The way of the world is fast, prompt and immediate. For the most part, the days of shuffling between offices, branches, cities and countries have been replaced by the overall convenience of the internet. We talk, meet and confer via this medium because it is cost effective and efficient, allowing us to consolidate paperwork and diminish travel. Emotional intelligence keeps us sensitive to the needs of an ever-evolving work world and the internet has been a catalyst in that regard.
Why Webinars?
We see this improvement even in areas of learning and tutelage, specifically in webinars. With the ability to reach a vast audience without the constraints of time and location, more and more companies are opting to produce webinars to market products and/or services, as well as supplement training. Now that there is an increase in the demand for webinars, the onus is on the producers to set themselves apart from the droves.
Getting the Word Out
Marketing your webinar is tantamount in importance to the actual content of the webinar itself. You may have excellent ideas and a dynamic format but to render the webinar successful, people must be aware of its existence in the first place. You must make your webinar visible. Here are five tips to help:
- Choose your audience
In your promotion copy, clearly outline who will benefit the most from your webinar and the items that you plan to cover. This will let the reader know to whom the webinar is relevant, thus enabling him (or her) to share appropriately. - Practice, practice, practice
Like any live performance or production, a rehearsal gives you the opportunity to anticipate, isolate and correct hiccups. Ironing the kinks out before you go live makes for a better broadcast all together. Whenever possible, dry-runs help! - Think outside the box
You want your marketing efforts to be targeted but aggressive. Utilize all available social networks – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – and post sporadic reminders to register. You risk being construed as a nag when you hone in on just one avenue. Invitations via email are always direct, but shouldn’t drown the possible attendee’s inbox. Throw a dynamic flyer up on your official website, too.
- Give ‘em a webinar worm
Early registration specials are always appreciated and encouraged. Don’t dole them out like freebies per se, but strategically crafted deals like “Get 50% off your registration fee if you get a friend to join!” or “Enter this code, only available on our Facebook page, by XXX to receive 10% off registration fees!” are good places to start.
- They’ve got questions, you should have answers
While almost everything about a webinar is remote, the audience and presenters still comprise humans and that element should never be neglected. Advertise a dynamic post webinar Q&A segment – attendees are stimulated and don’t feel lectured-to and they are more likely to share you around if their experience is positive.
These are just a few ideas to get you started down the road of webinar success. While this is a primer, it’s important to keep in mind that there are many more things you can do to achieve a greater, more loyal audience. However, the aforementioned points are a great way to get a head start on spreading the word on your webinar.
Abby Evans is a writer for Jobs.ca, and loves to learn all she can about the job hunt. She is an avid blogger that writes on everything, from social media tips to searching for Toronto Jobs.