Over the past decade, The Streaming Network has been privileged to work on many webinars. We’ve seen webinar trends come and go.
As such, we’ve compiled a list of the top 4 webinar marketing tips we’ve come across in 2018. They’re great if you are struggling with any of the following:
- Low webinar attendance rates.
- Low registration rates.
- Very little engagement with attendees.
Include these tips in your planning checklist for your next event and let us know how they help.
1. Think About Visual Branding
One useful tip we found from the Search Engine Journal was to first consult your brand guidelines. If you don’t have one, take the time to figure out the following:
- Font and sizing.
- Colour theme layout.
- Logo design and sizing.
- Mascots (if applicable).
Once you have your guidelines in place, stick to them throughout the entire webinar process.
From promotion to execution, use consistent visual branding so attendees will recognize your business. Make sure to include your logo where it feels natural.
2. Leverage Your Sales Team for Content Topic Ideas
Something we found from HubSpot was that your sales team is a very important voice in your marketing plans, up to and including your webinars.
The main reason is that at some point, every Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is going to be passed off to sales.
They also can really help define your product’s story, since they tell it on a daily basis.
When coming up with topics for your marketing webinars, start a brainstorming session with sales. Ask them to look back in their notes for:
- What objections have they been hearing more recently?
- Are there technologies disrupting their lead’s day to day job?
- What new rules or regulations are affecting their industry?
Another big benefit of sourcing content from your sales team is that you gain their buy-in in the process. Marketing materials work best when everyone is on board.
Also, you can create buyer personas based on the information you’ve received from sales. This will allow you to further understand who your niche audience is.
3. Get Right Into It
A webinar marketing tip we found from ScribbleLive was that first impressions matter. Even through webinars.
If you leave a viewer waiting around for several minutes to start your webinar, they will lose interest and you will lose a lead. Avoid the delay by:
- Making sure your speaker is ready at least 15 minutes before the start of the webinar.
- Keeping the introductions and any housekeeping notes as brief as possible.
- Starting off by asking the audience a question and have them submit answers. Make sure they are awake and interested.
Another option is to host a simulated live webinar. Prerecord your webinar and offer it at a specific date and time, so it is polished and can start right away. Have team members available to answer questions as they come in to maintain engagement.
4. Tell Stories
Stories are a great teaching device that can really cement important lessons. That’s why we teach kids important life lessons with storybooks.
But when it comes to planning a webinar, even the best marketing professionals will forget the basics. They will start to present technical facts or complicated product features without taking a step back and illustrating why they even matter.
As found with Act-On Software, start your webinars off with a simple story that highlights the importance of what you’re going to be talking about.
If you are having trouble finding a story to share, get your sales team involved again. They will have no shortage of clients that have turned around their businesses with your help.
Let’s Recap
Here’s an overview of the top 4 webinar tips of 2018:
- Think about visual branding – follow your brand guidelines and stay consistent throughout the entire webinar and promotional period.
- Leverage your sales team for content topic ideas – your sales team is in constant contact with your prospects. They will know what their pain points are.
- Get right into it – you only have a few moments to make a good first impression.
- Tell stories – paint a picture to explain why watching your webinar is beneficial to your attendees.
Try these webinar marketing tips and let us know what worked for you. Happy 2019!
