A webinar is an online presentation or event where a single speaker or small group deliver a presentation on a specific topic. From a basic webinar with a slide deck (PowerPoint) and a single speaker, to elaborate and interactive webinars with video, audience polls, social media streams, live Q&A, and multiple speakers, webinars are a relatively low-cost option to garner qualified leads.
From pre-webinar logistics to post-webinar follow-ups, here are some best practices to live by every step of the way.
Pre-Webinar
Define your audience
Is this a ‘101’ or introduction webinar, or a webinar specific to a product or service only someone with previous knowledge about your product would understand? Be sure to target and attract only those who your webinar holds value for.
Settle on a specific date relevant to your industryBe sure to choose a date that doesn’t coincide with a holiday or industry event. Moreover, statistics show Tuesday and Wednesday at 1 pm EST are the best times to host a webinar.
Choose the right speakers
Picking the right speaker can be tough, be sure to find a qualified presenter who is comfortable answering questions on the spot and can speak to both the history and future of your industry. Think about your audience, and craft your tone appropriately. The most engaging webinars are conversational.
Pick the right webinar format
Is your product better explained with a visual demo? Perhaps a webinar with video is best. Maybe your business could be better described via a panel-style conversation with multiple experts. Whichever you choose, be sure it easily and effectively represents your business and engages the attendees.
Promote, promote, promote
You’ve got the basics down, now it’s time to promote your webinar to a specific audience you already defined. It’s important to cross-promote as your budget/time allows. From organic social posts to publisher and association partnerships, use both free and paid platforms.
Live Webinar Day
Presentation
Aside from delivering what you promised in your promotions, your presentation must be engaging and interactive when possible. The use of live polling, Q&A, and especially video are great tools to involve and engage your viewers. An engaged view is much more likely to request more info about your products or service after the webinar.
Avoid glitches
While making sure your webinar goes smoothly is a task that has some uncertainty, you can put yourself in a position to succeed by anticipating glitches. Make sure you have each presenter print out their slides, talking points, and answers to basics questions. This way, if video cuts out, or slides stop working, everyone can still present and speak when it is their turn.
Provide more information
At the end of your webinar, provide attendees with an option to contact you for a consultation. Moreover, provide those who attended with an exclusive download for their time. This download works twofold, in that it keeps your business in their minds and further educates them on your products or service. Most webinar platforms will provide reporting on download actions by specific users, which will help you to score your leads and understand user needs.
Post-Webinar
Follow-up emails
It’s critical to reach out to both attendees and registrants who couldn’t attend with specific, but unique content. For your attendees, aside from thanking them for joining you, reiterate the consultation request and free download. For registrants who couldn’t attend, provide them with a link to the webinar they can watch on-demand, along with messaging stating you’re sorry you missed them during your webinar.
Check out our Battle Tested Checklist
Are you unsure of how to handle all the steps of producing a webinar? The team at Alexander + Tom can help – we’re experts in producing and implementing live webinars for clients across many industries.
