Want to boost brand loyalty? Host a game-changing webinar

If you’ve ever watched a webinar before, it was probably because:

• a. You’re a big fan of the brand who hosted it.
• b. The title of the webinar was intriguing enough to make you sign up.
• c. Both of the above.

 

The common denominators here? Successful webinars always have a target audience, and they centre on common issues those audience members face. Ultimately, when done right, webinars offer game-changing chances to reach new audience members while building relationships with existing ones.

 So why not host your own?

Here’s how your organization can pull off a super successful webinar that your target audience will love!

Pick a topic your audience can’t resist

If you know your target audience, you’ll understand what challenges they face on a daily basis. It’s essential to select a webinar topic your audience can’t turn down. And once the webinar starts, stay on topic – nobody wants to sit through an hour-long sales pitch, after all. People want new insights, data and learnings that offer them real value.

Decide on the points you want to cover, then create a simple outline for your presentation. Stuck on how to organize everything? Go back to the basics – it’s all about having a beginning, middle and end:

• Do your introduction – who are you and why should your audience value your opinion?
• Give your viewers a general overview of what your webinar will cover.
• Explain each point using visual aids to clarify (and entertain).
• Sum up your presentation – what’s the main takeaway for your audience?
• Leave time for a Q&A. Interactivity is key for engagement!

 

Get the right tools

Start by identifying the best webinar-hosting platform for your brand. There are tons of options like Adobe, GoToWebinar and Zoom. Just double-check how many users can join your webinar at one time – some platforms require you to pay more in order to increase your attendee capacity.

Make registration a breeze

Streamline the webinar sign-up process by using a tool like Instapage, Eventbrite or Mailchimp to register attendees. 

Once people sign up, send them a few email reminders prior to the webinar. Provide a direct link to the presentation to make it super easy for registrants to attend!

Put your digital marketing skills to the test

Create interest and intrigue around your webinar by sharing the sign-up page on social media, through your e-newsletters and on your blog. Think up a few good hooks and spread the word! You might even consider running digital ads if you believe the ROI is worth it.

If the topic is truly relevant to your audience, it shouldn’t be hard to get sign ups – and if people are slow to respond, take it as a sign that your topic might need some retooling.

Look good on camera

Many webinars don’t actually feature video footage of the presenters – it’s all about showing off a great-looking slideshow presentation! If you’re not a graphic designer – or just want a really quick and easy option – use slideshow templates to make your entire presentation picture-perfect. Canva has beautiful (and free) templates that are super simple to use.

You’ll be sharing your screen with the whole internet, so make sure you don’t have any confidential (or cringe-worthy) information visible! Turning off notifications is also a good pre-webinar practice. You never know what kind of messages or emails could pop up during your presentation!

Don’t forget your secret weapon

The key to running a smooth webinar? Have a script!

There’s no need to worry about blanking out or fumbling over your words if you write a script beforehand. Just leave some room for improvisation – you want to sound human, after all.

Get the whole team involved

Hosting a webinar is a real team effort. Get your coworkers to watch the webinar in real-time to ensure everything is running smoothly – it can be difficult for hosts to monitor tech issues while also doing a presentation! Having a practice run can also help you catch issues beforehand.

During the actual webinar, have someone monitor the chat feature so questions don’t get missed, and get someone to live-tweet the whole event – it’s a great way to create social media engagement while bringing in extra traffic.

Post-webinar, make sure to recycle

Don’t forget to record your webinar while it’s happening! After it’s all said and done, you can get the most out of your presentation by recycling it into a piece of owned content:

• Send out the video to attendees in case they weren’t able to make it.
• Upload it to your YouTube channel.
• Share it on your social media accounts.
• Embed it into a blog post.

 

The best thing about webinars is that they aren’t one-day only events – you can repurpose them for years to come.

Need help planning your first webinar? Get in touch with us!