When corporations go virtual, significant cost savings are often the reward. For most associations, however, it’s an added expense. And it can be equally significant. Plenty of numbers are making the rounds in the industry, and much of what you’ve heard is true. AARP really did spend $250,000 producing its event, and ASAE spent more than $100K. But there are also many associations spending as little as $15,000. The difference is often in your definition of virtual.
By 2016, I think every single face-to-face event will have a strong online extension.
Big words from Tony Lorenz yesterday morning when I called about the announcement of his new firm – bXb Online.
When hired as special projects manager for The Association of Boarding Schools, Amy Shivers knew she’d be working on something called a virtual event, but she could hardly have imagined what that meant or where it would take her.
An intriguing idea for how associations can produce a “virtual event in a box” that local chapters can use much like the TEDx program, which allows local leaders the opportunity to organize “TED-like” events in their own region or city. Very thought-provoking!
http://bit.ly/hMQ1Pv
Truly, one of the best analogies ever for why hybrid events won’t cannibalize your physical event. Is your favorite sports game live, online and on-demand? Of course it is! So why shouldn’t your event also be live, online and on-demand?
http://bit.ly/goHPRk
If you’re an association planner, don’t let the fact that Ike Singh Kehal wrote this article for corporate planners stop you from reading it. There are some excellent tips here on using the tools virtual events offer to actively listen to your customers.
http://bit.ly/hwvFws
Though you’ll get more out of this if you pop for the $25 bucks and buy the audio version from PCMA, this is a great presentation from Jeff Hurt on audience engagement for hybrid and virtual events. Told mostly through the best practices at EventCamp, this covers social media, speaker training, blending remote and f2f audiences and logistics.
http://jeffhurtblog.com/2010/03/05/engaging-attendees-today-how-to-combine-virtual-face-to-face-meetings/
While this is primarily a blog post by Michael McCurry about a specific hybrid event and what went wrong/what went right, there are some great, quick learning lessons at the end on the essentials of hybrid event planning.
http://www.michaelmccurry.net/2010/02/26/learning-lessons-from-a-hybrid-event-experience-mpis-md10-conference/
