Sales

Webinars can be a great marketing tool and can add value to your business. They can be used to conduct live or recorded presentations to generate leads, close sales faster and increase revenue.

Generate Leads

To generate leads, you should create a good marketing campaign to drive attendees to your webinar. First, start out with posting your event on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Make sure to include a link that will take visitors to your registration form where they can sign up. When prospects register for your webinar, you have the option to ask them to provide personal information such as name, email address and phone number. Be careful to not ask too many questions as this can become invasive and your prospects will be turned off.

Another way to draw in potential customers is by writing a press release. The press release should give an overview of the content to be expected during your webinar and details regarding when and where your live event will take place. The purpose of the press release should be to gain readers’ interests and to entice them to join your live presentation. More importantly, include keywords in the release to optimize visibility of your webinar in search engines. Also embed links in the writing to take readers to your registration form. Good keywords and links will increase the chance of your webinars being found on the web; ultimately, increasing traffic to your event.

However, be aware that not all leads are good leads. The good news is: visitors who registered for your webinar are potentially qualified leads because they have shown initial interests in your offering.

Close Sales Faster
There are five steps to move prospects along the marketing funnel, ultimately leading to sales:

1. Awareness
2. Consideration
3. Preference
4. Action
5. Loyalty

Having an effective webinar that educates potential customers about your product or service will give your business an opportunity to bring customers to the first stage of awareness. An even more effective webinar that presents your brand as the superior choice in the minds of the viewers will move prospects further along the funnel to make them consider your brand as one of the top choices. However, to successfully complete the lead conversion process requires a good post-webinar follow-up plan to turn your hot leads into actual buying customers.

Generate Future Revenue

Webinars with high-demand topics have the potential to continue producing revenue for as long as the topic remains relevant and valuable to viewers. Be sure to choose a web conferencing provider that has an integrated payment system, which enables you to charge a preset price when viewers access your live events or recorded webinars.

Call to Action

5 Main Purposes of Webinars:

 Generate Leads
 Increase Sales
 Demo Products
 Hold Client Meetings
 Train Employees

Whatever the initial reason may be to conduct the webinar; ultimately, a presenter’s goal is simple: to get his or her attendees to take a desired action.

Strategically incorporating a prominent call to action into a webinar is a great way to get attendees to take a specific action. Both the presenter and attendees come to a meeting with a purpose in mind. People who signed up for the webinar are looking to gain valuable knowledge to benefit them and their businesses. However, a presenter’s goal may be to generate leads or close a sale for his or her company. By understanding that both parties are looking to gain something from the meeting, presenters must be strategic in their delivery methods – jumping right into selling mode or over selling can turn the audience off. Instead, use the majority of the presentation to deliver the topic that was promised, interact with participants, engage viewers and build interest in the topic. Finally, introduce the call to action when energy level and interest in the topic is highest because the audience is most receptive at this point.

For optimal results, make sure to design a powerful call to action to maximize persuasiveness. Use simple language to communicate a clear message of what specific action should be taken. Below are 3 types of call to action that are most effective in webinars:

Exit URL which will take the attendees to a pre-determined landing page when the presenter clicks on the end broadcast button to end the meeting. The content of the landing page should include a brief “Thank you for attending” note and a call to action. Remember to keep the landing page clean and simple. Below are 5 call to action buttons commonly used in landing pages:

    Free Trial Sign Up
    Buy Now
    Take a Survey
    Newsletter Sign Up
    Visit Company Website

Contact Info, this should be a phone number or email address that the presenter provides to attendees at the end of the webinar and encourages them to contact and make a purchase.

Promo Code, can be provided as an exclusive offer to those who attended the webinar, which attendees could use to redeem at a later time.

Presenters should limit to one or two call to action methods per webinar – having too many within one event could be distracting and can dilute its importance.

Consumer Psychology

Ever wonder if you should charge for your webinars? If so, how much can you charge and how much are attendees willing to pay? This is all valuable knowledge that can help you, the presenter, to charge the right price and maximize revenue.

The truth of the matter is there are hundreds of webinars uploaded to the web everyday, with the majority of them offered for free. Thus, if you want to charge for your webinar, it is important to understand 3 key factors
What topic and/or guest speaker viewers consider valuable
How to package that value
How much is that value worth to viewers

Fee-based webinars typically range from $20 to $150 with length approximately 60 or 90 minutes. What price should you charge for your webinar?

Responses gathered from webinar consumers reveal important factors when deciding on buying a webinar:
How can I benefit from the webinar?
 Reputable/Famous guest speaker(s)
How relevant and timely is the information to me?
Is the benefit worth the price?

Obviously, viewers preferred free webinars over paid ones and have openly expressed their aversion regarding having to pay to attend web conferences or webinars. However, attendees will pay as long as the perceived benefits outweigh the price. Thus, it is not surprising that price is number four on the deciding factor list. In an article Bob Bly, an expert copywriter, stated, “Topic doesn’t seem to be critical, as two different promoters charge widely different pricing ($29 vs. $149) for the same topic.”

From this, one can deduce that as long as the perceived value of the webinar is high, consumers will pay the price. In this case, it might be the reputable guest speaker that is the deciding factor. When asked the pertinent question, a consumer expressed his view about paying for webinars, “I am willing to pay based on 1. Who’s giving the presentation, 2. What it is about, and 3) Can it make me more money. Hit all three and I am willing to pay more. I would, of course, love free webinars.”

So there you go, answers right from the horse’s mouth. Make sure to look for the integrated payment system features such as PayPal when purchasing your web conferencing service so you can charge for your webinars – not every web conferencing and webinar services offer this feature. Finally, remember to package your webinar well to amplify its perceived value – market the heck out of your webinars using your web conferencing social media tools!

Effective and Engaging Webinar

By Angela Stringfellow

Webinars are effective delivery formats for small businesses. They are cost-effective and can be used for many purposes, including training employees, marketing services and establishing thought-leadership. Fee-based webinars can also provide an additional income stream. But delivering engaging material via webinar isn’t easy. Here’s how you can ensure your next webinar is both effective and engaging:

1. Provide visual stimulation. Main bullet points can be presented in PowerPoint or PDF format. In addition to text, infographics, charts and graphs are an excellent way to make complex information easier to process.
2. Allow attendees to ask questions. Webinars are usually designed to solve a problem; therefore, be sure to address attendee questions and concerns. If attendees leave confused or without a firm grasp on the material presented, the information you’ve conveyed won’t have much of an impact.
3. Don’t duplicate your speech and text on the visuals. There are few things less engaging than a presenter reading what’s written on a PowerPoint presentation. Slim down the text on your slides to a few highly relevant bullet points. For the rest, shoot from the hip.
4. Don’t read your presentation from a sheet of paper. A supplement to point number three. It comes across very clearly, even in webinar format, when a presenter is reading straight from a piece of paper. Your presentation should sound natural. It’s fine to use an outline, but avoid utilizing a full-text printout of what you’d like to say. It’s too easy to read word-for-word if the full text is in front of you.
5. Use headphones. Laptop or PC microphones tend to incorporate a lot of background noise and produce an echo sound. Invest in a quality set of headphones with a noise-cancelling microphone. (And be sure to test them out before your presentation!)
6. Enlist a helper. It’s more effective to have a partner or colleague introduce the speaker and lead questions and answers. The flow is more streamlined, and attendees know they need to pay attention when the organizer speaks.
7. Allow multiple opportunities for questions. If your presentation is longer, provide multiple breaks for brief question and answer sessions. This allows attendees to address pertinent questions prior to moving on to more complex material, and they won’t have to hold all their questions until the end when you’ve moved on to unrelated material.
8. Keep a glass of water handy. Webinars require more constant speech than in-person presentations, so you’ll likely need a few sips of water.
9. Avoid awkward pauses. As mentioned in bullet number eight, webinars are reliant on constant speech. In an in-person presentation, a dramatic pause can help emphasize an important point. Because webinar attendees can’t see you, a long silence can seem like you’re at a loss for words.

Webinars can be an incredibly effective way to deliver information. Avoiding common mishaps, planning in advance, and enlisting the help of an assistant or even back-up presenter can ensure your presentation is delivered smoothly and without a hitch.

InstantPresenter Recurring Meeting Feature

Would you like to host a series of webinars or classes on a particular subject?  With InstantPresenter, you can schedule recurring meetings, so people can register for all of the webinars in your series at one time.  InstantPresenter lets you schedule your webinar series to occur daily, weekly or monthly, andattendees can register for one or all of the webinars in your series.

If you are using InstantPresenter’s integrated PayPal Payment System to sell tickets, your customers can register and pay for thewhole series, or the individual webinars they would like to attend.  Setting up a series of recurring meetings is simple and easy.  Simply select the recurring meeting option when scheduling your meeting and our system will walk you through the process.  For more information, please visit our KnowledgeBase.

You’ve made it to the interviewing stage with a prospective employer, and they’ve invited you to do a web conference interview. While the concept of being questioned via video may seem intimidating, the experience gives you a unique opportunity to showcase your talents.

Given their virtual nature, video conference interviews do present challenges that in-person interviews don’t. Keep the following tips in mind when preparing for and giving your web conference interview.

Understand the Technology

You’ll be nervous enough without experiencing technical difficulties. Before the interview, become comfortable with using the videoconferencing software. Make sure you understand all aspects of the system, and test it out on a friend or family member to ensure that the audio and video works well.

Rehearse

The intent of any interview is to familiarize the interviewer with you and your accomplishments. Prepare for your web conference appointment as you would any other interview by reviewing your resume. Practice discussing your various attributes and how you can benefit the company. Try rehearsing your presentation via web conference with someone willing to give you constructive feedback.

Dress Professionally

Wear the same business attire you would for an in-person interview. Don’t assume because it’s not a face-to-face meeting that you can fudge on formalities. Show your interest in the position and your respect for the company by wearing a suit or dress.

Consider Your Surroundings

Unlike interviewing at the company’s site, teleconferencing requires that you pay special attention to the location where the interview will take place. Look around your home or office for an uncluttered area with good lighting and make the area as aesthetically pleasing as possible. A messy background is distracting and reflects poorly on you. If necessary, suspend a backdrop behind you.

Avoid Interruptions and Distractions

Tell others with whom you live or work that you’ll be involved in a job interview and should not be disturbed. Make sure things are quiet, as sound carries easily through the microphone and could lead to unsolicited noises that distract from your professionalism. Turn your cell phone off. During the interview, avoid slouching, fidgeting or tapping items such as your foot or a pen.

Use Standard Interview Etiquette

Begin the interview by exchanging pleasantries and commenting on something positive that has happened at the company recently, or offer a compliment, such as for the company’s website. (Research the business before the interview so you have conversation material.)

Be Open and Direct

Answer questions in a confident manner. Never mumble or rush through an answer. Expand on your comments when appropriate to show the interviewer your willingness to be forthcoming and participatory.

Make eye contact by keeping your eyes on the webcam. Looking directly at the computer screen results in the interviewer seeing the top of your head, which distracts from the interview — even if the person understands the technology and why this is occurring. By keeping your eyes on the webcam, you’ll appear more sincere.

Ask Questions

Many interviewers will at some point inquire if you have any questions. Use this opportunity to ask for specific details of the position. Also show your professionalism and interest by inquiring about the company’s plans for future growth and its key objectives.

Gracefully Conclude

At the conclusion of the interview, offer an informal closing statement that includes a thank you for the interview, and finish by expressing your interest in the position.

Interviewing potential job candidates online is a cost-effective, time-saving way of discovering talented employees you might not have access to otherwise because of geographic limitations. While interviewing online requires using standard procedures, also keep in mind these tips unique to web conference interviews.

Prepare for the Interview

Make certain you’re comfortable using the web conference software. If this is your first time conducting an interview with the system, do a dry run with a colleague. This enables you to test questions and gives you a chance to master the system so that you can concentrate on the job applicant, rather than technical difficulties.

Also make sure to prepare the interviewee. Send detailed instructions on the web conference at least two days in advance, and give the applicant an estimate of how long the session should last, what you expect to get out of the interview, what he or she should have on hand and who will call whom.

Review Materials

Take an online interview as seriously as you would an in-person meeting. Review the applicant’s resume and collateral materials closely beforehand. Take notes on any impressions you have and questions about what you’ve read as they relate to the job position you’re seeking to fill.

Consider Impressions and the Camera

True, you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to hiring, but remember that your interviewee is also checking you out as a potential employer. The camera picks up everything in its view and in some instances magnifies it.

Ensure that your workspace is orderly and professional looking before displaying it on camera. Don’t sit in front of a bright light or window, as this will cause your face to become shadowed. Opt for solid clothing colors, not distracting patterns or white. And consider that mannerisms come across larger-than-life on screen. Avoid leaning into the camera or looking away.

In the same respect, take a good look at what the employee has chosen to show you. Are the applicant’s desk and surroundings tidy? Did the person take the time to dress up for the interview? Are there noisy distractions in the background that make it difficult for you to focus on what the person is saying?

Put the Candidate at Ease

You are in charge of setting the tone for the interview. Help the applicant feel comfortable enough to share important information online by being upbeat and enthusiastic. Open the interview with small talk and then provide a clear direction for the interview by relaying specific information about the job.

Ask Open-Ended, Revealing Questions

Yes and no answers leave uncomfortable gaping holes of silence during a web conference that give you very little information by which to make your decision. Ask questions that require thorough explanations.

Start with general queries that give you a feel for the candidate’s personality, such as, “Tell me how you got involved in this industry and why?” Move on to more specific questions that indicate a person’s work style and potential fit with your company culture: “Give me an example of how you solved a challenge in the workplace.” Also ask why the person wants to work for your company.

Close with an Invitation to Ask Questions

Conclude the interview by encouraging the applicant to ask you questions about the company and the position, which can also be revealing. And give the person an indication of the next step in the hiring process with a time frame.

If you are encouraged by the interview, let the person know this. When you suspect that the applicant isn’t a good fit, it’s preferable to tell the candidate right then, but you can also follow up with a timely phone call or email.

Web meetings provide more interaction than conference calls

By Julie Bawden-Davis

A freelancer since 1985, Julie Bawden-Davis has written for many publications, including Entrepreneur, Better Homes & Gardens and Family Circle

While conference calls do get your message across to a targeted audience, web meetings are superior when it comes to virtual meetings.

Unlike one-dimensional conference calls, web meetings allow you to create a multi-faceted, collaborative environment that offers participants many opportunities for learning, communicating, and sharing information.

Consider the following five advantages to web meetings over conference calls.

1.  It’s Visual

Never underestimate the power of viewing the materials being discussed. Web meetings are especially important for visual learners, who may not fully comprehend a task or concept until they see it. Conference calls are limited to audio for sharing pertinent information, while web meetings incorporate a variety of the senses.

The PowerPoint presentations that web meetings allow you to share with participants give your message a visual backup and even offer an opportunity to share more key points than you actually mention.

The visual aspects of the webinar format also provide you with a branding opportunity, as you can easily add your company logo or other desired graphics or photos.

2. Encourages Participation and Interaction

With screen and application-sharing capabilities and the incorporation of text conferencing, web meetings offer participants the opportunity to jump in and respond verbally and visually, which is especially useful for training and research purposes.

Participants become involved and invested in the virtual meeting, resulting in better comprehension of the information being shared. The likelihood of idea generation and problem solving is also higher with web meetings, as participants are prone to become inspired by the combination of verbal and visual ideas presented.

3.  Better for Training

You can certainly explain how a task is to be accomplished during a conference call and the listener can view supporting documents, but a webinar is a much more effective method for simultaneously explaining and instructing. The use of webinar tools such as whiteboards allows you to clearly show how to perform even intricate tasks.

4. Keeps Participants Focused

Engaging the various senses of viewers through tools such as PowerPoint, whiteboards, video, and instant messaging make it more likely that each attendee’s mind stays focused on the webinar. When you hold a conference call, you run the risk of listeners becoming distracted as they try to simultaneously complete other tasks like surf the Internet or clean out a desk drawer.

5.  Results in More Appealing Recordings

Web meetings are generally recorded so that those who didn’t have a chance to attend can review the materials, and the recordings can be distributed in the future.

Conference calls are also recorded for later use, but web meetings — with their audio and visual components — are much more attractive to today’s viewers, who are used to being entertained.

For the most part, the average person just has one monitor connected to their computer.  Of course everyone is different, but unless you are heavily involved with computers on a daily basis like someone who works in IT or technical support, you probably don’t see the need for more than one.  Then again, maybe there is a need, especially when you are giving a webinar. 

If you have multiple programs open, like when you are presenting (presentation, webinar platform, etc.), two monitors allows you to separate the programs and open one on each screen.  That way you have both programs full screen in front of you instead of having to click back and forth between them.  Not only can it help your presentation go smoothly, but it can boost your overall productivity and it is better for the environment.  Imagine, instead of printing it out, you can have reference material immediately available on one screen while you work on your report on the other.

If your PC has multiple video inputs it’s easy to set up, just plug both monitors in and Windows should automatically detect both, and you are on your way.  Ramon Ray recently wrote an interesting article on the advantages of two monitors in SmallBizTechnology.com that provides more information and helps walk you through the process.

That’s right, seven years ago InstantPresenter arrived and changed the way we look at webinars and web conferencing. We’ve come a long way, but today we are celebrating with an InstantPresenter 7 Year Anniversary Special for the month of August.
As part of our celebration, new users who sign up for a free trial or a live demo will have a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. One card per week will be given throughout the month. Additionally, everyone who signs up for an InstantPresenter account will also get an Amazon gift card ($50 for 100 attendee plans, $25 for 25 and 50 attendee plans).
We at InstantPresenter would like to thank you for your support. We will continue to improve our service, developing the premium, cutting-edge web conferencing features no one else provides at a price that is budget-friendly to the business community.