10 Webinar Sins

What not to do when you are giving a webinar

1. Make it too long: There should be a really good reason why it lasts more than 30 minutes.
2. Fill it with slides that don't have to do with the topic: People can't read and listen to what you are saying at the same time.
3. Tell instead of show: I don't want high level, theoretical babble about what you do. I want examples of customers you've helped.
4. Intersperse polls and then don't reveal the results or discuss their implications: What do I care if 30% of the audience has blue eyes?
5. Don't accept questions or go over the functionality of the webinar site: Take 1 minute to discuss how the software works, how to submit questions, and how to mute. I don't want to hear barking dogs in the background.
6. Don't practice the presentation before you broadcast it: Don't waste my time with technical glitches, incorrect statements, or an amateur presentation
7. Make it difficult or impossible to retrieve from the archives of your website: Remember the limited attention span of your audience. I'd like to go back to your website and review the presentation some other time, but don't want to have to give you my life story to do it.
8. Don't follow up with participants or leads: I expect a follow up email from your BD person. Once. I'll let you know if I want more.
9. Don't stop annoying participants who are not interested in your product: See above. When I say no, I mean no.
10. Focus on features, not benefits: I don't care about functionality, flow charts, algorithms and your secret sauce. I want to know how your product will help me.

Webinars are great business development and educational tools. But, like everything else, there's a right way and a wrong way to do them.