10 Tips to Getting The Most Out of Your Webinar
Want to get more out of your webinar? Well, you’ve come to the right place.
I built mine from scratch and turned it into a serious revenue-driving channel for my company. Below are 10 steps to help you make the most out of your webinar.
1. Start With The End Goal in Mind.
- What do you want to get out of this webinar?
- What do your attendees want to get out of this webinar?
Many webinars I’ve come across promise so much, but at the end simply just try to sell you their service. Give people something to hold on to, and make sure you are following through with your promises.
Once you’ve determined your main objective, you can make educated decisions. My goals in the webinar are two-fold:
- Create qualified leads for sales reps to easily close
- Create a unique and interesting experience (wow your audience)
Before making any decision or change, always ask yourself; will this help me reach my end goal?
2. Bring Value
How many times have you been on a webinar where the person just pitches their software and adds no value whatsoever?
Give your prospects actual tips and tricks to help them grow their initiatives. You need to make sure you are helping your prospects make good decisions and are bringing vital information to them. By taking this approach, you separate yourself from your competitors and prevent prospects from basing their decision on the cheapest option.
Remember that your prospects are not here to buy just any software. They want this software to solve their problems, and make them look good. In order to do this, you need to understand who your prospects is; which brings me to my next point.
3. Tailor Your Message.
Who are you speaking to?
Before every webinar begins, do some research to figure out who your audience will be.
It’s important to know who you are selling to, in order to resonate with people. This will allow you to bring relevant content, examples, and talking points that make sense.
The only way you’ll leave a lasting impression is if you understand your audience.
4. Write An Outline, Not a Script
When I first started doing webinars, I quickly realized the benefits of using an outline versus a script.
Make your webinar a conversation. Familiarize yourself with the information, and give yourself talking points. You don’t want to come across like a typical customer service guy who’s reading from a stale script.
5. Slow Down and Show Your Face
You need a radio voice and a television face. What do I mean by this?
I used to pack my webinars with so much information. I would blitz through the entire seminar, and by the end, my voice would be hoarse. Over time, I’ve found that I can better articulate my thoughts with fewer words and more concise ideas.
Next time you’re running through your webinar, try to take a complex concept and use as few sentences as possible. It’s difficult but worth it.
Use your voice to emphasize what is important — this will help to leave more of an impact with your audience. Speak in a way that prospects can understand, and take your time.
Showing your face is critical. When you show your face, you become human.
Once I started showing my face in my webinars, the engagement increased immensely. Smile, and make sure to remain friendly. You become more approachable when you are visible. Prospects will feel more comfortable asking questions and become a part of the discussion.
With that said, once you start showing your face, make sure to use an appropriate background. For example, I use brick as my backdrop; it’s modern, engaging, yet keeps my webinar professional.
6. Bring Water
You’ll be talking consistently for long periods. You want your presentation to be as smooth as possible.
I was on a webinar once where halfway through I got a dry throat cough and could barely speak. Luckily, my VP saw me in the conference room struggling with a coughing fit and ran to grab me a glass of water (shout out to Brad — thanks). Everyone in the webinar was very understanding and we were able to continue on efficiently. But now, I always make sure to have water by my side — just in case.
7. Answer Questions Throughout The Webinar
This is so so essential to keeping your prospects engaged. I find natural stopping points in my presentation (or water breaks) and check-in with my audience. “Hey guys, does anyone have any questions so far?”
It’s as simple as that. Once one person starts asking questions, others will chime in. It’s the ripple effect. You want your prospects to leave the webinar informed and therefore, able to make an informed decision.
8. Restate the Questions & Don’t Shy Away From Difficult Ones
When you do answer questions, make sure to do so mindfully.
You may read a message in an entirely different way than the person sending the message intended. To avoid confusion, I restate the question aloud in a generic way that is relative and therefore, resonates with as many people as possible.
Don’t shy away from tough questions. Answering the tough questions helps weed out the people who are serious about your service or product. You don’t just want to bring in leads; you want to make sure you’re bringing in quality leads.
If you don’t know the answer to a question, be honest! “Hey that’s a great question — I actually don’t have the answer to that, let me check with my team and get back to you.”
9. Use Chrome Extension OneTab
Chrome Extension OneTab will make your life so much easier. Never heard of it? Check it out here.
I highly recommend using this, as it will save you time and help you organize all of your tabs before your webinar. Pull it up 15 minutes ahead of time, quickly load everything you need (examples, links, etc.), and you’re ready to go!
10. Have a Clear Call To Action.
Every great salesperson understands that prospects need to know how to take the next step. Give them an email to follow up with, or a link to pursue. Don’t leave prospects hanging or confused about how to continue once the webinar is over.
This tip goes hand in hand with #1. Knowing precisely what you want to get out of this webinar is going to ensure you have a clear call to action at the end.