Which is best: Webinars, Challenges, Courses or Conferences?

After 2 years of running our Microsoft 365 Training Academy (Collab365 Academy), we've come to a stark conclusion:

Different people like to learn in different ways.

Why do I say that?

Looking into our analytics, we can see:

• Some people will log in and complete our "on-demand" training; others don't.
• Some people log in to the Collab365 Academy to take part in the discussions; others don't.
• Some people attend live, one-hour training events; others don't.
• Some people love our multi-day conferences; others don't.
• Some people love our 5-Day Challenges; others don't.
• Some people love reading ebooks; others don't.

Even in our team meeting this morning, we showed differences in how we'd prefer to consume training. For example, Fraser likes to read, Connor enjoys learning by video, and I prefer something in my diary that forces me to book out time.

To formalize the groups of people we've identified...

The Learning Palette: Diverse and Demanding

Our exploration into the world of digital education has illuminated a truth - learning is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Each learner's path is influenced by their preferences, schedules, and the unique way they engage with content. Herein lies our challenge:

• On-Demand Advocates: Seekers of knowledge who prefer learning at their own pace, pausing, reflecting, and diving deep into subjects at midnight or dawn, as their curiosity dictates.
• Webinar Warriors: Those who carve out time from their bustling schedules for live, interactive sessions that offer real-time engagement with experts and fellow learners.
• Challenge Chasers: Learners who thrive on competition and structured learning, where every day is a mission to be accomplished, bringing a sense of progress and immediate achievement.
• Conference Comrades: Individuals who long for the deep dive, the multi-day journey of exploration, networking, and comprehensive learning that only conferences can provide.

So, given that different people like different formats and delivery, this question has been bothering me since the back end of last year.

"How do we cater to the myriad of ways in which people learn, without needing to double our team size?".

Let's face it, if money was no object and we had a team of 1000, then we'd simply get to work and offer Webinars, Conferences, Challenges, Courses, and Ebooks for all of our training. Simple.

Obviously, we can't do that, so we have to look for smarter ways to show up where people want us without impacting the quality of content. If we're all spending time delivering the training, then who is creating it? Who is running the business operations, marketing, sales, etc.?

>> If you're interested in how we produce our weekly webinars, read this newsletter.

To try to find a solution, I started looking at how others were doing this, so I joined a lot of mailing lists. It turns out 2 of the most well-known marketing people were inviting me to Webinars and Challenges, which were being delivered in something called "Webby". (If you're interested, the 2 people were Russell Brunson and Frank Kern).

So, I set about investigating Webby and found out that it's actually just the app (like when you download Zoom) for 2 products called WebinarFuel and ChallengeFuel.

What is WebinarFuel and Why is it Useful to Us?

• All-In-One Automated Webinar Software: WebinarFuel offers a very cool automated webinar platform that improves on the limitations of traditional "video on a webpage" setups. It provides an immersive experience that closely mimics live webinars, both on the web and mobile, designed to significantly enhance user engagement and their experience.
• Real Webinar Feel: Unlike other platforms that simply play a video, WebinarFuel creates an environment that feels like a live event. This is achieved through a playback environment tailored for a superior user experience and has better watch times that other options.
• Ease of Use: The platform simplifies the webinar process into three easy steps: record once, automate for 24/7 availability, and scale without manual intervention, making it incredibly user-friendly.
• Versatile Delivery Options: Offers flexibility in how webinars are delivered—through a custom app for optimal engagement or directly in a browser for accessibility. It even allows for split testing between these delivery methods to find what works best for your audience.
• Dynamic Registration Widgets: Customize your webinar registration process with buttons, floaters, bars, and more. It includes options for capturing leads early in the registration process through a "2 step" widget, allowing for extensive customization to improver our sign-up process.
• Auto-Play Webinars: WebinarFuel ensures your webinars start automatically at the scheduled time, removing the need for attendees to press play. This feature enhances the live feel of the webinar, contributing to better engagement and conversion rates.
• Live Chat Simulation + Filters: The platform offers robust live chat simulation features, including keyword filters to enhance the live event feel. This interaction can lead to higher engagement and conversions. The cool thing here is we can jump in on any running event and be there to answer questions when they come in.
• Customizable Thank You Pages: Control the post-registration experience with customizable thank you pages, including widgets that tailor content based on how long before an event someone registers.
• Webinar Split-Testing: Easily test different aspects of your webinar without having to recreate it from scratch. This includes testing different videos, offers, and schedules to see what resonates most with your audience.
• Traffic Source Analysis: Track the effectiveness of webinars across different traffic sources without setting up separate events for each source, thanks to simple tagging and analytics breakdowns.
• Advanced Automations and Notifications: Set up complex automations for follow-ups based on attendee actions, such as sending reminders or offers, through integrated email, SMS, and push notifications.

Running a live webinar involves juggling numerous tasks simultaneously, a process that can be incredibly demanding. Typically, due to the sheer amount of effort and resources required, such events might only be feasible once a month. This limitation constrains our ability to engage with our members in the ways and frequencies they prefer, potentially hindering our service quality. WebinarFuel and ChallengeFuel revolutionize this dynamic by automating the cumbersome aspects of webinar management. This automation frees us up to focus on what truly matters—being present for our members when they need us most.

What's ChallengeFuel?

In essence, ChallengeFuel extends the capabilities of WebinarFuel into the realm of multi-day challenges. This platform enables us to resurrect popular offerings like our 5-Day Vacation Booking Challenge. Participants can join cohorts that progress through the challenge together, day by day, fostering a sense of community and shared achievement. This approach not only simplifies the logistical complexities but also enhances the learning experience by creating an engaging, structured journey for our members.

Where have we got upto with WebinarFuel and ChallengeFuel?

We're on an exciting trajectory! Just yesterday, we secured both platforms and have hit the ground running. Our initial tests included a series of trial webinars and even the setup of a comprehensive conference using these innovative tools.

Our immediate plans are poised to elevate our engagement and learning opportunities:

• Launching Intranet Insights with ChallengeFuel: We're gearing up to utilize ChallengeFuel for an in-depth exploration into Intranet Insights, promising a unique, interactive learning experience.
• Expanding Reach with SharePoint Intranet Webinar: By leveraging WebinarFuel, we aim to reintroduce our SharePoint Intranet Webinar to an even broader audience, breaking previous attendance records. See my newsletter about this.
• Revitalizing the 5-Day Power Platform Challenge: With ChallengeFuel, we're bringing back the fan-favorite 5-Day Power Platform Challenge. This time, it's not just about participating; it's about experiencing it together, with our full support every step of the way.

These steps are just the beginning of our journey with these tools, setting the stage for a more connected, interactive, and impactful learning environment for all our members.

If you are interested in looking to do similar, then here are the links. I also signed up as an affiliate ??

• ChallengeFuel
• WebinarFuel