When most of us think about speaking professionally, we imagine being on stage in front of cheering people, looking up at us with tears of gratitude as we dispense our wisdom, motivation or sage advice. Then the reality struck us.

According to Wayne Turmel research, here are few reasons why speakers hate Webinars:

1)    They don’t have technology

2)    The setting up of webinar logistics by ourselves can be intimidating

3)    Promoting/Marketing Webinar is daunting

4) The task of making it all a worthwhile experience and having an own lead nurture program is overwhelming

The fact is that “webinars” are a great way to increase awareness of your expertise and your brand, expand your database and  create free content for your website.  The fact that they save a ton of money in time, travel and hotel room rental make them hardly the worst compromise you can make.

Technology

Most speakers have a love-hate relationship with technology.  The idea of having to present while also staring at a screen and trying to remember which button to push, and what happens if it all comes crashing down, and I can’t see them and what kind of voodoo is this anyway… there’s no shortage of internal dialogue around the topic.

The fact is, that the technology component is not as big a deal as you’d think. The platforms are becoming more and more stable and intuitive all the time. Like most tools, it is a matter of using them until you become comfortable.

Practice is critical- the first time you present your webinar should NOT be when you have live prospects on the line.

Logistics

The logistics of putting on any presentation are daunting, and when you add the unfamiliar technology component, it can seem like more trouble than it’s worth.

Take the time to plan out your webinar from concept to follow-up. Give yourself plenty of time (we recommend 6 weeks for all the planning and other activities, but that’s just a suggestion). Remember there are 4 essential components to ensure you are moving your speaking business forward:

1.    The webinar is designed to move the right people to purchase your service.

2.    You integrate the plan with your overall website and marketing strategy

3.    When you deliver your presentation it supports your brand and makes you look like the professional you are

4.    Your follow-up is fast and professional and you SELL

Marketing Your Webinar 

As with all marketing, you want to invite as many qualified prospects as you can.

If you don’t want to rely on your own email list or database, partner with associations or organizations that regularly provide webinars to their members and are always looking for compelling, interesting (low-maintenance) speakers

Increase the Interactivity to make it a worthwhile experience:

Nothing beats the energy of a live crowd. Applause is addictive. If you think of webinar presenting as sitting alone with a phone or headset talking to your laptop, you’re right. How much fun can it be?

There are things you can do increase the interactivity of your presentation and make it closer to a face to face event. Some of these include:

a.    Use webcams

b.    Opening the audio lines to let people speak, comment and ask questions by voice

c.    Use interactive features like chat, written questions, polling and other tools (depending on your platform).

You’ll be amazed how willing people are to be part of the presentation and not simply passive observers. By increasing the interactivity you’ll find yourself enjoying the process more. Many presenters are surprised at how much fun they have presenting online.

Whether it’s webinar lead generation, establishing your expertise, or driving people to webinars are an important new tool in any speaker’s B2B Marketing plan.

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