature of your conference platform, and be sure to have a staff member dedicated to relaying those questions to your speaker. Keep speakers to a firm time limit so that there's plenty of opportunity for all participants to engage with the topic, leaving room for productive conversations that may spark ideas for your team.
Let's Chat
Networking sessions are a big draw for many conference attendees, and while the face-to-face experience can't be replicated for everyone in a hybrid setting, there are creative ways to ensure that participants can interact. Create breakout rooms in your conference platform centered around a variety of topics of interest to your group. Any chance you can get to foster conversation amongst your in-person and virtual attendees is vital to keeping them engaged and walking away with new ideas to implement in their businesses or organizations.
The Human Element
The thread that connects these elements is, of course, human connection. Technology greatly improves our ability to bring people together from all over the world, but planners still need to create content that encourages dialogue among participants. Set aside time during planning to send out surveys to attendees, asking what topics are of interest to them. This feedback is a great way to tailor your content specifically to participants and ensures that they have a reason to not just attend the conference but actively engage with one another.
While you get to work lining up the speakers and sessions that will inspire your attendees, our experienced team at The Otesaga will make sure your event runs smoothly. Contact us today for more details about bringing your team to our upstate New York hotel!