Leslie Robertson, CEO and founder of Open Audience, talks about why a blended approach will ultimately be the best solution for a successful event.
I can’t help but notice recently, glancing through our trade media, Linkedin, personal blogs and the myriad of invites to webinars, that there’s been some strong advocacy around the ‘best type of delivery’ for meetings and events (e.g. live vs virtual).
In a time of unparalleled co-operation and support in our industry, where we have faced uncertainty, unique challenges, and steep learnings together, it’s starting to feel just a little bit unnecessary and testy.
For the past two to three years, live and tech production teams have worked in harmony to deliver the best possible solutions for our clients, and long may it continue. However, now I’m feeling we are in an ‘either/or’ space.
In the past when business was hard to come by, or when we have been faced with uncertainty, the industry has naturally stepped up and pushed their own commercial interests for one type of meeting delivery or another. As a commercial enterprise, we may extol the features of a particular type of technology or the USP’s of our brand and approach. But what I’m feeling now is an emphasis that the ‘now’ normal requires a ‘return to’ a ‘move away from’ a particular type of event deliver
Finding the best solution
I would like to think that if we have learned anything from the past couple of years, it’s that a view of our industry where only one solution is king is consigned to history. To support our clients’ most effectively, shouldn’t we approach a new brief or event strategy by clearing the table and starting with a blank sheet of paper?
Only then can we work out what is actually ‘the best solution’ for the job, and in these days of shifting sands and a relentless slew of new challenges, blended solutions are often better for everyone’s health. In terms of global reach, impact, accessibility, engagement, and finance.
Live, virtual and hybrid – I’m almost sick of reading these words. Especially when the reality is they are all simply ingredients for a successful event. The combination of how these elements are applied may differ depending on the client’s objectives and the profile of the audience.
We must continue to be client focused and only propose meeting strategies based on all aspects; namely purpose, content, audience type, geography, sustainability, access, engagement, inclusion, and budget manageability, and deliver the most effective solution possible (often a combo of live, virtual and digital comms), not try to force a solution down one route or another.
We are lucky to work in some very talented, collaborative teams of blended associates to deliver our clients’ work, and we are relied upon as ‘trusted technology partners’. I believe we are respectful of our associates’ expertise and what they bring to the party, and we strive to keep our client’s objectives front of mind when developing and delivering solutions.
Live, hybrid or virtual? In the end, your audience will thank you for delivering the best meeting solution possible, not necessarily the one you feel most comfortable with. We are clear about the benefits of each delivery format, but the right consideration at the start of the development process, and an open approach to finding the most effective solution will be the best delivery method of all.
