Event Planning Questions, Answered: Should I Add a Virtual Ticket to My Event?

I’ve talked extensively about the ways that virtual events can add to your original event concept, broaden your event’s audience, and build a valuable arsenal of reusable content. While I won’t include all of those details in this blog, I do want to make sure to answer a question that I hear a lot from folks in my network:

Should I add a virtual ticket to my in-person event?

Mounting pressure from the success of virtual events the last few years have many non-event organizers requesting add-on tickets and experiences for a digital audience, but is it worth it? Below, I’ll take you through some things to consider when incorporating live-streaming, hybrid networking events and other additions into your real-life event:

• Does a hybrid event fit into the goals and objectives of your event?

  • (Pssst: You may notice a pattern here. The goals and objectives of the event should be your first consideration with every single event decision you make! It seems simple, but is forgotten in the shuffle).

• Where is the majority of your audience located, in relation to the physical event?

• Are there new audiences (such as for a new product or revenue stream) that you are looking to target that would be unable to come in person?

• Do you have the time and team to build out, prep and execute a hybrid or virtual experience?

  • In my experience, building out even an app can add up—our team spent 80 hours building an app for a client in the past, and that was with a dedicated virtual event manager.

• If you are live-streaming, evaluate the bandwidth of the internet at the in-person facility, and the audio/visual needed to properly stream.

• Is this experience truly adding something to your overall event?

It can be tempting to add every event innovation under the sun, especially when we’ve been indoors and socially distanced for so long. Over the last few years, we’ve become conditioned to our remote and virtual lifestyles and having everything we want at the touch of a button. The reality of the situation, though, is that live events are having a comeback in a major way, and the attendees that we see out and about are the ones that are grateful to get out from behind a screen.

Does that mean your hybrid experience is doomed? Of course not! There are still countless programs, conferences, conventions and meet-ups taking place virtually, and those hosts know that their audience prefers to have that option.

If you are planning a live experience and considering virtual solutions, or a fully hybrid event, let me help! From virtual catering across the country, to live-streamed lightning pitches, I’ve done it all and can tell you for certain whether adding a virtual ticket should be a priority for you.