Is your program webinar-ready? A guide to producing and presenting webinars in early education organizations

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Fran Simon, M.Ed. Engagement Strategies, LLC

NAEYC Annual Conference, Atlanta

November 9, 2012

Is your program webinar-ready? A guide to producing and presenting webinars in early education organizations

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Fran Simon, M.Ed. Engagement Strategies, LLC

NAEYC Annual Conference, Atlanta

November 9, 2012

http://bit.ly/webinarready

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A secret about me!

I’m just an ECE pro like you, but I pose as a

webinar pro at conferences and parties

There’s a reason I’m telling you this. You’ll see!

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About you…

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Agenda

•Webinar basics

•Using webinars to support goals in early education

•Webinar shopping list

•How to deliver engaging online presentations

•Are you ready?

Webinar Basics

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Anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can attend.

Powerful

Webinars allow you to reach people around the world who might

otherwise never connect with you

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Of course there are limitations.

Consider them challenges that

can be overcome.

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• Personal interaction • Gauging interest

• Gauging understanding •Applying concepts in

activities

Webinars, online meetings and webcasts

Collaboration # of attendees Purpose

Online Meeting Highly interactive

Multi-way communication

2-20* Remote Business meetings

****** Staff , client or board meeting

Webinar Limited 2- way communication

2-500 Remote presentation

****** Conference session

or training

Webcast 1-way

communication

2-Thousands Remote broadcast of information to large audiences

***** Keynote

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3 Elements of Webinars

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Visuals

Sound

Interactivity

Roles in Webinars

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Panelist(s)/ Presenters

Presenter Organizer

Attendee Registrant

Information creators

Info Consumers

?

© Fran Simon Copyright, 2012 15

But, what resources do we

need to offer webinars?

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You need: A Computer* & Connectivity**

* Mac, PC, Both? ** broadband Internet access

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-OR-

-OR-

Audio considerations

+

+

+

You need Webinar Software and Audio Service

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Time to…

• Plan

• Prepare

• Practice

• Promote

Simple rule of thumb: After the basics are in place, 4 weeks to set up, promote and

practice

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Highly recommended! 2 computers

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Highly recommended: A producer

Handles the backchannel and troubleshoots.

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The M word- Marketing

or no one will ever see them You must market your webinars

You need to promote your webinars in every way possible

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• Website

• Blog

• Email

• Social networks

• Other Bloggers

• Online ads

• Relevant organizations

Supporting Goals in

Early Education

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What can you do with webinars in

early education organizations?

* Reach new people * Promote * Advertise * Inform *

* Recruit * Persuade *

* Educate * Demonstrate * Market *

* Convince * Advocate *

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Parents Staff Funders Partners

Policymakers

Supporters

Community

Donors

Target Who is/are your target audience(s)?

ebinars and the awareness/engagement cycle

Awareness

Consideration

Interest

Evaluation

Convert •Enrollment •Fundraising •Recruitment •Marketing •Selling •Advocacy •Engagement •PD

W

W

W

Example: Parent Enrollment

They find you

You engage them

They enroll

You engage them

They Re-enroll or

refer

Engaging prospective

customers/families

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Engaging current parents

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Word of mouth

Your org…Your role(s)…Your goal(s)…

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Will lead to your target audience(s)

Powerful benefit: Capture

information from your target audience

Collecting Data Is not

Necessarily evil

How you use Data is what counts

Email lists

Tracking PD

Advocacy Support

Fundraising

Apply this to your work

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• Enrollment open-houses

• Professional development

• Presenting research or policy

• Gathering support for advocacy

• Fundraising pitches

• Membership presentations

• Thought leadership and branding

• Demonstrations

• Orientations

• Board meetings

• Marketing

What did you decide? Webinars and online meetings for…

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Shopping List

Comparing Webinar Software

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Comparing Webinar Software

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BEWARE THE TELECONFERENCING DETAILS!

• VOIP Free, but can be hinky (unreliable)

• Integrated Toll Call teleconferencing $$?

• Integrated Toll-free calling $$$ !!!

Webinar Software Features

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Desktop Sharing

Web Browsing

Recording

Whiteboard

Drawing Tools

Chat

Share Controls

Common Features

Webinar Software Features

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Multiple Presenters

VOIP & Integrated Teleconferencing

Advance Scheduling

Instant Meetings

Webcam and Video Streaming

Registration and Reporting

Polls and Surveys

Less Commonly Considered Features

What to think about during webinar software demos

They will show you this: They often don’t demo this:

Is it visually appealing for the end user? Is it easy for the people who run the webinars to set up, manage, and record?

Is it easy for the end user to log in? Does it have a registration system? Reporting?

Is it cool and feature-rich? Does it include audio? What are the audio options?

Is it reliable? Are there additional costs?

Do they offer onboarding support? What are the options for support.

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Free Trials…

Are useless unless you use the system by replicating a real experience as closely as possible. Tinkering will not do!

1) Take tutorial or read documentation. 2) Put together a presentation and a focus group team 3) Evaluate the system as an organizer, presenter, and

data collector. 4) Evaluate the system as a participant. 5) Use the system for a full length session. 6) Use the reporting functions.

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Deliver great online presentations

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Online presentations are different than live presentations…

For more than the obvious reasons…

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Advertise what you will deliver and deliver what you advertise 45

Good webinar titles attract the right

audiences

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Offer compelling content:

Something people WANT to know

Clear message

A story

© Fran Simon Copyright, 2012 47

Keep the slides graphic and readable

Use images to convey meaning

© Fran Simon Copyright, 2012 48

Keep it conversational

in tone

Invite people to engage with you through polls, open ended questions, and hand-raising.

Tell your story

People listen to, care about,

and buy from people they

know, like and trust.

AUTHENTIC stories connect

How to not bore attendees

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• Orient the attendees

• A memorable opening

• More slides with fewer words

• Compelling story 1st

• Make it relevant

• Project voice

• Inflection varied

• Convey excitement

• Tell them what to do

Highest level of engagement: The “backchannel”

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That’s a great idea!

Let’s tell the staff!

I’m going to ask the presenter how to do

it!

Chat log from a webinar

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Your “producer” can enhance the backchannel

• Add links to URLs

• Respond to comments

• Add tidbits of information

• Act as a color commentator

Expectations: Registration and Attendance

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High

$$$$ Free

Att

end

ance

Reg

istr

atio

n

Low

Att

end

ance

Reg

istr

atio

n

• Only 30% of registrants will attend a free webinar

• Fewer people will register for webinars that require a fee, but attendance will be 80%-98%

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Is your organization

“Webinar Ready”?

Do you have

• Buy in?

• Content and presenters?

• Support staff?

• Time to prepare, promote, produce, practice, and present?

• Webinar and audio software?

• Adequate Internet access?

• Computer(s) and audio equipment?

• A plan for producing and follow up?

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Resources

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My blog posts: (Webinars)http://bit.ly/webinars4ece

(PowerPoint) http://bit.ly/webinars4ECE2

GuidedMeetings.com

Susan Stewart’s

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Fran Simon | ESbyFS.com