So I run these webinars. I have to admit it’s kind of cool doing a virtual classroom. A lot of pubs are charging 10-40k to do these events, I’ve managed to get a GoToMeeting account and a conference call line and do it for a fraction of the price. Although GoToMeeting is kind of in the doghouse with me right now (we were upgraded to GoToWebinar and it’s missing some of the functionality we used to have). C.C. Chapman ran a crazy event over in Second Life recently, anybody else doing anything interesting on the meeting front, or have questions about it?
After some thought, here are some tips on how to run a webinar (How about “J-Funk’s Webinar Best Practices”):
- A good webinar has 4 emails – thank for registering, 24 hour prior notice (exactly 24 hours), 1 hour prior notice, day after thank you with a link to the recording.
- If you are playing a recorded presentation get a patch so you can run the sound from the source directly out to the line.
- No speakerphones. Polycoms rock, but not here.
- 45% Attendance is good.
- Cough up the cash for a good conference call line, the freebie services fall short.
- If possible automate the entire registration process (put your leads in salesforce and set up your emails for #1 as automated processes.
- If your presenter is new, or this is the first time the pitch is being done, record it rather than running live.
- Have a second system in your control room so you can always see and hear what attendees see.
- This second system should have all the same software and content on it as the first so it also serves as your disaster plan.
- Even if you have a complete disaster it’s not that big a deal. Apologize to everyone, and send them the link to the recording (unless they are paid attendees, then you have to do a little more to make good).
- Always do a follow up survey (I’ve found surveymonkey useful), you never know when you’ll need data on performance.
- In the survey as about the quality of the content, the entire user experience, including the phone and meeting software.