The Conference Coach™

Not long ago, I was reading a pair of articles on BtoBonline.com about the use and misuse of webinars as a lead generation tool. What struck me was that the misuse article gave much more practical advice about what not to do than the use article gave about what to do. Surely I thought as a marketing person for a web and audio conferencing company, I can give a better perspective on using web conferencing as a lead generation tool. And so here it is…

Can Webinars, Webcasts and Web Conferences Be Used as a Lead Generation Tool?
Yes, most certainly. It’s important to understand the difference is between a webinar and a webcast.

• A webinar is a web conference that can either be live or recorded and that allows for either a one-way audio connection or a more interactive two-way audio connection usually via the phone or VOIP.
• A webcast is a web conference that can either be live or recorded and that allows only a one-way push of information with an audio connection usually over the internet.

Both of these online meeting options are good for communicating information. However, a webinar is generally better for lead generation particularly when the conversation relies on interactivity with the audience. I’ve used webinars for lead generation for many years with great success. If done correctly, each new webinar brings back previous attendees as well as new attendees.

What is the Best Type of Webinar for Lead Generation?
The best type of webinar is one that is thoughtfully put together, with the audience and goals in mind, delivers a message that is easy to digest and understand, and is delivered in an engaging and memorable format. Good lead generation webinars will have the following qualities:

• Relevance – a good webinar will be relevant to the audience
• Interest – the presentation must hold the audience’s attention
• Focus – the webinar should remain focused on one or two main points
• Concision – concise information delivery equates to clarity for attendees
• Actionable information – give the attendees a reason to ask questions and
  engage

Is Every Webinar Attendee a Lead?
Yes and no. Every webinar attendee is a lead. But not every lead will become a viable prospect for a sale. When webinars are used in conjunction with other lead efforts, building lead profiles that provide relevant information to your sales team to discern which leads are better prospects is very effective.

Casting the Net for Registrants
When you cast your net for registrants, should it be wide or focused? Should you ask qualifying questions? Should you offer a free white paper download or other hook as part of attending? A great deal of who is a viable lead depends on how well you’ve done the marketing to get the leads to the webinar in the first place. Spending time on pre-webinar marketing makes for better web conference attendee interaction and ultimately better lead classification when the leads are passed on to sales.

Selecting the Right Web Conferencing Tool
Now that you’ve decided to do webinars, which tool is right for you? Do you need video? Will you be satisfied with webcasting and pushing information to the audience? Or would you prefer the option of interactivity between the presenter and the attendees? Regardless of the conferencing provider you choose, the following are important to keep in mind when selecting a webinar or webcasting web conferencing service:

• Ease of use – is the interface easy to understand
• Customer Service and training – is help available if needed
• Price – will the investment justify the return
• Functionality – what functions do I really need – recording, video, polling, question and answer, security and so on
• Commitment – will there be a contract to sign, additional fees, or minimum use requirements

Although many web and audio conferencing services providers have options that meet the items above, many will not have easily accessible customer service people and some will require a contract or have minimum use requirements that result in additional fees if not met on a monthly basis.

So, for many it will come down to the internet meeting option that “feels” the best. Feeling good about the audio and web conferencing services provider you ultimately choose is important.

Before You Buy, Definitely Try
Before you embark on creating webinars for lead gen, make sure you try the web conferencing service. Most web conferencing vendors provide free trials. Some require you to enter your credit card to get the free trial and then will begin charging your card automatically if you don’t cancel the agreement. This puts the onus on you to remember when the free trial is supposed to end. Some free trials don’t give you the full webinar capabilities so it’s difficult to assess the tool. Copper Conferencing offers a free web conferencing trialwithout requiring a credit card or a contract to try web conferencing. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for a free web conferencing trial with Copper Conferencing and begin using webinars for lead generation today.