Why and when should you offer a webinar?
Many companies are using the webinar format to meet with clients and prospective clients around the globe; it is a cheap and effective way to interact with more than one customer at a time.
Too keep your webinars interesting and your clients engaged, you should only organize one when you have a good reason, such as:
- When you have a clear message you want to transmit.
- When you have something new to show or a message to reinforce that cannot be said in a newsletter, post, or press release.
- When you want to get feedback from your clients or audience.
A webinar is the easiest way to showcase your solution, but keep in mind that successful webinars often only have a few attendees. You can’t always expect your entire target audience to attend.
Make sure your website comprises all the features of your solution and has some kind of visual, whether it’s a demo, video, screenshots, or animated gifs.
3 tips for a successful webinar
1 webinar = 1 message = 1 target
Group your audience and call each one of your audience groups to a different webinar. Do not try to mix them, even if your groups are small. Remember that “small” is also known as “exclusive.”
Have only one message and one goal per webinar, exactly the same as in your newsletters. Focus all your attention and efforts to get to that goal. Some examples might be:
- Teach a new feature
- Get ideas for new features
- Outline your solution for new customers
- See how a group of clients react to a new idea
- “Non-product” sales: offer a taste of your consulting, teaching, methods, etc.
Creating an agenda that will speak directly to your target
Stop thinking as the creator of a SaaS, the coolest designer, or the editor of the best online magazine ever, and as you prepare your webinar think like one of your clients instead. What do they want to see? Why should they attend? How will the webinar benefit them? Why should they come back to you? Structure the webinar around the message you want to send but from the perspective of your audience.
Create participative dynamics to avoid dropouts
If you have attended a webinar, you know how painful it is to watch the number of attendees slowly drop during the meeting. To avoid that, show your agenda at the beginning so people know what’s coming up next, and create at least two participatory moments for the audience, one of them early on.
Don’t show all your cards at the beginning. Think of your webinar as a TV show or a movie, and leave the best for the end.
Depending on the circumstance, it might be a good idea to introduce the attendees.
What should you avoid?
- Webinars longer than 30 minutes.
- Large Groups: Try to have small groups so the participants can interact.
- Interruptions: Make sure to leave a time for attendees to interact with you, and dedicate specific time during the presentation for questions.
- Repetition: After writing and preparing all the images for your webinar, repeat it in your head, make modifications, read it out loud, and then make more changes.
What webinar platform should you use?
There are a lot of great platforms that will allow you to have a free webinar. Here’s some advice of what you should take into account when deciding which will be best for you:
- Number of attendees: If you are using a free version, make sure that it allows more users than you expect.
- Easy to use: Attendees need to focus on what you are going to tell them, not on how to login and sign up for the webinar. Choose a tool that has an easy registration and login process.
- Real-time Screen sharing and powerful VoIP: Do a test with some friends, co-workers, or WeWork friends to make sure the screen sharing in the chosen interface is fast and has all the tools you need, just like a white board.
- Recording: Always record your webinars, and as football players do, watch the game afterward. Write down the mistakes you made so you can improve them the next time around.
- Remember that only 10 percent or less of the people you invite will attend.
- Customized branding: When people attend the webinar, they should see your logo and other customized features. It is not compulsory, but it gives your audience confidence and shows that you are professional.
- Video for participants: If you are looking for a lot of interaction from your audience, it might be useful to see them too.
- Mobile app: For audience members who get trapped in traffic jams – seriously – the easier the operation is, the more success you will have.