Webinars were important, now they are a necessary sales tool

Webinars were important, now they are a necessary sales tool

Reading time 5 minutes

If you have thought that webinars were a good training and sales tool in the past, it is best to pause, go back 5 minutes and think again. According to the GoToMeeting platform, webinars or webinars are one of the 3 types of content that are most frequently consumed by B2B channels, and which generate the most engagement.

Webinars are resources that not only allow you to showcase your products, services and experience, but also give each business the opportunity to expose its brand values and get closer to its audience. But before we go any further, let's define exactly what a webinar is.

Basically, a webinar is a video transmitted online, which is usually used for informational and educational purposes, such as workshops, conferences, seminars, courses, among others. Its differentiating element lies in the possibility that users and the speaker(s) can interact as the transmission progresses.

How webinars can boost your business

According to the Pocketbook Webinars, the attendees belong, on average, to two different countries. This translates into an excellent opportunity to not only convene people interested in a particular topic, but also to project the event beyond any border.

Imagine taking advantage of this to collect leads or even generate sales during the event.

"But how can I sell through a web conference?" This is where the sales and marketing teams start working together. Let's take an example:

Company: Z marketing cosmetics company

Idea: Create the webinar 20 Errors in Makeup, in which they invite recognized professional makeup artists who will explain the most frequent failures that usually occur in this area.

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How can you capture leads? The presenter offers 2 make-up sessions with the invited experts who will be drawn from among those who send an email that includes their basic details (name, age, city and contact number) and the name of the product of the Z company of their preference.

After the random draw, the company will not only have a list of potential customers interested in cosmetic products, but also key data to create sales strategies:

- E-mails and telephone numbers, to be used as communication channels.

- Names of cities, to find out in which area there may be greater interest in the products on offer and to promote their distribution.

- Ages, which will allow the creation of more specific sales messages adapted to the interests of the audience.

- Name of the preferred product, to know which one can have a higher sales potential.

What begins as an event that will solve many doubts of users interested in the field of beauty, from the hand of professionals in the area, can become an incredible springboard to create marketing campaigns and sales strategies more successful, without boring the audience with direct sales.

How to create reports that demonstrate the valueof your marketing efforts.

How to create a successful webinar

The steps to create a powerful webinar that allows you to connect with your potential customers and create returns on investment are as follows:

Put all the ideas on the table

Remember that this tool must be attractive and useful for your users, so make a list of topics on which your company represents some kind of authority or leadership. For example, if it is a fitness center, you can select topics such as "light" products that do NOT help you lose weight or Tips to reduce abdominal fat.

Choose a tool for transmission

Although there are many to choose from, it is essential that you opt for one that is easy to use and register for attendees. You should also consider that it can accommodate the number of users you expect to attend, that it has good interaction tools and that it fits your budget. Among the most popular are Google Hangouts, GoToWebinar, WebEx Event Center, Zoom and ClickMeeting.

Decide on the format and create the content

Depending on the topic chosen, you can decide how much production your webinar will have. It can range from the simplest, such as a slide show and voiceover; or more elaborate, with cameras pointed at the presenter, guests and others involved. Once you have a clear format, start creating the content along with lead generation and sales strategies.

Set the date

The ClickMeeting platform presented its annual Webinar Report 2020 in which it offers interesting data about the dates, times and duration of these events:

- The average time in which users observe the content of a webinar is 53 minutes.

- The average duration of a webinar is 84 minutes.

- The best day to present a webinar is Thursday.

- The best times to hold a webinar are: 4:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 2:00 pm.

And although these were the results, it is not a single formula. Remember to take into account the usual itinerary of your audience. For example, if most of your audience is on a traditional workday, it may be more attractive to schedule your date during a weekend or holiday.

Create promotional campaigns

It is advisable to analyse through which channel or channels you will be able to reach your target audience. Of course, the first place for the promotion of your webinar should be your official sites; also through your e-mail distribution lists. According to a report from the Livestorm platform on webinars, the best days to invite your audience to a webinar are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the worst are usually the weekends.

You will need to assess whether paid promotions are necessary, such as an advertising strategy in social networks, search engines and traditional media (if your audience is frequenting them). This will be very important if your event is aimed at potential customers at the attraction stage.

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Evaluate the results

After your event is over, it will be important to measure the results beyond the leads you have achieved, such as the total number of attendees and the number of attendees who stayed online for the duration of the webinar, the result of the surveys (if you have developed any), and the rating of your community. For this last point, you can send thank you messages to each attendee, the link to the webinar recording and a general survey to find out what your strengths have been and what aspects you can improve.

In conclusion, webinars are still on the top of many people's favorite contents, and represent an interesting alternative that will not only generate immediate benefits, but also allow you to stay connected with your audience, learn about their interests and answer their questions. If you want to start planning your webinar now, but don't know how; you can click here to have us help you create it.