Ahead of Women’s Day, Almonds Ai Launches Pink Rewards to Celebrate Women. Click Here

Category: Blogs

Categories
Blogs

6 Types of Events to Focus Your Attention on Right Now

6 Types of Events to Focus Your Attention on Right Now

Companies require a range of events in order to grow their business. From conferences to sporting events, trade shows and more, they must decide what type of event their business needs. Event planners need to connect the dots between the business objectives and the type of events that will help achieve these goals.

Before planning any events, certain things need to be considered such as budget, virtual exhibition platform, sponsorship, and accessibility. But what event to host is the first thing that every event planner must decide.

Top 6 events to host for achieving business goals

There are a lot of different types of events to choose from when planning an event for your business. The choice may seem overwhelming to the event planner looking to plan engaging and impactful events.

Therefore, here is the list of the top 6 corporate events you can choose from:

Conferences

Conference events are among the most productive kinds of networking events for business with multiple speakers and sessions are usually held for multiple days. These events encourage conversation among people with related interests to share their knowledge & experiences.

Conferences typically begin with a keynote presentation before proceeding into roundtables, interviews as well as panel discussion.

Trade Show

Trade shows are basically used to showcase new products and services to other businesses or audiences. Businesses who want to generate sales leads or create brand awareness generally opt for a trade fair.

These events typically take place in-person but amid the pandemic, people opt for virtual trade shows or in a hybrid format also.

Seminars

Seminars are more like conferences but the key difference is that seminars are organized to educate or provide training to a specific target audience. These events can be live or pre-recorded with one speaker or can be more.

Businesses host seminars to provide training about specific products or techniques, employee training, or develop customer loyalty.

Product Launch

Companies host launch events to bring new products or services to market. These events are a great way to create hype for the upcoming product and acquire some leads during the event only.

Inviting investors, bloggers, loyal customers, media as well as social media influencers helps companies to spread word prior to, during, and following the launch of your product.

Award Ceremonies

The virtual award ceremony is just one of the many changes 2020 has given us. Companies organized award shows to create a culture of participation and thought leadership.

Award ceremonies mostly happen to recognized employees, but sometimes, organizations also host these ceremonies in honour of their partners, stakeholders, distributors, and retailers.

Summits

Summits are pretty similar to an in-person conference, except they are organized virtually. There are different activities for attendees, such as talks, interviews, and presentations under similar themes.

Even some event platforms such as Almond Virtex provide the facility of “breakout rooms” to have a mastermind session and networking aspects.

No matter what type of event you are planning, choosing the right platform is very important. There are some features of a virtual trade show that you consider while finalizing a platform.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,403 Post views
Categories
Blogs

The Evolution of Events and Experiential Industry: 2D, 3D and Metaverse Events

the-evolution-of-events-and-experiential-industry-2d-3d-and-metaverse-events

The Evolution of Events and Experiential Industry: 2D, 3D and Metaverse Events

With the evolution of technology, every aspect of our lives has been impacted, including how we receive and share information and how we see the world. Due to the abundance of gadgets and applications, the event industry has taken advantage of technology to communicate with visitors and promote events.

While virtual reality technology has brought many changes to the ways we live our daily lives, there is still a large space to be filled in creating a convincing and immersive metaverse. This is because combining all of the existing XR programs and tools into one place will likely experience it as one big open world instead of thousands of individual online games. With this understanding in mind, it allows you to decipher how people use these different types of technologies.

In this article, we will look at how technology has changed the event industry over the last few years and how the metaverse events are different from 2D and 3D events.

What is the difference between 2D, 3D, and Metaverse Platforms?

Understanding the difference between 2D, 3D, and Metaverse platforms is important. Let’s explore this concept and see how they differ to determine which one is better for you.

2D Event Platform

A 2D virtual event platform comprises a flat grid layout, which combines graphics and labels. The flat design leads the user through the space in an intuitive, step-by-step process. These event platforms offer users an online dashboard to organize their events, collaborate with other team members, send out invitations and RSVPs, track and manage the attendance, and more.

Some 2D hybrid event platforms such as Hubilo, Almond Virtex 1.0, Hopin, and Airmeet are web-accessible, making it simpler for participants to participate in the event from a desktop or smartphone.

3D Event Platform

3D virtual event platforms create a dynamic and engaging experience. With 3D virtual event platforms like Samaaro, Almond Virtex 2.0, and vFairs, you can retain your audience’s attention by creating life-like spaces in a virtual environment. These virtual or hybrid event platforms are meant to provide a full-immersion digital experience for an audience.

Metaverse Events

As the popularity and frequency of events continue to grow, many event organizers are looking for more ways to provide an immersive experience. The Metaverse provides a major opportunity for such events by incorporating blockchain, AI, NFTs, 3D designs, and other digital technologies to power the event platform.

Using metaverse event platforms like Almond Virtex 3.0, Exvo can be extremely beneficial in terms of security, transparency, and trust to the event organizers and attendees.

Why is there so much hype around Metaverse?

Metaverse seems to be the hottest thing in tech these days. Google, Sony, and other giants are jumping into this space with all kinds of ideas. And many people are now talking about a metaverse as if it would be another internet that works inside a virtual environment.

The metaverse — a simulated 3D environment that allows users to interact with one another and their surroundings — promises to be a game-changer for the events industry. As a utility, metaverse can be used as an effective way to communicate information and ideas and for education.

What’s next?

Can you imagine walking up to a keynote speaker or an industry giant on the other side of the planet and asking for advice or just chatting with them? The metaverse can enhance the digital experience of going to an event and lead to more spontaneity for the event-goers. Physical construction costs or building codes don’t limit the metaverse. You can create events with an unlimited number of rooms and meeting places so people can attend events or interact with other attendees seamlessly.

Organizations will use Metaverse gatherings to enhance their brand equity, drive social media engagement, develop new customers, expand distribution channels and generate new revenue streams.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,418 Post views
Categories
Blogs

Tips For Improving Attendee Networking At Virtual/Hybrid Events

tips-for-improving-attendee-networking-at-virtual-hybrid-events

Tips For Improving Attendee Networking at Virtual/Hybrid Events

As more event marketers choose the hybrid way, there is an urgent need to understand the power of networking and how it can be leveraged at hybrid and virtual events.

Engagement and networking go hand-in-hand

It cannot be denied that, when it comes to networking, most virtual/hybrid events are unable to do as well as in-person events. However, it is essential if event organizers are to create engagement at their events. Networking is what encourages dialogue and conversation and delivers value to attendees.

One of the reasons for the lower success rate of networking in virtual/hybrid events is that as long as the event is going, there are different mediums of communication. However, once the event finishes, there is nothing to connect on. In an in-person event, however, attendees have the advantage of water and bathroom breaks, breakout sessions, or just chatting post-event.

In one of our earlier blogs, we looked at the different ways to blend in-person and virtual events. In addition to blending, there are a few other tips that you can try to improve networking at your virtual event.

1. The Platform

The platform you choose determines your event’s success to a large extent. A good hybrid event platform, that has several ways and means to introduce networking between in-person and virtual attendees is what you need.

Tools like one-on-one chats with speakers, Q&As, surveys, polls, and a virtual lobby where attendees can chat up with anyone are at the top of the list.

2. The Design of Your Event

If you’re hosting an event that is designed in a manner where speakers come, deliver their content, and leave, you’re not going to succeed in your mission.

So, spend some time in designing your event in a manner that strategically includes opportunities for networking. Draw up an agenda for each speaker and make sure there is enough time for chats and dialogues in between.

On platforms like Almond Virtex, vFairs, Airmeet, Hubilo, you can make use of ‘breakout rooms’ to send your attendees into a single ‘room’ that facilitates group discussions.

3. The Accessibility of Your Platform

This ties back to the earlier tip we discussed. Not only should your platform have tools for networking, but it also should be easily accessible to your offline and online attendees. Certain virtual event companies have platforms that allow for wonderful networking between their in-person and virtual attendees.

4. Gamification

Gamification is by far the most effective way to improve audience engagement and generate conversations. Create teams that consist of virtual and in-person attendees and have a competition going. It’s going to be a lot of noise, fun, chatter, and networking!

5. Post-Event Networking

Once the event is done, don’t close communication. Enable your attendees to network even after the event is done. Make use of features such as breakout rooms and chat to continue dialogue.

It may seem daunting at first, but with the right planning, networking doesn’t have to be a challenge even in virtual environments.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,205 Post views
Categories
Blogs

How Can Venues Plan For Hybrid Events In The Future?

how-can-venues-plan-for-hybrid-events-in-the-future

How can venues plan for hybrid events in the future?

The developments in event technology have forced venues for corporate events to rethink their strategy. These venues now are looking to become hybrid-event friendly and embrace smaller in-person events.

It always pays to be well-prepared for the future and we are going to look at what these venues can do to minimize losses and gain business.

The story of the hybrid event

From hosting virtual events, businesses have now switched to conducting hybrid events where a section of the audience is in-person and the rest of it is virtual. Hybrid events have helped businesses retain the intimacy of in-person while giving them scalability and reach of virtual. Naturally, 7 out of 10 businesses want to continue to host such events in the future.

Hybrid events and venues

While a large percentage of the audience is virtual, hybrid events still require good venues that can support their virtual audience as well. As the event goes on in the venue, video cameras do their good work of capturing the event and either streaming it to the virtual viewers or upload it to cloud.

Either way, your venue will be visible to hundreds of thousands of people. So, you need it look good, professionally done up, and polished. Moreover, you need to be able to support the business that is hosting the event through a stage or a podium, an audio-visual setup, broadband or wired connection to the Internet, while ensuring that it is able to accommodate the in-person attendees.

So, ensure you have the following available at your venue

Ability to support technology

The best hybrid event platforms can make a lot happen through a virtual event. However, they need the support of good broadband, like we discussed earlier. So, if you’re opening up your venue for hybrid events, check your broadband speed and confirm that it can support high quality streaming and augmented and virtual reality.

If there is 5G in your location, talk to your superiors to see if you can upgrade to it. Often venues that are unable to keep up with growth in technology lose out.

Good cameras and microphones

Some businesses insist on using their own cameras because they have partnerships and trusted vendors. However, it doesn’t hurt to know your own range of suppliers and keep them handy. Before you commit to the event organizers, make sure you have dry runs with these cameras yourself. They must be able to capture in ultra high-definition (UHD) and be of top quality.

The same applies to microphones as well. Since there is a virtual audience, high quality audio is a must. Deploy an audio technician who is constantly checking for noise and other disturbance.

Technical staff

This is almost a no-brainer. You need to be able to support the event in case of tiny issues or equipment failure. So, have a team of highly trained technicians ready at the venue on the day of the event. With virtual event platforms like Virtex, you can also seek support of their internal staff.

Rehearse

Push your event organizer into having at least two dry runs before the actual event so you too can identify gaps and fix them if needed. Make a checklist for each area of the event- audio, video, Internet, and so on.

You can also promote the event on your social media channels. A great way to promote and market your next hybrid event is through social media. So, try different platforms like vFairs, Airmeet, Almond Virtex, Hubilo, Eventcube and prepare the world for what’s coming.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,132 Post views
Categories
Blogs

5 Reasons Why You Need New Lead Capture Strategies at Your Event

5-Reasons-Why-You-Need-New-Lead-Capture-Strategies-at-Your-Event

5 Reasons Why You Need New Lead Capture Strategies at Your Event

The shift has happened and corporate events are likely to stick to the hybrid model even in the near future. But, this change in trend brings its own set of challenges. For instance, how does one ensure the same kind of networking and personal touch with virtual elements? And that’s just one of the possible issues.

One of the reasons why businesses host events is to expand into newer markets and consequently, grow. And the foremost requirement to go down that path is good quality leads. However, using traditional lead generation tools for virtual events might not be the answer. What you need is a fresh set of lead capture strategies. Here is why.

1. Audiences are distributed

With hybrid events, you know that your audiences are spread out and possibly from different backgrounds. In such a case, a simple registration form will not suffice. What you need is a good virtual event agency that also handles hybrid events and can help your attendees create a profile for themselves either on your event app or on the platform itself.

Platforms today are really smart and can help you classify your leads according to the information in their profiles. So, you could have different lists for local leads, international ones, or repeat customers.

2. Audiences prefer contactless transactions

After COVID, in-person events rely on contactless technologies and have now begun to distribute evet passes with QR codes that just need to be scanned. Now, this QR code can be used effectively by businesses by linking it to the profile of an attendee.

Through an event app, your attendees can access their profiles and you can incentivize them by rewarding them with points, cashback, free webinars, etc. when they perform an action at your event. So, this way your interaction will be completely contactless while being able to capture leads effectively.

Moreover, contactless transactions are also eco-friendly and sustainable, so brownie points there!

3. Audiences don’t mind on-demand content

You don’t always need tips to build your network at the virtual event itself. Instead, you can continue to expand it after your event is done. If you’re not using on-demand content to capture leads, then you’re missing out on a lot of business.

Several attendees prefer to watch content on the website once the event is over. They like the edited videos, the snippets, the highlights, and the way information is presented. So, put in the hard yards and invest in a good video editing team.

Once you upload your content to the website, you could capture basic information about your visitor.

4. Audiences are active on social media

Nothing like social media to capture and nurture leads. And most attendees have at least one social media account. So, widen your presence on social media and generate buzz before the event begins. Using analytics offered by these platforms, track the performance of your posts and you will find yourself with a fresh set of leads.

5. Audiences want virtual engagement

Many businesses host virtual events to increase their engagement rates and platforms such as Hopin, Almond Virtex, Airmeet, Hubilo can handle everything virtual event-related, including creating an engagement strategy. By making use of features such as chat, live polls, Q&A, and so on, you can build a lead pool.

It’s time to stay abreast of the ways of the world and use virtual event technology to its maximum potential. Lead generation is faster, more efficient, and cost-effective if this technology is used the right way.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,484 Post views
Categories
Blogs

How to Write an Email Invitation to Attract Hundreds of Attendees to Your Event

How-to-Write-an-Email-Invitation-to-Attract-Hundreds-of-Attendees-to-Your-Event

How to Write an Email Invitation to Attract Hundreds of Attendees to Your Event

So, you’ve worked hard and put together an unbelievable event. And whether it is hybrid, virtual, or in-person the next step is to bring in people. That’s who your event is for, isn’t it?

Out of the many ways to invite attendees, email still remains the most popular. In fact, most virtual event companies will vouch for its popularity. But why?

  • Emails can be tracked and you can use these insights into designing better email campaigns for the future.
  • People still check their emails a lot. And if you’re a top brand, chances are that you have an excellent email open rate of above 30 percent.
  • Emails are very conversational and personalizable. They give your audience the feeling that you are talking to them. And now that virtual events aren’t limited to COVID times, nobody minds a conversation.

Components of your email

Now that you know why email, it is important to know the crucial components of an email that can help you push your click and open rates higher.

  • It may seem laughable, but the sender’s address plays a big role in the click rates of emails. Nobody wants to open an email that comes from a generic email address. Try to personalize it with your event’s name.
  • Nearly 5 in 10 readers will decide whether to open an email based on its subject line. So, invest in a short, compelling subject line that plays into the reader’s mind. For instance, “Grow Your Business 5X by 2023 at {event name}”
  • Remember, a personalized greeting can go a long way. Use tracking metrics to design a cute introduction for a few of your clients. Everybody loves emails that are special. Most good virtual event platforms such as Almond Virtex, Eventcube, Airmeet, Hubilo provide integration with your email marketing software to make this simpler.
  • Use different emails for different lists. Again dig into your analytics to see who’s done what in the past. Find email lists of people who have an interest in your industry and read blogs/articles about it. Send them industry-specific emails that you know will get their attention.
  • The body of your email should be short and include information about your event in an organized manner.
  • The value of a good email signature is quite underestimated. Make use of titles, awards that your company may have won, etc.

Here are a few other things to keep in mind when designing your invitation for events online.

1. Tell them why they should come to your event

People respond better to ‘why’. So, give them a list of benefits. It could be rewards, discounts, or better business growth- list it all out.

2. Don’t forget your call-to-action (CTA)

Every reader will need to interact with your email in some way. Is it buying a ticket, an RSVP, or going to the landing page to register? Make it clear and use a button that stands out.

3. Make it visually appealing

We love visuals. So, include graphics and visual aids wherever you can. Pictures, graphs, banners, timelines, embedded video clips- the list goes on.

4. Keep it simple

Nobody has the time to read verbose emails. So, keep your content to the point and instead present it in a visually appealing way. That way, even if you are saying a lot, you have the advantage of using a visual aid.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,179 Post views
Categories
Blogs

Why should people add virtual event components to their in-person events?

Why-should-people-add-virtual-event-components-to-their-in-person-events

Why Should People Add Virtual Event Components To Their In-Person Events?

Conferences are great. They bring people together, showcase some of the best that the industry has to offer, and can build up to a positive brand image. And when you make them virtual, they can do a lot more!

Hybrid event platforms are probably the fastest-rising business model in tech right now. Marketers want to host hybrid events. They look forward to blending in-person and virtual elements and making the most of both worlds.

While in-person events have their own charm, adding virtual elements to them can be a game-changer for most businesses.

You can save money

Budget is always among the top priorities for any event marketer. And if there is a way for you to achieve your event goals and more without having to expand your budget, you’re not going to refuse. Adding virtual sections to your in-person event can do just that. You can reach a wider audience, provide breathtaking experiences, engage with your audience, track their behaviors, and do much more without having to spend an exorbitant amount of money.

You have more flexibility

Imagine that you’re hosting an in-person event and the venue is suddenly unavailable. It would be prudent to have a backup but in case you don’t, can you imagine the struggle of looking for a new venue? On the other hand, if you decide to switch to a virtual platform and work with a virtual event company, you have the flexibility of choosing the date, time, geography, size, budget, etc. In other words, you have more control over your event.

You have more engagement options at your disposal

While the personal connection of in-person events cannot be effectively replaced, virtual events are a slightly better option if you’re looking to engage with a large group of people at the same time. The best virtual platforms, such as Almond Virtex, Hubilo, Eventcube, Airmeet, Hopin provide different options to engage every attendee. From games to quizzes, and chats to live polls, a lot is available to event marketers through a virtual setup.

With the rising popularity of hybrid events, platforms also provide the capability to connect in-person audiences with virtual audiences.

You can track your event performance better

Is the market benefitting from the virtualization of real-world events?

Most certainly.

Good event technology comes with robust analytics mechanisms that provide very meaningful insights to businesses. They can use this data to drive their objectives for future events or take market-related decisions.

Now that you understand why business can benefit by adding virtual components to their in-person events, let’s look at a few events that you can convert to hybrid ones.

  • Conferences where you have several speakers and attendees.
  • Trade shows and expos where you need to dislay a large selection of products. You can make use of the customization that platforms offer to make your own booths.
  • Award ceremonies that also have performances and family involvement.

In all honesty, any event can have virtual elements to it. And with so many companies doing it, it is time to experiment with hybrid event platforms.

Who knows? You might end up hosting the best event of your life.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,172 Post views
Categories
Blogs

Measurement of Event Satisfaction Using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Measurement-of-Event-Satisfaction-Using-Key-Performance-Indicators

Measurement of Event Satisfaction Using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Admittedly, planning and executing an event is a long and even arduous task. However, a lot of work still remains to be done once the event is done. In fact, most of the work related to an event happens after the end of the previous event. Today, with tracking and analytics, it is possible to evaluate and assess the success of an event and avoid repeating mistakes.

But what constitutes an event’s success or satisfaction? Is it growth in net promoter score (NPS), revenue generation, or better RoI? Here is where Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) play a role. If you haven’t ever set KPIs for your event, then now is the right time to start. Work with your virtual event company to identify KPIs and work backward from there.

Let’s take a look at a few examples of KPIs that you can use to evaluate your event satisfaction.

1. Attendance rate

It’s not registrations or the ones showing interest that count. What matters is the number of people who said they would attend and actually showed up on the day of the event. It will reveal how many attendees were genuinely interested in your event and how many remembered to attend. If your attendance numbers are low, then you can work back to improve your promotional campaigns.

2. Social media buzz

Your event is incomplete without social media promotion. In fact, posting teaser videos is an emerging trend shaping the future of event technology. It is here that you can identify how audiences are engaging with your brand, their awareness levels, and their likelihood to recommend it to others in their circles. You can measure all of this through the changes in the number of followers, the likes, shares, views for your videos, and so on.

3. Sales revenue

The amount of sales you make can also reveal a lot about the effectiveness of your event, especially if you were looking for monetary gain. You can monitor this through the quantity of sales happening through different channels in response to promotional campaigns before and after the event. You can also look at whether the sales came in from new customers or repeat customers.

If you have a lot of new customers, then your event has likely succeeded in raising brand awareness. Repeat customers means good brand loyalty and a higher NPS. If your numbers are low, then you can think of new virtual event ideas.

4. Satisfaction

One of the reasons why any business would want to organize an event is to bring value to its audiences. And one of the easiest ways to measure this is to look at the overall attendee satisfaction.

Create an online survey that captures important information about the attendees, their likes and dislikes with respect to the event, their expectations from the future, and so on. All of this can serve as great preparation for your next event.

5. Publicity

If other businesses in the industry are talking about your event, or if it has been featured in the press, then you know your event did well. Media coverage can also help your brand find more awareness.

By using the right virtual event platforms like Almond Virtex, Hubilo, Eventcube, Airmeet tracking different event metrics for your KPIs will be a walk in the park. From your side, just be sure of the KPIs and leave the rest to the event platform.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,150 Post views
Categories
Blogs

Is The Market Benefiting From The Virtualization Of Real-World Events?

Is-the-market-benefiting-from-the-virtualization-of-real-world-events

Is The Market Benefiting From The Virtualization Of Real-World Events?

Every time something new hits the market, the pain of making the transition from the old to the new is palpable. In a similar fashion, the event industry has had to move from the traditional way of conducting events to virtual and hybrid ways.

As is the case with most industries, new innovation always goes through its phases: starting from early adopters to growth to finally saturation. The so-called ‘virtualization’ of events that started probably even before the pandemic has finally found its rhythm for growth and expansion.

Virtual event companies are growing by the day and the business that they deal with might touch nearly $505 billion between 2021 and 2028. This figure could be arrived at if the market grows at a combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.7%, a very good number by any means.

The birth of the end-to-end virtual event platform

When it first had to be done, virtual event planning was not on the top of any company’s list. However, today they don’t just serve as an alternative to in-person events, rather they have become a catalyst for businesses’ expansion and growth beyond geographical boundaries.

Virtual events enable businesses to touch new markets while maintaining strong engagement with their existing markets. Moreover, they can be organized at a fraction of the cost of in-person events. These advantages have spawned a wave of new virtual event platforms that offer everything from subscriptions to their services to bespoke event planning and management. This explains the massive prediction of $500 billion that we spoke of earlier.

Newfound tracking and analytics mechanisms

For the first time, marketers and event organizers can track attendee data and derive actional insights from it. This is a huge step-up for businesses to bring more smart and targeted marketing to their customers.

At events online, businesses can measure the engagement of the audiences by identifying when they responded more, which booths they interacted with, what type of questions they asked, and so on. This development has encouraged more event platforms to upgrade their analytics dashboards, sometimes even by partnering with specialist organizations.

The new place for networking

The whole purpose of in-person events has been to create networking avenues for their attendees. What’s interesting is that with virtual events networking can be even better, thanks to smart technology. Platforms like Almond Virtex, Hopin, Eventcube, Airmeet, Hubilo are quickly developing to include topic-specific chat rooms, crawl attendee profiles and match like-minded individuals, generate ice-breakers to get conversations started, and so on. This is yet another emerging trend shaping the future of event technology.

Marketing repository

Virtual events are quickly becoming repositories of marketing collateral. With so much information being exchanged in such a creative and interactive manner, businesses are employing the best video editors and content creators to curate this content and upload it to their websites to be made available to attendees later. Doing so also enables them to reach out to those who could not or did not attend the event – yet another effective way to tap new markets.

Moreover, virtual events are much cheaper and faster to organize and the saved costs and time can be used to better marketing efforts. At the end of the day, marketing is about getting creative and there is no better opportunity than hosting a virtual event.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,380 Post views
Categories
Blogs

Six Different Ways to Blend In-Person and Virtual Events

Six-Different-Ways-to-Blend-In-Person-and-Virtual-Events

Six Different Ways to Blend In-Person and Virtual Events

For years now, events have been the go-to strategy for most businesses to improve their lead generation, engineer a sales pipeline, build brand awareness, and enhance their customer loyalty. Six out of 10 leaders believe that event marketing is the most effective marketing tool in their marketing mix.

Picture any in-person event you may have attended in the past and you will immediately remember the beautiful venue, the sponsorship videos, exhibits, coupons and other offers, interesting workshops, speeches, and the networking, of course.

After 2020, all of this moved to virtual event platform, but in 2022, it seems like the hybrid model (combining in-person and virtual elements) will be the mainstay for businesses.

However, what is the best way to make this happen?

We have not one but six ways in which you can blend in-person and virtual events. However, before we get started, remember that you must know the goal of your event. Only then will you be able to gauge the real need and effectiveness of blending virtual elements. It makes sense only if the blending of your in-person and virtual events is in alignment with your goals.

1. Stream your events

From music festivals and product launches to weddings and birthday parties, streaming events have become one of the easiest ways to promote an event to virtual audiences in different corners of the world. If your content is good and has always been, rest assured that people everywhere will attend. And that is the reason why big conferences like Salesforce’s Dreamforce have attendance rates that continue to soar.

2. Use good hybrid event technology

There are several hybrid event platform in the market now but you need to choose one that works with your strategy and goals. If that needs some research, account for it and get started early.

To make things easier for you, ensure that the platform has a single registration portal. Working with two separate lists is time-consuming and unnecessary.

In fact, a single page for all your audiences will serve as a good starting point to make them feel connected through the same event agenda, games, and interactions.

3. Engage with your audiences

Every event is an experience and while the in-person attendees are usually touted to feel it better, there is plenty of room for engagement even on virtual platforms like Almond Virtex, Airmeet, vFairs. What you need is to communicate with your service provider and together create opportunities in the form of chats, quizzes, interesting games, and so on.

4. Use social media extensively

If you are wondering how to use social media to advertise a virtual event, then we have news for you. You need to learn, fast. Nearly eight out of 10 attendees are on social media and you can leverage it not just to promote but also to foster that connection between your in-person and virtual attendees like we spoke earlier.

5. Use the same promotional material

A great way to bring engagement up is by distributing similar promotional content before your event and using it to ask questions, create polls and general conversation with your attendees. It could be in the form of blogs, pamphlets, videos, etc.

6. Continue after your event

Once the event is done, you must continue to hold conversations that engage both types of audiences. The event itself is a common factor and how you leverage it to attract your audiences matters. Share your event in the form of post-event snippets, audio, podcasts, blogs, and encourage your attendees to participate in dialogue.

Just like everything else, event marketing too, has changed. All you need is a little flexibility and innovation to catch up and make the most of it.

Source by: Almond Virtex
1,409 Post views