I don't have to tell you how much fun (opposite of) it can be to manage the logistics of a press conference, marketing seminar or product announcement - including creating and distributing content,
finding the space, reserving it, deciding on seating and paying for it all. What if you had access to a conference room that could accommodate thousands of people from around the world - one that you
could reserve at a moment's notice, for a fraction of the price you'd normally pay? That's the promise of a new breed of online "meeting-enabling" services. In these virtual conference rooms you can chat,
share and work on documents, poll your audience and even meet in breakout rooms.
According to Forrester Research, 70% of the Fortune 1000 will employ collaborative technologies, such as "Webinars" and Webcasts, by the year 2003. "Web conferencing helps business professionals
communicate with more people, more effectively in less time, so it should come as no surprise that the Web conferencing category is expected to grow to a multi-billion dollar market in the next two
years," says Barry James Folsom, CEO of PlaceWare, an online conferencing service.
What's a Webinar?
Webcasts and Webinars are events held online instead of in person. Companies are using these venues for a variety of purposes, including product launches, press conferences and briefings, software
demonstrations, quarterly financial disclosures and road shows. The growing popularity of these virtual events can be attributed to three factors: time, budget and visibility. Online meeting services
allow you, your colleagues and customers to save time and money associated with traveling, without compromising your visibility (in fact, in many cases, electronic events will increase it).
Moreover, the cost savings can be significant. Many companies easily spend an average of $300 or more per participant at a typical offline event. Webinars, however, can bring that number down to a few
dollars per person. Additional benefits include broader reach (regardless of location), definable ROI, and easier lead tracking.
Today, there are a number of services on the market designed to help you develop an online event from invitation to results measurement. But services vary widely. Some offer integrated video and voice-
over IP, while others focus on PowerPoint sequences and phone lines. Some issues to consider in planning and executing an online event:
Get the Word Out
Once you've determined the objective of your event, you can decide how best to reach your target audience. For a press conference, issue a media alert a few days prior to the event. For a
press briefing, send invitations one or two weeks prior to event. For a product launch you may want to use multiple approaches: direct mail to a broad audience; targeted outreach to select
clients and prospects; email invitations; banner ads on relevant Web sites; ads on your corporate site; ads in relevant trade publications; alerts to relevant newsletters; and online forums.
Allow participants to register or RSVP online, preferably on your company or association's site. Make the process as easy as possible, but capture sufficient information to ensure you can tailor the
presentation, and follow up - either with the press, industry analysts or potential customers. Also, send a reminder by email to confirmed participants as the event nears.
Make the Content Rich
Many of the services available today make it relatively easy to offer sophisticated multimedia presentations that require little technical expertise and generally no plug-ins. The standard fare
includes PowerPoint demonstrations, online polling, audio conferencing, group Web surfing (taking participants on a guided tour of the Web), and shared documents with the ability to show real time edits,
underlines and highlights. Typical Webinars last 45 minutes to one hour, allowing for no more than three or four presentations followed by a Q&A session.
Keep it Interesting
In a conference room, attendees may be hesitant to get up to leave the room. On the Web, your audience can shut you off at any moment. Keep the presentation interesting and interactive. Matt Wasowski
of New York-based HorizonLive recommends asking questions: "If a presenter simply does a straight lecture, then it will ultimately bore the participants. However, if the presenter engages the audience by
asking questions, polls, surveys, then the participants stay involved."
Choose Your Partners Wisely
Your selection of the right Webcasting service means everything. In reviewing potential partners, ask questions such as:
- Do firewalls interfere with this service?
- How many phone lines will I need and can change the number at the last minute?
- What are the system requirements?
- Will participants need to upgrade their browsers?
- Are there any plug-ins necessary?
- Can the event be archived on my site? What are the costs for archives?
- Does the service provide post event analysis or surveys?
- Is a conference attendant available to help plan and implement the event - as well as to troubleshoot during the conference?
Jumping Ahead
Of course, advances in technology and the increasing abundance of bandwidth make this a rapidly evolving category. "Tele-immersion" is forecast as the next frontier. According to a recent report in
Technology Review , tele-immersion, "replicates, in real-time and in three dimensions, the space surrounding remote participants in a cybermeeting. The result is a shared, simulated environment
that makes it appear as if everyone is in the same room." OK, that may be a few years away, but get ready.
Reid Walker is managing director, global marketing communications for GE Global eXchange Services. 301/340-5985. [email protected].
Tips for Presenting Online
The key - as in any presentation - is preparation. Know your materials, and how the story told by your slides and video will mesh with your talking points. To ensure a smooth
presentation:
- Set up your next slide. You know what's coming. Instead of showing a slide and then talking about it, try to connect your topics. "We've just covered x. The next slide
talks about y." And then you put up the slide. - Key the viewers and listeners into what they are seeing and direct their attention to key aspects of each slide. If you say, "On the next slide, 'pay attention to bullet point
number 2,' chances are you'll force people to spend more time on that bullet on the slide. - Voice is very critical in this type of presentation. Variance can be louder, softer, faster and slower. Enthusiasm is contagious, even in a Webcast.
Source: Andy Gillman, President of CommCore. http://www.commcoreconsulting.com