Webinar Program Playbook

1. Webinar Program Playbook Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a webinar program that supports your company’s goals & objectives. WEBINAR PROGRAM Playbook & Toolkit

2. Table of Contents WEBINAR PROGRAM Introduction 04 Conclusion 25 Framework 03 About This Playbook 26 Objectives & Buy-In 07 11Pre-Webinar Planning 16Webinar Execution 19Post Webinar Marketing 22Program Measurement stage stage stage stage stage 1 2 3 4 5 Table of Contents WEBINAR PROGRAM Introduction 04 Conclusion 25 Framework 03 About This Playbook 26 Objectives & Buy-In 07 11Pre-Webinar Planning 16Webinar Execution 19Post Webinar Marketing 22Program Measurement stage stage stage stage stage 1 2 3 4 5

3. Webinar Manager Job Description ROI Calculator Budget Template Customer Profile Template Webinar Plan Template Business Case Template Product Marketing Plan Message Mapping Tool Webinar Topic Mapping Tool Webinar Presenter Evaluation Tool Webinar Promotions Calendar Webinar Project Management Tool Webinar Program Maturity Assessment Marketing Communications Plan Marketing Strategy Plan Content Marketing Plan Competitive Webinar Tracking Tool Webinar Risk Assessment Tool Webinar Program Strategy Workbook Web Conferencing Vendor Evaluation Tool Webinar Consulting Services RFP Webinar Speakers Database WEBINAR PROGRAM Framework Leverage the framework below to quickly empower your organization’s webinar program strategy. Click the buttons below to access all related training, tools, templates, and other resources. Webinar Evaluation Template Webinar Checklist Template Webinar Metrics Dashboard Lead Generation Plan PLAN2 MARKET4 5 MEASUREEXECUTE31 OBJECTIVES Webinar Manager Job Description ROI Calculator Budget Template Customer Profile Template Webinar Plan Template Business Case Template Product Marketing Plan Message Mapping Tool Webinar Topic Mapping Tool Webinar Presenter Evaluation Tool Webinar Promotions Calendar Webinar Project Management Tool Webinar Program Maturity Assessment Marketing Communications Plan Marketing Strategy Plan Content Marketing Plan Competitive Webinar Tracking Tool Webinar Risk Assessment Tool Webinar Program Strategy Workbook Web Conferencing Vendor Evaluation Tool Webinar Consulting Services RFP Webinar Speakers Database WEBINAR PROGRAM Framework Leverage the framework below to quickly empower your organization’s webinar program strategy. Click the buttons below to access all related training, tools, templates, and other resources. Webinar Evaluation Template Webinar Checklist Template Webinar Metrics Dashboard Lead Generation Plan PLAN2 MARKET4 5 MEASUREEXECUTE31 OBJECTIVES

4. 4WEBINAR PROGRAM Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 3 4 5 Introduction What Is the Purpose of This Playbook? To help you develop a Webinar Program that: Is aligned with corporate values and vision Provides a valuable form of content for your marketing mix Supports Corporate Marketing Strategy, Product Marketing Plans, and Marketing Communications Plan. How to Use This Playbook This playbook consists of five stages, each with a description, steps, and action items. Action items include using our premium tools and templates. Our intention with this playbook is to help you: Measure the results of your program and foster an environment of continuous improvement Plan your webinar program by identifying goals, objectives and building a business case Manage your webinar program by providing you with time-saving tools & templates 4WEBINAR PROGRAM Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 3 4 5 Introduction What Is the Purpose of This Playbook? To help you develop a Webinar Program that: Is aligned with corporate values and vision Provides a valuable form of content for your marketing mix Supports Corporate Marketing Strategy, Product Marketing Plans, and Marketing Communications Plan. How to Use This Playbook This playbook consists of five stages, each with a description, steps, and action items. Action items include using our premium tools and templates. Our intention with this playbook is to help you: Measure the results of your program and foster an environment of continuous improvement Plan your webinar program by identifying goals, objectives and building a business case Manage your webinar program by providing you with time-saving tools & templates

5. 5WEBINAR PROGRAM What Is Web Conferencing? Scope of the Webinar Plan Web conferencing refers to a service that allows conferencing events to be shared with remote locations. These are sometimes referred to as webinars or, for interactive conferences, online workshops. In general the service is made possible by internet technologies, particularly on TCP/IP connections. The service allows real-time point-to-point communications as well as multicast communications from one sender to many receivers. It offers information of text- based messages, voice and video chat to be shared simultaneously, across geographically dispersed locations. Applications for web conferencing include meetings, training events, lectures, or short presentation from any computer. A webinar program should be considered part of a larger, integrated Marketing plan. This playbook will help you develop a webinar plan that is aligned with corporate strategy, marketing communications and product marketing. It should also be considered part of a larger content marketing initiative. If you haven’t already discovered our other methodologies, be sure to review them before moving forward: V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Product Marketing Plan Marketing Communications Plan Content Marketing Plan Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 3 4 5 Introduction 5WEBINAR PROGRAM What Is Web Conferencing? Scope of the Webinar Plan Web conferencing refers to a service that allows conferencing events to be shared with remote locations. These are sometimes referred to as webinars or, for interactive conferences, online workshops. In general the service is made possible by internet technologies, particularly on TCP/IP connections. The service allows real-time point-to-point communications as well as multicast communications from one sender to many receivers. It offers information of text- based messages, voice and video chat to be shared simultaneously, across geographically dispersed locations. Applications for web conferencing include meetings, training events, lectures, or short presentation from any computer. A webinar program should be considered part of a larger, integrated Marketing plan. This playbook will help you develop a webinar plan that is aligned with corporate strategy, marketing communications and product marketing. It should also be considered part of a larger content marketing initiative. If you haven’t already discovered our other methodologies, be sure to review them before moving forward: V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Product Marketing Plan Marketing Communications Plan Content Marketing Plan Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 3 4 5 Introduction

6. 6WEBINAR PROGRAM Outputs from This Playbook Stage 3 - Webinar Execution Promotions Plan, Execution Checklist, Webinar Evaluation Stage 2 - Pre-Webinar Planning Customer Profile, Vendor Evaluation, Database, Message Mapping, Calendar Stage 5 - Program Measurement Dashboard, Budget and ROI Calculator Stage 1 - Objectives & Buy-In Maturity Assessment, Risk Assessment, Strategy Workbook, Webinar Business Case Template Stage 4 - Post-Webinar Marketing Follow Up, Lead Nurturing, Content Marketing Key Deliverable: Webinar Plan Template What Is the Webinar Plan Template? The purpose of the Webinar Plan Template is to help you develop a plan to fully exploit webinars as a sales, marketing and support channel. Webinars are a very influential type of content, capable of meeting multiple business objectives. Organizations have embraced webinars to accomplish a number of important business goals, including lead generation, to establish or strengthen their perception as an industry thought leader, and to train employees, customers or partners. Download the Webinar Plan Template to document the plan you create as you go through this playbook. V I E W R E S O U R C E Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 3 4 5 Introduction 6WEBINAR PROGRAM Outputs from This Playbook Stage 3 - Webinar Execution Promotions Plan, Execution Checklist, Webinar Evaluation Stage 2 - Pre-Webinar Planning Customer Profile, Vendor Evaluation, Database, Message Mapping, Calendar Stage 5 - Program Measurement Dashboard, Budget and ROI Calculator Stage 1 - Objectives & Buy-In Maturity Assessment, Risk Assessment, Strategy Workbook, Webinar Business Case Template Stage 4 - Post-Webinar Marketing Follow Up, Lead Nurturing, Content Marketing Key Deliverable: Webinar Plan Template What Is the Webinar Plan Template? The purpose of the Webinar Plan Template is to help you develop a plan to fully exploit webinars as a sales, marketing and support channel. Webinars are a very influential type of content, capable of meeting multiple business objectives. Organizations have embraced webinars to accomplish a number of important business goals, including lead generation, to establish or strengthen their perception as an industry thought leader, and to train employees, customers or partners. Download the Webinar Plan Template to document the plan you create as you go through this playbook. V I E W R E S O U R C E Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 3 4 5 Introduction

7. Identify Objectives STAGE 1 WEBINAR PROGRAM Before you start your webinar program, you will need to: STEP 1: Establish a Benchmark STEP 2: Review Your Company’s Marketing Strategy STEP 3: Evaluate the Competitive Landscape STEP 4: Conduct a Risk Assessment STEP 5: Outline Your Webinar Program Objectives STEP 6: Build a Business Case and Get Approval Identify Objectives STAGE 1 WEBINAR PROGRAM Before you start your webinar program, you will need to: STEP 1: Establish a Benchmark STEP 2: Review Your Company’s Marketing Strategy STEP 3: Evaluate the Competitive Landscape STEP 4: Conduct a Risk Assessment STEP 5: Outline Your Webinar Program Objectives STEP 6: Build a Business Case and Get Approval

8. 8WEBINAR PROGRAM Introduction Objectives & Buy-In 1 Buy-In Strategy Competition Resources What products or initiatives will your webinar program support? What core values or strategic objectives should influence the development of content for your webinars? What core competencies can you exploit or showcase through the use of webinars? Promotions Assets Measurement Establish a Benchmark Review Your Company’s Marketing Strategy STEP 1 STEP 2 Action Item Action Item Use the Webinar Program Maturity Assessment to evaluate and to benchmark your organization’s webinar program maturity. If you have not developed a Marketing Strategy, do that first before attempting to create a webinar program. Use the Marketing Strategy Plan to do this. Areas of evaluation include: Regardless of how your marketing strategy was developed, refer to it to get the context for developing your webinar program: V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 2 3 4 5 8WEBINAR PROGRAM Introduction Objectives & Buy-In 1 Buy-In Strategy Competition Resources What products or initiatives will your webinar program support? What core values or strategic objectives should influence the development of content for your webinars? What core competencies can you exploit or showcase through the use of webinars? Promotions Assets Measurement Establish a Benchmark Review Your Company’s Marketing Strategy STEP 1 STEP 2 Action Item Action Item Use the Webinar Program Maturity Assessment to evaluate and to benchmark your organization’s webinar program maturity. If you have not developed a Marketing Strategy, do that first before attempting to create a webinar program. Use the Marketing Strategy Plan to do this. Areas of evaluation include: Regardless of how your marketing strategy was developed, refer to it to get the context for developing your webinar program: V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 2 3 4 5

9. 9WEBINAR PROGRAM How your competitors are using webinars to influence the market What topics and subjects they are addressing How effective their efforts are Evaluate the Competitive Landscape Conduct a Risk Assessment STEP 3 STEP 4 Action Item Action Item Use our Competitive Webinar Tracking Tool to keep track of your competitors’ webinar efforts. Use our Webinar Risk Assessment Tool to document webinar risks, assess their impact and probability, and develop risk mitigation plans. The goal of your evaluation is to understand the following: For most organizations, the risks associated with a webinar program are reputational in nature, resulting from failing to execute well. This assessment, therefore, is not so much to make a go/no-go decision on a webinar program as it is to simply identify and miti- gate in advance any risks of a poorly executed webinar program. V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Helpful Hint – Get content updates automatically by using “Google Reader” (subscribe to RSS feeds and set up “Alerts”). Introduction Objectives & Buy-In 1 Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 2 3 4 5 9WEBINAR PROGRAM How your competitors are using webinars to influence the market What topics and subjects they are addressing How effective their efforts are Evaluate the Competitive Landscape Conduct a Risk Assessment STEP 3 STEP 4 Action Item Action Item Use our Competitive Webinar Tracking Tool to keep track of your competitors’ webinar efforts. Use our Webinar Risk Assessment Tool to document webinar risks, assess their impact and probability, and develop risk mitigation plans. The goal of your evaluation is to understand the following: For most organizations, the risks associated with a webinar program are reputational in nature, resulting from failing to execute well. This assessment, therefore, is not so much to make a go/no-go decision on a webinar program as it is to simply identify and miti- gate in advance any risks of a poorly executed webinar program. V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Helpful Hint – Get content updates automatically by using “Google Reader” (subscribe to RSS feeds and set up “Alerts”). Introduction Objectives & Buy-In 1 Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 2 3 4 5

10. . 10WEBINAR PROGRAM Marketing Opportunities Sales Opportunities Customer Service Opportunities Other Outline Your Webinar Program Objectives Build a Business Case and Get Approval STEP 5 STEP 6 Action Item Action Item Use the Webinar Program Strategy Workbook to outline, summarizeandcommunicateyourwebinarprogramstrategy plan and objectives. Use the Webinar Program Business Case to help you build a business case for an investment in a webinar program. Use the workbook to document your program’s purpose from the following key perspectives: Your first instinct may be to justify a webinar program based on cost savings, which are real enough. Most organizations, however, find that the value of a webinar program is the increased engagement it provides with key audi- ences, such as customers. Helpful Hint – Use the “Objectives Scorecard” tab to document high level objectives, programs, KPIs and target timeframes. V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Introduction Objectives & Buy-In 1 Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 2 3 4 5

11. . Pre-Webinar Planning STAGE 2 WEBINAR PROGRAM Before you start you webinar program, you will need to research and plan in each of these areas: audience, content, talent, delivery and promotions. STEP 1: Understand the Audience STEP 2: Hire a Program Manager STEP 3: Select Web Conferencing Technology STEP 4: Build a Roster of Speakers STEP 5: Prioritize Your Messaging STEP 6: Identify Webinar Topics STEP 7: Select Speakers for Upcoming Webinars STEP 8: Plan Your Webinar Promotions

12. . 12WEBINAR PROGRAM Introduction 2 Pre-Webinar Planning Who they are? What do they need to know? Where do they tend to get their information? What do you want them to do with the information you provide? Understand the Audience Hire a Program Manager STEP 1 STEP 2 Action Item Action Item Use the Customer Profile Template to help you identify and understand the target audiences for each webinar. Use the Webinar Program Manager Job Description to outline roles & responsibilities. In addition to using this template, answer the following questions: You many not initially need a full-time person to manage your webinar program. What many organizations discover is that when they execute their webinar program well, demand is created, leading to the need to produce more content at a faster rate. To do this without sacrificing quality, you will need to bring a Program Manager into the picture, and this is best done early in the program. V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Objectives & Buy-In Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 3 4 5

13. . 13WEBINAR PROGRAM STEP 3 STEP 4 Requirements Features Support Contact Information Expertise Cost Select Web Conferencing Technology Build a Roster of Speakers Action Item Action Item Use the Web Conferencing Vendor Evaluation Tool to help you evaluate and select the right web conferencing tech- nology solution for your business. Use the Webinar Speakers Database to keep track of infor- mation on webinar resources and speakers. Areas of the evaluation include: The ideal webinar speaker is a subject matter expert and is known to your audience. A few important Items to keep track of include: V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E HelpfulHint–UseWebinarConsultingServicesRFPTemplate to help you design a RFP for Webinar Consulting Services. Introduction 2 Pre-Webinar Planning Objectives & Buy-In Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 3 4 5 Helpful Hint – Use the Webinar Project Management Tool to keep your webinar program on track.

14. . 14WEBINAR PROGRAM STEP 5 STEP 6 Effectiveness Credibility Resonance Prioritize Your Messaging Identify Webinar Topics Action Item Action Item Use the Message Mapping Tool to help you prioritize the messages you wish to convey in your webinars. Use the Webinar Topic Mapping Tool to identify webinar topics that address the informational needs of your target audience. Use what you learned in Step 1 of this Stage to develop core messages for your webinars. Use this template to prioritize those messages for: Refer to the Customer Profiles you created during Step 1 of this Stage. Make sure the webinar topics that you identify address things your audience wants to know. For more information about buyer personas and buying stages, refer to our Content Marketing Plan. V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Introduction 2 Pre-Webinar Planning Objectives & Buy-In Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 3 4 5

15. . 15WEBINAR PROGRAM STEP 7 STEP 8 Experience Skill Set Professionalism Personality & Fit Online Email Direct Mail Social Media Sales Team Advertising Partners Webinars Select Speakers for Upcoming Webinars Plan Your Webinar Promotions Action Item Action Item Use the Webinar Presenter Evaluation Tool to help you select the right speaker for the webinar. Use the Webinar Promotions Calendar to visualize your promotions plan. The right speaker for your webinar is someone with subject matter expertise who is an engaging presenter. Use this template to eval- uate presenters based on the following criteria: Webinars lend themselves to promotion through a number of channels. Here is a list of proven, effective ways to promote your webinars, and your promotion plan should include a blend of several of these: V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Introduction 2 Pre-Webinar Planning Objectives & Buy-In Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 3 4 5

16. . Webinar Execution STAGE 3 WEBINAR PROGRAM This Stage will cover the things you must address to successfully execute your webinar program: STEP 1: Handle the Logistics STEP 2: Organize the Execution STEP 3: Document Lessons Learned

17. . 17WEBINAR PROGRAM Monitor Registrations Session Start Times Polls & Surveys Handle the Logistics Organize the Execution STEP 1 STEP 2 Action Item Action Item Use the Webinar Plan Template to document the logistics of hosting a webinar. Use the Webinar Execution Checklist to help you manage your webinar session. Recognize that the logistical considerations presented here may not be the same for all webinars you host. A few items to consider include: A webinar is not unlike a performance where the presenter is the actor and your Webinar Program Manager is the director. Use this checklist to clearly define the roles and responsibilities to ensure your performance goes off smoothly. Introduction Webinar Execution 3 V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 4 5

18. . 18WEBINAR PROGRAM Overall Assessment Scope Management Quality of Deliverables Key Accomplishments Lessons Learned Opportunities for Improvement Future Considerations Best Practices Document Lessons Learned STEP 3 Action Item Use the Webinar Evaluation Template to help you track and analyze the feedback that you get from attendees and speakers. This template covers the following sections: V I E W R E S O U R C E Introduction Webinar Execution 3Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Post-Webinar Marketing Program Measurement 1 2 4 5

19. . Post-Webinar Marketing STAGE 4 WEBINAR PROGRAM Post-webinar marketing helps you get the full ROI from your webinar program. Before you host your first webinar, you should define your post-webinar marketing plan to ensure that these critical activities are occurring: STEP 1: Follow Up STEP 2: Lead Nurturing STEP 3: Leveraging the Content

20. . 20WEBINAR PROGRAM Introduction Post-Webinar Marketing 4 Timeliness Frequency Methods Follow Up Lead Nurturing STEP 1 STEP 2 Action Item Action Item Use the Webinar Plan Template to document a follow-up plan with timelines or standards and measures for every webinar you produce. Use the Lead Generation Plan to help you identify and document how you will nurture leads generated through your webinar program. When it comes to follow-up, you need to consider: Best practices for webinar follow-up suggest some form of commu- nication, typically email, within two hours of webinar conclusion. Your webinar program should not dictate your lead nurturing strategy, but fit within it. Webinars have the ability to create many new leads, so having a lead generation program is essential to getting the full ROI on your webinar program. The use of marketing automation can greatly simplify your lead nurturing efforts, and increase their effectiveness. V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Program Measurement 1 2 3 5

21. . 21WEBINAR PROGRAM Blog Posts Newsletters How-to Guides Infographics Leveraging the Content STEP 3 Action Item Use the Content Marketing Plan and ensure that your webinar plan includes some provision for recording and using this content. Webinars usually enjoy more recorded than live views, so make them available in some sort of webinar archive. In addition, leverage your webinar content through other channels as well, such as: V I E W R E S O U R C E Introduction Post-Webinar Marketing 4Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Program Measurement 1 2 3 5

22. . Program Measurement STAGE 5 WEBINAR PROGRAM Measuring the effectiveness of your webinar program is imperative to determine your ROI, as well as making improvements to keep your program growing. During this Stage, we’ll discuss: STEP 1: Key Performance Indicators STEP 2: Budget STEP 3: Calculate Return on Investment

23. . 23WEBINAR PROGRAM Introduction Program Measurement 5 Registration Numbers Live Attendees New Leads & Return Viewers Webinar Delivery - This is the cost of your platform. Promotion - Any costs associated with marketing your webinars: ads, direct mail or the use of any channel for which you must pay. Talent - These fees include honorariums for speakers, equipment, connectivity, travel or living (if any) associated with securing and using presenters for your webinars. Sales Social Mentions Cost Per Lead Key Performance Indicators Budget STEP 1 STEP 2 Action Item Action Item Use the Webinar Metrics Dashboard to identify and track a set of metrics or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will help you understand how effective your webinar program is. Use the Webinar Budget Template to create a budget for your webinar program. Choose metrics that have meaning for your company, not just the marketing function. Here are a few examples of metrics that you can consider for use: Develop a total budget for your webinar program, and track costs at the individual webinar level. Make sure you consider each of the following expense categories: V I E W R E S O U R C E V I E W R E S O U R C E Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing 1 2 3 4

24. . 24WEBINAR PROGRAM STEP 3 Quantitative – Technology, Equipment, Promotions, Sales, etc. Qualitative – Brand Awareness, Thought Leadership, Customer Relationships, Leads. Calculate Return on Investment Action Item Use the Webinar ROI Calculator to determine the ROI, in quantitative and qualitative terms, from individual webinars. A few examples of potential costs include: V I E W R E S O U R C E Introduction Program Measurement 5Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Planning Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Marketing 1 2 3 4

25. . Conclusion At the end of any business process, it’s always a good idea to review it and identify areas for improvement. Demand Metric has the tools and expertise to help you build an effective webinar program. Create or audit your webinar plans Assist with using any of the tools referenced in this playbook Provide hands-on marketing assistance to accelerate achieving your marketing department’s goals. To learn more, contact Demand Metric: info@demandmetric.com WEBINAR PROGRAM

26. . About This Playbook WEBINAR PROGRAM Demand Metric is a marketing research and advisory firm serving a membership community of over 106,000 marketing professionals and consultants in 75 countries. Offering consulting playbooks, advisory services, and 500+ premium marketing tools and templates, Demand Metric resources and expertise help the marketing community plan more efficiently and effectively, answer the difficult questions about their work with authority and conviction, and complete marketing projects more quickly and with greater confidence — thus boosting the respect of the marketing team and making it easier to justify resources the team needs to succeed. To learn more about Demand Metric, please visit www.demandmetric.com

27. . © Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved. www.demandmetric.com Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Join Linkedin Group