If you're looking to attract more potential customers, then a webinar is precisely what entrepreneurs like you need. It can help boost your conversion rate by as much as 55%!
Since hosting webinars leads to more sales, choosing the right one for your online business is essential.
If you're one of the people torn between live webinars and pre-recorded webinars, you need not worry.
Read on to learn more about the winner in the great automated webinar vs. live webinar debate.
Automated Webinars
As the name suggests, you pre-record the presentation.
There are two types of automated webinars:
Evergreen webinars. Like evergreen trees, they can withstand the test of time. Even if you record it today, the video content will remain relevant for years to come.
On-demand webinar. This is a recording that the audience can view whenever they want. It can help you reach clients across multiple time zones.
Why You Should Create Automated Webinars
There's no need to worry about presentation issues.
Do you suffer from stage fright? Is your internet connection unreliable at times?
Well, you don't have to worry about these whenever you run automated webinars. You can re-record your lecture or product demos (and start at the very beginning if need be) until they're flawless.
You don't have to be present.
With a pre-recorded webinar, you don't have to be present every time it goes live.
In fact, you can host anytime you want, wherever you want. Your audience wouldn't even notice you're not there!
You can run your free webinar multiple times.
When it comes to webinar success, it's always 'the more, the merrier.' If you want to increase your attendee numbers (and your leads in the process), you need to widen your reach.
With an automated webinar, you can quickly achieve this by scheduling your presentation. In the case of an evergreen webinar, you can even play it for years to come!
An automated webinar is convenient for international audience members.
Just put yourself in your viewers' shoes. Even if they badly want to watch your business online, they can't because it's 2 am in their country.
With a webinar replay, foreign attendees can heed your call to action at a time that's suitable to them.
Disadvantages of a Pre-Recorded Webinar
Pre-recorded webinars require a lot of preparation.
Practice makes perfect. If you want your first webinar to be successful, then you need to perfect it.
While it takes a lot of time to prepare this webinar, it is worth the wait!
It can't cover trendy topics.
Because this follows a set webinar script, you can't talk about the newest trends. You could edit it, but as mentioned, it will take some time.
Live Webinars
This type of webinar is all about presenting live and answering audience questions on the spot.
Benefits of Live Webinars
It allows for easy interaction with the live audience.
If you want to build an effective sales funnel, you need to address client concerns right away.
That's the beauty of a live webinar. You can provide real-time feedback to questions. You can also respond to chat messages immediately.
You're free to tackle current events.
Since it's a live version, you can talk about pressing topics and even answer questions about them.
You can use various sales strategies during the live portion.
With automated webinars, you have to rely on follow-ups.
But if you have the webinar live, you may convince your attendees right away. You could use every opportunity available to advertise your product or service.
The Drawbacks of Live Events
You are at the mercy of interruptions and production errors.
As a host, you need to be 100% ready. You or your speaker are at the mercy of technical problems that can disrupt the webinar.
A live event will test your confidence.
Technical problems are common, but they're not the only issues that plague live webinars. There's also a matter of buckling or uncertainty, especially for the host.
You may not be able to answer the live questions confidently, thus affecting your authority and credibility.
A live webinar is not conducive for audiences from other countries.
Even if you run your video at a convenient time, not everybody can watch your free guide.
Who Wins?
While both webinars have their own merits and disadvantages, it's a no-brainer that automated webinars are better. There's no need to worry about technical glitches and the need to be there all the time.
You can run automated webinars whenever you want, as often as you wish. This will help your business establish a more extensive reach right away.
While preparing an automated webinar takes time, it's well worth the effort. Remember: it can help you attract buyers better than the usual ad or blog post.