Online marketing is vital to the success of your startup, and the digital arena provides you many avenues to reach your target market.
One underutilized platform is the webinar. In this article, we ask and answer the question, “Should your startup be using webinars to reach its audience?”
What is a Webinar?
For those of you who aren’t quite sure what a webinar is, here’s a short description:
A webinar is a live web-based video conference. There’s usually one (there can be more) presenter and an audience who signed up for the webinar ahead of time.
The format allows startups to connect with people all over the world.
Webinar hosts can use video so people can see them, or they may just use audio. They can also use the webinar for slideshows or demonstrations.
Finally, the webinar format allows the audience to ask questions and talk to the host(s).
Now let’s look at why a webinar is beneficial for your startup.
Webinars Give Something Away
The best thing about webinars is they enable you to give something away for free to your target audience without costing you anything.
With a webinar, you are sharing your expertise while giving something of value to your customers.
You can engage with your customers for as long as you’re willing to stay online and answer their questions. You can even ask them questions to further engage them.
Webinars allow you to give something away – your knowledge – but you get something in return – the contact.
Attendees have to register to attend your webinar, and this provides you with their name, email address and contact info.
This means you can continue marketing to them and potentially increase your sales.
By establishing a rapport with customers, you engender their trust, increasing the likelihood they’ll convert to paying customers.
Webinars Establish You as the Expert
Today’s shopper wants to purchase from businesses they trust. One great way to build this trust is through the webinar.
When you provide educational content that helps your customers, you become a helpful resource. When you allow them to ask questions, and you provide accurate answers, you establish yourself as the true expert.
People are more likely to buy from a business who helped them and provided expertise and valuable guidance.
Webinars are No-Pressure Sales Tool
You’ll find that webinars provide the ultimate soft sell sales tool.
We caution you here – the webinar isn’t a teaching tool followed by direct selling. To really “do” a webinar well, you are teaching and selling at the same time, and no one knows you are selling to them.
The goal of your webinar is to teach and provide value while at the same time making your customers want more. So, by the time the webinar is over, they are already sold on your products or services and are begging for more.
Webinars are a Giant Conversation
Finally, webinars allow you to have conversations with people located anywhere in the world, thanks to the power of the Internet.
You aren’t inconvenienced, and neither is your audience. The webinar comes to them wherever they are – at work or at home in their pajamas.
The ability to connect with people anywhere at any time is invaluable.
Final Thoughts
So, the answer to the question, “Should your startup be using webinars to reach its audience?” is, “Yes, if it works with your business model, it’s a terrific way to build loyal customers and reach your target market.”
You’ll find that webinars are a powerful way to inspire customers, provide valuable and engaging content and increase customer loyalty.
The possibilities with webinars are endless. Start planning your first one today and come back and let us know how it went.
Are you a new startup ready to succeed? Are you looking to get your new business off the ground and watch it rise to success? We are here for you. We can help answer your questions and guide you through the process. Outsource your HR duties, finances, payroll and more to us. Contact Escalon today to get started.
Image: linux_foundation via VisualHunt
