Let’s say this louder for those in the back of the (virtual) room. COVID-19 has changed how many, if not most, companies and sectors conduct their business.

This has especially been true for the event-planning industry.

During the past year, conferences and meetings have moved from physical spaces and face-to-face occurrences to online platforms. Isolation and virtual means have helped support social distancing while avoiding coronavirus spread.

As things have relaxed somewhat, many events are moving from 100% virtual to a hybrid format. On paper, hybrid formats could be considered a “win-win” for most meeting planners. They can bring some participants together in manageable amounts while continuing to maintain the above-mentioned social-distancing protocols. Furthermore, the hybrid platform means speakers and panelists can reach a broader swath of virtual attendees.

However, the hybrid format doesn’t just happen. It requires the right technology, skills, and equipment for success. Failure to plan could mean a conference, event, or meeting that doesn’t achieve its mission.

Defining the Hybrid Event

Part of the difficulty in planning for a hybrid meeting or conference is that it has many permutations.

According to Meeting Planners International, a hybrid event consists of at least one face-to-face group. This group digitally connects with other participants in one or more off-site locations. MPI pointed out that effective hybrid events combine the positives of real-life meetings with virtual interactions.

The issue, however, is that those virtual interactions encompass a variety of formats. They can be a “pod” scenario, in which participants meet in small groups in different locations. Or, they can consist of all virtual participants. Or they might involve technology streaming to other specific meeting locations or offices. Basically, the hybrid format is as flexible as it sounds. This offers benefits and challenges.

The Future of Hybrid Events

Though it might seem unlikely at this time, COVID-19 will eventually dwindle in its severity. People will gather in large groups, once again. But this won’t necessarily be the end to the hybrid meeting format.

For example, In a poll taken throughout the industry shows 62% of event planners believe the hybrid model is here to stay. There are good reasons for this optimism. When conducted properly, hybrid events combine flexibility, efficiency, diversity, and technological growth. They can also offer very busy people the opportunity to attend conferences and meetings, a definite issue, even before the coronavirus pandemic.

But a hybrid event is only as successful as the tools used to produce it.

What Could Go Wrong?

Planning a hybrid event involves more than simply booking time on a virtual meeting account, hiring speakers and panelists, sending out many emails, and then flipping a switch.

In fact, thinking hybrid events magically coming together could lead to the following mistakes:

• Wasted time and poor content delivery due to a lack of A/V, mobile, and web testing
• Uncertain presentation due to untrained speakers and panelists.
• Ignoring the needs of virtual attendees, who might make up the bulk of participants
• “Drop-outs” and “cut-off,” due to low-quality technology

Choosing the wrong technology platform can pose another potential issue. While virtual meeting sites might work well for smaller, one-off gatherings, conferences don’t fit that bill. As every event planner knows, physical, face-to-face events have a lot of moving parts. This is just as true when it comes to hybrid events.

Ensuring A Professional Solution

The above isn’t meant to criticize video conference tools or meeting sites. Most work quite well. Their deficiency likes in that they focus on one thing: The meeting, or gathering, itself. But let’s take a look at what is included with just about any major event:

• Registration (including cancelations and last-minute “walk-ins”)
• Exhibitor space and booths
• Sponsorship opportunities
• Merchandise stores
• Meeting discounts
• Networking spaces
• Formal and informal discussions and chats
• Handouts and brochures

None of the above includes the actual event. Activities involved could consist of keynote speeches, round tables and panel discussions, breakout sessions, and one-on-one “town hall” meetings. Once again, moving parts. And, once again, standard virtual meeting tools might not be effective in these situations.

Successful hybrid events require the proper technology and solutions. For instance, eShow’s Virtual Event Management (VEM^TM) technology offers the following:

• Secure payment processes for attendees
• Customization options for exhibitor booths
• Set-ups for unique sponsorship opportunities
• Higher at-conference engagement through networking “space” and chat tools
• An ideal online environment for presentations, seminars, speeches, and more
• Post-data event analysis

As each event and conference is unique, the necessary required tools are as well. You might not need an entire VEM^TM package for your particular situation. But your hybrid event will involve more than speakers. As such, having those tools available could mean the difference between a superior conference and one that is just mediocre.

Careful Thinking

When you spearhead real-time events, you likely put a great deal of thought into all the components. Even seemingly small details, such as signage and table set-ups, are carefully considered. The same holds true with hybrid events. No, you likely won’t require registration tables or wayfinding signs to the restroom in your digital (formally virtual) event. But, these conferences require just as much forethought and analysis, well before the first save-the-date message goes out to your audience.

Part of your pre-meeting analysis should also include the tools you need for your hybrid happening. It’s important to figure out what you need, understand your requirements, and source the proper tools. Putting those means into place, and ensuring their accessibility, can lead to a talked-about, outstanding event. It can mean satisfied participants, happy exhibitors, elated sponsors, and delighted speakers. It can also reduce your stress and allow you to focus on other aspects of your job.

Turn to eShow for all facets of meeting and conference planning. Whether your needs involve housing and travel management, meeting logistics, lead retrieval, or more, eShow’s products and services can help in all areas of meeting and event planning.

Once you’ve determined the purpose, audience, and budget for your event, you’ll need to select vendors to help carry out your vision. Even if you’re a top-notch event manager, you can’t go at it alone. If you envision a wildly successful event, you’ll need to choose exceptional vendors. Employing vendors that are anything less than exceptional could result in a less than optimal experience for attendees.

Depending on the nature of your event, your roster of vendors might include the following:

• Caterer | Bartender – Food, beverages
• Decorator – Venue decoration
• Florist – Provide centerpieces, etc.
• Graphic Artist – Design event signage, invitations
• Photographer | Videographer – document the event
• Performers – Provide entertainment
• Transportation | Parking services – Drive and park vehicles

As you’re searching for vendors, solicit referrals from colleagues and make a shortlist of those that come highly recommended. When contacting those vendors, obtain and record the following information (at least). 

• Vendor name and contact information
• Service | Product
• Prices | Discounts
• Lead times required
• Payment | Refund policy
• Licenses | Permits | Insurance (where applicable)

If and when you decide to move forward with a particular vendor, this information will become part of your vendor management system.

Your vendor management system can save you a great deal of time when planning future events because you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. The more information you can obtain from the vendor, the better. Letters of reference, samples, portfolios, and observations from the vendor’s work at another event can give you more confidence in who you ultimately hire. 

Once you’ve assembled your team of ace vendors, effective and efficient vendor management is essential to ensure that they meet your expectations and those of your attendees. The following tips will help you stay on top of the vendor management aspect of planning your event.

1.  Write Down Your Expectations

Even if you provide verbal instructions to your vendors, it’s also important to provide written documentation with clear expectations. The documentation doesn’t have to be complicated; a simple list of services/products to be provided will suffice. If you prefer more detail, you can create a spec sheet with explicit descriptions of everything the vendor has agreed to provide.   

 2.  Have a Contract for Each Vendor

Your written documentation for each vendor can live in the form of a contract that outlines the terms of the agreement. The contract is a legally binding work order with specifics about what you expect from the vendor and what recourse you’ll take if they don’t deliver on the contract. By signing and dating the contract, you and the vendor agree to the terms that lie within. Those terms should include the following:

• A clear description of services, equipment, and products to be provided
• Costs and payment terms
• Delivery date and time
• Proof of insurance, licensing, bonding (where applicable)
• Vendor requirements (access to water, electricity, etc.)

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3.  Maintain Open Lines of Communication

Staying in close contact with your vendors is an important aspect of effective vendor management. During the hiring process, establish a method of communication that will be used to relay progress updates or changes. 

While exceptional vendors shouldn’t need to be reminded to deliver as promised, having a strong communication strategy in place will give you peace of mind. Vendor management software, such as eShow, can help you efficiently manage and streamline communication with your vendors.

4.  Reiterate Delivery Times Throughout Planning Stage

Timing is essential to an event’s success. Exact delivery dates and times should be established at the beginning of your vendor arrangement. It’s also helpful to ask vendors to re-commit to those times throughout the event planning stage to ensure they know when you expect delivery. You won’t want to leave that to chance.

 5.  Check Delivered Items for Accuracy

Whether your vendor hand-delivers items or uses a courier service, check each order for accuracy and quality. You don’t want to find out that your order is incomplete or damaged after they’ve left. Instead, carefully inspect (or designate someone to inspect) all items in the order. Notify the vendor immediately if the delivered order deviates from what’s stated in the contract.

6.  Be Good to Your Vendors

The adage “good help is hard to find” can apply to vendor selection. If you have vendors that are performing at or above your expectations, treat them well. Vendors expect a bit of negotiation, but don’t ask them for freebies or discounts to the point where they can’t make a decent profit. Doing so might cause them to turn down your future service requests.

Vendor Management Made Easy With eShow.

Effective and efficient vendor management can take your events from so-so to legendary. To streamline this function, follow the lead of event managers who take advantage of technology to optimize your outcome. In Bizzabo’s 2020 Event Marketing Report (close to 500 mid-to-senior level marketers from high-caliber organizations like Forbes, SAP, and Gartner were surveyed), marketers were found to be overwhelmingly in favor of event software:

• 92% of marketers feel event software makes it easier to achieve desired outcomes.
• 80% of marketers who currently use event software have no trouble proving return on investment (ROI).
• 89% of marketers who use event software feel that they save time when planning events —  roughly 200 hours per year. Additionally, 20% of marketers reported saving 360 or more hours per year with event technology.

Armed with eShow’s tools and web-based solutions, you, too, can easily and efficiently handle vendor management tasks. Our tools can be customized to your needs and budget, help you communicate with vendors, maintain a vendor database, and stay on budget.

eShow goes beyond vendor management and provides solutions for all aspects of your event, from the planning stage to the actual event date. We can provide everything you need for a successful event, whether it’s in-person, virtual, or hybrid.