A webinar is something that every digital entrepreneur has heard of or attended. With Facebook jumping on the wagon with the live streaming feature, the trend for webinars is now on a rising trajectory.
Despite its popularity, many entrepreneurs create webinars without proper planning or focus because it has become the “marketing tool of the moment.” Our webinar training program will guide you through the process of creating a webinar by helping you consider your goals for your business.
How can a webinar benefit my business?
Live webinars are a great way for companies to build brand authority and connect with brand-new buyers. You can also use webinars to train or onboard existing customers as a value-added service or to upsell something to them.
The best webinars are usually for B2B companies, bloggers, SaaS providers, and small business owners.
Webinar hosting tips: 6 essentials
The number of leads you can get from a webinar can be hundreds (or even more) if it is well-marketed. Paid webinars can also make money for niche audiences interested in learning from bloggers and thought leaders. The following general tips will help you deliver a successful webinar to any audience:
1. Make smart scheduling decisions
Attending webinars on weekends is unlikely to be of interest to business-to-business audiences. There is no better day for them than Wednesdays as well as Thursdays. Whenever possible, you should try to reach your audience somewhere between their respective time zones.
Generally, 11 am and 2 pm local time work well in the United States. Most viewers would rather watch a replay than attend the event live, so don’t let schedules get in the way.
2. Make sure you are prepared
To avoid stumbling over words, webinar leaders should prepare thoroughly, so they don’t read from a script.
In place of this, you should outline your presentation in detail with much time for audience interaction and questions. Furthermore, it would help if you always practice using the software you will be using.
Your webinar day should not be filled with surprises. Familiarize yourself with your online invitation maker if you haven’t used it before.
3. Establish your goals
Contact us today if you’re looking to grow your email list, improve your sales process, or better market your product to new audiences. Discover how powerful user-generated content can be for customer acquisition and marketing.
If paid registration is your goal, you’ll want to ensure you set clear objectives and plans. By mapping out your course structure, crafting the right content, and setting strategic promotions in place, you’ll be able to generate revenue with your paid events.
4. Time should be set aside for questions
Approximately 80% of marketers engage webinar audiences with Q&A questions. If possible, consider pausing the presentation so questions can be answered or leaving time after the presentation ends. You can also use video templates to create an interactive experience for your audience by incorporating live polling, chat, and surveys.
5. Take your audience by surprise
Adding a surprise element to events can be a great way to add variety and attract more attendees. You could surprise your guests with an exclusive download or guest speaker or offer a discounted ticket. This will make the event even more memorable.
6. One thing you should take away from this
Audiences don’t always get what you want them to from your content. Sometimes, it means sharing a worksheet or handouts with them, editing the call to action, or having a customized and clear ending.
Promoting webinars: how to do it
Promote your webinar early and often to get the best numbers. Registrations should begin around 3-4 weeks before the big day to potentially reach around 15%.
To ensure everyone who says they are attending does, you need to keep prompt people with reminders until the event starts.
For every 100 registrants, we can expect that between 25 and 33 people will attend your event. Instead of giving up on them, they’ve already registered for your event and opted into the mailing list. Afterward, you could send a link to the webinar recording or contact them with special offers.
The best way to promote your webinar is by using the following channels:
By email
It’s important to ask your subscribers to RSVP to your event the right way. Re-send emails to recipients who haven’t opened them by the time of your event, and make sure you’re inviting your existing subscribers. What are some other great promotional channels?
One of the best ways to generate warm leads is with webinars. If you don’t already have a large email list, this is one way you can still get qualified leads.
Prepare in advance for your webinar by promoting it on your social channels. Get your followers excited about the session by sharing sneak peeks and inviting them to ask questions. You can also create invitation by using any online invitation maker so that everyone can join your session. Consider offering your followers on social media a discount if you are holding a paid webinar.
Your website
Create links to registration and webinar information on your website. This will help generate demand for your webinar and make it easy to onboard new customers on your website.
You can use these strategies to attract and engage customers, including banner ads, blog posts, videos, and specialized landing pages.
Video
Videos are a great tool that can increase the likelihood of people clicking through to your website or filling out a form for your webinar. This can increase registration rates, whether you’re embedding them on your website, sharing them in email blasts, or posting them on social media and YouTube.
Alignment is the key
There has been a resurgence of webinar on demand in recent years. Besides being an effective marketing tool, they can also be used for other purposes. The right information, content, and tools can help your sales team close deals with prospects – but only if they have them.
