Bringing someone else in on a webinar can be a great way to revitalize your webinar practice, increase your audience, and add value to your presentation. Here are some tips on choosing the right person.
Make a list of the people you’d want to ask. Who’s your dream team? Thought leaders in your industry? CEO’s and business leaders from the companies you partner with? A major client? Don’t worry about listing people you don’t already know. The idea is to make a list of the people you’d ask in an ideal world.
Pick a good topic. Once you have your list of ideal participants down, think about the topics that would attract them. Topics that would allow them to show off their own particular expertise, or appeal to their own audiences as well as yours. Take a look at the topics that would probably work on these people, and see which topics excite you most—where there seems to be the most intersection between their interests and yours. Avoid direct competitors; look for people who complement your business.
Work up your pitch. It’s always good to get an introduction from a mutual acquaintance first—but you may or may not be able to. Either way, develop a pitch that describes your topic well—and sets out what’s in it for them. Remember that you’re offering them an opportunity to reach new audiences, showcase their expertise, and promote their appearance as well.
Develop a promotion strategy. If your partner has a large social media following, it might be enough to have them promote your appearance together on their social media platforms. This is often not the case, however. If it isn’t, develop a promotional plan with them that includes accessing their audience via an email campaign. This will ensure that the news gets out to the widest possible audience.
Stay in touch. Even though you’re working on this together, it’s going to be your responsibility to keep everything on schedule. Send a clear checklist of things to do several weeks before the event; be prepared to send reminders as well. Assume that your partner is busy and that important things may not get done without several reminders. This may or may not be the case, but it’s always best to be sure.
Partnering with someone to produce a webinar can be of tremendous benefit—to you, to your partner, and to both of your audiences. You’ll both be able to reach new audiences and offer them more expertise than you could on your own. Choose carefully, develop a compelling topic, and stay on top of the process, and your joint webinar should be a success.
