In addition to his duties as Catalyst Ranch’s Managing Director, Lyndon Stewart also serves as our technology coordinator. He’s had his finger on the pulse of meeting technology since his first days at CR, and in the past year, he’s learned—along with many of our Meetings Industry peers—the ins and outs of incorporating virtual components to our familiar in-person services.
He recently was invited to be among a panel of event professionals to talk about what we’ve learned about tackling the now ever-present beast that is Hybrid Meetings and Events. Here he encapsulates the insights he shared and learned at that event, as well as the solutions we’re proud to offer to your Hybrid-Virtual needs. The result is a valuable roadmap to hybrid meeting success.
Hybrid is a (not so) New Trail in the Meetings Forest
Hybrid is the word of the year for the meeting and events industry. However, just because it’s the latest trend doesn’t mean that it’s new or scary. In fact, if you stop and think for a moment, you’ll realize that we’ve been taking part in hybrid events for ages, and I don’t just mean here at Catalyst Ranch where hybrid model meetings have been commonplace for my entire eight years and then some. A conference call, remotely viewing a focus group, watching a pre-recorded speaker, even watching a live event on TV are all examples of Hybrid events we’ve all taken part in professionally AND in our personal lives.
But with an increasing emphasis on the hybrid meeting model will come the desire to elevate your hybrid meeting to the next level. That’s why I took part in the Expo virtual panel event How to Hybrid: The Mysteries unraveled. I got to share the virtual stage with several incredibly talented and intelligent industry professionals, Dual Director of Sales & Marketing – Sonesta Suites Scottsdale Gainey Ranch, Andréa Lyons – CEO and Executive Producer – All About Presentation, and Debra Mategrano – Regional Sales Director – Encore. I’m happy to share with you the wealth of knowledge mined at that event here now.
Set Your Compass
The first step in planning a hybrid meeting, just like in any meeting is simple – know what you want to do! In many ways, the process is the same. Think about what you’re aiming to accomplish, who is speaking and presenting, who you’re inviting, set an agenda, plan your food, and voila you have a meeting!
Grab Your Axe
But with a hybrid meeting there are some additional things you have to think about. You’ve got the added task of making sure all of these components are tailored to include your virtual attendees and speakers. Are you sharing a lunch menu with them so they can eat what everyone else is having? Who is helping coordinate setting up your virtual platform, sending links, and providing materials? How are you keeping them engaged and in contact through the entire meeting?
So before you get overtaken by the forest of choices, make some key decisions on the structure of your meeting, focusing on what’s truly most important to ensure you achieve your meeting objectives.
- Do you want virtual attendees to see and interact with in-person attendees, or are they just watching a speaker?
- Does the speaker want to see everyone who is virtual?
- Do you want multiple views with all of the above options?
Once you set your format priorities, the rest will flow from there including the set-up of the physical space and lunch logistics.
Sort through the Underbrush
Keeping your virtual attendees as engaged in the meeting as those who are in person is a big pain point across the board for anyone experienced with hybrid meetings. After a year sitting on Zoom calls and lengthy webinars, we’re all losing a bit of focus during our virtual meetings. So, we all agreed that the same old formula wasn’t going to work anymore.
Constant engagement is key. Keep the subject matter conversational. The monotonous drone of reading off a script or describing slides is a recipe for zoning everyone out – virtual or in-person attendees both! Instead, keep them interested with more storytelling or using breakouts frequently to break up long periods of being talked at. Make breakouts inclusive by bringing along the virtual attendees. We did that at our own Strategic Planning Meeting where one of our staff who connected virtually took part in all the breakout sessions via a laptop on a rolling high-top table. It was great fun rolling Bryan into each breakout. Just remember – people can’t be bored if they’re asked to provide constant input.
Catalyst Ranch also believes that physical stimulation is necessary to really keep people focused. The other panelists were no strangers to providing SWAG boxes for their events, but we’ve brought our innovative flavor to our version with our Creative Experience Boxes. To us, the Creative Experience Boxes are more than just SWAG. They are a way of bringing a little bit of the creative environment of our spaces into the homes of the virtual attendees. The boxes are filled with fun toys, games, brain teasers, and other items to stimulate the mind and keep everyone feeling focused on the meeting.
Learn More: Creative Experience Boxes
Bring along additional Trail Clearing Tools
All the panelists unanimously agreed it is invaluable to have a co-facilitator or MC for your hybrid event. Someone who can cover the bases for the facilitator or presenter on the front end and handle monitoring the chat, answering or cataloging questions, and overall making sure your virtual attendees feel heard and interacted with. At Catalyst Ranch, we’re happy to handle this role if you don’t have someone on your staff.
Don’t Forget the Guide
Even the best trail blazers can’t do it all alone. Find your partners and guides. If you plan a hybrid meeting at Catalyst Ranch, you’ll get a complimentary consultation with myself and our meeting coordinator. We’ll hash everything out, get on the same page about event flow and floor plans and leave nothing to chance. Open and honest communication creates the best events, hands down. To get you started on the right path, we’ve created a Hybrid Meeting Planning Guide.
Joining this esteemed panel was such an honor and I was so happy to get Catalyst Ranch’s take on the hybrid meeting out into this great big world. I invite everyone to read the full summary of this panel here as well as watch the whole thing here.
Happy Hybrid Meeting Trail Blazing!
Learn More: Catalyst Ranch Virtual and Hybrid Meeting Services
Lyndon Stewart is the Managing Director at Catalyst Ranch
(312) 207-1710 or lyndon@catalystranch.com
Catalyst Ranch is a unique meeting and events space located in Chicago’s West Loop, supported by a professional staff dedicated to providing a stimulating and electric environment that ignites the imagination.
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