Webinars aren't ideal substitutes for every face-to-face event, but they might suit your purposes when you need to:

Provide training on a shoestring. No travel expenses or time away from the office is required. Fees vary greatly, but a Webinar hosting service can cost under $1,000 annually, be available 24/7, and accommodate up to 1,000 attendees at one time. If the presenter charges $1,000 per hour, your training costs a mere $1 per person in hard costs.

Coordinate a global audience. If your attendees or members are spread out all over the world, flying to a central location or sending the presenter to multiple locations can be cost-prohibitive. While there will always be a need to meet in person, network, and collaborate, a simple one-hour meeting may be better accomplished via Webinar. Because no formal classroom is needed, attendees can watch from the privacy of their own offices, homes, or conference rooms. Several meetings may be scheduled to cover participants in multiple time zones.

Avoid complicated high-tech solutions. In many cases, there is nothing to install or download. With the robust online learning portals available, trainees receive easy directions for registering and clear instructions for signing on. All that's required is an Internet connection and sound (either from computer speakers/microphone or via phone). Some of my clients list my Webinars on their regular training registration system, project the seminar on the screen in the conference room, and tell us how many people were there, and we bill per person. It's a great payback on investment of time, for both attendees and presenters.

Offer a touch point between regular meetings. The National Speakers Association (NSA) offers a Webinar series that attracts hundreds of members every month. It's an ideal opportunity for members to continue learning between regular in-person conferences - no lighting, LCD projectors, or hotel staff required. Or, if a sudden need arises for a live discussion, a quick Web meet-up is a great alternative to a phone call, since you can share applications and your desktop.

Record the meeting and track attendance. Most systems can record the Webinar, which then may be placed on your learning management system (LMS) or viewed by those who couldn't attend the live session. These Webinar recordings can become the foundation of a learning library or a profit center. If you have new employees frequently coming on board, they can simply view past recordings. Additionally, most systems have an easy way to track attendees and follow up with those who missed the live event. Subsequent marketing messages or offers can be sent automatically to registrants.

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Take Away

 

 

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These tips should be used for informational purposes and should not be considered legal advice.

Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, is vice president of the National Speakers Association. She is a personal productivity expert, best-selling author, and professional speaker dedicated to creating Maximum Results in Minimum Time® for her clients. She is the president of The Productivity Pro® Inc. (www.TheProductivityPro.com), a time-management training firm specializing in productivity improvement in high-stress organizations. Since 1992, she has presented keynotes and seminars on improving output, lowering stress, and saving time in today's workplaces.

The National Speakers Association (NSA) is the leading educational organization for professional speakers. NSA's 3,500 members include experts in a variety of industries
and disciplines, who reach audiences as trainers, educators, humorists, motivators, consultants, authors, and more. As a service to meeting professionals, NSA provides resources and information on finding and working with speakers. Visit NSA's Web site at www.nsaspeaker.org.

 

Give and Take
A key feature of a Webinar - as opposed to a one-way Webcast transmission - is its interactive elements. Make the most of polls, chats, and Q&As to engage participants.