1. Panel Discussion
November 13, 2008
Webinars 101
Executive Summary
Moderator: Jesica Witte KRM
Panelists: David G. Barry Managing Editor
Dow Jones Financial Information Services
Robin Feldman Director of Online Education
Council for Advancement and Support of Education
Angelia Herrin Executive Director of Business Development
Harvard Business Publishing
Jamie Sadler Senior Manager of Online Learning
ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership
Executive Summary produced for KRM by

2. KRM Virtual Seminar November 13, 2008
Webinars 101
Webinars 101
Moderator: Jesica Whitte, Moderator, KRM
Panelists: David Barry, Managing Editor, Dow Jones Financial Information Services
Robin Feldman, Director of Online Education, Council for Advancement and Support of Education
Angelia Herrin, Executive Director of Business Development, Harvard Business Publishing
Jamie E. Sadler, Senior Manager of Online Learning, American Society of Association Executives
Those with experience conducting webinars have seen
Overview great acceptance of this medium.
Webinars are a valuable component of an overall communication, For these organizations, webinars have become a key part of
education, and event strategy. They complement in-person events their offerings. Their members or customers see value in them.
and provide numerous benefits: they have great reach, are efficient, The positive reception and ready acceptance are based on:
are interactive, enable group learning, and provide valuable infor- ⎯ The efficiency of webinars. Participants see webinars as a
mation on timely and relevant subjects. highly efficient way to learn and stay current on important
subjects. No travel is required, participating is easy and con-
The organizations represented in this webinar are having great venient, and a participant can gain great knowledge in just 60
success with webinars and shared best practices in key areas such or 90 minutes, making it an extremely efficient experience.
as selecting topics, pricing, marketing, and conducting webinars.
⎯ Shared organizational learning. Teams and organizations can
learn together. Multiple people can convene in a conference
Context room, be exposed to the same information, and discuss how
this information applies to their organization.
This panel of experienced webinar producers addressed the key
concerns by those considering webinars. They shared tips on how “Our webinars are conversation starters in com-
to effectively plan, promote, and deliver events. panies; they facilitate learning by the entire group.”
⎯ Angelia Herrin
An audience poll (which demonstrated the interactive capabilities of
this medium) indicated that those on the call are concerned about:
⎯ The appeal to all generations and personalities. Webinars
the pricing and value of webinars; the acceptance of webinars by
offer something for everyone. Participants from Generation Y
their target audience and/or speakers; marketing and promoting
like the interactive capabilities, particularly the ability to type
events; selecting and training speakers; and getting started, which
questions to the speaker. Baby boomers like the ability to be
includes topic selection, scheduling, and vendor selection.
part of a “conversation” with the speaker.
Key Takeaways Getting started requires making decisions in areas like
topics, day of the week, length, and vendor.
Webinars are complementary to in-person events. Putting on webinars isn’t difficult; it involves some homework,
Jamie Sadler confessed that she was initially skeptical regarding planning, and a few decisions. These include:
webinars, preferring in-person events. But that is no longer true. ⎯ The topic and speaker. A poll showed that 88% of participants
Her organization has seen great benefits conducting webinars in believe a hot topic draws better than a big-name speaker. Ms.
addition to in-person events. In-person events facilitate great Herrin said a best case is a webinar on a hot topic delivered
networking and aren’t going away. Robin Feldman sees webinars by a big name. She defined a hot topic as a subject where
as providing a great vehicle for delivering important content and people “need to know how to solve a problem at work.”
information. She believes that if webinars are priced and
marketed correctly, they won’t cannibalize in-person events. ⎯ The day. The panelists agreed there is not one day of the
week that is best. Data indicates that Tuesdays are most
David Barry sees webinars as a “piece of the puzzle.” Not all common, but the most appropriate day can vary by audience
people go to conferences; webinars provide a different way to and industry. Ms. Sadler indicated she avoids Monday, but
reach them. And, webinars can be arranged quickly to commu- believes any other day works well. Her organization holds
nicate on a timely subject. He gave an example of a significant webinars on the third Wednesday of every month, which
development that was of interest to his audience. His organiza- provides consistency and lets people plan in advance. She
tion wanted to hold a discussion on this subject but their next has also seen webinars on Friday afternoons work quite well.
conference was three months away. A webinar was arranged ⎯ The time. The panelists usually hold their events in middle of
on very short timing. the day. This enables people on both coasts to participate.
Holding webinars over lunch provides an opportunity for
“We see audio seminars as complementary groups to eat and learn together.
[to in-person events].”
⎯ David Berry ⎯ The length. The panelists see a range of 60 to 90 minutes.
This can be based on the subject matter, industry, and price.
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3. KRM Virtual Seminar November 13, 2008
Webinars 101
⎯ The vendor. The panelists encouraged organizations to think In addition to charging attendees, Mr. Barry’s organization has
about what aspects of conducting a webinar they do and don’t done some sponsored webinars. In these instances, the events
want to do (such as registration). When an organization has a have looked quite different, so that attendees can differentiate.
sense of what services it is looking for, it needs to research
the options that are available. Also, the panelists are seeing increased interest in purchasing
CDs of webinars. This is coming from individuals with interest in
Ms. Feldman suggested looking at features, capabilities, and
a subject who aren’t able to attend the webinar. The panelists are
customer service (not just price). She suggested listening in
pricing the CDs similar to the webinar and are using CDs to gen-
on webinars of various vendors to see how they are conduc-
erate additional revenue. CD sales can have “long tails”; 81% of
ted and recommended getting references and peer feedback.
attendees don’t see CDs sales as hurting registration. Panelists
Mr. Barry advised looking for vendors that have considerable
said that since they charge the same amount, they are indifferent
experience as you don’t want to encounter any surprises.
regarding whether a person attends the webinar or buys the CD.
These organizations are marketing their webinars in a
“Maximize your revenue. Don’t leave money on the
variety of way, particularly email blasts.
table.”
The panelists are marketing their webinars on their websites, ⎯ Jesica Whitte
through online or offline calendars, at conferences, through
advertisements in print publications, through newsletters (both
Training speakers to deliver a great webinar isn’t difficult
print and online), and through various types of cross promotions.
but takes a bit of preparation.
They agreed that the most important way to market a webinar is Most seasoned speakers have participated in webinars and have
via email. Panelists typically conduct two or three email blasts. a sense for how they work; speaking on a webinar is somewhat
The first is often four to six weeks prior to the webinar; the is of a badge of honor. Still, it makes sense to prepare speakers
second about two weeks prior; and often a final reminder during regarding:
the week before the event. ⎯ The technology. The technology for webinars is simple and
flexible. Speakers can be anywhere in the world. Nonethe-
“The best way to market an online event is online.” less, it makes sense to connect with them in advance to
⎯ Robin Feldman coach them on the technology, let them practice a bit, and
answer all questions. (Nothing hurts a webinar more than a
The content of these emails usually focuses on the hot topic, the speaker who is not well-versed in the technology.)
speaker, and the benefits of the webinar. For potential attendees
who have never participated in a webinar, these organizations ⎯ The overall experience. Speaking on a webinar is different
are continually encouraging people to “give it a try.” They are than speaking at a conference. The speaker can’t see the
reiterating the convenience, efficiency, interactivity, and ability to audience, can’t feel their energy, and can’t see if they are
engage in a conversation with an expert on a salient topic. engaged or bored. It is important to prepare speakers to deal
with this environment. The keys to making the webinar a great
“We really emphasize the benefit of ‘register one, experience include making the event highly conversational.
and get as many people to attend as possible.’”
⎯ Jamie E. Sadler “Our speakers are very experienced. Our biggest
challenge is making the webinar into more of a
conversation between the speaker, the moderator,
These organizations are pricing their webinars (and CDs) to
and the audience.”
produce attractive revenues while still delivering great value.
⎯ Angelia Herrin
The decision on whether and how much to charge varies for each
organization based on its objectives. These panelists all favor ⎯ The content. Help the speaker understand who the audience
charging for their webinars. Ms. Feldman said that “free is a is and be comfortable delivering the content and messages to
problem” as it creates expectations of receiving services for free this audience. For most speakers, a solid grasp of the content
and creates a low perceived value. Paid events are seen by the is rarely the issue; the challenges are in conveying the
panelists as more credible than sponsored events. content in a conversational way.
These organizations generally charge $250 to $400 per webinar, When a webinar involves multiple speakers, preparation time is
with differences in member/non-member prices of $45 to $100. beneficial to plan for the flow of the conversation and to prepare
The panelists see these prices as low enough to be affordable each person for what sorts of questions they can expect to get.
but high enough to convey a good perceived value. In setting
prices, organizations are encouraged to look at competitive web-
inars and to compare the webinar’s price to other organizational
events to ensure consistency. In communicating about pricing,
Ms. Feldman suggested stressing the value of the content and
the investment in professional development.
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4. KRM Virtual Seminar November 13, 2008
Webinars 101
Biographies
David Barry Angelia Herrin
Managing Editor, Dow Jones Financial Information Services Executive Director of Business Development,
Harvard Business Publishing
David G. Barry is a managing editor with Dow Jones Financial
Information Services, which produces products under the Private Angelia Herrin is executive director of business development at
Equity Analyst, VentureWire, and VentureSource brands. Dave Harvard Business Publishing. At Harvard Business Publishing,
oversees content development for the array of conferences and Herrin oversaw the re-launch of the management newsletter line
audio seminars done under those brands. He also has been and established the conference and virtual seminar division for
involved in the creation and production of a series of newsletters, Harvard Business Publishing. More recently, she created a new
reports, and directories. Dave previously spent time as a reporter series to deliver customized programs and products to
with the San Jose Business Journal and as an editor with the organizations and associations.
Boston Business Journal.
Prior to coming to Harvard Business Publishing, Herrin was the vice
Robin Feldman president for content at womenConnect.com, a Web site focused
Director of Online Education, Council for Advancement and on women business owners and executives.
Support of Education (CASE)
Herrin’s journalism experience spans twenty years, primarily with
In November of 2007, Robin Feldman was promoted to the position Knight-Ridder newspapers and USA TODAY. At Knight-Ridder, she
of director of online education at the Council for Advancement and covered Congress, as well as the 1988 presidential elections. At
Support of Education. She began working at CASE in January 2006 USA TODAY, she worked as Washington editor, heading the 1996
as an educational programs manager. In her current position, Robin election coverage. She won the John S. Knight Fellowship in
manages 20 or more online seminars annually on a wide variety of Professional Journalism at Stanford University in 1989-90.
educational advancement topics geared to both broad and targeted
audiences. Robin has spent her entire career recruiting and Jamie E. Sadler
managing volunteer speakers, academic scholars, and book Senior Manager of Online Learning, American Society of
authors. Association Executives (ASAE)
Robin holds a BA in Liberal Arts from the State University of New Throughout her career, Jamie Sadler has focused on education and
York at Purchase and a MBA from the University of Massachusetts professional development as a senior learning manager. Since her
at Amherst. career with ASAE began in 2001, she served as the manager of
professional development for 6 months and as the director of
learning experiences for nearly 5 years, where she specialized in
developing innovative adult learning opportunities, developing
curriculum for certificate courses, and working with diverse groups
of people to design and deliver more than 100 programs each year.
Currently senior manager of online learning, she manages ASAE &
The Center’s virtual programming, facilitating online courses, and
working with volunteers and staff to enhance the design and
experience of CenterU Online programming.
Jamie holds a Master of Arts degree in communication and a
Bachelor of Behavior Science in communication with a minor in
psychology.
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