Q: I have listened to several webinars you have done with AT&T, Steve. It got me to thinking – how can I incorporate webinars into my business? — DM
A: Like you, I enjoy listening to and watching online webinars. For the uninitiated, a webinar, or web-seminar, is an interactive online speech.
Generally, it works this way:
You learn of a webinar and sign up to attend. At the appointed date and time, you surf over to the website and you will be instructed to click a link that will take you to the virtual “room” where the webinar takes place. You are also given a call-in telephone number. Enter the room and call the number. You will then be placed on a mass conference call where you listen to the lecture while following a visual presentation online.
They are easy: Webinars are easy in two ways:
1. Offering a webinar requires only that you have a great subject, a PowerPoint presentation, and a hosting service for the webinar. A simple Google search will yield a host of hosts who can help you put on and promote the event.
2. From the speaker’s perspective, a webinar is fairly easy because there is no travel involved, and as you are speaking on a phone, you can have as many notes as you like in front of you.
There are many reasons why you might want to try a webinar:
They add value: Offering a webinar, either on your own site or someone else’s, creates value for the participant. I do webinars for many companies and they frequently offer the webinarsfree to their best small business customers. It is an affordable way to create goodwill and customer loyalty, add value, and to stay top-of-mind.
They can be a nice profit center: You can make money two ways with a webinar. First, you can charge people to attend. If your topic is compelling enough, that works. Second, because webinars can be recorded, by recording yours, you are creating a product that you can sell and sell again for a long time.
They position you as the go-to expert: If you are the presenter, you must be an expert, right? Another option is to bring in other experts to your site and offer them to your customers.
For example, I have listened to many fantastic teleseminars at SpeakerNet News – a resource for speakers, consultants, authors, etc. They have a cadre of great speakers. Similarly, my pal Tara Reed brings in experts for her Teleseminar series, teaching artists how to make money with via licensing, branding, etc.
They capture email: Creating your own e-mail list is important for marketing purposes. People who sign up for your webinar are opting in, giving you their e-mail address, and in the process, helping you grow your list.
They engage your audience: It is not enough these days to have a static website. People expect more. Webinars are a cool Web 2.0 tool that engages your audience and helps you forge a closer connection to your customers.
Finally, if you think you want to put on a webinar, make sure to:
•Promote the heck out of it. Many more people will sign up for the webinar than will actually attend it, so promoting it will ensure that you get enough people to check in on the day of the event. Plug the webinar on your site, tweet it, and use plenty of follow up e-mails.
•Have a great subject: There is no shortage of competing ideas out there, especially online. So a great topic and name is a must.
•Over-prepare. Know your subject cold. Practice the presentation, and then practice some more.
From USA Today.com, posted by Steven D. Strauss, a lawyer, author and speaker who specializes in small business and entrepreneurship. His latest book is The Small Business Bible. You can sign up for his free newsletter, “Small Business Success Secrets!” at his website —www.mrallbiz.com.