Remember your excitement in elementary school when the teacher wheeled out the TV car? Even if it was likely to be some boring science video or history film, at least you weren’t reading aloud from the textbook or hovering over another mindless worksheet.
Same old information … but in a new and exciting way.
Think about webinars as the TV cart of the internet age. You’re not saying anything different than what you’d say in a blog post. But you’re presenting it to your audience in a more interesting way.
Webinars are a big deal. An InsideSales.com study shows that 73% of business-to-business marketers and sales leaders say webinars are the best way to produce high-quality leads.
If you want to add this marketing tool to your stockpile, here are some tips to maximize webinars’ payoff for your small business.
Go Live
Many webinars are pre-recorded and pushed out to viewers at a specific time. This can make it easier from a production standpoint – you can edit out any verbal flubs, for example – but it lacks in audience engagement.
Consider doing a live webinar. You’ll be able to answer your audience’s questions in real time and provide a better all-around experience for those watching. “Ums” and “Ahs” are easily forgiven as long as you provide great information and keep people engaged.
Keep It Going
As great as a live webinar can be, we all have different schedules. Some people might not be able to attend it in real time. But don’t leave out people with other obligations!
Host the webinar on your website and continue to post links to it on your social media accounts. Encourage latecomers to still ask questions and/or give you feedback. Consider sending an email linking to the webinar replay to people who registered but didn’t. And conduct a follow-up Q&A on Twitter and/or Facebook about a month after the webinar to keep it fresh in everyone’s minds.
Capitalize on Your Guest Speakers’ Audiences
Guest speakers are perfect for webinars. They provide a different perspective, share expert information you might not have and can lend more credibility to your small business.
Here’s one more big thing they can do: expand your reach! If you choose to use a guest speaker in your webinar, ask them to share it with their audience too. The more people who hear your collective message, the better!
Repurpose Your Webinar
Your webinar isn’t over just because your webcam is turned off and your audience has left the (virtual) building. It still has very real potential. Don’t let it sit and stagnate; repurpose it!
Go over your script and slides to find the most important information. Then, create a blog post or infographic from it. Did any unanticipated topics of discussion pop up during the live chat or Q&A? Use them to create additional content. When you think of your webinar as a jumping-off point rather than a destination, you can easily find ways to get more bang for your buck.
Make the Most of Your Next Webinar!
Webinars are a great way for small businesses to reach big audiences. But don’t just film it and forget it! When you find ways to engage your viewers, keep your message fresh in their minds, expand your reach and squeeze even more content out, your next webinar can achieve fantastic results!
Whether you like to be in front of the camera or behind the scenes, Mischa Communications has a strategy that can put your small business in the spotlight. Let’s get started!