Lawyers that use webinars demonstrate authority and leadership while also creating a valuable learning experience for their viewers.

If you have never hosted a webinar before, now is the time to learn. Your clients and prospective clients are currently at home, isolated from the world outside as the COVID-19 crisis develops. They are craving opportunities to learn and to improve their situation, whatever that may be. Consider the following examples:

• Business Law: In the case of a business owner, they may be looking for resources and information that will help them navigate a complex and challenging business environment.
• Personal Injury: For a personal injury victim, they may be looking for information about how they can pursue compensation while in quarantine.
• Family Law: Couples who were thinking about divorce prior to COVID-19 may find themselves in an uncomfortable living situation, unsure of what to do next.
  

Regardless of your practice area or focus, webinars are possibly the most scalable way that lawyers can share information, resources and insights with their clients and prospective clients. In one 1-hour webinar, lawyers can reach hundreds, if not thousands, of viewers right from their home or office. Webinars can be streamed live on Facebook for increased visibility and recorded for later use. The best part? Setting up a webinar has never been easier. For the sake of providing specific, actionable advice, we are going to focus on Zoom.

What is Zoom?

Zoom is a leading video conferencing solution trusted by companies, both large and small, all over the world. You can use Zoom for teleconferencing, virtual meetings and video webinars. Features include screen sharing, chat, cloud recording and registration pages.

Creating A Zoom Account

To get started, you will need to create a Zoom account. There are multiple options, including a free option that allows you to hold virtual meetings. To access advanced features, such as webinars, you will need to upgrade your plan to one of the paid options. However, these are moderately priced and can be customized depending on what you need.

Setting Up A Webinar

Once you have created a Zoom account, the next step is to schedule a webinar. You will have the option of creating a title and description, then you can set a date and duration for the webinar. If you want viewers to register for the webinar, you have the option of setting up a registration page.

There are other options you can select as well. To ensure that your webinar is well managed, we recommend that you select the following options:

• Enable join before host
• Enable a waiting room
• Record the meeting automatically
  

By selecting these options, you can ensure that you will have control over the meeting and that your viewers have the best experience possible. After the webinar has been created, you will have the ability to update email settings, upload your logo and banner for the event, and select a live streaming option through Facebook or YouTube.

Inviting people to your Webinar

Now that you have created a new Zoom webinar, it is time to start promoting it. If you chose to require people to register for the meeting, then you can copy the registration link and share it with your email list, social media followers and LinkedIn connections. When they click on the link, they will be taken to the dedicated landing page where they will add their names and email addresses. Once they hit submit, they will then be registered for your webinar.

Conducting A Webinar

Simply setting up a Zoom webinar and inviting people to join is just the first step to a successful virtual event. The challenge of hosting a great webinar is all in the execution. If handled properly, a webinar can help you stand out as an authority on the topic you will be discussing. If handled poorly, it can have the opposite effect.

Here are a few quick tips to ensure your webinar is a positive, productive experience for your viewers:

Prep your office or desk for the webinar.

‍The benefit of webinars is the face to face interaction that viewers get with the host. That being said, good housekeeping can go a long way in ensuring your presentation is professional and free of distraction. Before your webinar, make sure that the space you plan to record in is clean. Also, check your camera and microphone to ensure they are both working. Lastly, make sure you have a strong internet connection.

Send a reminder.

Prior to your Zoom meeting, you should send a reminder to all registrants about the date and start time of the meeting. You may send one 24 hours in advance, then another an hour before the start time. In some cases, it may be appropriate to send an email as the webinar is starting, especially if viewers can watch it live streamed on Facebook or YouTube.

Start on time.

‍It is always a good idea to launch your webinar a few minutes early to troubleshoot any potential technical issues.

Encourage viewers to ask questions.

‍Zoom has a chat feature that can help make your webinar more interactive. Encourage viewers to ask questions, or respond to your questions by leaving comments.

Share links to resources and information.

Do you plan on sharing resources and information in your webinar? If so, have the links on hand and drop them into the comments section for your viewers.

Develop a slide presentation.

‍If you are planning to host your webinar on your own (no guest speakers), then it may be helpful to have a visual aid, such as PowerPoint slides.

Send a follow up email to registrants.

Once the webinar is over, you should follow up immediately with registrants, even those that didn’t attend. In your follow up email, thank them for attending the webinar and encourage them to reach out if they have any questions. In this email, you should also include a link to the recording, just in case they want to share it with a colleague or reference the webinar later on.

Send a follow up email to non-registrants.

After your webinar, you should also send an email to everyone who did not register for the webinar. You can send them a link to watch the recording, but have them register for the webinar before they can view it. This is a great way to double-down on the webinar and maximize exposure to your content.

Seek Professional Marketing Help For Your Law Firm’s Next Webinar

At NOMOS Marketing, we help lawyers all over the country plan, promote and execute webinars through social media, blogging and email marketing. If you have any questions about the strategies and tactics outlined in this article, we encourage you to reach out for a no-obligation strategy call.