Over the last year, we all got very familiar with our webcams. From online meetings to virtual sales pitches, plenty of people have become comfortable connecting and running their businesses remotely.
Even in a post-pandemic world with more events taking place in-person, online webinars are still a great tool for business owners looking to generate new leads. Read on to find out the benefits and get some tips on how to run your first webinar.
Benefit 1: Establish Authority
The first perk you get to enjoy from hosting online webinars is increased credibility.
When you host a webinar and share your knowledge about a specific topic, you get to establish yourself as an authority figure within the industry. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that people will trust you and want to invest in your products or services.
If they view you as an authority figure and a reliable source of information, in addition to being more interested in buying your products or services for themselves, your audience may also be more inclined to recommend your business to their friends and family.
Benefit 2: Expand Your Audience
If you’re looking to generate more leads and grow your business, you need to increase the number of people you’re exposing to your products or services. Webinars make it easy for you to reach dozens or even hundreds of people at once.
When you use the right webinar technology, you can connect with potential customers from all over the world. You’re no longer limited to just the people who live in your area, and you don’t have to worry about using your business’s valuable resources to travel to new locations.
Benefit 3: Learn More About Your Audience
Not only do webinars help you to expand your reach and grow your audience, but it also gives you a chance to learn more about the people who are interested in your brand.
Webinars allow you to hear directly from the source using a variety of techniques. For example, you can use polls or offer a Q&A session at the end of the event.
The more information you gather, the easier it will be for you to build stronger relationships and fine-tune your message. Then, you can do a better job in the future of targeting the people who are most likely to buy what you’re selling.
Benefit 4: Enrich Your Online Content
When most business owners think of online content, they think of things like blog posts, infographics, and videos. These are all great marketing tools, but they’re not the only options available for promoting your business online.
By hosting webinars, you’re able to offer a different type of online content and connect with your audience in a new and highly engaging way.
Potential customers might not be interested in sitting down and reading a blog post or watching a video. However, being an active participant in a live webinar might be the right option to get them interested.
As a bonus, you can also make the replays available later. You could sell the replay on your website or you could offer it as a free download when people sign up for your email list.
Benefit 5: Simplify the Sales Process
Webinars can also simplify the sales process.
These online events allow you to combine several stages of the sales process (building trust, delivering value, responding to potential objections, etc.) into one event. This can speed things up and help you close the deal (and see a return on your investment) faster.
How to Create a Great Online Webinar
Okay, you’re convinced that hosting webinars is a good idea. Now, let’s touch on the steps you need to take to host an effective one that helps you see these benefits.
Here are some tips to follow to ensure you’re putting on a great virtual event:
Prioritize Production Quality
The better your webinar looks and sounds, the more likely people are to respond positively to it.
Start with a high-quality webcam that provides you with a clear picture, and consider using an ethernet cable rather than wi-fi so you don’t have to worry about connectivity issues. It’s best to record from a soundproof room, too. That way, you don’t have to deal with any unnecessary background noise.
It’s best to use an external microphone if you have one. This will provide you with better sound and will ensure your audience can hear you clearly.
Create an Engaging Presentation
Make your webinar engaging to keep people’s attention and prevent them from clicking away before it’s over.
Your presentation should feature a variety of elements to keep your audience interested. For example, share video clips, tell stories, include quizzes and mini-tasks for the audience to complete, etc.
Be Conversational
When delivering your message and sharing information with your audience, keep your tone casual and conversational.
Most people don’t respond well to being lectured like they’re in a college classroom. They also don’t want to feel that you’re talking down to them.
Use the word “you” a lot so your audience feels that you’re talking directly to them. Don’t be afraid to use humor, too, or share personal stories and examples to make yourself more relatable.
Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse
Finally, don’t forget to rehearse your presentation before the big event. Some people do fine just winging it the day of. For most, though, it’s better to practice beforehand.
Rehearsing helps you to feel more comfortable sharing information and connecting with your audience. It also gives you a chance to test out the technical elements of the webinar and make sure your video clips and other elements work properly.
Time to Host Your First Webinar
As you can see, there are lots of reasons why you ought to consider hosting an online webinar as part of your lead generation strategy.
If you’re ready to crush your first webinar, keep the tips outlined above in mind. They’ll help you stay organized, host an awesome event, and get more people interested in what your business has to offer.
