UPDATE: February 8, 2021
As of today, Summit is pleased to announce that we have successfully reformatted 15 of our clients’ canceled face-to-face to hybrid/virtual meetings.
Our programs have been international in scope, translated into multiple languages, utilized various platforms, and most importantly, have delivered value for our partners while enabling them to stay ahead of the technological curve.
We have new virtual programs on the horizon including one in China and a thousand-person convention.
As businesses and entire industries take a wait-and-see approach to the potential end of lockdowns and resumption of routine travel, the reality is that meetings must still take place. With traditional face-to-face live events out of the question for the near term, most professionals have taken to Zoom, WebEx, and other digital platforms - some more eagerly than others.
While these basic sites offer the bare minimum for internal meetings and client calls, they fall short in replicating the robust features of live Investigator Meetings, Medical Trainings, and Product Launches.
Just as we recommend that our clients not plan any of these types of live events without expert meeting management services, we just as strongly recommend utilizing our services for their virtual substitutes. We pioneered hybrid events in the 2000’s and bring years of experience and up-to-date knowledge of the latest technology. We can solve any virtual problems you may have before you even realize you’ve had them.
Once you’ve decided on reformatting a scheduled live event into a virtual one, your first key decision point is whether to conduct completely remotely (all speakers in separate locations) or as a hybrid (main speakers at a central location). With either solution, you will greatly expand your reach and increase your ROI as a recording of the session can be distributed to people not able to attend the initial live virtual meeting.
Below are the pros and cons of each.
Remote Virtual Meeting
Pros
Less expensive
No travel required
Less equipment needed
Cons
Unreliability of home tech equipment (camera, microphone, internet speed)
Lack of cohesion with other members of the team; transitions can be awkward
The end product can look less polished
Hybrid Virtual Meeting
Pros
All team members in one location makes planning easier
The broadcast has a more professional, polished feel
Transitions from one presenter to next are more natural
Cons
More expensive
Additional equipment (camera and mics) needed
Travel to the central location required
Whichever type of virtual solution suits your needs best, Summit can help you sort through the different virtual platforms and broadcast options. We can also provide expert technical, translation, and communication expertise to ensure the most important aspect of your meeting - the message - is heard loud and clear.
Give us a call at (973) 239-4005 or email info@summitmgt.com to see how simple and efficient we can make reformatting your live event to a digital one.