Portable Sanitation Association International

ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT Portable Sanitation Association International News BIWEEKLY EDITION JANUARY 6, 2021 Page 23 What Will Events Look Like in 2021?…continued from page 22 How Hybrid Events Work Hybrid events are, quite simply, a mix of live and virtual events. You take your live event, complete with an audience, content, and more, and you add a virtual component to it so your audience can participate and engage with your event, no matter where they are. A hybrid is not just for those who are not in attendance; it is also there for those who are at the event. Engagement is the essential ingredient for any event, and this is the same for hybrid events. Engagement comes from chats, viewing attendee bios, directly contacting a speaker or learning more about exhibitors and sponsors. In short, a hybrid event is: • A seamless integration of technology to facilitate participation between a live and virtual audience • An experience that caters to all audiences in a viewer-friendly way • Putting your online and live audience on the same level A portion of the portable sanitation workforce is working from home right now. While pumping and servicing portable restroom units cannot be done from a desk, many in this industry do work from a desk. The more people that can take part in an event, either in-person or virtually, the better the event will be. During the PSAI Virtual Educational Conference and Trade Show this past November, many first-time attendees were able to see the kind of content our shows provide. This will bring repeat participation in the future. Checking out an event online before deciding to go in person we know will boost attendance in the days to come. One more benefit of a hybrid event is that it is recorded. Right now, all attendees of the PSAI Virtual Educational Conference and Trade Show in November are able to access the speakers and sessions from the event on their computers. This means you do not have to worry about missing something or forgetting what was said. This resource is invaluable and will be a standard tool for events in the future. Here's to 2021! The meetings and events industry has proven itself in 2020 through adaptation. It is evident there's no going back, and so virtual and hybrid events are here to stay, both as stand- alone offerings and in conjunction with live events. As we begin 2021, we know many of you are hoping to attend a live industry event before the year is done. The PSAI is right there with you. However, the event industry has changed forever, and we need to be cognizant of that. We look forward to seeing you soon, in-person and/or online. v

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