7 point checklist to deliver an awesome webinar

Reprinted from - https://www.therovingmarketer.com/post/7-point-checklist-to-deliver-an-awesome-webinar

Before I jump into listing the seven points, I want to explain why a webinar is more complicated than it may seem

Picture this.

It’s a busy day in the office or you may even be working from home. You are right in the middle of the action be it emails, calls, presentation etc. You get a pop-up reminder for a webinar you have signed up for through an email you received. It’s starting in fifteen minutes. You need to sign in to Zoom, Webex, MS Teams or whatever platform that is being used and you need to invest 30 minutes of your time for this webinar. You also have other deadlines at hand, calls to make, emails to send and an unending to-do list.

Given the above, what would motivate you to put everything aside and still attend the webinar? What would motivate you to INVEST thirty to forty-five minutes of your time and attention?

Stripped to its bare bones, a webinar helps people or organisations to showcase or pitch their ideas, products and services. Unlike an event, it has no other added attractions like an exotic location, great networking opportunities, flowing alcohol and entertainment. It’s the draw of the content, the way it is delivered and the possibility of gaining new insights & learnings that get people to attend a webinar - invest their precious time and attention for the stipulated duration.

The below list is a set of considerations that one needs to keep in mind to deliver a great experience to their attendees.

P.S: I am not touching upon the platforms that are available in this post as I think a lot of us have our preferences, but that said I believe the choice of platforms should be made solely based on ease of use and compatibility.

Let's begin

1. The Topic

This is the most important initial draw. The topic, summary and a clear agenda can set the tone for the webinar in the minds of the prospect. The best practice here is to position it as an opportunity to answer a burning or intriguing question. For example – Is work from home posing a bigger cybersecurity risk than offices? Or Does your investment strategy need a makeover?

Whatever the topic may be, it should seem like it is personal and should call out the value one can expect to derive or the challenge one can resolve by attending the webinar.

2. The Invitation Process

Email campaigns have time and again proven to be the leading tactic in driving registrations. In fact, in a survey conducted by a leading online meeting solution provider, it was pointed out that 57% of the registrations came from emails, followed by 15% through social media and 14% through blogs. The reason for this is that emails get undiluted attention, can be personalised and multiple rounds help in sharing the unique value propositions of the upcoming webinar.

Fair warning, Emails should be handled with care and there should be a plan in place to ensure that it doesn’t seem like spamming or just promotional. The invitation process should also be spread over sufficient time to allow for multiple messaging. Webinars shouldn’t be considered as aspirin that is popped when one has a headache (lack of demand, dropping sales numbers or new customers needed quickly)

3. Picking the Day and Time

Okay, so this one is a bit tricky. In a pre-pandemic era studies have shown that typically Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the most suitable for webinars. That said, in my experience, I have seen that different regions of the world prefer different timings. In the west, people usually come in early to work and leave by early afternoon. This reality changes in countries like India, where the commute takes a lot more time and effort. When people work from home, they have the added disadvantage of managing things around the house. If it is a business-related webinar, a rule of thumb I follow is anytime between Tuesday to Thursday from 11 AM to 4 PM works best (leaving time for lunch).

4. The Speaker

This is another key component in executing a successful webinar. Speakers have two aspects to them – the quality of insights and their speaking capabilities. Both are important and need to be considered when selecting a speaker. I have come across only a few speakers who ace both these aspects. In most cases, I have observed that an organisation selects a speaker based on seniority and more often than not there is a last-minute rush where the speaker tries to absorb the content and simply relay it, which is a less than efficient approach. I have also seen situations where the appointed speaker is unable to attend the webinar at the last minute and hence there is a rush to find a last-minute replacement, which in most cases doesn’t do justice to the webinar. If you're doing a webinar, practice your content and delivery multiple times. It's THE best way to get better at it, there is no magic pill.

5. The Content

It is important to ensure that the content is customised to the objective of the webinar. Sure, you can pick and choose slides from earlier decks and presentations, but eventually, there has to be a sequence and a context to every piece of information on these slides. Ask yourself the question – Why is this information here? Does it add value to the story I am trying to convey?

Speaking of stories, it’s a known fact that people are hooked to stories and that’s what engages them the most, especially when the idea or proposition is complex. Using a storytelling approach helps in simplifying things and one can either use them intermittently during the presentation or weave the content in such a way that it becomes a story, a journey in itself.

Some rules I follow while planning for a webinar – Max 10 slides to be covered in not more than 40 minutes of talking time + 20 minutes of Q&A. And yes, an aesthetically designed presentation loaded with insights (not just about the product, service or idea but more to aid the story)

6. Handling the Q&A

The question and answer section usually is a bit of an unknown, and hence worrisome territory. While most speakers answer the questions asked by the attendees in a straight forward manner, I think that the Q & A time can be used to smartly rehash the key points of the presentation discussed. This can happen only if the speaker has a strong grasp of the subject and the content. Thereafter weaving the key points into the answers by adding the right context becomes easier, thereby improving recall.

7. It’s not over when it’s over

Have you ever realised that your webinar might not be done and dusted when it ends? A recorded webinar becomes a new piece of content that can be sent out to those who were unable to attend it. It can be posted on social channels and even shared with key customers from similar target groups. Also never forget to circle back to your attendees for feedback on the webinar, but do not make it long-winding. Just keep the mechanism simple - probably just one question – that’s it.

Webinars are the essence of the season in current times, but doing it right is what makes all the difference. Also, webinars shouldn't be a one-time tactic, but a regular feature or a series that keeps engaging your prospects over time.