Over the last 30 years, the internet has changed almost all aspects of business and offered companies 24/7/365 opportunities on a global stage.
From email to e-commerce, searchable databases to live chat systems, the internet has become an integral part of most companies’ operations.
With today’s wider mobile networks, faster connection speeds and improved technology the web is now ready to transform another common business practice – conferences and presentations. Online webinars have increased in popularity in recent years as the perfect tool for delivering a company message to large audiences spread across geographically-remote locations.
Why webinars could end traditional conferences forever
Webinars are the ideal vehicle for your company to reach the largest viewership without the need for travel. Holding a webinar saves both you and your audience considerable time, money and inconvenience. Moreover, they can also offer a level of interaction that simply isn’t possible in any other environment. Here are just a few reasons why your company should consider using this new and exciting promotional tool:
Webinars offer tremendous value: While the initial costs of setting up a webinar might seem high, when compared like-for-like with traditional conferences, the savings can be enormous. Furthermore, it’s not just you saving money – your clients also save by not having to travel. All told, your Return on Investment (ROI) is far higher using the webinar format.
Webinars are better for the environment: As people have become increasingly environmentally-aware, there is less inclination these days to make pointless business journeys. A webinar is better for the environment by removing the need for your audience to travel to you.
Webinars have high conversion rates: If you set up your event correctly and use the right software and technology, you can be cross-selling while presenting. Webinars have been proven to have a high conversion rate and can be a great way to boost sales.
Webinars encourage viewer participation: Many people are too shy to stand up and ask a question in a crammed auditorium but will feel far less pressure asking over webinar software. You can encourage increased viewer participation using software prompts during your presentation or could use live captions to increase engagement. All in all, webinars offer more opportunities to involve your audience and lend a close and personal feel to your presentations.
Webinars avoid the hard sell: The best webinars tend to focus on educating viewers rather than just going for the hard sell. There is considerable evidence that suggests a soft sale approach is more successful at building client loyalty and can also result in repeat purchases.
Webinars can be reused online to improve your content marketing: As your event is filmed, you could opt to offer it for subsequent streaming on any of the popular social media platforms – Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, etc. As YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine, posting your video on the service could help promote your company to entirely new markets and help maximize your video content marketing strategy.
Webinars can turn a profit: Not all webinars are delivered free of charge. Depending on the type of event, you can generate money from online registrations, covering your production costs and turning a profit.
