9 Tips to Prevent a Webinar Snafu

I recently sat in on a Webinar with one of my favorite service providers, which is why it pains me to write this. IT WAS A DISASTER!

The Webinar didn’t start for 13 minutes beyond when it promised to start.

The Moderator was staring off in the distance 45 degrees from the camera.

The Chat feature kept bleeping every time someone posted (and there were 20 bleepin’ bleeps a minute)

The Chat had nothing to do with questions or comments on the presentation. They were about not being able to hear or see (or hearing those bleeping bleeps).

The presentation screen was in a grid of four and what were supposed to see as an instructional walk through was so small, you couldn’t understand what the steps were.

The presenter was in the weeds. Between Woo Commerce, Facebook Pixels, and Google Chrome, I had no idea what her point was and what it had to do with scheduling a call.

Because the Webinar started so late, the call went well over the scheduled time.

I could keep going, but I’ll just chalk it up to a major disappointment. I was distracted, frustrated and did not learn what I thought I would. If you want to keep your audience’s attention on a Webinar, here are a few tips to keep them engaged and raving fans.

1)      Test in Advance – Do not wait for the day of to test your Webinar platform. Have your colleagues go through the same process as your attendees. If you can get a run through with your presenter(s), even better!

2)      See it from the Audience’s Perspective – What is easy about the process? What is challenging and confusing? What annoys the crap out of you when you’re attending a Webinar.

3)      Create a Day of Check List – Are you recording? Have you muted the participant lines? Have you set up your presenter with the right permissions? When are you reminding participants on the login details (also include if the slides and recording will be sent out)?

4)      Turn Off Distractions – Silence alerts and announcements on the platform. It takes a split second for you to lose your audience if you can’t create a focused environment.

5)      Assign a Chat Moderator – If you are moderating the call, make sure your attention is on the presenter or the presentation. Ask for a volunteer to field questions on the chat related to the basics. You can even give them an FAQ to help with responses.

6)      Start on Time! Nothing irks people more than a late start time. Starting on time is a form of respect and the later you are the less your audience will trust you and the less likely they will be to come back.

7)      End on Time! People have things to do. Honor their time and throw them a bone by ending a couple minutes early.

8)      Keep Your Word – Deliver what you promise in your promotions. Keep your word on deadlines of when you’ll send recordings and materials.

9)      Ask for Feedback and Listen to It – All feedback is useful when you’re ready to hear it. Apply what you can and communicate that you’ve listened.

I ran Webinars for trade associations for 11 years. I’ve had to deal with a complete platform shutdown, a dead phone line and a snarky audience member. These are things you can’t prepare for, but the 9 items I listed are completely in your control!

Don’t be a Webinar Wreck! You’ve got this!

7 Lessons for Kids and Adults from the First Day of School

You’ve seen all of the adorable photos on Facebook, but what can we learn from the First Day of School as an adult? (Side note: I don’t have children, so all of my kid lessons are a trip down memory lane of my own experiences).

1. Get to Bed at a Reasonable Time and Set Your Alarm Clock

Kid Lesson: Nothing is worse than being in a rush or a complete cranky head on the first day. Sure you’ve got butterflies in your tummy, but these hours are critical for setting you up for your big day.

Adult Lesson: Get yourself to bed with an anticipated sleep time of 8 hours. You’re going to have moments where you wake up, but aim for 8! Plan for your morning to have enough time to charge and go! (Meditate, Shower, Breakfast, Daily Review, and Commute)

2. Make Sure Your Supplies are Prepacked in Your Backpack

Kid Lesson: The night before make sure all of your notepads, colored pencils and TI calculators are packed up. No waiting for the morning to get the homework done!

Adult Lesson: Review your schedule for the next day. Charge up your cell phone near your work bag (HINT HINT: It should not be in your bedroom) along with your planner, keys, and anything else you may need for the day. Feel free to pack your gym bag for the next day and don’t forget your shoes and/or sports bra.

3. Pick Out Your Favorite Outfit that Makes You Feel Super Confident

Kid Lesson: Set out clothes the night before. A groggy head doesn’t always make the for the best color coordination!

Adult Lesson: If you’re feeling ambitious, pick out your clothes for the week including those visits to the gym. It may seem like a lot of work on Sunday night, but once you’re in the groove of the week, you’ll be happy you put the effort in to grab and go.

4. Eat Breakfast

Kid Lesson: Sure, you may not be hungry, but I’m sure your tummy will be grumbling without food by 10am. Your brain needs nutrients to keep it going and so does your body, fuel it up before you go!

Adult Lesson: Yes, you may be in a rush or doing a fast (disregard this if that’s the case), but most adults who are too busy to eat breakfast or lunch do serious damage when it comes to dinner time and over-consume calories leaving you lethargic and unmotivated at the end of the day. By taking the pause to eat good food, you’re practicing self-care which lowers your stress levels and anxiety. Give yourself 15-minutes at least, the world won’t end without you writing an email.

5. Pack Your Lunch

Kid Lesson: I know all your friends eat pizza and sloppy joes, but packing your lunch saves more money for activities and makes you feel better throughout the day.

Adult Lesson: I know you’re colleagues go out to pick up lunch, but do you really want to be spending $10+ a day on fried or unhealthy foods? Pack a lunch that you can take with you so you can take part in the social aspects of lunchtime. Your wallet and waistline will thank you!

6. Know Your Schedule (And Locker Combination)

Kid Lesson: Figure out which friends you’ll have in each class and plan your best route through the halls starting on Day 1! If you’ve got a locker, start memorizing it now – nothing is worse than having to wait for the custodian to come to let you in.

Adult Lesson: Ever have those nightmare about high school where you forget your locker combination or course schedule? The easiest way to alleviate this pressure and anxiety is to be prepared. Review your schedule, put critical passwords in a safe space (use Google to save them or another App if you prefer), plan the night before to prevent the craze of the morning from taking over.

7. Smile and Enjoy It ☺

Kid Lesson: It’s your first day, take it all in. There will be more days to come, but now you’re set up for success! Soon you’ll be older and wish you could go back to these carefree days.

Adult Lesson: Each day is a new day. If you didn’t like the way yesterday went, you have the opportunity to enter with a fresh perspective and approach. You are in the driver seat. Vroooooom!