7 Reasons Why Your Company Needs an Event, Even If It's Hybrid

For many companies, the world of marketing and events seems uncertain again due to tightening budgets. With so many unknown variables and variants, the idea of fully in-person events is still up in the air for many brands. The question now isn't when we can we gather, but rather should we host fully in-person events?

Ultimately your organization will have to make that choice for itself. There are as many reasons to do it as to not. However, if you're choosing to not go hybrid or virtual because of fear or frustration with event technology, we've laid out some of our trusted reminders of why hosting an event is valuable.

Here are just a few reasons why your company needs an event now more than ever.

1. An event helps build brand awareness.

No marketing or sales effort brings more focus to your brand than an event. Whether you call it field marketing, experiential marketing, a roadshow, or a user conference, when you host an event, you bring people together for one specific purpose. To experience your brand.

Yes, you want them to buy something. But more importantly, you want them to feel something. To make a memory where your business is concerned. Create those moments that matter.

Ideally, those people are your target audience, which makes the effort even more worthwhile.

84% of event attendees said that their outlook on a company became more positive after attending the company's event. This makes hybrid and virtual events a no-brainer when it comes to wanting to increase your brand awareness and cultivate more loyal customers.

2. Events create networking opportunities.

Consider the networking opportunities a hybrid event can offer.

When you bring people together, you’ll optimize the potential to find new clients, new customers, and new referrals. You can also show your existing clients all you have to offer, solidifying relationships and hopefully earning more clout.

When you host a hybrid event, you bring together the humans who can meet in person AND the humans who can connect through the power of the internet. You have several different venues, some in the cloud, and numerous ways to create moments that matter and networks that drive your objectives AND your participants' goals forward. 

No matter how they meet, events lead to new and strengthened relationships, and that leads to even more opportunities in the future. A solely face to face event will lose a critical portion of the audience who couldn't or wouldn't attend otherwise.

3. Events increase fundraising donations.

Think because your tax status is different from the for profit brands events should go back to pre-pandemic habits? 

Studies show that 56 percent of donors regularly attend fundraising events. More importantly, virtual giving grew by 12.1 percent throughout 2020. People love to give to charitable causes, and online giving isn’t slowing down anytime soon. 

Hybrid events are the ideal opportunity for nonprofit companies to showcase their worthwhile cause while providing a fun experience for their donors. Be sure that you’re offering valuable and engaging content in return for your attendees’ time and donations. 

4. Events bring your employees together. 

2022 is becoming known as the year of the Great Resignation. Hybrid work models are popping up all across organizations and leadership teams are looking for ways to solidify the connections between employees. 

77% of employees found that when they worked with a company that valued a strong culture, they accomplished their best work. Everyone loves feeling like they’re a part of a team, and a virtual event is a great way to build employee loyalty. If your team hasn’t been in person for a while, reconnect through the adrenaline rush of planning and executing your picture-perfect event. 

Keep your employees in mind, even when they’re not in person, by giving them active roles in the event. Whether it’s working behind the scenes, leading an activity, or presenting a speech, encourage them to use their strengths to their advantage. 

5. Events make your business seem more personable.

Your clients want to see the face behind the brand. The second biggest reason people join virtual events is to network. They want to meet your company’s leaders and interact with them. Events give them that opportunity. 

So when you host a virtual event, take a moment to introduce yourself and make your brand feel more personable. People love to connect with the companies they admire, and a virtual event is a great way to humanize your company and let people know it’s authentic and genuine.

6. People need human connection.

Now more than ever, people long for human connection. According to a survey, 91% of organizations cited “Keeping members connected” as a primary goal of virtual events. We know that if you’re an event planner, you know the buzz and energy boost you get from creating the best experience possible for your attendees. 

Even if you aren’t an event planner, we know that our social lives have drastically changed. We need human connection more than ever, and events are the perfect way to do this. The chance to share a human connection will make your attendees so eager to talk to others and interact with others that your event may be more successful than ever before.

7. Events create memories.

Of course, there’s one reason that stands above all the others: Events create memories.

An event means success for your business. It helps foster human connection and creates networking opportunities and awareness for your brand. But perhaps most importantly, it leaves each attendee with a fond memory.

These small moments can’t be recreated, but you’re always able to make new memories.

bringing it all together

We at Nifty Method are dedicated to creating meaningful experiences that connect, whether online or in-person. Consider hosting a hybrid event to create new memories and see what other opportunities unfold for your business and your digital marketing efforts. Not sure where to begin? We’re here to help. Contact us to begin building your ideal event. 

Before you plan your next event, download the infographic of this article here or by clicking the image above.