🐸 Are We Doing It Backwards? A Smarter Way to Plan Your Events

Are you a CEO, CMO or CFO considering your budget and how to apply it for maximum impact (and return!) across marketing and events during this economic period?

At Frog Events, we’ve spent the last few years delivering hundreds of virtual and hybrid experiences. Along the way, we’ve had a bit of a lightbulb moment:

👉 Are organisations still approaching events the wrong way round?👈

Take an event focused on targeting a wider audience or prospecting for new clients. Instead of starting with, say a 1,000-person in-person event that hoovers up time, energy and budget, we’re asking: what if we flipped the script? What if we started with virtual?

Here’s why we believe that makes all the difference – and why we’re calling it a smarter, more strategic approach to event planning.

🎯 Step 1: Start Virtual – Get Smart

Kicking off with a virtual or hybrid event gives you more than just a flexible format – it hands you a goldmine of data. From content engagement to audience behaviour, you gain rich, real-time insights into what works and what doesn’t — before, during and after your event.

That means your next steps aren’t based on guesswork — they’re backed by analytics.

Let’s say you host a virtual launch event for 1,000 people. From the data, you discover that just 157 attendees are truly aligned with your key objectives. Bingo. That’s your high-value audience and now you know exactly who to invite when you go in-person. Because it’s:

• 💸 Budget-friendly

• ⏰ Time-efficient

• 🌍 Inclusive and sustainable

• 🧠 And ultimately: a whole lot smarter

🧭 Step 2: Go In-Person With Precision

Now you’ve got the data (and the confidence) to focus your in-person event where it matters most. No more scattergun invites; no more oversized buffets; no more random guests quaffing your champagne and canapés and no more empty chairs!

Instead, your targeted audience walks into an event that’s designed just for them: Meaningful, curated, and personal. They feel privileged to be there. They’re highly engaged (you’ve got the data to prove it). You save money, reduce waste and deliver a powerful experience that hits the mark.

🚀 Bonus Round: Make It Hybrid

If you're using AV production for your in-person event anyway, why not go hybrid?

You’ll keep your wider audience engaged (without excluding them due to time, cost or distance), attract more sponsors and create a longer-lasting impact; all without needing a bigger venue, because it’s:

• More inclusive

• More sustainable

• Far less wasteful

And the best ROI you’ll get on your events and marketing…

💡 Backwards is the New Forwards

In short: start virtual to get smart. Then go in-person with purpose.

We’re not just talking about saving money (though that’s a big plus). We’re talking about creating experiences that actually work for your people, your brand and your bottom line.

So if you're planning your next event and wondering where to begin, let’s chat. We’ll help you deliver a world-class event — designing a journey that’s strategic, sustainable, engaging and absolutely unforgettable.

🟢 Need a workflow guide or want to chat through your event plans?

Drop us a line – we're always here to help  📩 Contact us or reach out to Franco directly.