6 Tips for Hosting Your First Webinar

An increasing number of businesses are enjoying the benefits of webinars as a way to communicate across distance and extend their reach. This technology can "put you in the room" with your clients, collaborators, or other stakeholders more easily than ever before. Whether you're using webinars as an internal teaching tool, an opportunity to recruit clients, or a method of building partnerships, we've compiled several tips to keep in mind as you prepare to launch your first webinar:

Keep visual branding in mind

You will have lots of opportunities to brand your webinar, from including your logo in the bottom of the screen, to branding your slides, to the language and terminology you choose to use. If your company has someone who works on marketing and branding, it's a good idea to have a conversation with them about opportunities before you begin to put your webinar together. If not, do you have a friend or associate who can impart some wisdom in this area?

Organize your content

 Webinars have few downsides, but one of them is that it's easy for a participant to leave. If you present disorganized or scattered content, it's less likely that participants will bear with you for the whole presentation. It's imperative that your content is organized and easy to digest. Your webinar participants need to see value in staying with you. Make sure that you give the participants value throughout the presentation.

Pick a format with intention

 Will you have one presenter? A few presenters? Will you present slides, or be speaking "face to face" with the participants? Will the be a Q&A at the end? There are many creative formats out there for webinars; it's up to you to decide which works best for your content. Make sure that you pick a format with variety, energy, and intention.

Polish your public speaking skills

 Public speaking may be easier when you don't actually have to stand in front of the audience, but webinars are public speaking just the same. Whether you need to prepare note cards, a script, or use another organizational tool, viewing this as a public speaking opportunity will help remind you to avoid the "umms" and "uhhs" and stay polished.

Mind the time zone

 All of your participants may not be in the same time zone. In some circumstances, you may have participants from all over the country or the globe. What time zones work best for your participants? You don't want to schedule an 8:00 am webinar from Virginia when you have participants based in California. Though you may not know where every participant is based, you will probably have a general idea.

Use proper webinar tech

Sure, you can perhaps run a webinar off of your phone, but what kind of quality will that yield? In the last few years, there have been incredible advances in webinar technology that result in high-quality experiences for all involved. Make sure to do your research so that you are using a level of technology that is appropriate for your business and goals.

Do a test run!

The last thing you want to happen is to realize at the last minute that you don't know how to use your technology. Make sure that you do a test run so that you are sure you know how to use the equipment and software.

CallTower works with companies like yours to provide unified communications solutions and collaboration services. Whether you're seeking to offer a webinar or other method of connecting with others, CallTower is committed to working with you to achieve unified communications success. Contact us today!