Here is an outline of the process facilitators put the customer through:
1) Go to the sales page and sign up by adding items to Shopping Cart.
2) Checkout
3) Pay with Credit Card or Paypal
4) Signup for updates with Autoresponder updates.
5) Confirmation in your email so you can receive those updates.
6) Get the updates. Register with the webinar service.
7) Remember to get there on time.
Know your Audience
Here's a scenario: The audience is new to the concept of webinars, is a little bit older, and is scared of technology. There are a few that will navigate this maze quite well and have no problems. The others need pulling through the entire process.
If this is your first webinar, or your audiences, consider doing a few freebie talks to practice, and a few educational emails to help your audience before trying to pull off a 300-400 person webinar.
Keep the Instructions Simple
The tendency for facilitators is to give TMI (too much information). Keep the explanations to a minimum, especially with newbies. Bullet points, click this, click that, look for this, work much better than a whole "My Webinar for the Simple Minded" book. Take them step by step where you want them to go.
Provide the details with the big explanation on an FAQ page on your site.
Do Your Pre-event Work
Do everything you can before you start promotion.
1) Write all the emails, plan out the process
2) Test the shopping cart
3) Send out a few educational emails so they know what to expect
4) Anticipate questions and have processes in place to address them.
5) Make sure the dates are on everyone's calendar that is involved.
Another important aspect is getting your email address and any vendors white-listed on your client's address books. Decide the best method of getting that point across to your customers. So include it on your sales page, your thank you page and any other page you can.
Make one person in charge
If you are delegating, then delegate the whole process. Do not check up on every detail. It just complicates the process. Ask for reports at certain intervals or status reports if you are curious at any point but don't get involved with the entire process if you have asked someone else to do it. They are the specialist in the process, that's why you hired them. Let them deal with the customer questions so there is consistency and nobody falls through the cracks.
Keep the Process to a Minimum
Give all call links right away. If you wait this makes you out of sight out of mind. So get them everything they need up front. Have a checklist for them to print out if they like and check off as they go. Then they are confident in your process and they will be ready to go when they are thinking about it.
Follow these simple rules and your Webinar will go off without a hitch.
Susan Snyder
Founder/CEO buildyourvaskills.com
Go to http://www.buildyourvaskills.com and look at our current schedule of training. Find one that's right for you and bring a friend!
