A great message is key to any presentation and Technical Production Partners don’t often influence that aspect of events. We can impact a presentation in other ways though.
In the absence of physical “smoke and mirrors”, organizations have found that compelling content is crucial to attracting and retaining their audience. Every event has unique challenges and expected outcomes so here are a few tips that apply to a wide range of events …
Design for In-Person and Virtual Experiences
Broken record? Maybe … but the concept is important! Most organizations relied on giant screens, bright lights, and an A-list talent to capture their pre-pandemic audiences. Sure, we all expect the same in-person experience someday but virtual experiences will still linger (and actually taught us a few things too). Here are some specifics to focus on …
- Consider the in-person and virtual teams as separate but equal collaborators
- Develop layouts and templates that accommodate both workflows
- Expect accountability and organization from everyone involved
- Plan as far in advance as possible allowing you to calmly react to changes (especially changes that will make the content more compelling)
- Be transparent, share information, and regularly report progress among clients and vendors to build a culture of creativity
In-Person Tactics Won’t Attract Everyone
Not every organization is ready to get together in-person yet. In fact, some very large corporations have announced their intent to remain online-only through 2021. If that’s where you’re leaning, there are options that still accommodate compelling content creation.
Studios are a great way to minimize the number of people involved while delivering a custom outcome. Most production agencies and AV companies either have their own facility or have partnered with a vendor that does. Most studio environments are highly brand able and have the bells-and-whistles that weren’t available to you in traditional venues.
100% virtual solutions are completely socially distant and extremely customizable. The most common approach is to use a remote production platform with branded layouts. Be sure to include your virtual audience as much as possible. Between platform design, video wizardry, and custom layouts … this is probably the biggest bang-for-your-buck solution.
If you’re somewhere between “gather the masses” and “join us online”, consider the Hub and Spoke Approach. This delivers the best of both worlds by hosting small in-person locations while delivering an engaging program to individuals too. It’s a great way to engage both audiences while delivering a well-crafted message.
Pro Tip: Repurpose Whatever You Do
Regardless of how participants consume your content it’s probably able to be repurposed for another audience or delivery method. Be sure to record everything you create and insert your branding “downstream” … “clean feed” files aren’t pigeonholed for single-use.
Compelling content is highly-dependent on the presentation and presenter but these tips will help you attract and retain your intended audience now and in the future.
At Encompass, we have unique backgrounds that situate us perfectly to produce high end and complex offerings. We’ve worked in broadcast television, touring entertainment, live sporting events, and countless convention facilities across the country.
We have technical design experience and a disciplined process in place that allows us to easily scale events and shift from in-person to virtual without angst. There isn’t much that’s beyond our scope and we love the intensity of putting on events!
If you’re a planner working to create an event, seeking help with virtual event technology, or simply want to learn more … we can help! Sign up below to receive our updates (we promise to keep your contact information secure and won’t “overshare”).