Webinars are a popular and effective tool for communicating with large audiences online. Webinars are online audio-visual sessions where participants can either dial-in via regular telephone or use a VoIP soft-client on their computers to access a voice conferencing bridge, view presentation slides via their web browser, see white boards, participate in online polls, and use text chat to send questions to the moderators. Some webinars integrate live video, but most rely upon audio and slide presentations.

There are two general ways for business owners and technology marketers to successfully leverage Webinars in their marketing programs- sponsor one produced by a technology media/event company, or produce it in-house.

Webinars that are produced by media/event professionals may feature a panel of sponsors, or be focused on one company depending on the terms of the agreement. In either case, an editor or analyst will typically serve as the moderator to guide the discussion.
In-house webinars may also feature an independent analyst as the moderator to increase the credibility of the information shared, and perceived neutrality to the audience who are understandably going to discern and attempt to filter educational content from sales driven pitches.

Either way, the moderator will also lead a Q&A session. Questions can be often be sent to the moderator via text messaging within the Webinar system.

If you are choosing between doing your webinar in-house vs. partnering with a media/event company, consider the following:

Professional Webinar Producers:

Pros:

Marketing reach - increased number of audience participants and new prospects

Neutral Consultative POV - third-party moderators & production can increase credibility

Outsource Operations Headaches- professionals are experienced in producing live online content

Cons:

Cost - Webinars sponsorships quotes may run between $2000 - $15,000 per Webinar

Control - your control over the agenda and other participants may be somewhat limited

In-house Productions:

Pros:

Control - Autonomy over your content, frequency and style

Cost - $100 a month for hosted services

Cons:

Marketing Reach - challenge to reach new prospects and grow your audience

Operational Challenges - learning curve to manage the process

Helpful Tips:

Design a marketing campaign to promote each Webinar if you do it in-house: consider Pay Per Click ads around the keywords, leverage blogs and social networking sites, as well as encourage the sales team to inform their best leads and prospects via direct communication
If you choose to outsource - try to negotiate a price based on actual qualified attendees
Webinar should be available for one year at least free viewing -if attendees will have to sign up to view it on the third-party site, find out how you will be able to access the post-event leads, and do this monthly
Prepare for the Webinar like it was a live Keynote to a big audience
On the day of the Webinar do a rehearsal, and make sure your presenter is working from a professional environment and reliable Internet and Telephone connections. The Executives selected to deliver the Webinar are by nature very busy individuals, and you must avoid the risk of them squeezing the presentation in from a hotel lobby using spotty unsecured wifi, or on a cell phone at the Airport lounge.

Platforms for Webinars include: http://www.gotowebinar.com

Producers of Tech and Telecom Webinars include: http://www.tmcnet.com/webinar/

AU24 Inc - Technology Marketing and Consulting http://www.au24.net