Why are webinars important?
Since the 1990s, the webinar has been used as a valuable tool for companies looking to deliver value. This type of interactive platform has evolved over the years to become a juggernaut in the business world.
Victor Hugo is often credited with saying, “There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” This statement embodies the potential of webinars and how they can elevate your company.
As technology races forward, the business world (this includes you and your company) are all along for the ride. It is a well-known fact that webinars when they are well done, can change the game for you. They have a versatility that is unique in the business world. You can interact in real-time with your audience, without the expense and hassle of arranging the live audience.
Webinars give you a great medium to promote complex products and provide valuable information to clients or prospects. This is also a powerful way to generate new leads for your company.
So why are webinars important? They allow you to add value, both to the attendees of your webinar and your company.
How do I choose between a webinar and a live event?
Today, most of the time, a webinar is chosen as the medium for training or education purposes over a live, in-person meeting or conference. Why is this the case? There are many reasons why companies would choose the webinar option over the live event option.
The financial costs of hosting a live event are the most obvious reason that you choose a webinar instead of a live event. It is far less expensive to put on a webinar than it is to rent a physical location, hire catering and put together the training packets. By listing a free webinar, you can have the same impact and value-added to the participants but without the exorbitant cost of the live event.
Another deciding factor could be the logistics of the operation. If cost isn’t an issue, the logistics and timing of arranging the event you are looking to host in person may not be worth the effort. You may lose some of the effectiveness of your event by doing it in a webinar format, but you can optimize your time invested and maximize your dollars spent.
Will your event have many international participants? This could be an important factor in your decision. Webinars have the benefit of living in digital space, which is accessible through an internet connection. No flights, no customs. For international participants, free webinars remove a lot of the barriers that could stop them from attending.
How can I make sure my webinar is effective?
There are many resources available to lay out what is necessary to deliver an effective webinar. Here are some of the most important factors in delivering a high-quality, effective webinar.
Deliver an engaging experience. Companies today are looking for engagement. Their customers want it. You can give it to them. Leverage the tools built into the webinar’s structure to make the experience as engaging as possible. Questionnaires and live surveys, even contests or prizes (your own products of course!) will drive the level of interaction through the roof and will have the attendees talking about your webinar for days.
Position yourself as the expert. The layout and design of the webinar gives you the opportunity to position yourself as an expert in your field. Don’t waste it. Deliver engaging and high-quality content. You should showcase your expertise and leave no doubts about your abilities.
Create an environment that generates leads. Invite and nurture new leads through your webinar. This could be through a targeted invitation approach. Invite only those who you have a good chance of being a possible lead. Cater your content towards adding value to the potential new leads. This will create an incentive for them to get to know more about you, what you do and how it could benefit them. If the experience is top-notch, they will likely talk about it as well, creating the best lead generator of all, word-of-mouth buzz.
Become a valuable resource for your clients. By making sure you are providing resources and actionable steps after the webinar, you continue to add value to your webinar attendees after the webinar is over. These resources will have them coming back for more the next time you host an event.
Use a proven webinar provider. This is an important tip. There could be the ever-present urge to spend the least amount of money as possible. There are free webinar software apps out there and while they work, they don’t provide the best experience available. Remember, that at times, it pays to pay. When you are looking to provide a great, engaging experience, use a reputable, experienced platform for your webinar. Zoom and GoToWebinar are great services that will provide high-quality, dependable services.
Properly promote your webinar. Use all the tools at your disposal to promote your webinar. Social media promotion is a must. Use every promotional resource you have available to you to maximize attendance. This will allow you to maximize your impact in the webinar as well as your bottom line through the leads you generate.
Webinar Listing. What do I need to consider?
Where do I put my webinar listing? Do I list it as a free webinar? Listing your webinar as a free webinar has some major upsides to it.
When you list a free webinar, you open the door for many people to attend. People who potentially would have never attended in the first place. This gives you a large pool of prospects that you can add value to through your webinar and generate new leads.
Tellonline.org is a great example of a site that can host and list your webinars. If you follow the tips here and partner with a company like tellonline.org for listing and hosting services, there is no limit to the reach of your webinar.
