Recently, lifewire.com released an article explaining websinars are one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience, educate people, confirm sales and make money. Webinars are absolutely everywhere online at the moment but few people know how to plan and execute them really well. Whilst webinars might seem complicated to execute, using a simple methodology with strict deadlines can allow you to create your own webinar cycle that you can put into practice again and again. Here are nine simple steps to show you how to plan and present a successful, engaging webinar that will leave your viewers wanting more.
1.Plan your content
First, you need to decide exactly what your webinar is going to focus on. Keeping it specific is better than having a wide range of information available to your viewers.
According to the team at myownconference.com, it’s recommended to start with a simple blueprint which details the main points your webinar will touch upon. Get everything down on paper and then shuffle things around into a coherent order. Try to pack a lot of information in on a specific topic, but in bitesized pieces which can be shared and absorbed quickly. Part of planning your content is also selecting a title that is practical, interesting and informative. It should show potential viewers exactly what you’re going to be talking about and what they can gain from it by attending.
2.Schedule your webinars
The first part of scheduling your webinar is to determine a timeline. If you’re developing your webinar as a side hustle around a full-time job, you need to take that into account when deciding how long the planning and preparation will take you. Also, work out what webinar service you are going to be using and if they offer different slots in multiple time zones. This will all help you determine your timeline for planning and then you can set some dates in stone for you to actually present your webinar.
3.Source the right audience and get the word out
Working out your audience is one of the top things you need to do when preparing for your webinar. Marketing your webinar to the wrong audience can be an instant fail, so think carefully about what you’re offering and what kind of people might be interested in it. After deciding who your target audience is, you need to prepare email marketing campaigns to get the word out and set your registration and email list goals.
4.Prepare your visual content i.e. your powerpoint
Using an aesthetically pleasing powerpoint is imperative when creating a successful webinar. Keep the textual content on the powerpoint to a minimum, using bullet points as a display and a guide for the reader whilst they are listening to the audio explanation. Studies have shown that 30 – 40 seconds is the longest time period you should keep one slide on the screen, so if you have a lot to say on one particular topic, keep the slides moving as you do so.
5.Prepare your audio script
Audio speech during a webinar is what gives us the bulk of our information, it gives us explanations into visual flowcharts, diagrams and generally gives us more information but keep it brief. Your notes should be concise and allow no time for waffling.
6.Audience participation
Make sure you work in elements of audience participation to your webinar, tell your viewers you want them to get involved, answer brief questions in the comment section and get them engaged and chatting. One strong aspect of webinars is to offer a free document that viewers can download once they finish the webinar, this will keep them engaged and looking forward to the free material at the end.
7.Begin registration for your webinars
You should have a well-designed registration landing page for viewers to sign up. This page should be shared to your pre-built email list and on social media. Once you kick off registration, track your metrics on a daily basis to make sure you’re on top of your goals. If you’re not, adjust your marketing techniques.
8.Practice, practice, practice!
When rehearsing, take into account the time it takes for slide transitions or videos within your webinar, as well as time for audience to respond if you are using audience participation techniques such as asking them to answer a question in the comments section.
9. Host your webinar
It’s time to put all of your hard work into practice, remembering to stick to your script and include everything you need to. As you get to the end of your webinar, remember to round things off by promoting a paid service or product that you hope to convert to a sale. Finally, send a thank-you email out to viewers 24-48 hours after you host to show you appreciated their time.
There are so many different topics you can host your webinar on, do your research before you begin, look into what webinars are already currently available and which topics have high attendance rates. I’d highly recommend signing up to a few yourself and analysing what they do well. Whatever your webinar is going to be about, you now have the tools to make it a success.
