Running a Successful Webinar: What You Need to Know

It seems like every company is hosting webinars these days, doesn’t it? Instead of hosting live events, companies over the past year went virtual to overcome some of the travel restriction challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, with the world “getting back to normal,” many people are tired of seeing faces on screens and opting for handshakes instead. While many events are going back to being in person, webinars can still generate leads and establish trust between you and your customers if done correctly.

Running your first webinar can be intimidating, but it becomes a lot easier to entertain, educate, and generate leads after you get a couple of them under your belt.

What do you want to talk about?

It may seem a bit obvious, but what you’re going to talk about in your webinar is one of the most important discussions to have before promoting the event. The topic alone could deter potential attendees (and potential customers). Brainstorming your webinar topic well ahead of time can help mitigate this risk. Running webinars is a collaborative effort. Your marketing team’s members shouldn’t be the only ones at the table. You need buy-in from your salespeople, product managers, and, if possible, your C-suite. Use webinars to discuss the topics your customers want to know more about. You’re hosting a webinar to educate them. If you know your customers, this should be easy.

Select a type of webinar that works with your topic

Not all webinars are the same. There are different formats. Some webinars are simply an executive armed with a PowerPoint presentation, while others are lively panel discussions. The format you choose depends on the topic you pick. For example, if the topic is data-heavy and requires the use of graphs, you may want to have slides to ensure your attendees are following along. Before selecting a format for your webinar, do a test run with your teams to see which format works best with your topic.

Reward attendees for attending your webinar

Your attendees could’ve been doing something else — reading a book, watching a movie, spending time with the family. You fought for their attention and won, so don’t blow it! If you do, they’ll remember it. This is an opportunity for you to garner trust from your audience. The last thing you want to do is make them regret attending your webinar. Make the session informative, fun, and memorable; use dynamic speakers; and reward attendees with whitepapers, eBooks, or other downloadable resources. When you put your audience first, you increase the likelihood of a successful event.

Hosting a successful webinar isn’t easy. Getting the basics down ensures your attendees aren’t disappointed, and you walk away with leads.