Early 2020 was shaping up to be a busy year in the trade show industry. Convention Centre expansions and new facilities, like the BMO Convention Centre Expansion, were being approved or construction continued, and business airline travel was climbing. Abruptly in the last few months, corporations, facilities, and trade show providers, including exhibit companies, trade show organizers, logistics, and A/V companies and others, have all needed to reconsider how they do business. One of the most significant changes has been the shift to and the growth of virtual and hybrid events, as many look to find unique ways to maintain connections.
When the event industry shut down started in Canada back in March, event providers had little to work with but, since then, have worked tirelessly to create new ideas and visions for live events. Now that there have been many events successfully run in a virtual format, we are all in a place where we know what we like, dislike, and need to update to succeed within the virtual structure.
Early on, attendance numbers were high for virtual events, but the experience was less than ideal. Long the catalyst in trade show attendance, the customer experience has been less than perfect in the virtual format. As gathering rules have relaxed slightly over the last two months, the virtual event has been allowed to expand its reach by combining the in-person and virtual experience to engage audiences more effectively - transforming into the hybrid experience.
The Hybrid Event, a Temporary Solution
Hybrid events offer an excellent way to deliver content creatively and functionally. These events allow specific content such as keynote presentations, speaker forums, videos, and sponsor messaging to be delivered to an audience hosted on an online platform. Now the content is combined with live streaming opportunities, and the result is an excellent platform for creating a more positive customer experience.
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) defines Hybrid Meetings as "Hybrid meetings integrate technology with traditional event practices to create new types of attendee experiences and content delivery tools. They include any meeting or event with at least one group of face-to-face participants that digitally connects with participants in another or multiple locations."
What to Consider - The Basics and Planning
If you are contemplating a hybrid alternative for your next trade show, there are a number of things to consider.
What to Consider - Connections, Engagement, and Networking
What to Consider - Data, Analytics, and Back End Technological Functions
When choosing a platform to deliver your event, you must critique online technology providers for their solution’s flexibility. Some features that you need to consider include.
Ultimately, many of the challenges of a live trade show exist in the virtual and hybrid worlds. Finding ways to create the same enthusiasm and energy around a hybrid event as what the live event experiences offer and trying to replicate isn’t easy but has been proven possible.
The Final Word
Creative boundaries are currently being pushed by those creating and producing hybrid events. This is a positive advancement as our industry works to maintain public interest in trade shows. However, we expect that hybrid events’ success will increase expectations for live trade shows moving forward when large gatherings are allowed to resume. In our opinion, live trade show opportunities will be preferred to make real connections in the future, and technology (XR, AR, VR, and MR) will be used to enhance the in-person experience. Live events will need to continue evolving to incorporate hybrid digital elements to adapt to the post COVID environment and increase business opportunities. Expect that, in the future, trade shows will continue to be complemented by an online component.