10 Ways to Leverage Online Booking Systems for Hybrid Event Scheduling

Apple’s major presentation, Wonderlust, featuring the iPhone 15 model and various other products, had remarkable concurrent viewers of 2.8 million. Apple’s decision to go with the hybrid event was smart.

How?

It helped them triple their audience size. By leveraging hybrid events, Apple was able to reach a wider audience and even a global audience, significantly increasing their event's reach and engagement. The numbers are not only impressive, but they guarantee broad popularity and viral reach. Event marketing plays a crucial role in promoting hybrid events, helping to maximize attendance and engagement.

Hybrid events have proven incredibly effective for major enterprises, with 70% of business events following the format. However, they require extensive planning to ensure success. Event organizers rely on online booking systems to streamline complex hybrid event logistics. With the right online booking system, this becomes easier.

In this article, we’re walking you through ten great ways you can use online booking systems for hybrid event scheduling. But before we get into that, let me tell you why an online booking system isn’t just a nice-to-have but a necessity in this process.

Why Use Online Booking Systems To Schedule Hybrid Events?

Online booking systems offer your customers a platform to book your hybrid events and make payments online. When you choose the right online booking tool, it can help you to streamline event scheduling by:

• Centralizing booking management

• Automating workflows

• Ensuring Better data management

• Integrating seamlessly with other tools

• Offering scalability

• Providing overall time and cost efficiency

• Equipping organizers with all the tools needed for efficient hybrid event management

And while an online booking system will clearly offer many benefits for your business, it’s also easy and convenient for event attendees. These platforms provide booking accessibility from anywhere/anytime, automated confirmation and reminder text messages, as well as quick access to event-related information. An integrated event platform can further enhance the booking and participation experience by offering interactive features, personalized agendas, and seamless streaming for both in-person and virtual attendees.

Hennessey Digital‘s implementation of a booking system for a client’s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program is a great example. CLE programs, hosted by law firms, help attorneys meet their continuing education requirements. Due to their demanding and compliant nature, law firms need a streamlined process setup. The online booking system allowed attorneys to register for CLE programs, accommodating different preferences and schedules. The client could now easily track attendance, manage certifications, and send timely reminders.

You want to give your customers the best booking experience–seamless, easy, and efficient. And an integrated online booking system is the best way you can do that. Online booking systems can also support lead generation by capturing attendee information and preferences, helping you grow your audience and increase event ROI.

10 Ways to Leverage Online Booking Systems for Hybrid Event Scheduling

So many things need to be done to schedule an event that you can’t do them all manually. Here are the top 10 ways to use online booking systems to manage your next hybrid event. This article also serves as a step-by-step guide for event organizers.

1.   Centralized Scheduling

A hybrid event may consist of different activities and sessions, some of which require physical presence, while others can be hosted online. The event format can include breakout sessions, panel discussions, and other event types to maximize engagement and cater to diverse audiences.

For example, the Austrian Wine Marketing Board held a hybrid wine-tasting event in Moscow during the pandemic. While in-person attendees could taste different wines at distanced tables, virtual attendees could use the online app to connect with Austrian suppliers on 1:1 private video calls. The event format was tailored to accommodate both in-person and virtual attendees, ensuring an inclusive experience.

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Suppose your hybrid event also includes virtual and in-person components. Use your online booking system for centralized scheduling where potential attendees can view the order of activities and select their preferred sessions to attend in person or virtually.

How does centralized scheduling help?

You can easily control the booking journey for virtual and physical events using centralized scheduling. A single shared calendar helps prevent double bookings, and through automation, the entire process becomes more efficient for organizations and attendees, regardless of the event's scale or complexity. 

2.   Customizable Booking Pages

Use your online booking system to customize booking pages for different audience segments, such as virtual and physical attendees. With these pages, you can provide clear information on what sessions and activities they’ll attend, their timing, and location options. Separate booking pages can be tailored for the in person audience and virtual audience, ensuring both onsite attendees and virtual audiences receive relevant and specific information for their event experience.

Salesforce’s annual Dreamforce conference brings the global tech community together to learn, network, and collaborate. The conference includes keynotes, breakout and training sessions, workshops, and demos.

Salesforce opens the doors to the Dreamforce conference for everyone with a virtual attendance option. There are separate customized booking pages for both audiences:

The In-Person Attendees:

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The Virtual Attendees:

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You can do something similar for your hybrid event.

Create a booking page for physical attendees and a separate one for virtual attendees, providing detailed information on each option, such as:

• Agenda for each type of attendance

• Schedule for included sessions and activities

• Location and how to get there / virtual attendee instructions

• Instructions for physical attendance to help in person audiences and onsite attendees prepare for the event

How do customizable booking pages help? 

Separate booking pages for each attendee type (hybrid/in-person) offer tailored experiences and clear communication. This ensures attendees receive relevant information and streamlined registration processes specific to their participation mode.

3.   Automated Confirmations and Reminders

Want to reduce no-shows?

When someone books a seat for your event on your website, set triggers on your online booking system to send them automated confirmations and reminders.

You can use automated email sequencing to confirm bookings and remind attendees as the event date approaches. Automated reminders can also encourage attendees to participate actively and stay engaged before the event.

Here’s an example of an automated confirmation email by Auditboard:

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How do automated confirmations and reminders help? 

You know how they say ‘out of sight, out of mind'? Your goal is to always be ‘in sight'. Automated reminders boost attendance rates. The reminders can also help create buzz for the event, leading to better engagement from attendees. 

4.   Integration With Virtual Platforms

Zoom’s Zoomtopia 2023 was a hybrid event in which the company explored ways to increase productivity, teamwork, and other skills using Zoom. Zoom streamed it on Zoom Events, its event platform, so anyone could join from wherever they were. A robust event platform should support both live streaming and virtual components to ensure seamless participation for both in-person and virtual attendees.

When you complete their registration form, you receive all the information, including registration details, session tracks, etc., in your email. Technical support is essential for managing virtual elements and ensuring a smooth experience for all attendees.

If you’re streaming your event on Zoom, Google Meet, or another virtual platform, you can integrate it with your online booking system to streamline access for remote participants. This integration allows you to deliver live streams and virtual elements, enhancing engagement for remote attendees.

How?

As soon as the attendees register using your booking page, they automatically receive login details, timing, access links, etc. Simply identify the virtual platforms you’ll use and ensure your booking system is compatible with them. Technical support can help address any issues with the virtual component and live stream delivery.

With TIMIFY, you can integrate the online booking system with virtual platforms like Zoom, Google, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, etc. You can also add customizations to streamline your booking workflows, including email communications and receiving updates on booking cancellations. Integrating virtual components and live streaming capabilities can enhance the overall event experience for both in-person and online participants.

How does integrating an online booking system with virtual platforms help? 

The whole idea of integrating your online booking system with virtual platforms is to minimize the tedious parts of event management. You get better accessibility, broader audience reach, and support for innovative digital and hybrid event formats. This improves overall attendee engagement and convenience. 

5.   Resource Allocation

A poorly planned event can either be severely lagging or extremely costly. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you can anticipate demand and interest for each session, you can carefully plan the use of your resources to make the most of it.

Let’s say you know that a particular session of an event has a high number of sign-ups, and you anticipate more. You’ll need a bigger venue for enough capacity. Selecting the right physical venue is crucial for accommodating physically present attendees during a physical event, ensuring everyone can participate comfortably. On the other hand, if a session has low interest, you’ll need to downsize the resources used there.

An online booking system tracks attendee registrations and preferences in real time, allowing organizers to adjust resources on the go. In the case above, it can alert the organizers about session demand, allowing them to direct resources from less popular sessions. This way, attendees have everything they need for a positive experience without burning a hole in the organizer’s budget.

How does resource allocation help?

Resource management tools provide crucial clarity in the planning and delivery of events, helping to foresee peaks and troughs in demand and reallocate resources quickly and efficiently.

6.   Session Sign-ups and Waitlists

Do you have limited event capacity? Leverage it as a strength and a way to maximize attendance by offering session sign-ups and enabling waitlists.  

With session sign-ups, you can break down your event into specific sessions or activities, allowing attendees to choose which ones to register for.  

When a session reaches capacity, enable the waitlist feature to ensure it stays sold out. 

When someone cancels at the last minute, the system automatically notifies the waitlist that a spot has opened up.  

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You can also add the option to join virtually for hybrid events.

How do session sign-ups and waitlists help?

Efficiently managing waitlists for popular sessions and promptly notifying attendees of available spots can maximize participation and minimize no-shows. It also streamlines the internal process for organizers, ensuring more efficient attendance management.

7.   Hybrid Networking Opportunities

Do you want to engage your event attendees? Get them to interact among themselves.

Use the booking system to facilitate internal networking opportunities, such as connecting options, meet-and-greets, virtual coffee breaks, etc. Create networking slots within the booking system to allow attendees to sign up for these opportunities virtually or in person.

You can also create virtual network lounges, host a chat, or assign attendees interest tags that let individuals with similar interests find each other. Offering unique virtual experiences can help virtual participants feel more engaged and connected during the event.

Take the BCI World Hybrid Conference of 2023, for example.

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The conference focuses on bringing business professionals together, offering in-person and virtual opportunities to connect and engage, such as:

• Networking drinks,  lunch breaks, and Global Awards dinner: Allowed physical attendees to interact and network in an informal setting.

• Virtual open forums and roundtables: Allowed remote participants to join discussions and interact with speakers and other attendees. Providing virtual content and interactive opportunities helped create memorable experiences for all attendees.

How do hybrid networking opportunities help?

Using your booking system to offer hybrid networking opportunities significantly boosts engagement among your event participants. Active participation helps your event drive more impact, giving more opportunities for your attendees to connect.

8.   Real-time Updates and Changes

Some situations are inevitable, no matter how extensively planned. In the case of technical difficulties, it may be necessary to delay or even cancel an event. Careful planning and real-time updates are essential for delivering a successful event, ensuring that both in-person and virtual attendees remain informed and engaged.

Using an online booking system, you can give your attendees real-time updates on the event. If there are any changes to time or location, enable notifications via text messages or email to keep them in the know.

Notify attendees promptly via email or SMS about any session timings or location adjustments. You can also post these changes on social media or website portals.

In addition to conveying any changes, real-time updates can also build anticipation for what’s next to come. For example, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) uses real-time updates to announce:

• Tournament structures

• Results

• Real-time announcements

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Conducting a post event analysis is important to assess the effectiveness of your real-time communication and to measure the overall success of your event.

How do real-time updates and changes help?

While real-time communication is optional, it can significantly enhance the attendees' experience by keeping them informed and reducing confusion. This will also benefit organizers by improving operational efficiency.  

Gianluca Ferrugia, the managing director of DesignRush, stresses that real-time updates, especially for events, offer a level of personalized attention that makes attendees feel valued and boosts their perception of an event.  

“Attendees of an event, especially if they paid for it, expect a level of customer service that every organizer should always keep in mind. Using an online booking system allows organizers to deliver real-time updates that can keep their attendees informed and engaged.” 

9.   Post-Event Feedback Collection

Reach out to attendees after the event to collect feedback–a process which doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.

Manage this with your booking system by automatically reaching out to attendees right after your event. Check out this feedback collection email from Marketing United:

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Notice how they’ve used the email as an opportunity to provide content relevant to the event? You can also do that. Provide exclusive content or even incentives such as discounts to encourage participation in post-event surveys. Gathering feedback can also support lead generation and marketing purposes by helping you identify interested attendees and repurpose event content for ongoing engagement.

Use the feedback you collect to improve your next event.

How does post-event feedback collection help?

Not contacting attendees after your event would be a huge wasted opportunity. Sending follow-up emails helps you keep in touch with attendees and nurture relationships. This approach boosts attendance at future events, enhances lead cultivation, and increases the likelihood of repeat participation. 

Let's take SEOProfy as an example. Every year, SEOProfy organizes an all-hands event. After each event, a review and feedback form is distributed to understand what attendees liked and enjoyed and where improvements were needed. This information helps optimize future events. For example, a specific host received outstanding feedback and reviews, leading to their appointment for subsequent events. Collecting feedback simplifies decision-making and enhances attendee satisfaction, creating a win-win situation.

10.   Analytics and Reporting

Lastly, an online booking system can be a treasure trove of data that can provide valuable insights into your target audience.

TIMIFY allows users to access crucial data, such as peak sign-up times, booking cancellations or reschedules, most popular event sessions, etc. This data is presented with visual reports on performance dashboards that provide a comprehensive overview of an event’s performance. Analytics can also help measure audience engagement and the effectiveness of event content, ensuring that both in-person and virtual participants are actively involved.

How do analytics and reporting help?

Analytics and reporting capabilities are among the most important features of an online booking system. They can help you improve customer experience and refine future event strategies with personalized digital marketing tactics.

Conclusion

Remember that choosing the right booking system can make or break the event's success.  From automating reminders and collecting feedback to managing multiple time zones and offering flexible payment options, these systems provide a comprehensive solution to the challenges of hybrid event planning.