AV Technology - November/December 2008 - (Page 33)

5. WHAT CONTENT WORKS BEST? Webcasts can be as simple as a speaker with a white board or as sophisticated as multimedia streaming. Webcast tools are never the hard part, experts say. (Webcast reception, of course, will vary with each user’s technology and your choice of hosting tools.) But what mostly stumps marketers is the challenge of creating and delivering engaging content. Think of webcasts as “illustrated radio,” suggests Sydney Rubin, who recently sold her Washington DC high-tech PR agency, Ignition Strategic Communications. “They should be well written, lively, and paced to hold the attention of the participants.” For one client, Ignition set up a webcast to inform participants about changes in a federal law that required some companies to add new technology. Rubin recruited a panel that consisted of a wellknown attorney, who was also a talented speaker, a technology guru, and an executive affected by the law. Presentations were short and to the point, with a moderator interviewing the speakers, the way a talk show host does. “We made sure there was banter between participants,” Rubin says. “Slides moved quickly and a great many of them had no words at all, just pictures that illustrated the points being made in the script. You had to watch, or you’d certainly miss something.” Also consider your call to action. If the only goal is brand awareness, you may not care whether or not there’s a way for viewers to talk back or get more information. But for most marketers, the call to action is an important element. Webcasts provide the perfect environment for finding out more about your customers, influencers, and prospects. That kind of feedback can be accomplished via a Q&A session; a fast survey, whether before, during, or after the presentation; and discretionary comment or forum forms. You can also provide links to additional content on your web site and get people to opt in for email marketing or to download a report or white paper. Webcasts aren’t only about putting information out there. They’re also about getting information back. 6. WHAT KIND OF FOLLOW-UP SHOULD YOU DO? Once the event is over, don’t miss the opportunity to capture leads and further market the audience. “Keeping contact with participants is vital,” says Scott Harris, president of Growth Masters, a Dallas interactive training company. For e-learning or training, you can assign homework or set up online bulletin boards. Other marketers can follow up with additional or more advanced webcast invitations, special discounts for products, or even premium access to information or services. Also, if you record the webcast, you can send notices to participants who dropped out, letting them know they can access an archived version of the event they missed. Obviously, you want to think through the details of an event like this and get it right upfront. But you clearly gain a lot of reach with your dollars. And when you work with a hosting service, basically all you need worry about is your list and the content. New-York-based Joanna L. Krotz often writes on entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and can be reached at jkrotz@muse2muse.com. november | december 2008 | AV TECHNOLOGY | 33

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AV Technology - November/December 2008

AV Technology - November/December 2008 Contents Precedent Corporate: Finishing with Style Government: It’s Still About People Education: Surviving Budget Cuts Applying Metrics to AV ROI Selecting Room Scheduling Software Six Things You Need to Know About Webcasting The Way I See It: Becoming an Internet Native Casino Uses AV for Dramatic Impact Just What the Doctor Ordered The Loneliest Help Desk in Town Product Forum Product Spotlight Tech Horizons New Products Ad Index AV MO

AV Technology - November/December 2008

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