The right time to do webinars, and when to wait
It's rare that a client comes to me with steady marketing in place.
Only the ones with an already successful business have that going on.
The rest, who are somewhat-successful, do marketing "here and there" and want a simple system for creating a steady flow of clients.
And so when they see my webinar, they want to replicate what I do.
But here's what I've learned and now share with nearly everyone about launching webinars in their practice.
Not. Yet.
Do not try to create clients through webinars unless your practice can meet the following criteria:
- you have enough cas*h flow in your business to advertise that webinar and can therefore drive new eyeballs (aka "traffic") to watch it
If you don't have a steady VOLUME flow of interest and clients already coming to you, then putting up a webinar without a plan for getting people to watch it, probably won't work.
- you are independently wealthy and can afford to learn this from the get go, as a new business owner
There are people who teach you how to do webinars correctly, but it isn't cheap to learn.
And, it requires some technology infrastructure to be comfortable with, which means it's not for the faint of heart.
I think webinars-to-clients, is an advanced marketing strategy that's best for more mature businesses and those who can handle a lot of technology.
Or, like I mentioned, for those who are sitting on a pile of money to invest in their business.
- And lastly, you already know your message works and creates clients for you
There are quite a few moving parts to webinars - technology set up, advertising ins-and-outs and so much more to get right.
If you add not knowing if your message is dialed-in, it's an expensive way to figure this out.
This may be fine if you have mone*y, about $1000 - $1500 per month to test this out, each and every month.
Most of my clients do not fall into these criteria.
So, here's how I suggest my clients work their way to webinars.
First, we tighten up their message.
Without a message that is powerful, clear and moving, any marketing will at best be "hit or miss."
Second, let's turn that message into a signature talk that you can give locally and regionally (within a comfortable driving distance).
It's affordable, creates fast results and most coaches already gives talks now and again.
With a little focused effort, this can be your entire source of clients.
We'll use your talk to iron out your message and hone your ability to talk about you do in a powerful and engaging way.
THIS is enough to learn how to get right.
Third, once we know your talk is working and creating clients for you, then we can go beyond local and regional talks and offer a webinar version on a national scale.
For my clients, this happens organically.
Once their talks start working, attendees and places they speak their message will refer them to other places that aren't local/regional.
Always happens.
And the next thing you know you'll be invited to do a webinar version of your signature talk.
In my coaching we call this the: "This sh*^ builds on itself!" phase.
THIS is the right time to add webinars to your message: When you're invited to do one (or feel ready to offer one to an organization outside of your area BECAUSE YOU HAVE EVIDENCE the in-person version works).
Why do I want you to wait on webinars until you've got the basics down?
Webinars are like speaking to an empty black hole.
No faces to look at. People multi-tasking. A fraction of registrants show up. It's a bit trickier.
It's much easier to trouble shoot when you already know that your message works.
For example, if you give a webinar and zero clients were created from this presentation, and you already have "data" from in-person talks that your topic creates clients, you can ask yourself smart questions and adjust things accordingly instead of thinking it was your message: was it the audience? the time? the event organizer's marketing? maybe this group isn't a match as I originally thought?
Fourth, proceed to offer your signature talk, in webinar format, IN ADDITION TO in-person local and regional talks.
So this is about going deeper on the ONE strategy that you know is working to create clients.
Go deeper vs broader in your marketing.
It's the only way for solo-coaches and practitioners.
We can't win the game of being everywhere and trying to be all things to all people.
But we can win the game of going deeper in ONE strategy, ONE message, for ONE audience.
I'd love to help you dial-in your message by giving great little talks.
I have a program that solves the issue of not having enough clients in about 4 months that could quite literally make your fall, and give you a totally different holiday season, if you focus and see this through.
You can learn more about this and see if this makes sense to you too.
If it does resonate, book a time to talk with me and let's see if it's a fit to work together on this.
One day you could do webinars too.
It's a sound idea. Just not yet, for most coaches, practitioners and consultants.
Do the local and regional work first, and it will come.
Here's to focusing more vs efforting more, in our own Happy Little practice,
Karin
PS - Here's the link again to learn more about my signature talk system and coaching program that shows you everything I know about speaking your message to create clients.
