Here’s a common fear among online entrepreneurs: empty webinars.
You know what a powerful tool webinars can be when it comes to growing your mailing list and making sales. You’re comfortable in front of a mic, and love to share your expertise with a crowd. But the thought of putting all that work into a live webinar leaves you cold, because you know that on average, less than 25% of those who register will actually show up.
If you’re using a webinar to promote a paid product, those numbers are pretty discouraging when you think in terms of conversions:
Assuming your webinar converts at 20%, that means that for every 100 people who register, you can expect to make 4 sales. That seems like a lot of work for very few sales.
But what if you could increase the percentage of people who actually attend? What would that do for your sales?
Strategy #1: No replays.
This might be an unpopular option, and you’ll probably get fewer signups if you’re clear on your opt-in page that there will be no replay, but the fact is, if people don’t show up for the live event, chances are good they won’t watch the replay either. In other words, does it really matter if they resist registering simply because you don’t offer a replay?
When you let them know in advance that there will be no replay available, your registrants will be more like to make the time to attend. With the promise of a replay, any distraction is an excuse to “catch it later,” even if that distraction is nothing more important than dusting the living room. By refusing to set that expectation, you’ll encourage registrants to attend live, or risk missing out on the info.
Strategy #2: Gifts to live attendees only.
If you’d rather offer a replay, consider creating a special gift only for those who attend live. This can be as simple as a worksheet or checklist or downloadable guide to help them implement your training.
You can also offer discounts on your paid program to those who are on the call live. During the “pitch” portion of your webinar, make it clear that those who register while on the call will receive a discount, special bonuses, or other incentive not available once the call ends. Just be sure to state this on your opt-in page and in your reminder emails, so everyone who registers is encourages to tune in live and not wait for the replay.
Strategy #3: Remind, remind, and remind again.
Attention spans are short (and getting shorter). People forget. Life happens. Consistent reminders can help attendees remember why they signed up, and eliminates lost log-in details and other causes of no-shows. A good rule of thumb is to remind the day before, the day of, and at the time you go live. Include access details, calendar links, and time zone conversions in your reminder emails for even more effectiveness.
Consider adding value to your reminder emails as well. Rather than just stating the time and date with a link to join, share a tidbit of the training they’ll receive.
Are You Hosting Webinars? Here’s How to Improve Your Results
Whether you’ve been hosting webinars for years, or you’re just getting started, you can always use more attendees. The more virtual seats you fill, the more sales you’ll make, and the more your mailing list will grow. We’d call that a win all the way around!
If you want to learn the strategies that top coaches and solo-preneurs are using to host effective, popular webinars, then you’ll love our new Teach Your Tribe offer, “7 Ways to Get More People on Your Next Webinar.” Use the content to improve your own marketing plans, or rebrand and sell it to your clients! We’ve got everything you need, including a webinar script, slide deck, handouts and even marketing materials. There’s nothing left for you to do but learn the system and “Teach Your Tribe.”
