Sunday, October 12, 2008

Web Conferences Work in Times Like These

By J. Gregory Thomas

Few businesses today are immune to the effects of today's higher travel expenses. Unfortunately, news of a slowing economy further compounds the problems faced by small businesses, particularly where business development comes into play.

In these economic periods, sales typically slow, and margins and productivity decrease. Sales slow because many businesses continue developing (or trying to develop) leads the way they used to. Worse, some businesses even reduce their development efforts. Margins decrease because expenses have increased. Productivity decreases as employees sit around, discouraged with their slowing results.

Instead of crawling into a cocoon and hoping to weather the economic storm, small businesses should face the elements head-on. Withdrawal is a fundamental mistake that only gets amplified for small businesses that can't afford back-to-back months of little or no sales. This does not mean or suggest spending more and more on advertising. Rather, small businesses need to consider and weigh alternate marketing techniques. This is where the webinar solution comes up.

Introducing a webinar to your marketing process can yield great sales growth if properly executed - Quote Stork Solutions provides two simple steps below. According to data collected by Ipsos in May 2008 and reviewed by Quote Stork Solutions, webinars as a communication method will grow by six hundred percent over the next five years. This trend is supported by the current usage by medium- and large-businesses. If small businesses do not start taking advantage of this technology, they stand to suffer in the long-term.

The first thing small businesses need to do is initiate a direct-response marketing campaign. These types of campaigns, while not the marketing choice of larger competitors, yield high ROI. Whether or not the small business owner likes this method of marketing, the results are proven. Plus, with direct-response marketing, only interested prospects will take action.

The second step involves developing and presenting a valued-added sales pitch to interested parties via webinar or web conference. This is more than a "Why You Should Deal with Me" pitch. For example, an electrical contractor might present some of the common problems electrical encountered in the course of a typical renovation as well as some of the remedies taken to correct such problems.

Through a direct-response campaign, the small business can reduce cash expenses needed to develop an attendee list. As well, since only interested prospects will show interest in attending your web conference, you are now speaking and selling to a captive audience rather having to complete a hard sale.

Lastly, using the webinar approach provides a win-win for both the small business (seller) and prospect (buyer). For the seller, the webinar option allows small businesses to pitch to a "roomfull" of interested prospects instead of pitching to each business individually. For the buyer, a webinar allows prospects to attend meetings remotely from their home or office.

The market leader here is GoToMeeting. They offer a comprehensive web conference solution for all business types. Plus, through the link below, you can enjoy a Free Trial and receive $10 off your first paid web conference.

About the Author:

No comments: