Webinars are a great tool for small business marketing. You can reach a very broad audience for very little cost. You can then use the webinar as content on your website and break it down to post short form content on social media. The trick is getting people to attend your webinar – because then you have their name and email to send more marketing to them.
Here are some quick tips to host a webinar that people want to attend and will keep people coming back.
Pick a Topic and Stick to It
Last year I signed up for a webinar and was mortally disappointed. All the advertising talked about how the speaker was an Instagram growth expert and how she had grown her business on that. She spoke about how to create an online course – a course that was provided to 90% of the attendees for free. You want people to trust that you will talk about what is advertised. Let people know what you plan to discuss. Don’t pull a bait and switch – you will loose credibility.
Talk for Half the Time, Answer Questions for Half
People are joining your webinar to have their questions answered – not listen to you talk. If you give you attendees a chance to ask questions you will see a larger return audience. If you are looking to sell a product or service after the webinar – you do not need to give away your value proposition. Know what you are comfortable revealing before you start the webinar and don’t be afraid to state that certain questions are answered in your consulting, book, online course, or whatever it is you are selling.
Use Graphics
Gone are the days of long bullet points or paragraphs on a slide. Give your attendees graphics that show what you’re discussing and will trigger their memory later. You want people to listen to what you are saying – not be reading ahead of you. Most people will read the text on their screen and then focus in to what you are talking about.
Ensure You have Quality Audio and Video
People will quickly log out of a webinar that has more than 3 technical issues. Do a test run at the time and place you will be hosting your webinar the day or two before to ensure your systems are working. Have a back up plan for your internet connection and audio options.
Provide Value
Your attendees are giving up their time and their emails to you. Provide them with value in return. I know that most webinars are hosted so that a company can sell a product or service but make that the last 5 minutes of your webinar. Make sure your attendees can walk away with at least one tangible action item – not just your sales pitch.
This will encourage people to come back to your other webinars and gain you better leads down the road.