A presentation at the 2012 NAEYC Annual Conference in Atlanta

1. Is your program
webinar-ready? A
guide to producing
and presenting
webinars in early
education
organizations
Fran Simon, M.Ed.
Engagement Strategies, LLC
NAEYC Annual Conference, Atlanta
November 9, 2012
1

2. Is your program webinar-
ready? A guide to producing
and presenting webinars in
early education organizations
http://bit.ly/webinarready
Fran Simon, M.Ed.
Engagement Strategies, LLC
NAEYC Annual Conference, Atlanta
November 9, 2012
2

3. 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!
3

5. About you…
7

6. Agenda
•Webinar basics
•Using webinars to support
goals in early education
•Webinar shopping list
•How to deliver engaging
online presentations
•Are you ready?
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7. Webinar Basics
9

8. Webinars allow you to reach people
around the world who might
otherwise never connect with you
Anyone with a computer and an
Internet connection can attend.
Powerful
10

9. Of course there
are limitations.
Consider them
challenges that
• Personal interaction can be
• Gauging interest
overcome.
• Gauging understanding
•Applying concepts in
activities 11

10. Webinars, online meetings
and webcasts
Collaboration # of attendees Purpose
Online Meeting 2-20* Remote
Highly interactive Business meetings
Multi-way ******
communication Staff , client or
board meeting
Webinar 2-500 Remote
Limited 2- way presentation
communication ******
Conference session
or training
Webcast 2-Thousands Remote broadcast
1-way of information to
communication large audiences
*****
Keynote
12

11. 3 Elements of Webinars
Visuals
Interactivity
Sound 13

12. Roles in Webinars
Organizer Presenter Panelist(s)/
Presenters
Info Consumers
Information creators
?
Registrant Attendee
14

13. But, what
resources do we
need to offer
webinars?
© Fran Simon Copyright, 2012 15

14. You need: A Computer* &
Connectivity**
* Mac, PC, Both? ** broadband
Internet access
16

15. Audio considerations
+ -OR-
+ -OR-
+ 17

16. You need Webinar Software and Audio
Service
18

17. Time to…
• Plan
• Prepare
• Practice
• Promote
Simple rule of thumb: After the basics are
in place, 4 weeks to set up, promote and
practice
19

18. Highly recommended! 2 computers
20

19. Highly recommended: A producer
Handles the backchannel and troubleshoots.
21

20. The M word- Marketing
You must market your webinars
or no one will ever see them

21. You need to promote your webinars
in every way possible
• Website
• Blog
• Email
• Social networks
• Other Bloggers
• Online ads
• Relevant organizations
23

22. Supporting
Goals in
Early
Education
24

23. What can you do with webinars in
early education organizations?
* Reach new people * Promote * Advertise * Inform *
* Convince * Advocate *
* Recruit * Persuade *
* Educate * Demonstrate * Market *
25

24. Who is/are your target audience(s)?
Target
Parents Staff Supporters
Partners Funders
Community
Donors
Policymakers

25. Webinars and the
awareness/engagement cycle
•Enrollment
Convert Awareness
•Fundraising
W •Recruitment
Evaluation Consideration •Marketing
•Selling
•Advocacy
Interest •Engagement
•PD
W

26. Example: Parent Enrollment
Engaging
Word of mouth They prospective
find you
1
customers/families
They Re- You
enroll or engage
refer them
Engaging current
2
You parents
They
engage
enroll
them

27. Your org…Your role(s)…Your goal(s)…
Will lead to your
target audience(s)
29

28. Powerful benefit:
Capture
information from
your target
audience

29. Collecting Data
Is not
Necessarily evil

30. How you use Data is
what counts
Email lists Fundraising
Advocacy
Support
Tracking PD

31. Apply this to your work
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32. What did you decide? Webinars and
online meetings for…
• Enrollment open- • Membership
houses presentations
• Professional • Thought leadership and
development branding
• Presenting research or • Demonstrations
policy • Orientations
• Gathering support for • Board meetings
advocacy • Marketing
• Fundraising pitches
34

33. Shopping List
35

34. Comparing Webinar Software
36

35. Comparing Webinar Software
BEWARE THE TELECONFERENCING DETAILS!
• VOIP
Free, but can be hinky (unreliable)
• Integrated Toll Call teleconferencing
$$?
• Integrated Toll-free calling
$$$ !!!
37

36. Webinar Software Features
Desktop Sharing
Web Browsing
Recording Common Features
Whiteboard
Drawing Tools
Chat
Share Controls
38

37. Webinar Software Features
Multiple Presenters
VOIP & Integrated
Less Commonly Teleconferencing
Considered Advance Scheduling
Features
Instant Meetings
Webcam and Video
Streaming
Registration and
Reporting
Polls and Surveys
39

38. 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.
40

39. 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.
41

40. Deliver great online presentations
42

41. Online presentations are different
than live presentations…
For more than the obvious reasons…

42. 44

43. Good webinar titles attract the right
audiences
Advertise what you will deliver
and deliver what you advertise
45

44. Offer compelling content:
Something people WANT to know
A story
Clear message 46

45. Keep the slides graphic and readable
© Fran Simon Copyright, 2012 47

46. Use images to convey meaning
© Fran Simon Copyright, 2012 48

47. Keep it
conversational
in tone
Invite people to engage with you through polls, open ended
questions, and hand-raising.

48. Tell your story
People listen to, care about,
and buy from people they
know, like and trust.
AUTHENTIC
stories connect

49. How to not bore attendees
• 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 51

50. Highest level of engagement:
The “backchannel”
I’m going
to ask the
presenter
That’s a how to do
great idea! it!
Let’s tell
the staff!
52

51. Chat log from a webinar
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52. Your “producer” can enhance the
backchannel
• Add links to URLs
• Respond to comments
• Add tidbits of information
• Act as a color commentator

53. Expectations: Registration and Attendance
High
• Only 30% of
registrants will attend
Attendance
Registration
a free webinar
• Fewer people will
register for webinars
Registration
that require a fee, but
Attendance
attendance will be
80%-98%
Low
Free $$$$
56

54. Is your
organization
“Webinar
Ready”?
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55. 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? 58

56. Resources
Susan Stewart’s
GuidedMeetings.com
My blog posts:
(Webinars)http://bit.ly/webinars4ece
(PowerPoint) http://bit.ly/webinars4ECE2
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57. Fran Simon | ESbyFS.com 60