A webinar is a virtual conference held over the internet. Customers can see your presentation being delivered live over the Internet and follow along, ask questions, and learn about your services. Here are my top tips for holding a successful webinar.
You, Will, Get Better
I had no idea when I first started hosting webinars. It was all a little strange at first, and it took me two or three webinars to feel at ease. I was more at ease giving presentations in person, and it took me some time to adjust to giving presentations in front of a camera lens when holding a successful webinar.
When the lockdowns began in March 2020, I began performing more webinars because in-person activities were no longer possible. I started with one a month and gradually expanded the number until I was hosting over 5,000 people per month on live webinars. Holding a successful webinar doesn’t happen overnight.
So let’s start at the beginning…
Webinars are becoming more and more popular as a means to promote products, provide training sessions, and educate potential clients about your business. Keep these pointers in mind if you’re thinking of conducting a webinar but aren’t sure how to make it a success. Holding a successful webinar means getting this initial phase right.
Determine your webinar’s aims and objectives, and outline how you plan to achieve those goals.
To start, ask yourself:
- Who is my target audience?
- Is there a specific demographic I want to target?
- What do I hope to achieve from my webinar (i.e. generate leads, increase customer loyalty)?
- Is there a certain amount of sign-ups that I should aim for?
- What is the goal of the webinar?
- Is this an introduction to your company or a training session for employees?
What you want to achieve with the webinar will determine how you present it and who you invite to participate. Setting realistic goals will help you stay motivated along the way.
The key to holding a successful webinar is knowing ahead of time what content you’ll provide. Including key messages and how you intend to relate these messages to the webinar’s objectives.
Market Your Webinar
Determine how you’ll market your webinar ahead of time to guarantee that enough people sign up to make it viable. Many people are willing to join up for a webinar if they believe it will benefit them. Make a list of the people you want to reach out to and send them personalised invites that describe how attending the webinar will benefit them. Marketing is crucial to holding a successful webinar.
Make sure you have all of the essential technology and software to present your webinar, whether it’s on your PC or via another medium like Google hangouts. Consider engaging an independent provider to help you if you’re not sure how to use these technologies.
When the webinar day arrives, make sure everyone is aware of when it will take place and what they must do to join. This includes informing users of a Q&A session or a live chat room.
Update your website and social media profiles before the webinar to let people know you’ll be presenting.
Make an effort to communicate with guests as much as possible during the webinar by asking questions and replying to remarks. Engage with individuals in attendance if there is a chat room or other interactive aspect available. You can also utilise polls to gather instant feedback during your webinar.
After the webinar, make a point of thanking everyone who attended. Invite them to join your mailing list or other online community so you can keep in touch with them about upcoming events. Holding a successful webinar includes continued engagement post-event.
Measuring Your Results
Finally, don’t forget to gauge the success of your webinar by polling guests on their thoughts on the event. Find out what they enjoyed, what could have been better, and what you can improve on for the next time. This knowledge will assist you in putting on more successful events in the future.
Hosting a webinar is a fun way to communicate with potential consumers, but you should have realistic expectations for the outcomes. If you use the suggestions above, your next event will be even more successful than the last! This approach will help towards holding a successful webinar.
