Hybrid Pharma Events: Three Tips for Success

While in-person events are returning, healthcare professionals' (HCPs) engagement preferences illustrate how crucial hybrid events are to an effective omnichannel engagement strategy. Nearly 70% of all HCPs now consider themselves digital natives and technology is reshaping how pharmaceutical companies engage with them.

A hybrid approach, that combines in-person and digital events, offers HCP flexibility around their busy schedules, and allows event organizers to extend their reach across audiences. By personalizing experiences, you can reach new customers when in-person events are not feasible.

Set your team up for success with the following planning measures:

Rethink event KPIs

In a digitally enabled world, hybrid events should be considered as a part of an omnichannel engagement strategy. Rather than measuring the number of attendees, a successful event should track the quality of HCP interactions. For example, how was engagement impacted before and after the event? How highly did they rank their satisfaction with the event and content?

Adjust content for hybrid

Hybrid events should provide HCPs with two major benefits: engaging education and peer-to-peer interaction. Develop content optimized to in-person and virtual offerings to ensure that speakers and participants find the event a valuable use of their time.

Link events with your broader content strategy to communicate more in-depth insights regularly. Also, think about delivering content in new and engaging ways (e.g., using gamification or extended reality to bring it to life). Shorter, more personal, and targeted experiences will improve overall engagement.

Prepare speakers and staff

Communicating virtually requires tech-confident, articulate speakers with strong communication skills. What might have worked might not be optimal to deliver a seamless, high-impact hybrid or fully virtual event. Train staff and speakers on the technical requirements for hosting a hybrid event, and rehearse handoffs, screen sharing, and transitions ahead of time.

Virtual and hybrid events are undoubtedly reshaping HCP engagement, providing notable benefits as part of a broader commercial strategy.