Picture this. A conference room. No refreshments. The a/c has been jacked way up. The presenter stands on a stage, a laptop open on the podium with a projection screen directly behind him. Page after page of bullet points with sad clip-art for show. But it gets worse. All the presenter does is read directly from a powerpoint that does absolutely nothing but lead you to ask more questions, but one question in particular stands out: why did I get out of bed for this? Yes, it's a seminar nightmare. And, to top it off, you're sitting in the front row!
Webinars that lack proper planning and essential creative elements will leave our audience with the same feeling of living through a recurring webinar nightmare. Except with webinars, they have a small benefit -- the office work they have been neglecting for weeks. Oh, they can complete this chore or that chore while you drone on without interest.
Hosting a webinar involves keeping your audience engaged. Interested. There are several ways you can accomplish this, but in the interest of simplicity we will address the most important element here (if are a keener and want to learn about other tactics, sign up for Quote Stork's newsletter via the link below).
So what is this "secret?" Simply put, curiosity. That's right, by arousing curiosity with every slide or "bullet point" you will successfully keep your audience engaged. By entertaining questions and seeking answers, your audience will be eager for the solutions you offer or provide.
There are plenty of ways you can motivate curiosity in your webinars. The easiest way to find tips is to study some of the most popular visual media; the film industry. Successful filmmakers know the importance of keeping the audience's curiosity level high. Darth Vader comes to mind -- Lucas kept us coming back time and again, even after we knew he was Luke's father. What Happens in Vegas kept us watching because we wanted to see how this one-night-stand would work itself through. Miami Vice -- how will Crockett and Tubbs get out of this one? You get the point; a curious audience keeps watching until the end, and you reap the rewards.
For the webinar presenter, achieving a high curiosity level involves giving the audience problems. Typically, unsuccessful presenters give a million answers instead. If great filmmakers don't give the answers, why should you? After all, a lot has been studied about great managers and it seems these effective folks (Jack Welch comes to mind) provide the questions and allow employees to come up with the answers. Of course, the manager always has an "end" but by allowing the employee to produce the "means" has benefits outside the scope of this article. Use the webinar to empower your staff or clients; letting them make the decision results in greater long-term commitment.
In today's difficult economic climate, the typical financial advisor makes for a great case study. While the advisor understand that bearish markets present the greatest opportunities for long-term growth, she would be wise to NOT give a million reasons for why clients should invest more and invest now. Instead, she might provide questions. Like asking the audience what they do when gasoline prices are high (partially fill the tank) versus when they reach lower lows (fill everything from the car, the boat, even the lawn mower!). Questions like what Donald Trump does (buys dumpy properties, pretties them up, and sells them for way more than they are worth). Hmm... the audience will come to their own conclusion that now is the time to invest.
Citrix Online leads the market with their GoToWebinar solution. Through Quote Stork Solutions, enjoy a free trial and an additional $10 off your first payment (if you subscribe). GoToWebinar allows unlimited webinars throughout the month, meaning you can as many clients and employees as you want.
Webinars that lack proper planning and essential creative elements will leave our audience with the same feeling of living through a recurring webinar nightmare. Except with webinars, they have a small benefit -- the office work they have been neglecting for weeks. Oh, they can complete this chore or that chore while you drone on without interest.
Hosting a webinar involves keeping your audience engaged. Interested. There are several ways you can accomplish this, but in the interest of simplicity we will address the most important element here (if are a keener and want to learn about other tactics, sign up for Quote Stork's newsletter via the link below).
So what is this "secret?" Simply put, curiosity. That's right, by arousing curiosity with every slide or "bullet point" you will successfully keep your audience engaged. By entertaining questions and seeking answers, your audience will be eager for the solutions you offer or provide.
There are plenty of ways you can motivate curiosity in your webinars. The easiest way to find tips is to study some of the most popular visual media; the film industry. Successful filmmakers know the importance of keeping the audience's curiosity level high. Darth Vader comes to mind -- Lucas kept us coming back time and again, even after we knew he was Luke's father. What Happens in Vegas kept us watching because we wanted to see how this one-night-stand would work itself through. Miami Vice -- how will Crockett and Tubbs get out of this one? You get the point; a curious audience keeps watching until the end, and you reap the rewards.
For the webinar presenter, achieving a high curiosity level involves giving the audience problems. Typically, unsuccessful presenters give a million answers instead. If great filmmakers don't give the answers, why should you? After all, a lot has been studied about great managers and it seems these effective folks (Jack Welch comes to mind) provide the questions and allow employees to come up with the answers. Of course, the manager always has an "end" but by allowing the employee to produce the "means" has benefits outside the scope of this article. Use the webinar to empower your staff or clients; letting them make the decision results in greater long-term commitment.
In today's difficult economic climate, the typical financial advisor makes for a great case study. While the advisor understand that bearish markets present the greatest opportunities for long-term growth, she would be wise to NOT give a million reasons for why clients should invest more and invest now. Instead, she might provide questions. Like asking the audience what they do when gasoline prices are high (partially fill the tank) versus when they reach lower lows (fill everything from the car, the boat, even the lawn mower!). Questions like what Donald Trump does (buys dumpy properties, pretties them up, and sells them for way more than they are worth). Hmm... the audience will come to their own conclusion that now is the time to invest.
Citrix Online leads the market with their GoToWebinar solution. Through Quote Stork Solutions, enjoy a free trial and an additional $10 off your first payment (if you subscribe). GoToWebinar allows unlimited webinars throughout the month, meaning you can as many clients and employees as you want.
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