Are Webinars the Way to Go in 2009?

 

Are Webinars the Way to Go in 2009?
Cost Savings in Weak Economy
Economy Hurting Business Travelers

In this weak economy customer retention is especially important. The travel industry is at an all time low, and companies are not paying their employees to attend conferences and meetings. According to IPSOS News Center, 37% of business travelers who planned to travel during the end of 2008 say their travel plans were impacted by the current financial crisis. Some more facts:

• 8% say they cancelled a business trip they were planning to make year-end 2008
• 10% postponed a scheduled business trip until after January 1, 2009
• 6% are considering canceling a business trip planned for 2009

So what can you do to cut down on travel expenses?

If your customer base is widespread, hosting webinars is one way to boost the value of your company and create stronger relationships. Webinars are interactive, cost-effective tools for informing your customers about products, upgrades, or holding focus groups. Not to mention the peer-to-peer interaction that occurs can result in new opportunities for business networking.

Do you agree webinars are the way to go in 2009?

This post edited by AngelaHodge on 01-07-2009, 2:42 PM EST


This post edited by AngelaHodge on 01-07-2009, 2:42 PM EST

I do agree that they serve a valid purpose in spite of the economic times.  They are and continue to be a time saver (who can put a value on your time?) as well as a wealth of information exchange.

The true value comes from the interaction and ability of a facilitator to herd the group, stay focused, and have any "materials" available in advance for review.  I often request and review and simply listen in the background (multitasking at its best).  Then, I insert myself in to process since I have already identified this in advance.

The unfortunate part of this is that many companies may begin to charge or increase fees to participate in webinars which defeats the intended cost savings.

My two cents for today!

 Unfortunately, most sizable opportunities require a face to face visit.  Customers want to see and know who they are buying from.  It really depends on the size of the opportunity though.  Most MOVO deals allow for a webinar and another call to close them.

Good stats, Angela. I think the webinars are a great, cost-effective way to stay connected with a widespread employee or customer base, especially when you offer an evolving product like ours. But if we're talking about webinars as a new lead gen opportunity, I find them to be...well...boring.  In this context, I wonder - has anyone ever actually BOUGHT anything as a result of a webinar?

Webinar--as the name implies-- sets an expectation of what the session will deliver via the web vs. a traditional seminar. The attendee is most likely expecting your webinar to deliver information or education. Like a live seminar, it is more typically driven with information from the webinar host, with some room for Q&A. Webinars serve the purpose well for attendees who simply want to know more about the topic.

I too have noticed increasingly that companies are looking to this venue as a revenue or lead source, rather than an opportunity to become a noted resource and an opportunity to build trust. Becoming a trusted resource goes alot further than remaining just another opinion (who perhaps charged me more than the information was worth.)

Don't expect a direct purchase as the result of your webinar. We (potential clients) are much more likely to buy something indirectly; a product or service you mentioned, from a source you recommend, than we are to buy initially from you. But that confidence building will pay off in the long run when we return to you based upon the trust you establish through solid recommendations.

An alternative is to invite one of your existing clients to conduct the webinar instead of your staff, so that your client's challenges, experiences and success align more closely with on-line attendees rather than coming from you (the supplier with a vested interest.) While your client may mention working with your company, keep it very low keyed. People looking for a solution will pick up on it quickly--those who don't, will not be offended by a blatant commercial.

Ultimately, create the webinar as a tool for sharing an educational base and/or case study success. If the need is for a sales meeting, other tools are better. If you need an open , loosely organized planning or analysis session, seriously consider video conferencing---body language can often make a critical difference in your input and your conclusions. (as well as your professional exposure and political capital expenditures!)

This post edited by DWendal on 02-05-2009, 4:45 PM EST

Thank you all for your great feedback on this discussion!
Be sure to check out my next discussion on "Industry Conferences".

There are some great ideas in here, particularly the one above. Definitely thought provoking. When considering webinars, these points should be part of the mix. Thanks for sharing!