Bringing Your Remote Speaker In to Your Event

Having decided on the content for your event you may discover that some of the speakers you would like to take part are actually based some physical distance away from your event which could mean you have to incur some travel and accommodation expenses for your speaker(s).

This is fine as long as you have sufficient budget but sometimes it doesn’t work that way. You still want the speaker but have limited budget and this could naturally lead you to asking your speaker to join your event as a remote speaker. This would mean that you bring your remote speaker(s) into your event from their location(s) by using the wonders of modern technology.  

You might also have made a conscious decision that you are not bringing in speakers that are based outside the immediate location of your event. This could be particularly the case if you are demonstrating strong environmental credentials.

Bringing speakers into an event can be both exhilarating and challenging and usually both at the same time. You definitely need to make sure that the remote speaker is aware of how everything will happen and what they need to do at their end.

After all there is a limit to how many times someone asking ‘can you hear me’ becomes just annoying and I have yet to hear an outside news reporter shouting at the camera asking the same (can you hear me) question. It doesn’t happen.

You can be sure that the news reporter is aware of how he or she is looking and sounding. All the pre-production work has been done.  

If a speaker isn’t able to understand how to run the presentation/technology at their end, if they don’t have the correct technology and as importantly if they are unable to for whatever reason join you for a rehearsal then my advice would be to evaluate whether they really are the speaker for you.  There is just too much at stake for you including your reputation.

You can imagine the scene; you as the event planner have a room full of delegates, press, other VIPS etc and the event has been running really well. All is good until the hook up with the remote speaker melts into chaos as the remote speaker isn’t able to deliver. Now how is your reputation looking?

But don’t panic just make sure the pre-production work is executed well.

The important thing is that there is lots of communication between you (the event planner) and your remote speaker(s). Make sure all expectations are met; test the equipment until you are happy that the sound and vision are working in the most effective way for your audience(s).

And above all, trust your instinct. If you have a feeling that a remote speaker isn’t going to deliver for you, well that could well be right so make your decisions and do not compromise on speaker delivery.

Related Posts and Resources

Hybrid Event Centre 

Hybrid Event Planning on Planet Planit 

Event Planning on Planet Planit 

Designing Your Passive or Active Hybrid Event

When it comes to hybrid events, there is no one size that fits all. Your hybrid event which brings together on site and on line delegates will be just as unique as any other event you have planned.

The question that needs answering is “What are you seeking to achieve”? Having answered that, you can then begin to construct your hybrid event.

In my opinion, there are hybrid events that vary on an activity scale that ranges from very passive to very active. A passive hybrid event is one in which the on line attendees don’t do much more than send in a few questions via twitter or via a Question facility. In effect these on line attendees are really doing little more than viewing.

At the other end of the scale we have the very active hybrid event where this is a multitude of activity going on with the on line attendees. Maybe they can be seen and heard by everyone. Possibly, they will lead the whole hybrid event at some point(s) in the programme.

Having decided to what degree your hybrid event is on the passive to active scale, now comes the business of what you want your delegates to do both on site and on line. What do you want them to go away with at the end of your event? This will then naturally lead you to being able to create the programme.

There is little point in creating a very active hybrid event unless the objectives will be met. Yes, you can create a lot of activity and noise but if it doesn’t lead to further benefits for everyone well maybe then you could have settled for a more passive approach. There is after all, no one size that fits all.

Related Posts and Resources 

Hybrid Event Centre 

Respect the Microphone

You are in a conference session and have a question to ask the speaker. Your opportunity comes along when the speaker chooses you to speak. Being excited you quickly ask your question but without the aid of a microphone. The result is that only the speaker (possibly) and those closest to you have any idea of what you asked.

But just by waiting a few seconds will ensure that everyone will be able to hear your question. Just hold on until the person with the microphone (the runner) can reach you.

Now everyone can benefit by being able to hear clearly. And this is really important at a hybrid event (event that brings on site and on line delegates together) where on line delegates will be participating in the event. 

You could be nervous about speaking into the microphone and having the ‘spotlight’ turned on you but take a couple of deep breaths and then just ask your question.  

When I am in conference sessions, I often ask what I think are obvious questions and then realise that a number of people in the room were thinking along similar lines. There really is no such thing as a daft question. Everyone has different levels of understanding and experience so go on and take the opportunity. 

Even if there is no on line audience in attendance it is just good practice to wait for the microphone.  At many events ‘content’ is now recorded and having quality audio throughout the session and not just when the speaker is speaking is imperative.  

If you are the speaker, please allow time for the microphone to reach the audience member and let everyone hear the question.

If you are the conference/event/session planner please ensure that you have enough hand held microphones and runners relevant to the size of the event. Critically; keep an eye on your microphone runners so that the microphone delivery is as smooth as possible. 

Questions are very important in sessions and they have a right all of their own to be there and treated with respect. Go on, wait for the microphone as everyone will benefit by being able to hear.  

Related Posts and Resources 

Hybrid Event Centre 

Event Planning on Planet Planit 

Dealing with the Unexpected

Having a back-up plan is always useful at any event but it’s especially critical at a hybrid event when you have both on site and on line audiences to look after. 

The simple fact is that you cannot afford to lose the attention of either audience but it’s a lot easier to explain what is happening (what has gone wrong) to the onsite audience as usually you be with them on the spot. 

The more challenging part can come when you need to let the online audience know what has happened or is going on. 

Imagine that the online audience are at their PCs, on their tablets or their mobile devices and they are enjoying your hybrid event and then the streaming stops. No longer do they have any image or sound coming out of their device. What happens next?

If nothing happens fairly quickly then you can guarantee that the online audience will probably move on and leave your event. It’s vital therefore that you have a means of communicating with them, maybe via a help number or maybe by using social media channels but the important thing is to let them know what has happened. 

You must not wait either, what may seem like a few moments to you on site will seem so much longer to that on line attendee that is literally in the dark. Don’t delay put your Plan B quickly into place and manage the expectations of your audience.

Usually people are sympathetic when problems occur but they can rapidly lose patience through lack of information.

The key for your successful hybrid event is to keep everything moving which means understanding your Plan B and executing it if needed. 

Powerpoint Presentation Considerations at Hybrid Events

Over the years I have heard speakers actually apologizing for their PowerPoint (PPT) presentations! This came as something of a shock to me initially, after all why would anyone present their content in a way that they were not happy or proud of? But, there are some speakers/coaches/facilitators that do just that. To be fair they probably don’t mean to present in such a way but it does happen.

At a recent event I was listening and looking at a presentation and all was going well until the dreaded graphs appeared as part of the PowerPoint. It was at this point that the speaker made an apology for the slide(s) and I rapidly lost interest in the presentation.  

There was something of significance on the slide but I couldn’t see it and the graphs were not explained so I found myself unable to follow the point of that slide. Was it essential to the presentation? I will never know. Did it affect my ability to follow the key point of the presentation? Unfortunately, my concentration was disturbed and I was no longer in the flow of the presentation.

I have been to live events, where to have seen the PowerPoint I would have needed a telescope!

If graphs are going to be used that is fine but I think the key point of the slide needs to be developed in such a way that it becomes obvious without the need for the audience member trying to figure out what all the miniature figures/statistics actually mean.

I think there is little point in saying that if you cannot see the figures don’t worry as they will be e mailed after the presentation. What’s the point? The speaker has the audience there and then and that is the time to make the presentation really work.

A bad PowerPoint has no place at any event and even more so when a hybrid event is being produced. Just think how quickly your online audience will turn off if they cannot understand the slides or even see them.

Be proud of your presentation and never apologise. If you think you have to apologise then that is a sign to re-think the point of the slide in your presentation. 

Remember also that you have an online audience to consider and you certainly will not see them leave the room but they will go if your presentation isn’t keeping their interest. 

Related Posts and Resources 

The Hybrid Event Centre 

No Time to Waste for Your Hybrid Event Success

Keeping to time is essential when it comes to the making or breaking of hybrid events. After all you have on-site and on-line  participants to look after.

With an event that isn’t hybrid it could be argued that as you have just one audience in the same room it doesn’t matter as much if the timings slip. But I think that is just a way out of not making some brave decisions e.g. moving the CEO or speakers on if they start to over-run.

I have been at events where planners have waited and waited until more people finally turned up. How does that help anyone?  If some people are not there, just start the event with the people that have arrived. No excuses please.  It’s basically unfair to those people that made the effort and were on time. Plus you can guarantee that once you start late the rest of the programme will carry on late as well.

If you don’t start on time it sends a very clear message to the participants that you don’t care and I would suspect that would be the furthest thought from your mind.  

If you are late for a train it goes without you. The timetable doesn’t change because a number of people haven’t made it to the platform.

Speakers would never want to be seen as ‘time thieves’ and so if they start to exceed their agreed time slot then you will need to have a way of politely moving them on. A good emcee or host will be able to facilitate this for you.

The whole issue of time and punctuality becomes even more pronounced at hybrid events. The on-line participants may just be interested in one aspect of the programme and if your event is not on time then that wouldn’t be good.   

Run your event according to schedule and you can be sure that everyone (on-site and on-line participants) will be happy.  After all time is the one item that can never be replaced. 

Related Posts and Resources 

Hybrid Event Centre 

Planet Planit 

Sounding Brilliant

When it comes to speaking at any type of event (but especially hybrid events), one of the key factors for the benefit of the audience is sound. How does the speaker(s) sound? Can they be heard? Are the microphones working perfectly? How is the sound in general?

If the sound isn’t good then the audience will suffer, they will lose the essence of the message and either they will start working on their mobile device or they will probably just leave. And none of that is good for the event planner that has gone to the effort of producing a dazzling line up of speakers in the first place.

Testing the sound with speakers (humans not the kit) before they make their entrance is to my mind a non-negotiable activity. Concerts and productions will be going through numerous sound checks prior to the opening performance because sound is so crucial to their success. You may think that maybe it’s not as crucial for a conference but I would argue that, (especially over a long pint of beer) it is just as crucial to the success of an event.

Over the last few years I have spoken at a number of conferences and what has surprised me is the variety in care when it comes to sound. 

There are some brilliant audio visual people that will help to ensure that the speaker is very comfortable and they answer all sorts of questions to make sure the speaker feels at ease before taking the stage. Then there are other audio visual people who actually leave the room at the very moment when they are needed. It happens. Thankfully not often but it does.

Before speaking I want to know, what kind of microphone will I be using? Is it a hand held or will it be attached to my clothing? Can I move around the stage or do I need to stand still because of the proximity of other microphones that may be on the stage? When I am involved in a panel discussion on stage should I be using the hand held mic or can I continue to use my attached mic?  My list is my own personal checklist so that I know the sound will be good.

I never want my sound to be choppy, I certainly don’t want to pierce the ear drums of my audience and that is why I ask (always) many questions of the audio visual people to make sure that I know how the sound is before I then get on with the task in hand of delivering some thought provoking content to the audience that have come to hear me.

Related Posts and Resources

Hybrid Event Centre 

Event Planning on Planet Planit