[vc_row content_placement=”middle” height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Shout out to Mark Bornstein, Vice President of Content at ON24, for helping with this content. He gave a detailed outline to success using webinar tools and best practices at Content Marketing World 2017.

We live in an age where information is available at every corner of the Internet. Therefore, it’s imperative to find a way to deliver content that will engage your audience and help them progress along the buyer journey.

This is why tools like webinars will help your content stand out against your competitors, if it’s done right. If you decide to use these webinar tips, you’ll be able to attract people from all areas of the funnel to increase sales. It’s the ultimate engagement tool because webinars drive the buying cycle.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself About Using Webinar Tools

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

1. Do your webinars feel like your brand?

[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”22049″ size=”us_600_400_crop” align=”center”][vc_column_text]Webinars are an opportunity to really make an impression on your audience–so make sure it’s a good one. Your audience should be hit with your branding from the registration page all the way to the screen they look at during the webinar.

If you want examples of companies that do this well, register for some webinars! Watch webinars from leading companies to get an idea of what you can implement. Avon and Fitbit are great examples of cohesive branding when they use a webinar tool.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

2. Are your webinars interactive experiences?

[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”20761″ size=”us_600_400_crop” align=”center”][vc_column_text]One of the biggest mistakes you can make as you develop webinars, is creating a presentation instead of having a conversation. Don’t be afraid to ask questions throughout the webinar, not just at the end of your lecture.

When you have conversations with your audience, they will feel engaged and involved in the information you’re sharing. Just think about how you’d like to be treated. Do trivia questions throughout the webinar experience, offer fun giveaways, and be disruptive to keep the audience entertained as they learn.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]You can also run live polls as you go throughout the webinar and discover topics that your audience is actually interested in. Utilizing videos, webcams, studio videos, screen shares, and more will help you have a unique presence. Make it feel like a TV viewing experience, like a cooking show or a YouTube panel.

Obviously it will be up to you to determine what will work best for your brand. Don’t be afraid to experiment and be creative![/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][us_image image=”18961″ size=”medium” align=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

3. Are your webinars social?

[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”22053″ size=”us_600_400_crop” align=”center”][vc_column_text]Webinars also present opportunities to expand your targeted social footprint.

The first step would be to ensure you have plenty of blog content built around your upcoming discussion. Be sure to link to these blogs for more in-depth information about the topic you may be covering in the webinar. [/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][us_image image=”15320″ size=”medium” align=”center”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]You can also enable event sharing through social media. Give your audience an opportunity to show off their learning experience and allow them to invite their friends to join in.

This is another webinar tool and best practice to really drive engagement and increase your audience size. As you increase your viewership, your lead generation will also increase. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

4. Is the webinar the end of the journey?

[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”19479″ size=”us_600_400_crop” align=”center”][vc_column_text]You need to upload white papers, case studies or other materials while the webinar is running. Your audience is going to be staring at a screen for an hour. That’s plenty of time for them to get distracted and click on available options to keep them occupied.

You can also include several options to push them along the buying cycle. You can give them options like setting up an appointment with a sales representative, which will link directly to your CRM. This will help your sales team know exactly who’s ready for the next step.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Include links to allow them to sign up for future webinars, subscribe to blog content, or other self-selection options. The more you let them select what they want, the better you’ll understand where they are in their buyer journey.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Offer attendees of your webinar a free trial or other call-to-actions that are logical for your webinar. By offering value, you build trust and brand loyalty with your audience. It’ll help incentivize them to keep coming back in the future. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle” height=”small”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

5. Will you continue the conversation after the webinar is over?

[/vc_column_text][us_image image=”21768″ size=”us_600_400_crop” align=”center”][vc_column_text]Don’t start over!!

If you think your job is over when the webinar concludes, you’re missing out on your company’s potential. When you link your CRM to the webinar tool, you can see all of your audience’s interactions.

For example, your sales team will be alerted when a person downloads a case study or other content marketing piece. They can then reach out to that person and continue the conversation. They could say, “I saw you downloaded that case study and I thought this might also help”. [/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]See how powerful that is? It’s a simple little gesture that’ll speak volumes to that person! They’ll feel valued and progress down the buying cycle. You can think of this as the cherry on top of the entire webinar process.

If you implement these tools into your webinar, you’ll see increased engagement and success within your company.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][us_image image=”19898″ size=”medium” align=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]About inWhatLanguage

inWhatLanguage is a translation services company dedicated to breaking down language and cultural barriers. Using their centralized, real-time TMS UNIFY, they utilize a network of professional linguists to provide high quality translations at a price you can afford. Access new markets and expand your global presence. Get a quote today or request a demo of UNIFY to see how you can benefit with inWhatLanguage.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]