Benefits and Challenges of
Live Streaming Events
Michael Beird
Erin Handel
Co-Founders, BankersHub
April 15, 2014
Overview of Today’s Discussion
 Different types of Traditional Events
 The hybrid, or live streaming event and example
 Features and benefits of the hybrid event
 Why companies may want to consider live streaming
 Developing and staging the right content
 Overcoming objections and cannibalization
 Additional recommendations and considerations
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Traditional Events Environment
Live Conferences/Gatherings
Pros
•
•
•
•
•
•
Watch presenter(s)
Ask questions to presenter
Network with others
Get information real-time
Sponsorship opportunities
Cool giveaways (pens, Slinkies, etc.)
Cons
•
•
•
•
•
Audience limited to physical attendees
Expensive for attendees
Expensive for organizers
Large time commitment
No playbacks or archives for later
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Why customers choose to NOT attend live events
Source: Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
http://www.mpiweb.org/Home
4
Traditional Events Environment
Live Conferences/Gatherings
Pros
•
•
•
•
•
•
Watch presenter(s)
Ask questions to presenter
Network with others
Get information real-time
Sponsorship opportunities
Cool giveaways (pens, Slinkies, etc.)
Cons
•
•
•
•
•
Audience limited to physical attendees
Expensive for attendees
Expensive for organizers
Large time commitment
No playbacks or archives for later
5
Webinars and Webcasts
Pros
•
•
•
•
•
•
Unlimited audience potential
Hear presenter(s)
Ask questions to presenter via chat
Hot topics and „breaking‟ news
Get information real-time
Relatively inexpensive for attendees
and organizers/companies
• Recordings/playbacks often available
• Sponsorship opportunities
• Technology fairly simple
Cons
• No visual of presenters
• No interaction/networking with others
• No cool giveaways
Traditional Events Environment
Live Conferences/Gatherings
Pros
•
•
•
•
•
•
Watch presenter(s)
Ask questions to presenter
Network with others
Get information real-time
Sponsorship opportunities
Cool giveaways (pens, Slinkies, etc.)
Cons
•
•
•
•
•
Audience limited to physical attendees
Expensive for attendees
Expensive for organizers
Large time commitment
No playbacks or archives for later
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Live Streaming “Hybrid”
Pros
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Webinars and Webcasts
Unlimited audience potential
Hear and watch presenter(s)
Ask questions to presenter via chat
Hot topics and „breaking‟ news
Get information real-time
Relatively inexpensive for attendees
Recordings/playbacks often available
Sponsorship opportunities
Cons
• Technology expensive and requires
specific media A/V skill sets
• No interaction/networking with others
• No cool giveaways
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Pros
•
•
•
•
•
•
Unlimited audience potential
Hear presenter(s)
Ask questions to presenter via chat
Hot topics and „breaking‟ news
Get information real-time
Relatively inexpensive for attendees
and organizers/companies
• Recordings/playbacks often available
• Sponsorship opportunities
• Technology fairly simple
Cons
• No visual of presenters
• No interaction/networking with others
• No cool giveaways
Live stream - Product
 Live Stream events are online sessions where the video (picture of
speaker), data (ppt) and audio are streamed live to a virtual audience
in real time, as the event is happening.
 Any physical event producer is a potential user of live streaming
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Live stream – Features and Benefits
 Gets larger numbers of attendees and additional revenues from an existing physical event
 Gives critical information to attendees who cannot afford to travel or be out of the office
 Utilizes cutting edge technology for a step above the “usual” webinar
• Shows the speaker live, making attendees feel as though they are really “there”
 Allows access to archived sessions from which others in the organization may benefit
 The Event Producer can charge additional sponsorship for live streaming
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Potential uses of live streaming technology vary
 A 2012 survey by Meeting Professionals International (MPI) found
that half had never planned a hybrid event and 25% never saw one
 62% believe that hybrid, live streaming events are just broadcasting
to an online audience
 However over 50% were aware that this technology leaves a „legacy‟:
• It captures both video and audio for later playback
• Playback can be provided to customers or employees who were
unable to attend or watch
• Playbacks can also be sold as stand alone content going forward
or with extracts used in marketing materials, promotions, etc.
• This saves money having to re-shoot or re-assemble subject
matter experts, speakers, etc. at a later date.
 In the end, however, what format gets used depends on the
audience, industry, available technology and usage afterwards
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Examples of why companies should
consider doing a hybrid event
 Announcing the launching new products and services
 Annual user conferences or shareholder meetings
 Corporate training for remote locations
 Executive briefings, announcements or updates
 Sponsored briefings, updates or „infommercials‟
 Customer interviews
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Developing and staging the content
 Determine if there will be a live audience, or is it a „closed‟ event
 Understand and evaluate the physical environment
• Lighting
• Acoustics
• Seating
 Anticipate role of physical attendees and limitations of virtual audience
• Q&A
• Breakout groups
 Identify opportunities to poll/survey virtual audience
 Prepare and coach speakers in advance
 Test, practice and test again
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Ways to drive revenue and/or increase attendance
 Create new revenue by charging for content from attendees who are
new to your organization
 Create new revenue by upselling the playbacks to attendees on site
 Build sponsorship opportunities into the offerings (i.e., logo on the live
stream interface, mention of sponsor on the webcast, ability for sponsor
to moderate the online Q&A, etc.
 Give your exhibitors a change to enhance their expo by having a live
streaming session/demo from the expo hall.
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Addressing objections to live streaming and hybrids
Source: Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
http://www.mpiweb.org/Home
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Perception of cannibalizing live attendance
 Associations and conference organizers have argued that virtual events
reduce physical attendance and revenues through „cannibalization‟
 Recently, PCMA released survey results that showed not only are they NOT
cannibalizing in person attendance, they are increasing BOTH in person and
hybrid
 When asked if attending the hybrid event would make them more likely to
attend a physical event, only 7% said it wouldn‟t.
 PCMA is seeing both and increase in hybrid attendance AND physical
attendance
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Additional recommendations and considerations
 Live streaming hybrid events offers opportunities to capture revenues to help
alleviate expenses
• Separate registration for virtual attendees
• Sales of recorded playbacks after the event
• Sponsored ads/banners of broadcast events from third parties
 Deciding when to offer Free vs. Charged-For content
• Free
–
Attracts a larger audience, but may not be true „buyers‟ or decision makers
–
Can be promoted through viral channels to create larger buzz
–
For internal content such as training, information dissemination, updates
–
Great for reaching out to customers and prospects regarding products, services, etc.,
such as user conferences, shareholder meetings, and sales demonstrations
• Charged-For Content
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–
Informational/educational content for public…not sales or promotional in nature
–
Offer additional materials, handouts and takeaways
–
Be specific in promotions and online about what will (or won‟t) be covered in the event
–
Consider offering the playback free for attendees, in case there is a schedule conflict
Questions
[email protected]
312.316.0305
[email protected]
781.588.3147
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