Remember when webinars were a novelty? It wasn’t all that long ago. But now, educators could spend hours each day in front of their screens, listening and watching (we hope) one webinar after another.

Does that mean webinars are ‘over?’

Have they been left in the dust by videos on YouTube and Instagram, and ‘content’ marketing on social media channels? Not so fast. These virtual events still deliver visibility, leads, thought leadership, and yes, even valuable content to use across your marketing channels. Even better, they have long legs. Archived webinars capture engagement long after the ‘live’ date. Here are some planning tips and ideas to launch your thinking about integrating webinars into your marketing and communications mix.

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• DIY or DIW?
  DIY, self-hosted events can be productive, particularly when you’re introducing new features to existing products and programs, your internal list of prospects is large, and you have the promotional muscle to market the event or program series before, during, and after the live event. The “DIW” option (Do it With…) an established channel often gives you access to a larger group of educators, a well-oiled promotion schedule, a stable platform, and on-going promotion for your archived event. There are advantages to each option and it’s valuable to consider both in your ongoing outreach program.
• Content is King, Queen & The Whole Royal Family
  When educators commit time to your event, they’re typically looking for new, valuable, authentic information and ideas that help them in their roles in the classroom, the library, with parents, with technology, or with their professional practice as instructional leaders. Case studies, educators presenting all or part of the content based on their own experiences, helpful check lists, tip sheets, lesson plans, articles, white papers…all of these kinds of content and presentation materials can make your webinar a valuable, and memorable experience for educators.
• Interact with Attendees Right from the Start
  Ask for questions submitted in advance for presenters. Use polls during the event. Answer questions from attendees during the event and follow-up via email with answers to all attendees. You can provide post-event downloadable materials or door prizes. Ask for feedback from attendees and respond directly. There are all kinds of tactics that will keep educators engaged in your content and your messages.
• A Webinar Registration is a ‘Raised Hand’
  Educators who take the time to register and attend live events or who access your archived events have sent a clear signal that they’re interested in what you’re offering. So have a plan to nurture these new leads carefully and ask them for what kinds of additional information and interaction they’re interested in pursuing.
• Cross-Promote & Leverage Your Event
  Use the questions asked by attendees and your answers as an email or social media marketing series. Ask webinar attendees who were especially engaged to serve as advisors or members of a focus group. Keep the links to your archived webinar(s) live on your website and landing pages. Give your sales team versions of the webinar materials to use in their prospecting and 1:1 meetings. Webinars can be the gift that keeps on delivering over an extended period of time.

We’ve developed and managed webinar programs for many of our clients and they’ve boosted their lead- and demand-generation results measurably. Interested? Let’s talk about options and next steps.

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