Webinars seemed like the perfect solution for many companies – get a large audience, a vague topic and a PowerPoint presentation and you’re in the webinar business. The problem is that most topics, regardless of how interesting or relevant they may seem, tend to devolve into PowerPoint presentations with a monotone voice reading a script. Though some people have more willpower than I do and commit their time to listening and taking notes rather than playing with their smart phone. But at the end of the webinar, did they really learn anything? Or do they go away feeling like they were read a sales script?
One problem with webinars is the one-sided “conversation” many users experience during webinars. After 10-15 minutes of listening to the same person preach about the newest product or service, disguised as an informational talk, it’s difficult not to tune out. Though some webinar services offer options such as polls and quizzes, these are brief respites between monotonous sales pitches. Most often, attendees actually have to wait until the end of the webinar to “raise their hand” and ask a question about the subject being covered. Though this portion is definitely more interactive, it also means everyone has to sit through all of the questions that may have no relevance to their interests. This is yet another chance for your audience to tune out your message AND your company.
And don’t forget about technical difficulties. Despite the number of programs out there allowing companies to run their own webinars, it’s not unusual to hear spurts of silence, static, fuzzy voices, frozen presentations and confusion between the webinar presenters.
So, if webinars are dead, but you still need a way to reach your customers and potential customers remotely, where do you turn? One option to consider is video conferencing.
Sure, webinars can draw in hundreds of people, but for a more personalized approach, Avaya Live Video is a great choice that supports up to 25 attendees in a room at a time. The supposed “drawback” of video conferencing having a smaller group of attendees is that the subject matter needs to be personalized for particular audiences (keep in mind that Avaya Scopia can be used for streaming video and can be a solution to accommodate more than 25 people). For instance, instead of hosting a broad webinar called “How to Utilize Social Media for Business” and attracting 200 people who stop listening after 5 minutes because the material doesn’t apply to them, you can turn the session into something more specific, such as “How LinkedIn can Help Small Businesses Grow.” The more specific the material is, the more your attendees will pay attention and feel like they’ve received valuable information from the meeting. They’re also more likely to trust you and your company’s expertise on the subject matter.
Instead of the session being a one-person speech, video conferencing allows it to turn into a conversation between groups of interested parties. Avaya Live Video sessions can be set up to allow attendees to participate, ask questions, offer suggestions, etc., throughout the event. No more one-sided conversations – sessions through Avaya Live Video can turn into collaborations, allowing everyone to get something out of the conference. With the ability to see all of the attendees, gathered from anywhere in the world, this form of communication feels more like a gathering of like-minds, rather than a speech from a faceless voice.
Are you ready to give video conferencing a try? Contact STL Communications today regarding Avaya Live Video and learn how you could receive an Avaya Live Video room for FREE for a month! Give us a call at (314) 205-7100.