Using a Webcast can be a very effective way to communicate your message to a wide audience. Companies looking to increase participation in the meeting, particularly among out-
of-state shareholders, are turning to Webcasting to allow shareholders to listen to a CEO's address via the Web, vote on proxy issues, and take part in question-and-answer
sessions with company executives. An increasing number of PR firms are starting to encourage their clients to do Webcasts as a way to communicate to members of the media, says
Cindy Sullivan, PR Manager of CCBN, which provides Web-based communications. "Journalists have been very receptive," she says. "They're on tight deadlines and Webcasting is a way
to reach that audience" without a lot of heavy lifting.
According to an October 2002 NIRI Survey, 25% of companies surveyed Webcasted their annual meeting. Based on the successful experience in IR, other departments are also
hopping on the Webcasting bandwagon. The primary areas for this type of "enterprise Webcasting" are in sales, marketing, PR, and employee training applications. Here, we focus on
enterprise Webcasting in the PR and sales realms:
Public Relations
The PR roller coaster never stops. Keep up with the ride by Webcasting your on-the-fly PR news, emergencies or interviews. Increase your visibility with the media or expand
your reach globally, especially if your company is attempting to enter the international arena for the first time. Examples of how you could use Webcasting in PR include
partnership announcements, media tours, interviews with senior management, crisis management, product launches, community relations and company road shows.
Sales
With Webcasting you can expand your reach by communicating one-to-many. Want your product manager in Boston and client support rep in Dallas on the call too? You can easily use
multiple presenters from various locations simultaneously. You can also archive your presentation for clients or prospects to access as often as they'd like. Examples of how
companies are using Webcasting in sales include sales training, sales presentations, lead generation, and tracking client and prospect responses.
Business Drivers:
There are several factors driving the growth in Webcasting beyond IR applications:
#1 Better Communication
As broadband and streaming media technology improves, more companies are taking advantage of the interactive capabilities of the Internet to communicate their message,
including using audio, video and visuals. A video webcast enables companies to reach a global audience, deliver important business information, and interact with participants in
real-time. This tool engages the audience with a compelling experience including live video/audio, synchronized slides, and interactive elements like chat, live Web links,
Q&A, and polling.
#2 Demonstrated Return on Investment
In the current business climate, Webcasting is a cost-effective alternative for many types of communication that can also lead to improved revenue and/or substantial cost
savings. Webcasts that include robust reporting tools make it easier to measure this payback by providing information on who participated and for how long, allowing sales people
to follow-up on any new leads. In addition, a Webcast has value well beyond the live event. In fact, our experience suggests that for every 1 live listener, 3 will listen to the
archived replay, emphasizing the importance of archived Webcasts as part of a company's overall communications strategy.
#3 Faster Time to Market
Companies have also gravitated to Webcasting given the ability of the Web to get their message heard quickly. Time to market is also compressed because companies can turn to
an outsourced provider for a turnkey program that combines software, services, hosting, and reporting all in one. Your corporate message can be transformed into a compelling
strategic communications tool that can be accessed live or on-demand by a growing universe of online viewers.
Contact: Greg Radner, VP of Marketing for CCBN; [email protected].; Cindy Sullivan; [email protected]. CCBN, which provides Internet-based investor and corporate communication services, Webcasts approximately 4,000 events per
quarter. http://www.ccbn.com