Creating a Hybrid Event Communications Strategy

Audience Engagement

Building a hybrid audience of both virtual and in-person guests requires a thoughtful strategy and leaning into your relationships.

It is important to remember that the fundamentals of development still apply in donor engagement for a hybrid event, especially if there is a marketing effort to have folks buy tickets and attend an in-person gathering which will also broadcast virtually.

Donor stewardship and cultivation will drive attendance and/or viewership as well as giving. Have conversations with your board, corporate partners, staff and volunteers to create individual outreach plans to drive engagement.

The best way to increase attendance is to ask people personally to attend your event either in-person or virtually.

• Create accountability by returning to your in-person ticket price
• While the offerings of a screening may not reach pre-pandemic gala levels, it is important to set the expectation that this event is important and you are creating an environment that folks will want to gather in, therefore charging a ticket price is a reasonable expectation to attendance.
• Create access and expand audience by making virtual attendance free
• One of the benefits to the virtual event model is the ability to provide access. Our hope is to help you reach far beyond the several hundred donors who usually attend the in-person event and to be inclusive of all possible attendees without geographic or financial barriers.
• Share calendar invitations
• We have found that the best way to get your audience to tune in is by sending meeting invites to the event and putting the link in the description. That way your audience has quick access from their digital calendar to your broadcast.

Communications and Marketing Plan

In addition to your audience engagement plan, we recommend sending out several event communications using the marketing plan outlined below. In addition, here are more marketing tips to drive virtual attendance for your event so that it can have equal billing to the in-person gathering.

Below are 3 sets of communications to send out leading up to your event:

First Set: Event Announcement Communications

The initial round of communications is intended to announce the event to your entire base of supporters.

• Event Registration Page
• This page is where guests can learn more about the event, purchase tickets or tables and/or make donations in lieu of attendance.
• Save the Date (Printed)
• A printed save the date, to be designed by the graphic designer and mailed to your supporters.
• Save the Date / Announcement (Digital)
• A digital save the date to be sent to your entire list of supporters.

Second Set: Event Promotion Communications

These communications are intended to assist your organization to promote the event and encourage people to attend. This content could include text for e-blasts, social media posts and press releases.

• Stakeholder Promotions Email
• This email is meant as a tool for your host committee/board/staff to invite their personal networks to the event.
• Invitation (Printed)
• The invitation, designed by your graphic designer, should be mailed to your supporters 4–6 weeks prior to your event date.

Third Set: Pre- and Post-Event Communications

Pre-event communications are intended to remind guests about the event and provide all of the information they need to attend. Post-event communications are intended to express gratitude after the event has taken place.

• Pre-Event Attendee Email
• This email goes to all registered ticket buyers, table purchasers and sponsors and provides details such as where to park, what to wear, safety protocols in place and what to expect at the event.
• Countdown Promotions
• This series of communications, including emails and social media posts, are for the week leading up to the event. They are meant to continue promoting the event to your general audience, increase virtual RSVPs and encourage folks to tune in the day of the event.
• Post-Event Thanks Email
• This email goes to all guests and thanks them for supporting your work with their attendance and donations.