Checklist for Hosting an Impactful Webinar

Key Takeaways

• Using a comprehensive checklist guides your webinar project from planning to follow-up.
• Cloud software offers features you need to execute a successful presentation without worrying about compatibility or processing power.
• It’s critical to keep your audience engaged during your event.
• AnyMeeting can help you improve and promote your webinar.

Cloud-based webinar softwares help you reach a wide audience, generate leads, and follow up on your promotions. Appropriate software makes it easy to navigate the technical aspects of creating an online seminar. A comprehensive checklist for hosting your webinar ensures that your event is well-planned, smoothly executed, and effectively leveraged after the fact.

The effort you put into your presentation can produce impressive results. An average webinar will generate over 500 leads, with an average conversion rate of 55%.

Let’s explore how to get started with cloud software for online presentations.

1. Pre-Event Planning Checklist for Hosting a Webinar

Your checklist begins about eight weeks before your event. At this early stage, you should have three important items on your list.

Define Your Goals & Content

What are your main objectives for the presentation? Are you focused on getting leads, making sales, or perhaps just building your reputation as a thought leader? Determine exactly what you hope to achieve with your webinar.

As your aims come into focus, shape your content accordingly.

Identify Your Audience

Decide early who will attend your webinar. You will need an organized strategy to reach your ideal audience, but first, you must know who they are. Once you have narrowed down the demographics, you will be able to find your future attendees and encourage them to join your presentation.

Choose Your Software

The next item on your checklist for hosting a webinar is selecting and trying out your software. It’s helpful to get familiar with the platform so you are comfortable and confident with it right from the start of your project.

Choose a feature-rich and user-friendly platform for your webinar. Intermedia’s AnyMeeting is easy to work with and will help you at every stage of your project.

AnyMeeting will aid you in generating interest ahead of your webinar with customized branding, automated email services, and reminder messages. The program also includes dynamic features such as real-time polls and Q&A options to keep your audience engaged during your presentation. You can record your webinar and use engagement analytics to develop effective closing strategies after your event.

AnyMeeting is also hosted in the cloud, which means you never have to worry about compatibility or processing power to use it.

2. Invite, Promote, and Practice Your Webinar

Once you’ve determined your goals and defined your attendee list, you’re ready to start putting your software to work. This second stage of the project should begin about six weeks before the day of your presentation. The promotion phase continues right up until your event is live.

At this stage, focus on building a mailing list of people to invite to your webinar. You should also finalize the date and time of your event.

Create and Send Webinar Invitations

Craft your invitation message. Be sure to mention the benefits of attending and give specifics about when your webinar will go live.

When you’ve got your mailing list and your message together, upload your email list and AnyMeeting will send out your invitations for you.

Promote Your Webinar

Continue to promote your webinar after the first invitations go out.

• Send reminders to keep the date and the benefits of your webinar in the minds of prospective attendees. 
• Use custom registration forms to sign up members of your audience.
• Follow up with a survey to increase interest and anticipation.
• Use your own branding for a professional appearance. Include this branding in your promotional materials to build familiarity with your brand.

Practice Your Presentation

Record your trial run and watch the webinar yourself. Does it hold your interest throughout, or does it need a little touching up? Be sure you try out the controls during your practice run so you feel comfortable using them.

3. Webinar Checklist Items for the Big Day

There is one major item on your checklist for hosting a webinar on the scheduled day: audience engagement.

In an average webinar, fewer than half of the attendees stay through the entire presentation. Focus on keeping your audience tuned in so they will stick around and absorb the content you are sharing with them.

Here are some simple ways to keep engagement up:

• Ensure that your audio is excellent. The audience will become frustrated if they can’t hear you.
• Inspire your attendees to engage with you. Use live polls or surveys and share the results with the group.
• Encourage the audience to use emojis to express their reactions as the presentation goes along. Respond to this feedback in real time.
• Always record your webinar. Reviewing the material will help you improve engagement for your next presentation.

4. Action Items for After Your Webinar

Once your presentation is complete, your webinar hosting checklist enters a new and important phase: follow-up.

Keep Your Recorded Presentation Accessible

Make your webinar available to viewers after the initial presentation. Almost half of your total views happen in the days and weeks following the live event. Don’t miss out on these future clients. Give them a chance to view your content for at least an extra month.

Note Your Attendance Statistics

Taking note of attendance statistics can provide valuable insight. Use AnyMeeting’s built-in analytics to analyze engagement throughout your webinar. You can generate reports to show you who attended your event and how long they stayed.

Follow Up With Prospective Clients

With your email list and the records of attendance, create customized follow-up materials. Use email, text messages, and phone calls to reconnect with your audience.

 You might want to include a questionnaire or a survey to encourage a response. 

Champion Your Checklist for Hosting a Webinar

Do you want to create and host an effective event? Use the right cloud software and prepare for success with our organized and thoughtful checklist that covers each stage of planning, production, and post-event follow-up. 

 This checklist for hosting a webinar will guide you through the steps to prepare and present your ideas to prospective clients. Check out Intermedia’s AnyMeeting cloud software to support each phase of your webinar project from beginning to end.

Mariel Santos

Mariel Santos is the Director of Marketing Communications at Intermedia