Don’t underestimate the power of well-timed and well-executed webinars as a key component of your sales strategy.
As you and your team are planning out your monthly, quarterly and yearly calendars full of marketing efforts, email messages, social media posts, blogs (like this one!), conferences, trade shows, events, and all other activities that might be driving value for your business…don’t forget about webinars.
Unlocking the Potential of Webinars with Sales Prospecting
Remember when webinars were a novelty? In most industries, video calls were not the norm before the pandemic. But, they are still effective. This I can absolutely confirm. They are still a valuable tool for most teams. Probably in more ways than most sales professionals and leaders realize.
Here are just four advantages and reasons to keep webinars on your radar and in the mix with your prospecting efforts.
Education and Authority Building
Webinars provide an excellent platform for sharing industry knowledge and expertise. By hosting webinars on topics relevant to your target audience, you position your business as an authority in your field. This not only fosters trust but also establishes your brand as a valuable resource. Prospects are more likely to engage with businesses they perceive as knowledgeable and authoritative, making webinars a prime vehicle for positioning your organization as a thought leader.
Lead Generation and Qualification
Webinars attract individuals interested in the subject matter, creating a pool of potential leads. Participants willingly provide their contact information to attend, allowing you to build a list of prospects who have already displayed an interest in your niche. And, their engagement during the webinar can help you assess their level of interest and their potential as a qualified lead. This valuable information empowers your sales team to focus their efforts on prospects with genuine interest and a higher likelihood of conversion.
Personalized Engagement
Through webinars, you can directly engage with your audience in a more personalized manner. The interactive nature of webinars allows for Q&A sessions, polls, and surveys, enabling you to gather real-time feedback and tailor your message accordingly. This direct interaction not only helps you address prospects’ specific questions but also creates a stronger connection between your business and the potential clients, making them feel heard and valued.
Cost-Effective and Scalable
Webinars are a cost-effective method of reaching a large audience simultaneously. With the right technology and marketing strategy, you can host webinars with hundreds or even thousands of participants, minimizing costs associated with in-person meetings.
I personally don’t like recording webinars for repurposing later, or sharing with those who missed; however, it’s important to note that recording a webinar with the intent of using the recording to continue prospecting efforts is a sound one, and should be discussed if your team has interest in exploring.
A few tips and reminders on basic webinar logistics:
- Consider having a webinar coordinator, often called the host on the video platforms
- Assign a different person in a different location as the backup coordinator to build in redundancy and account for things like wifi problems, technical difficulties and added help with monitoring the chat and the Q&A
- Ask someone to moderate or host the webinar, especially if more than one subject matter expert will be speaking
- Offer a tech rehearsal if needed
- Offer a “dress” rehearsal if needed
- Be thoughtful about who’s asked to speak, so they connect with your audience
- Create visually appealing slides that are easy to follow, regardless of whether they will be shared afterwards or not
Your business is already an industry authority. Creating amazing webinars for your prospecting clients can provide a platform for lead generation, qualification, personalized engagement, and cost-effective scalability. By incorporating webinars into your sales strategy, you can effectively engage with potential clients and drive higher conversion rates while showcasing your expertise and building trust within your industry.
And, have you ever considered collaborating with someone like me to brainstorm, plan and add webinars into your prospecting mix? It’s really easier than you think to get started. Just email me and with a quick phone call, we can discuss what you want to accomplish and how Jen E Miller & Associates might be able to help.
(Photo credit Chris Montgomery on Unsplash)
