Webinars were already proliferating before the pandemic. Today's remote workforce relies on them more than ever.
XDespite their growing popularity, webinars aren't necessarily getting better. Indeed, virtual meetings often follow a stale formula in which a speaker lapses into droning lectures with text-heavy slides.
Innovative webinars, by contrast, grab participants' attention. They adopt a lively format that includes group interaction, creative visuals and self-study modules.
The best webinars do two things well: They address a topic that people care about and they deliver the content in a stimulating, easy-to-digest manner.
"It's giving you valuable information and then figuring out how to make that information engaging," said Brent Weiss, co-founder of Facet Wealth, a Baltimore-based financial services firm.
Here are tips to help you energize your webinars and virtual meetings to make them more memorable and innovative.
Use Role Reversal To Prepare For Webinars
As you plan your webinar content, step into the audience's shoes. Imagine you're on the receiving end of your presentation and ask yourself, "Why is this important to me?" and "Is this what I need to know?"
"Put in the time to think about who your audience is," said Weiss, who has led weekly webinars since March 2020. From there, craft your content to maximize its relevance to the crowd you expect to attract.
Solid Webinars Appeal To The Senses
People expect to hear you speak when they sign up for your webinar. Surprise them by arousing other sensory perceptions.
If you're discussing a manufacturing process, for example, ask participants to pick up an item within reach and study it. Whether it's a pen or paperweight, share the steps that were required to make such a simple item.
Weiss plays music that sets an upbeat tone from the moment people sign onto his event. When leading a class on stock compensation, he selected a tune that captured "a coffeehouse, comfortable vibe," he says, to create a relaxing atmosphere to offset the complex, technical topic.
Invite Role-plays
For webinars built around training or education, provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the learning points.
The more they can participate, the better. "When we train on communication skills, we have people simulate actual scenarios," said Sarano Kelley, head of the Kelley Group, a Los Angeles-based communication consulting firm.
"I might say, 'You're trying to recruit a candidate. What would you say?' Then we have them get out their phones, record what they'd say and send it to us. That becomes part of the training," Kelley said.
Welcome Input In Webinars
To get everyone involved, pose a question to the audience, tally the responses in real time and share the results. Then cite the findings to make a point or advance the topic.
Russ Hill often opens his webinars by asking, "What's the biggest challenge you're facing with your workforce right now?" Many respondents highlight their struggles to attract and retain good employees, which provides a springboard for his remarks.
"There's a tremendous amount of engagement when that happens, when lots of people are chiming in," said Hill, senior partner at Lone Rock Consulting, a Phoenix-based executive coaching firm. It triggers lots of inquiries from the audience, which Hill fields throughout his webinar rather than having everyone wait an hour for a few rushed minutes of Q&A.
Offer Concrete Solutions
The best webinars leave participants with steps or solutions they can apply to address pressing needs. In the promotional material, specify what people will gain from attending — and reinforce those bullet points in your introduction.
"The content people want is how you can help get them from their current situation to their desired situation," said Hill, co-author of "The Great Resignation."
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