Thread by @matthomann

LONG THREAD: I've been thinking a lot about "hybrid" conferences with some @MeetAtFilament clients and have some thoughts ... #eventprofs #events
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First, a hybrid conference shouldn't be an event where the virtual and in-person components happen at the same time. It makes things more complex, requires a ton more work to optimize two different experiences simultaneously, and ... 2/

... because you're trying to broadcast an in-person presentation (more on that format later) to a virtual audience, you'll shrink the in-person experience to one that can be consumed by attendees online. 3/

You also handcuff your speakers by requiring them to deliver something that "translates" to an online audience. This makes Q+A difficult and any workshop-style facilitation nearly impossible. 4/

For the vast majority of speakers -- especially those who've spent 10X the time building their slides as they did practicing their talk -- that might be OK (because they're just going to read the bullets on their slides anyway). 5/

But for the truly engaging and dynamic presenters, the hybrid experience robs the in-person audience of the presenter's magic, all to deliver something that's just OK to a virtual audience who didn't make the effort (or secure the budget) to show up in person. 6/

So what can we do? Here are some models we're using at @MeetAtFilament to improve on conferences and events now that in-person engagements are on the horizon: 7/

Ditch the "hybrid" moniker. Instead, build a "Composite Conference" that consists of interconnected parts that work together to accomplish your attendees' goals. 8/

Throw out the traditional planning "grid" and instead ask yourself two questions: What must be in person to do that we can't do virtually? and What do digital tools allow us to accomplish better (and for more people) virtually than we can in person? 9/

Broadly, traditional speaker-centric "Information Delivery" should be in the virtual bucket and collaborative, creative "Insight Discovery" should live on the in-person side of the ledger. 10/

For Information Delivery, explore a mix of creative "live" and asynchronous formats that might include the now-ubiquitous faces-in-boxes-on-Zoom, but might also include Clubhouse chats, podcasts, interviews, etc. 11/

And because you're doing most of these before your in-person event, get permission to mash up the same content in different ways. Here's an example ... 12/

After you record each of your speakers' presentations, ask them 3-5 provocative questions (about the industry, what they're paying attention to, the future, etc.) and then build question-by-question super-cuts of all your speakers (and vendors!) answering the same questions. 13/

Also, schedule Clubhouse chats (or just Zoom sessions) with each of your speakers where you can do a mix of live Q+A and pre-submitted questions. Record these, too. 14/

And don't forget to share those same provocative questions before the event with your community, asking them to capture their own 1-2 minute "hot takes" so you can share the best ones out with the broader audience. 15/

Now that you've gotten the Information Delivery out of the way, let's talk more about Insight Discovery. I've written a bit about this model before here: linkedin.com/pulse/rethink-… 16/

In short, use your time together to discuss challenges, solve problems, network, and engage with vendors instead of listening to PowerPoint presentations. If you're curious about how the vendors should participate, read this: perfectconference.com/manifesto 17/

Net/Net: your virtual content is delivered year-round and your in-person events get shorter. That 4-day sojourn to Vegas turns into a 2-day must-attend, peer-focused, collaborative event where vendors and attendees mix to think together (and not just drink together). 18/

Shorter in-person events are more budget-friendly to CFOs wondering if a week in Orlando is really necessary when you "can watch all the presentations online." 19/

And once the in-person event is done, use the ideas generated by your attendees to seed monthly (and virtual) deep-dive, two-hour, topic-focused events that mix curated pre-reads, thought leader convos, and small-group conversations inside a members-only community. 20/

And if you'd like some help reimagining your event, hit me up. The entire @MeetAtFilament would be delighted to help! 21/21