1. Hybrid events combine in-person and virtual elements to create unique experiences for participants in different locations. 2. Organizers have more options to engage participants by drawing on the strengths of in-person and online events. 3. Familiarity with the building blocks of hybrid events, including spaces, audiences, and technologies, helps organizers plan successful hybrid experiences.

1. pants in another or multiple locations.
The best hybrid events create unique experiWWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

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3. Ruud Janssen, CMM
Managing Director
!
TNOC | The New Objective Collective
CHAPTER 1:
!
www.TNOC.org
Introducing
Hybrid Meetings
Benefits to Meeting Professionals
What is a Hybrid Meeting? 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.
Hybrid events create new opportunities for meeting planners to:
• Become more involved in the content development,
• Develop creativity in designing events,
• Concentrate on objectives and strategy,
• Learn how to strategically ask questions when selecting
and applying technology and
• Develop additional project management and planning skills.
Benefits to Onsite Planners
Onsite planners who work for conference centers and other event
venues can expand their client offerings to:
• Centralized booking of conference rooms across
multiple properties for hybrid meetings,
• Centralized audiovisual technology ordering
and support across multiple properties,
• Videoconference facilities on multiple properties,
• Centralized ordering of food and beverage across
multiple properties,
• Temporary staffing support across multiple properties
and cities and
• Internet bandwidth support.
@ruudwjanssen
Building Blocks of Hybrid Events
One of the greatest advantages of hybrid events is that they
allow meeting professionals to reconfigure the building blocks
of an event. For example, instead of having a single venue, you
could have four or five regional sites. Instead of flying attendees
to a single city for a half-day conference, you can invite them to
a two-hour conference at restaurants in their cities.
Technology enables hybrid events to work across time and
space. Before getting engaged with the technological options and
requirements, it’s critical to understand the basic building blocks of
hybrid events.
The best hybrid events create unique experiences for different types of participants in different places. Combining functionalities of face-toface events and those of virtual meetings into
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014
hybrid events enables meeting planners to have
Spaces. Hybrid attendees aren’t limited to a single room or venue.
a much broader spectrum of options to engage
They can participate online at the hotel, at a regional site or on the

4. pants in another or multiple locations.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bu
bit.ly/hybridtoolkit
The best hybrid events create unique experiences for different types of participants in different places. Combining functionalities of face-toface events and those of virtual meetings into
hybrid events enables meeting planners to have
a much broader spectrum of options to engage
delegates. It’s important to become familiar with
the components of hybrid events before you
think and conceptualize available options.
Discovering the Benefits of Hybrid Meetings
Alternatively you can have independent events that are interconnected during which each pod has its own programming and
connects with other pods for joint sessions.
Equal pods
For examples, refer to Chapter 3.
Technology. There are five key tech considerations for all hybrid
events. Your event priorities and objectives will determine how
you allocate resources to each.
• Production/audiovisual ensures that the event venues, pods
and/or studios have high-quality lighting, audio and video.
• Streaming Providers prepares content for the Internet, host
it on a server, make it available for online attendee to watch
and provide a place for viewing.
• Online attendees watch content on platforms. They register
and login and select sessions. Most platforms have an interactive
element such as polling or Q&As. Platforms can be websites,
online communities or dedicated virtual platforms.
• You need strong Internet connectivity with dedicated bandwidth.
This may come from the venue or a third-party provider.
• Videoconference bridges ensure dedicated two-way audio
and video connections between remote pods and main events,
minimizing communication glitches.
Function
Meetings deliver value when participants do something
(buy a product/service, become more efficient, learn a skill or
procedure) as a result of having attended. Hybrid events
are no different in that sense from live events. They give you
opportunities for adding value in the following ways.
• Reaching more delegates (face-to-face plus virtual)
• Allowing virtual delegates to participate alone
or in small groups
• Providing new content delivery and communication
options
• Connecting multiple events that occur concurrently
or at different times or locations
• Extending the reach of your message by repurposing
event content
• Including people who could not otherwise attend
(busy executives, global attendees)
Attend hybrid events as a virtual participant prior to
creating one for your own organization and seek the
advice of peers who are experienced in the medium.
Why it is relevant?
Role of Communication in Live and Hybrid Events
The role of communication changes when you spread attendees
across multiple locations and include technology elements. This
creates a different communication and participation environment
for content delivery and collaboration. Technology provides new
communication tools that were not available before. In the table
on the next page you will find an overview of functions and why
they are relevant when you consider organizing hybrid events.
Dispersion of hybrid-event remote participants among many
locations creates several communication challenges. Focus on
building face-to-face connections in small groups or pods for
remote participant networking and team building.
Your building blocks can be configured in many different
ways. Keep your audience, spaces and objectives forefront, as
these factors will help guide your hybrid strategy. In Chapter 2,
you’ll find the steps for developing and executing your hybrid
events strategy.
See next page.
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 5
CHAPTER 2:
CHAPTER 1:
Introducing
Hybrid Meetings
What is a Hybrid Meeting? 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.
Benefits to Meeting Professionals
Hybrid events create new opportunities for meeting planners to:
• Become more involved in the content development,
• Develop creativity in designing events,
• Concentrate on objectives and strategy,
• Learn how to strategically ask questions when selecting
and applying technology and
• Develop additional project management and planning skills.
Benefits to Onsite Planners
Onsite planners who work for conference centers and other event
venues can expand their client offerings to:
• Centralized booking of conference rooms across
multiple properties for hybrid meetings,
• Centralized audiovisual technology ordering
and support across multiple properties,
• Videoconference facilities on multiple properties,
• Centralized ordering of food and beverage across
multiple properties,
• Temporary staffing support across multiple properties
and cities and
• Internet bandwidth support.
Building Blocks of Hybrid Events
The best hybrid events create unique experiences for different types of participants in different places. Combining functionalities of face-toface events and those of virtual meetings into
hybrid events enables meeting planners to have
a much broader spectrum of options to engage
delegates. It’s important to become familiar with
the components of hybrid events before you
think and conceptualize available options.
Discovering the Benefits of Hybrid Meetings
Meetings deliver value when participants do something
(buy a product/service, become more efficient, learn a skill or
procedure) as a result of having attended. Hybrid events
are no different in that sense from live events. They give you
opportunities for adding value in the following ways.
• Reaching more delegates (face-to-face plus virtual)
• Allowing virtual delegates to participate alone
or in small groups
• Providing new content delivery and communication
options
• Connecting multiple events that occur concurrently
or at different times or locations
• Extending the reach of your message by repurposing
event content
• Including people who could not otherwise attend
(busy executives, global attendees)
Attend hybrid events as a virtual participant prior to
creating one for your own organization and seek the
advice of peers who are experienced in the medium.
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 6
One of the greatest advantages of hybrid events is that they
allow meeting professionals to reconfigure the building blocks
of an event. For example, instead of having a single venue, you
could have four or five regional sites. Instead of flying attendees
to a single city for a half-day conference, you can invite them to
a two-hour conference at restaurants in their cities.
Technology enables hybrid events to work across time and
space. Before getting engaged with the technological options and
requirements, it’s critical to understand the basic building blocks of
hybrid events.
Spaces. Hybrid attendees aren’t limited to a single room or venue.
They can participate online at the hotel, at a regional site or on the
beach. Presenters and facilitators can be spread across time and
space as well. Here are the most common spaces.
• A hybrid event is a gathering of at least one group of face-to-face
participants that digitally connects with participants in another
or multiple locations.
• A virtual event is a gathering of participants in multiple
locations who connect by some form of technology (phone,
video, computer).
• A face-to-face event is a gathering of individuals in the
same location.
• A pod event (also referred to as a pod) is a gathering of
individuals in one location linked to an event in a separate
location.
• A studio event is a gathering that includes a space for content
production that is distributed to an online or pod audience.
Audiences. When you link audiences in vastly different locations,
you need to consider their different needs and experiences. Here
are the most common audience types.
• The face-to-face audience of a hybrid event can be small or
large. Its needs are the same as the needs for any face-to-face
event, but there are new aspects to consider. Will the virtual
audience interact with the face-to-face audience? Often
face-to-face participants pay more to attend. Keep this in mind
to ensure that other elements of the event don’t negatively
affect the face-to-face experience.
Hybrid Event
Process
Here is a model for hybrid events that will help you get started quickly.
IBM, Wells Fargo, Nike and many other
companies have discovered the value of
including hybrid events in their meeting
portfolio. These companies use hybrid
events to help them increase sales,
improve performance and increase
attendance in their meetings. You can, too.
The following are the steps in the
process for organizing a hybrid event.
Hybrid Strategy
Creating a remarkable hybrid event requires meeting
planners to get involved in the messaging, content,
technology and logistical execution. For some, it
means getting more involved in the development of
content than ever before.
When you start the planning process, develop a
strategy and business case for the event. This strategy
will be a roadmap that you can share with your stakeholders.
Here are the six elements of your strategic roadmap.
1. Define meeting objectives
2. Consider social, technological, political, internal
factors and trends
3. Develop a budget and business case
4. Determine how you will measure success
5. Analyze your audience
6. Outline your event execution strategy
At the end of this process, document your strategy for the
virtual event.
1. Define Meeting Objectives
Hybrid technology creates new types of experiences for attendees and professional challenges for meeting organizers. In order
to create an experience that excites and motivates, you need to
establish clearly defined objectives. As you develop these objectives, be clear about your priorities. This will help later on when
you need to make trade-offs in the scope, quality and the design
of the event. Here are some examples of objectives.
- Expand our reach to a broader audience
- Include attendees who are unable to travel
- Reduce meeting/budget costs
- Improve employee satisfaction
- Extend the life of our face-to-face event
- Keep revenue-producing staff in the field
- Expand education
- Support sustainable initiatives
- Generate revenue
- Bring speakers together who can’t travel
2. Consider External Factors
External factors may affect your event, so examine them before
moving forward. Circumstances relating to technology, politics
and law, for example, may influence decisions about when and
where to hold your event, what kind of hybrid event will work best
for you or even whether or not to produce your hybrid event at all.
3. Develop a Budget
For most meeting professionals, hybrid event costs are rolled into
the larger event budget. To the greatest extent possible, try to separate the costs so you can later determine business value. Here are
some budget categories to consider for your hybrid event.
• Video Production
• Internet connectivity
• Streaming services
• Virtual platform
• Décor
• Content development and delivery
• Consulting and labor
When you don’t have to bring attendees onsite, you save on hospitality and logistical costs such as travel and transportation, hotel
and food and beverage. In addition, for attendees that are sales
representatives or consultants, hybrid events reduce out-of-theoffice travel time, allowing them to maintain productivity.
CALL OUT
Budget Tips
• Streaming and production will likely be your largest
costs, amounting to more than 50 percent of total budget.
• In the United States, if your event is in a union facility, your
production costs alone can be more than 50 percent of
your budget.
• Internet costs can range from $1,500 to more than $100,000
depending on the scope of your project.
• Reduce production labor costs by looking for opportunities to:
- Reduce camera operators
- Use audio instead of video
- Rationalize the content that you record and stream
- Only stream the most popular sessions
- Reduce streaming costs by maximizing the use of rooms
with production and streaming equipment and labor
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 7
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 2
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014
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5. participants that digitally connects with participants in another or multiple locations.
3 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The best hybrid events create unique experiences for different types of participants in different places. Combining functionalities of face-toface events and those of virtual meetings into
hybrid events enables meeting planners to have
a much broader spectrum of options to engage
delegates. It’s important to become familiar with
the components of hybrid events before you
think and conceptualize available options.
1. Use techniques that organizers and attendees
agree make for remarkable hybrid events.
!
Discovering the Benefits of Hybrid Meetings
Meetings deliver value when participants do something
(buy a product/service, become more efficient, learn a skill or
procedure) as a result of having attended. Hybrid events
are no different in that sense from live events. They give you
opportunities for adding value in the following ways.
• Reaching more delegates (face-to-face plus virtual)
• Allowing virtual delegates to participate alone
or in small groups
• Providing new content delivery and communication
options
• Connecting multiple events that occur concurrently
or at different times or locations
• Extending the reach of your message by repurposing
event content
• Including people who could not otherwise attend
(busy executives, global attendees)
Attend hybrid events as a virtual participant prior to
creating one for your own organization and seek the
advice of peers who are experienced in the medium.
2. Gain insights on the type of technology,
engagement & event formats that are best for
hybrid events.
!
3. Identify a skill set to ensure hybrid event
success.
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

6. Look at Hybrid Meetings from 6 Angles
event team
preparing &
training
speakers
participant
experience
production
technology
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7. SYSTEM Diagram
Sand-by equipment
CONFERENCE CALL
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

8. ABOUT RESEARCH
APPROACH
!
1,794
Survey Respondents
!
37
Interviews & case analysis
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

9. SELECTION OF COMPANY’S RESPONDING
APPROACH

10. ASK QUESTIONS
TWITTER, MICROPHONE & ON STREAM
#SMARTMICEWEEK2014
@ruudwjanssen
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

11. PAPER AIRPLANE ART PROJECT
CONNECTING THROUGH THE AIR
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014
http://hannahphang.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/7-3-planeinstructions.jpeg

12. participants that digitally connects with participants in another or multiple locations.
WHAT IS A HYBRID EVENT?
Mashup of Digital and Face-to-Face Meetings
ONE GROUP OF FACE-TO-FACE
The best hybrid events create unique experiences for different types of participants in different places. Combining functionalities of face-toface events and those of virtual meetings into
hybrid events enables meeting planners to have
a much broader spectrum of options to engage
delegates. It’s important to become familiar with
the components of hybrid events before you
think and conceptualize available options.
!
Discovering the Benefits of Hybrid Meetings
MEETING OR EVENT WITH AT LEAST
Meetings deliver value when participants do something
(buy a product/service, become more efficient, learn a skill or
procedure) as a result of having attended. Hybrid events
are no different in that sense from live events. They give you
opportunities for adding value in the following ways.
• Reaching more delegates (face-to-face plus virtual)
• Allowing virtual delegates to participate alone
or in small groups
• Providing new content delivery and communication
options
• Connecting multiple events that occur concurrently
or at different times or locations
• Extending the reach of your message by repurposing
event content
• Including people who could not otherwise attend
(busy executives, global attendees)
Attend hybrid events as a virtual participant prior to
creating one for your own organization and seek the
advice of peers who are experienced in the medium.
PARTICIPANTS CONNECTING WITH OTHER PARTICIPANTS
!
IN ONE OR MORE LOCATIONS.
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

13. WHERE ARE ATTENDEES?
Onsite, in Pods or Online
onsite
online from hotel room
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oddysseey/5051881806/sizes/l/in/photostream/
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

14. WHERE ARE ATTENDEES?
Onsite, in Pods or Online
at home
in pods
http://www.flickr.com/photos/reallyboring/6010493725/sizes/o/in/photostream/
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

15. IS THE FUTURE HYBRID?
HYBRID MEETINGS
70% of respondents agreed with the statement
"Ultimately all events will become a hybrid
event because technology will be a part of
every conference that we produce."
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

16. NOT THIS YEAR
IT IS STILL EARLY FOR HYBRID MEETINGS
Hybrid meetings make up less than 25%
of the event portfolio for most organizers.
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

17. WHY DO WE THINK MEETING PLANNERS
ARE FROM MARS AND ATTENDEES ARE
FROM VENUS?
Meeting Pros Are from Mars,
Attendees Are from Venus:
Techniques for Creating a
Remarkable Hybrid Event
Presented by Samuel J Smith
Thursday, 2 August 2012
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

18. WHAT ATTENDEES WANT
Talk Show, News Program, Awards Show, Man on the Street Interviews
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

19. WHAT ORGANIZERS PROVIDE
ORGANISER OFFER
Lecture Presentation Format
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

20. WHAT ATTENDEES WANT
FROM ENGAGEMENT
source: copyblogger.com
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

21. WHAT ORGANIZERS PROVIDE
FROM ENGAGEMENT
1. ONLINE CHATS
2. ONLINE Q&A
3. REBROADCAST
4. POLLS
5.
EXCLUSIVE VIRTUAL CONTENT
6.
VIRTUAL BREAKOUTS
7.
8.
VIRTUAL EMCEE
COMPELLING CONTENT
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

22. WHY DO YOU ATTEND VIRTUALLY?
Why we are staying home - instead of traveling
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

25. WILL HYBRID CANNIBALIZE FACE 2 FACE?
50% of planners said
cannibalization
was a top concern
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

26. HOW IS ATTENDANCE?
Free Hybrid // Fee Based Hybrid // Future Attendance
67% of respondents said
attendance did not change
with a hybrid event.
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

27. HOW IS ATTENDANCE?
Free Hybrid // Fee Based Hybrid // Future Attendance
23% of respondents said attendance
increased in the future.
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

28. “Lots of e-learning projects fail because
the people who develop them don’t
contact the learner.”
- Gillian Broadhead, Director, Learning Light Limited
image source = http://www.trainingjournal.com/assets/e664c2f9-0f43-4ef4-86b8-9e17046c42ad/open/elearning%20button%20red%20banner%20large.jpg
#FUTUREISNOW | WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN
!

29. BOTTOM LINE
Meeting Planners Are From Mars // Attendees Are From Venus
1. Formats
!
2. Engagement
!
3. Attendees Will Not Leave You
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

30. WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES
OF GREAT HYBRID EVENTS?
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

31. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

32. h0p://www.flickr.com/photos/:nochow/5489732009/sizes/l/in/photostream/
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

33. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

34. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

35. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

36. http://eventcampvancouver.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/ecv11-051.jpg
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

37. http://eventcampvancouver.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/ecv11-051.jpg
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

38. WHAT ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS
FOR HYBRID EVENTS?
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

39. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

40. HYBRID EVENT FORMATS
Main Event with Remote Attendees
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

41. HYBRID EVENT FORMATS
Main Event with Remote Pods
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

42. HYBRID EVENT FORMATS
Main Event with Pods + Remote Attendees
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

43. HYBRID EVENT FORMATS
Studio with Pods & Remote Attendees
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

44. HYBRID FORMATS
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

45. HOW DO YOU PUT THE
BUILDING BLOCKS TOGETHER?
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

46. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

47. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

48. FROM STAGE TO LITTLE SCREEN
HYBRID TECHNOLOGY ELEMENTS
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

49. SAMPLE BUDGET BREAKDOWN
1%
Decor
2%
Internet Services
6%
Content Development
8%
Consulting
10%
Virtual Platform
31%
Streaming Services
42%
Video Production
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

50. QUESTIONS?
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

51. HYBRID ART PROJECT
Reminder to make your Paper Airplane
REMEMBER TO TAKE PHOTOS
SUBMIT THEM TO
#SMARTMICEWEEK2014
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

52. HYBRID RESEARCH PROJECT
LESSONS LEARNED
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

53. The presentation styles require
certain specific skills in terms of
talking to the camera and being
comfortable around a camera.
!
Richard Davies, eBay Europe
#FUTUREISNOW | WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN

54. What is so exciting about hybrid
meetings, is you don’t need big
sets, and you don’t need a lot
of production. It’s more nimble.
!
Beth Beutell, Event Manager,
Capella University
WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014

55. + Hybrid Meetings Case Study: eBay
eBay: Hybrid
Across Borders
When Pierre Omidyar started eBay in 1995, he said he wanted to
“create an efficient market where regular people could compete
with big business.” Seventeen years later, eBay has become big
business, with 90 million users and more than US$9 billion in
revenue a year.
As with any company’s rapid expansion, there were bound
to be growing pains. And, because of a major restructuring,
eBay experienced a problem many large companies encounter:
The multinational Internet corporation needed to find a way for
colleagues in 14 offices in 13 European countries to interact with
and see and hear their leaders talk about business strategy on a
regular basis.
Enter the European Team Brief (ETB), developed by
communications specialists at the company in 2008. The first
briefs were limited to weekly emails with embedded video.
But after a year, the team introduced Web conferencing on
a shoestring budget. The 14 offices had a one-hour, live,
joint meeting each week using Microsoft Office Suite. And
slowly the meeting evolved into today’s HD (high-definition)
videoconference solution.
Participants in the weekly, multi-office hybrid meeting now
interact both face-to-face (in large designated areas within their
offices) and virtually (connected to the other offices via the
videoconference system.)
The ETB has become highly popular among European eBay
employees for its useful information, fun approach and the team
spirit it engenders.
STRATEGY: Team Approach
“[Our] objectives are to connect employees to their leaders and
to our business strategy so that employees understand where
we are going and why—and also how we are performing as
a business,” says Richard Davies, head of European employee
communications for eBay.
That department created a structure for the weekly meetings
that employees liked—one that allowed them to put faces to names
and get a live, team-oriented experience that provided updates on
important company business.
Though the ETB originally began as a way for management to
update teams, the format has evolved to one that is less hierarchical
and more discussion-oriented. Participants from the various offices
interact and ask questions in real time. Davies establishes an
agenda and plans for each meeting several months in advance.
“We currently have 14 offices in 13 different countries around
Europe,” he notes. “It’s growing all the time as eBay grows.
Last month, we added our recently acquired business in Turkey,
Gittigidiyor.”
The timing and frequency of the event has flexed around
the needs of the business. When the need to connect the wider
regional team was at its strongest, the briefing occurred at 10
a.m. Mondays. Company leaders liked how ETB could be used
to set the tempo and tone for the week. Scheduling the meeting on
Monday, a day when most people in the European offices avoid
travel, also resulted in greater attendance. Recently, ETB meetings
have moved to a monthly frequency, with occasional ad hoc
meetings, reflecting a decision by the company to increase its local
market focus.
The ETB is marketed to European employees through email
invitations and follow-up summaries.
PRE-PRODUCTION: Supersize with LifeSize
After experiencing difficulties with Microsoft Office Suite for a live
meeting of this size and complexity, the eBay global IT team chose
to invest in an HD videoconferencing solution called LifeSize.
The organization has a technical support team that manages a
videoconference bridge (to minimize communication glitches
by ensuring a dedicated, two-way audio and video connection
between the offices), working out of the U.S. and Ireland. In
addition, the IT department provides onsite support at the larger
locations. Otherwise, the ETB is managed in-house.
Hybrid Meetings Case Study: eBay | Page 1
One of the things that we learned very early
on is that in order for it to be very engaging
we need to get away from people thinking
of it like a business meeting.”
!
!
Richard Davies, eBay Europe
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56. + Hybrid Meetings Case Study: eBay
eBay: Hybrid
Across Borders
When Pierre Omidyar started eBay in 1995, he said he wanted to
“create an efficient market where regular people could compete
with big business.” Seventeen years later, eBay has become big
business, with 90 million users and more than US$9 billion in
revenue a year.
As with any company’s rapid expansion, there were bound
to be growing pains. And, because of a major restructuring,
eBay experienced a problem many large companies encounter:
The multinational Internet corporation needed to find a way for
colleagues in 14 offices in 13 European countries to interact with
and see and hear their leaders talk about business strategy on a
regular basis.
Enter the European Team Brief (ETB), developed by
communications specialists at the company in 2008. The first
briefs were limited to weekly emails with embedded video.
But after a year, the team introduced Web conferencing on
a shoestring budget. The 14 offices had a one-hour, live,
joint meeting each week using Microsoft Office Suite. And
slowly the meeting evolved into today’s HD (high-definition)
videoconference solution.
Participants in the weekly, multi-office hybrid meeting now
interact both face-to-face (in large designated areas within their
offices) and virtually (connected to the other offices via the
videoconference system.)
The ETB has become highly popular among European eBay
employees for its useful information, fun approach and the team
spirit it engenders.
communications for eBay.
That department created a structure for the weekly meetings
that employees liked—one that allowed them to put faces to names
and get a live, team-oriented experience that provided updates on
important company business.
Though the ETB originally began as a way for management to
update teams, the format has evolved to one that is less hierarchical
and more discussion-oriented. Participants from the various offices
interact and ask questions in real time. Davies establishes an
agenda and plans for each meeting several months in advance.
“We currently have 14 offices in 13 different countries around
Europe,” he notes. “It’s growing all the time as eBay grows.
Last month, we added our recently acquired business in Turkey,
Gittigidiyor.”
The timing and frequency of the event has flexed around
the needs of the business. When the need to connect the wider
regional team was at its strongest, the briefing occurred at 10
a.m. Mondays. Company leaders liked how ETB could be used
to set the tempo and tone for the week. Scheduling the meeting on
Monday, a day when most people in the European offices avoid
travel, also resulted in greater attendance. Recently, ETB meetings
have moved to a monthly frequency, with occasional ad hoc
meetings, reflecting a decision by the company to increase its local
market focus.
The ETB is marketed to European employees through email
invitations and follow-up summaries.
bit.ly/hybridtoolkit
STRATEGY: Team Approach
“[Our] objectives are to connect employees to their leaders and
to our business strategy so that employees understand where
we are going and why—and also how we are performing as
a business,” says Richard Davies, head of European employee
PRE-PRODUCTION: Supersize with LifeSize
After experiencing difficulties with Microsoft Office Suite for a live
meeting of this size and complexity, the eBay global IT team chose
to invest in an HD videoconferencing solution called LifeSize.
The organization has a technical support team that manages a
videoconference bridge (to minimize communication glitches
by ensuring a dedicated, two-way audio and video connection
between the offices), working out of the U.S. and Ireland. In
addition, the IT department provides onsite support at the larger
locations. Otherwise, the ETB is managed in-house.
Hybrid Meetings Case Study: eBay | Page 1
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57. “I am more likely to hire vendors who have
worked in my industry and know my
industry...even if I had to pay little more.”
!
- VP of Meetings, FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY
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58. “It is all in the pre-production. It is all in the
planning. It is being able to properly envision
what the outcome should be.”
!
- Bill Finlay, Technical Director, ICON PRESENTATIONS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunriserjay/4238127834/lightbox/
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59. “have a rehearsal.”
- Various
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60. OUTCOMES
Hybrid Meetings Delivered Results for Thrivent Financial
+ Hybrid Meeting Case Study
Thrivent Financial:
The Case for a Hybrid Meeting
About Thrivent Financial
When Steph Pfeilsticker, CMP, CMM, saw a presentation on
hybrid events given by former MPI CEO Bruce MacMillan in
2010, she experienced an a-ha moment.
As senior event planner for Thrivent Financial, she knew
the impact her National Sales Meeting had on the financial
representatives who attended, and on the company’s bottom
line. She uncovered data showing that reps who attended
increased their sales in the three months following the event.
However, only 40 percent of her financial reps were attending.
What if the company could somehow reach the other 60
percent? That was her business case when she presented the
idea of a hybrid event to her leadership in early 2011.
Pfeilsticker won approval for that event proposal in
February 2011, and began the process of planning and
collaboration leading up to the November NSM.
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a faith-based,
not-for-profit financial services organization of nearly
2.5 million members with the strength of more than
US$75 billion in assets managed.
bit.ly/hybridtoolkit
VIRTUAL VALUE
High-performing financial reps receive complimentary or
discounted access to the face-to-face event. The vast majority
of those who had not attended face-to-face in the past had not
qualified for gratis access.
“I wanted to place a value on the virtual stream [free implies
lack of value], but not price ourselves out of the market,”
Pfeilsticker says.
She knew if she got them to log onto the virtual meeting,
those who usually didn’t attend the national sales meeting
would get the content and education they needed to increase
their production, so remote participation was priced at a $49
early-bird rate and $99 regular registration.
What would current Steph
Pfeilsticker tell pre-hybrid
Steph Pfeilsticker?
“Don’t get bogged down with the naysayers
who might not understand it. Keep the fire in
your belly and don’t second-guess your plan
when you recognize the value and know that
it’s the organization’s future. Don’t let the
technology scare you. It’s a machine, and we
know how to make machines work. If we can
understand it, we can trust it.”
Case Study: Hybrid Meeting | Page 1
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61. VIRTUAL STUDIO IN GENERAL SESSION
Connection for Remote Attendees
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62. EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS
Speakers, Senior Leaders and Content Providers
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63. MAKE IT PERSONAL
Workbook for Hybrid Attendees
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64. BUILD A COMMUNITY
Chat Session Moderators Made Conversation Lively
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65. TEAMS AND PEOPLE
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66. TEAMS AND PEOPLE
Which roles do you consider to be of most importance for a Hybrid Event Team?
Production Director
Creative Director
Technical Director
Digital Strategist
Consultant
Virtual Emcee
Meeting Planner
Marketing Manager
Educator
Important
Unsure
Not Important
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67. MEETING PLANNER SKILLS
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68. “...to effectively implement a hybrid
event both the local live and the
broadcast portions need to be
produced in different ways.”
!
- Joe Frascella, Technical Director, Swank Audio Visuals
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69. “I believe there is an entirely different
skillset that planners need to add to their
toolbox. Everything from understanding the
technology, to user experience to
proper speaker techniques for virtual
education.”
!
- Kyle Hillman, Meeting Planner, NASW IL PAC
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70. In addition to current skill set of
meeting professionals, we need to
have a good understanding of
engagement, creativity, gaming,
social networking and project
management.
!
Janet Cooper, Director of Convention Services
Radiological Society of North America
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71. BIG FINISH
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72. E TO
TIM
H?
UNC
LA
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73. bit.ly/hybridtoolkit
Alternatively you can have independent events that are interconnected during which each pod has its own programming and
connects with other pods for joint sessions.
Equal pods
For examples, refer to Chapter 3.
Technology. There are five key tech considerations for all hybrid
events. Your event priorities and objectives will determine how
you allocate resources to each.
• Production/audiovisual ensures that the event venues, pods
and/or studios have high-quality lighting, audio and video.
• Streaming Providers prepares content for the Internet, host
it on a server, make it available for online attendee to watch
and provide a place for viewing.
• Online attendees watch content on platforms. They register
and login and select sessions. Most platforms have an interactive
element such as polling or Q&As. Platforms can be websites,
online communities or dedicated virtual platforms.
• You need strong Internet connectivity with dedicated bandwidth.
This may come from the venue or a third-party provider.
• Videoconference bridges ensure dedicated two-way audio
and video connections between remote pods and main events,
minimizing communication glitches.
Function
Why it is relevant?
Role of Communication in Live and Hybrid Events
The role of communication changes when you spread attendees
across multiple locations and include technology elements. This
creates a different communication and participation environment
for content delivery and collaboration. Technology provides new
communication tools that were not available before. In the table
on the next page you will find an overview of functions and why
they are relevant when you consider organizing hybrid events.
Dispersion of hybrid-event remote participants among many
locations creates several communication challenges. Focus on
building face-to-face connections in small groups or pods for
remote participant networking and team building.
Your building blocks can be configured in many different
ways. Keep your audience, spaces and objectives forefront, as
these factors will help guide your hybrid strategy. In Chapter 2,
you’ll find the steps for developing and executing your hybrid
events strategy.
See next page.
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 5
CHAPTER 2:
CHAPTER 1:
Introducing
Hybrid Meetings
What is a Hybrid Meeting? 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.
Benefits to Meeting Professionals
Hybrid events create new opportunities for meeting planners to:
• Become more involved in the content development,
• Develop creativity in designing events,
• Concentrate on objectives and strategy,
• Learn how to strategically ask questions when selecting
and applying technology and
• Develop additional project management and planning skills.
Benefits to Onsite Planners
Onsite planners who work for conference centers and other event
venues can expand their client offerings to:
• Centralized booking of conference rooms across
multiple properties for hybrid meetings,
• Centralized audiovisual technology ordering
and support across multiple properties,
• Videoconference facilities on multiple properties,
• Centralized ordering of food and beverage across
multiple properties,
• Temporary staffing support across multiple properties
and cities and
• Internet bandwidth support.
Building Blocks of Hybrid Events
The best hybrid events create unique experiences for different types of participants in different places. Combining functionalities of face-toface events and those of virtual meetings into
hybrid events enables meeting planners to have
a much broader spectrum of options to engage
delegates. It’s important to become familiar with
the components of hybrid events before you
think and conceptualize available options.
Discovering the Benefits of Hybrid Meetings
Meetings deliver value when participants do something
(buy a product/service, become more efficient, learn a skill or
procedure) as a result of having attended. Hybrid events
are no different in that sense from live events. They give you
opportunities for adding value in the following ways.
• Reaching more delegates (face-to-face plus virtual)
• Allowing virtual delegates to participate alone
or in small groups
• Providing new content delivery and communication
options
• Connecting multiple events that occur concurrently
or at different times or locations
• Extending the reach of your message by repurposing
event content
• Including people who could not otherwise attend
(busy executives, global attendees)
Attend hybrid events as a virtual participant prior to
creating one for your own organization and seek the
advice of peers who are experienced in the medium.
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 6
One of the greatest advantages of hybrid events is that they
allow meeting professionals to reconfigure the building blocks
of an event. For example, instead of having a single venue, you
could have four or five regional sites. Instead of flying attendees
to a single city for a half-day conference, you can invite them to
a two-hour conference at restaurants in their cities.
Technology enables hybrid events to work across time and
space. Before getting engaged with the technological options and
requirements, it’s critical to understand the basic building blocks of
hybrid events.
Spaces. Hybrid attendees aren’t limited to a single room or venue.
They can participate online at the hotel, at a regional site or on the
beach. Presenters and facilitators can be spread across time and
space as well. Here are the most common spaces.
• A hybrid event is a gathering of at least one group of face-to-face
participants that digitally connects with participants in another
or multiple locations.
• A virtual event is a gathering of participants in multiple
locations who connect by some form of technology (phone,
video, computer).
• A face-to-face event is a gathering of individuals in the
same location.
• A pod event (also referred to as a pod) is a gathering of
individuals in one location linked to an event in a separate
location.
• A studio event is a gathering that includes a space for content
production that is distributed to an online or pod audience.
Audiences. When you link audiences in vastly different locations,
you need to consider their different needs and experiences. Here
are the most common audience types.
• The face-to-face audience of a hybrid event can be small or
large. Its needs are the same as the needs for any face-to-face
event, but there are new aspects to consider. Will the virtual
audience interact with the face-to-face audience? Often
face-to-face participants pay more to attend. Keep this in mind
to ensure that other elements of the event don’t negatively
affect the face-to-face experience.
Hybrid Event
Process
Here is a model for hybrid events that will help you get started quickly.
IBM, Wells Fargo, Nike and many other
companies have discovered the value of
including hybrid events in their meeting
portfolio. These companies use hybrid
events to help them increase sales,
improve performance and increase
attendance in their meetings. You can, too.
The following are the steps in the
process for organizing a hybrid event.
Hybrid Strategy
Creating a remarkable hybrid event requires meeting
planners to get involved in the messaging, content,
technology and logistical execution. For some, it
means getting more involved in the development of
content than ever before.
When you start the planning process, develop a
strategy and business case for the event. This strategy
will be a roadmap that you can share with your stakeholders.
Here are the six elements of your strategic roadmap.
1. Define meeting objectives
2. Consider social, technological, political, internal
factors and trends
3. Develop a budget and business case
4. Determine how you will measure success
5. Analyze your audience
6. Outline your event execution strategy
At the end of this process, document your strategy for the
virtual event.
1. Define Meeting Objectives
Hybrid technology creates new types of experiences for attendees and professional challenges for meeting organizers. In order
to create an experience that excites and motivates, you need to
establish clearly defined objectives. As you develop these objectives, be clear about your priorities. This will help later on when
you need to make trade-offs in the scope, quality and the design
of the event. Here are some examples of objectives.
- Expand our reach to a broader audience
- Include attendees who are unable to travel
- Reduce meeting/budget costs
- Improve employee satisfaction
- Extend the life of our face-to-face event
- Keep revenue-producing staff in the field
- Expand education
- Support sustainable initiatives
- Generate revenue
- Bring speakers together who can’t travel
2. Consider External Factors
External factors may affect your event, so examine them before
moving forward. Circumstances relating to technology, politics
and law, for example, may influence decisions about when and
where to hold your event, what kind of hybrid event will work best
for you or even whether or not to produce your hybrid event at all.
3. Develop a Budget
For most meeting professionals, hybrid event costs are rolled into
the larger event budget. To the greatest extent possible, try to separate the costs so you can later determine business value. Here are
some budget categories to consider for your hybrid event.
• Video Production
• Internet connectivity
• Streaming services
• Virtual platform
• Décor
• Content development and delivery
• Consulting and labor
When you don’t have to bring attendees onsite, you save on hospitality and logistical costs such as travel and transportation, hotel
and food and beverage. In addition, for attendees that are sales
representatives or consultants, hybrid events reduce out-of-theoffice travel time, allowing them to maintain productivity.
CALL OUT
Budget Tips
• Streaming and production will likely be your largest
costs, amounting to more than 50 percent of total budget.
• In the United States, if your event is in a union facility, your
production costs alone can be more than 50 percent of
your budget.
• Internet costs can range from $1,500 to more than $100,000
depending on the scope of your project.
• Reduce production labor costs by looking for opportunities to:
- Reduce camera operators
- Use audio instead of video
- Rationalize the content that you record and stream
- Only stream the most popular sessions
- Reduce streaming costs by maximizing the use of rooms
with production and streaming equipment and labor
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 7
Hybrid Meetings: How-To Guide | Page 2
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74. Ruud Janssen, CMM
Managing Director
!
TNOC | The New Objective Collective
!
www.TNOC.org
@ruudwjanssen
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75. WWW.TNOC.ORG | @RUUDWJANSSEN | #SMARTMICEWEEK2014