| Internet marketing webinars are one of the most | | | | presentation" mode. Effective face-to-faced |
| powerful ways on the planet to increase your | | | | presenters always interact with their audience. |
| market reach, find hundreds of qualified leads at a | | | | They pay close attention to nonverbal cues. They |
| time, and establish powerful credibility with people | | | | ask questions that elicit an overt response. They |
| that have never met you face-to-face. In your | | | | have the audience observe each other's reaction. |
| Internet marketing plan, webinars are as critical as | | | | Consciously engaging their audience is what makes |
| your website, your e-mail marketing strategy, | | | | them successful. In interactive webinars, effective |
| your responsive opt-in list, your podcasts, and | | | | presenters must do the same. When an online |
| your blog. An Internet marketing webinar is an | | | | presenter can't see the desktop audience's the |
| interactive session with a remote group that is | | | | nonverbal cues, they have to get very creative |
| linked live through Web conference at audio | | | | about using polls and other means to fill that void. |
| conference technology. Unfortunately, too many | | | | - Use mute to eliminate background noise. In small |
| businesses are giving "Death by PowerPoint" | | | | group webinars of up to ten, you may want to |
| presentations, which hold down results. Interaction | | | | ask people not to mute, unless there is distractiing |
| is a central part of what makes Internet | | | | background noise at their location. In larger group |
| marketing webinars so successful. | | | | webinars of 30 to thousands, you will always |
| If you are currently using tele-seminars for | | | | want to mute your entire audience. Know how to |
| Internet marketing or training, webinars are a | | | | mute and unmute individuals and everyone in your |
| significant step up. In tele-seminars, people can't | | | | audio conference bridge or on ther audio panel of |
| see you, your face, or your presence. On the | | | | your web conference platform. The audience |
| other hand, webinars give you a significantly | | | | must know that they are muted. If your webinar |
| improved ability to fill that gap with fabulous, | | | | has hundreds of people, you may want to engage |
| intriguing audience interaction. In your marketing | | | | a live operator to manage audio problems and |
| presentation, when you get the interaction piece | | | | muting. |
| right, webinars can act like magic to catapult your | | | | - Plan-plan-plan. Webinars are very elegant events |
| business growth. | | | | that showcase you and your business in a very |
| Here are 10 tips for creating successful Internet | | | | professional way. Webinars not something that |
| marketing webinars. | | | | you want to do spontaneously. If you're planning |
| - Choose a reliable, proven Web conference | | | | your first webinar, allow six weeks to three |
| technology. The foundation for a successful event | | | | months. You'll need to plan a compelling title, |
| is great technology. Be absolutely sure that your | | | | design the look and feel for the invitations and |
| web conference technology is technically excellent | | | | slides, write all promotional copy (pre- and |
| and has instant technical support for meetings in | | | | post-event), create a marketing and media plan, |
| progress. Does your web conference technology | | | | design the registration page, schedule the Web |
| have a proven record of working well across | | | | and audio technology, assign the announcer role |
| firewalls? Is it easy for first-time users to get into | | | | and presentation team roles, write the |
| your webinar? Does the technology involuntarily | | | | introduction script for the event and the speaker, |
| eject people during live sessions? On your slides, | | | | create and refine the presentation message, |
| dothe background, images, and text on your sides | | | | design the presentation slides, design the kiosk |
| look clear and free from all distortions? | | | | slides that played before the session begins, |
| Importantly, if the technology doesn't work right, | | | | create the closing script and survey (for your |
| people will be upset with you and their experience | | | | opt-in list), can reate your free white paper or |
| in your webinar, not with the conferencing | | | | bonus gift, among many others. |
| provider. Choose a technology that lets you and | | | | - Take a team approach. Successful webinars are |
| your presentation shine. | | | | the reflection of successful teamwork. The better |
| - Use an interactive Web conference technology. | | | | people work together to plan, execute, and |
| Don't make the mistake of using a web | | | | follow-up the webinar, the more successful its |
| conference technology that only shares slides. At | | | | result. Create a very specific plan and very clear |
| minimum, your Web conference technology must | | | | roles, including how to work together to make a |
| include two interactive features, and three is even | | | | great session. |
| better. First is a polling feature that handles | | | | - Rehearse-rehearse-rehearse. Great athletes |
| single-or multiple-choice questions. Importantly, the | | | | make sports look easy, but in reality they are the |
| polling feature must let you instantly share the | | | | result of focused, intense rehearsal. The same is |
| results graphically (not just numbers) with | | | | true with webinars. For your first webinar, you |
| everyone linked to your session. Second is a live | | | | should have two or three rehearsals, the first |
| Q&A or chat feature. At minimum, the | | | | beginning about two weeks ahead of the event. |
| audience can ask questions immediately, in real | | | | Ask trusted colleagues to give honest feedback |
| time, during your webinar, and get an individual | | | | to the presenter so that the presentation is |
| typed or voice response. Far better is if selected | | | | nothing short of awesome. The day before the |
| audience questions can also be published to the | | | | event, do a front to back rehearsal, including the |
| group, along with the response. Third is a | | | | operator, announcer, speaker, annotation team, |
| spontaneous audience response panel or feature | | | | and any other role that was assigned. Make sure |
| where the audience can quickly respond with a | | | | everyone is happy with the rehearsal. |
| simple response (like yes/no). During your | | | | - End the presentation with a bang. Make the |
| presentation, it is also important to use all of | | | | introduction of the sponsor and speaker, 5 |
| these interactive features several times. | | | | minutes; your presentation, 35 minutes; |
| - Use a headset. Never use the speakerphone | | | | interactions during and/or after the presentation, |
| capability when you give a presentation or speak | | | | 20 minutes; and the closing and special bonus, 5 |
| in a webinar. Even if your phone has an | | | | minutes. At the end of the session, drop your |
| echo-reducing feature, there will always still be | | | | audience on a webpage where they can get more |
| echo. As a result, you'll sound far away, like you're | | | | information or where they can opt in for further |
| talking from an empty auditorium. Your voice will | | | | contact. |
| sound muffled; your words, unclear. All of these | | | | |
| are very fatiguing to the person that is trying to | | | | - Multiply the moment. Record the session for |
| listen and understand you. On the other hand, a | | | | playback, and post it on your website for others |
| headset lets your voice sound close and clear. | | | | to view, and also sign up for your opt-in list. Of all |
| Avoid wireless headsets, as the people at the | | | | the people you invite to your webinar, |
| other end may hear a humming sound from your | | | | approximately 1 to 5% will show up. 10 times that |
| wireless connection that you can't--like you may | | | | amount, however, will view the recording at their |
| have experienced on a mobile phone. Wireless | | | | leisure. To record the audio with the slides, it's |
| headsets and wireless laptops often escalate this | | | | easiest to use the integrated web-audio capability |
| problem. When in doubt, test it out. | | | | in your web conference platform. Clear voice is |
| - Design your webinar presentation and for rich, | | | | important, so do a test-recording before your live |
| relevant interaction. When you can't see your | | | | event. |
| audiences face, it's very easy to get into an "all | | | | |