A high-quality webinar can be a powerful tool for communication. You can use a well-crafted webinar for a variety of purposes, from imparting knowledge to training and even entertainment. The best ones combine both elements; an engaging marketing webinar can be both fun and useful to the intended audience. You can incorporate your webinar within your live seminar or online presentation for audience engagement.
So, where do you begin when creating a successful webinar? The answer lies in the script. A well-thought-out script is the building block of an engaging webinar. It ensures that you present all the information you need to in a way that captivates your audience and teaches them something new. You’ll need to strike the right balance to keep people’s attention during the presentation and the script is a key part of this.
Image Source: Confertel
What makes a script engaging?
According to Webinar Software, around 85% of marketers hold webinars in high importance, saying that they are crucial tools for their marketing efforts. In order to use webinars to impart your brand’s message, whether it’s to consumers or other businesses, you need to craft the perfect script. Here are some elements of an engaging script.
It shares personal experiences and stories
People love anecdotes. Personal stories highlight certain human traits and experiences that everyone can relate to. An engaging script will feature a couple of personal anecdotes that will help the audience relate to the speaker. These can be serious or funny, depending on the nature of the webinar. For example, a webinar about communication strategy could include a story about certain humorous events that led the speaker to find their favorite communication solutions provider.
It’s conversational
Webinars are meant to engage, not alienate, the audience. The mark of an engaging script is that it allows conversation to flow two ways. The speaker incorporates questions and asks the audience for their opinions as the webinar goes on. For example, seemingly boring webinars about topics such as software integration can be pretty fun if the audience gets to weigh in on which apps they love to use daily.
Activities are available
To keep your webinar audience engrossed to the very end, you need an engaging script that adds several activities for the audience to participate in. Activities make sure that the audience is entertained and create necessary breaks for information absorption. Activities like short questions, surveys, polls, fun discussions and challenges keep the audience interested and alert throughout.
It’s simple
The best writing is uncomplicated and fluid. An engaging script will keep the audience hooked with easy-to-understand concepts and words. There’s no merit in adding big words in webinar scripts because these don’t add to the intellectual legitimacy of the speaker. Instead, the audience loses interest because they can’t understand the webinar’s message.
How to Write an Engaging Webinar Script
Here are some ways in which you can create the perfect webinar script.
Establish authority with your introduction
Your script should immediately tell your audience who you are in a few words. The introduction should be pleasant and interactive, identifying you as the authority on the subject that you’re speaking about. You can add credentials and accomplishments here, but don’t overdo it. Otherwise it’ll become a long and boring list.
Identify the objective of the session
Give the audience a quick highlight of what they’re in for with the session. For example, if your presentation is about creative ideation, take the audience through the larger points of your webinar. These can include things like brainstorming tips, the importance of teamwork, and collaboration tools like interactive whiteboard apps.
Engage with your audience through storytelling
Personal stories have the power to take your audience engagement to the next level. It’s easier to get your message across when you add funny or touching anecdotes. These can also help the audience remember you once your presentation is done.
Include conversations and banter
Engage people with fun conversations and some light banter if possible. This depends on the context of your topic and the setting of the webinar. You can include amusing light-hearted digs at the audience. These can be written into the script or can be done spur-of-the-moment, too. Just be careful not to offend anyone.
Conclude with the core message
Don’t forget to reiterate the message you want to impart. The more you bring it up, the better people will remember it. Highlight the core theme or message of your webinar when you conclude to ensure that your audience leaves with the idea freshly stored in their memory.
End with a call-to-action
Successful presentations always ask something of the audience and yours shouldn’t be different. Include an engaging call-to-action at the end of your script to pull attention to an important element. For example, ask the audience to sign up for your email newsletter and stay in touch.
3 Best Practices for an Exciting Webinar
Here’s what you need to do to create an exciting webinar experience for your audience:
Know your target audience
Do a little research before you present so you know who you’re presenting to. Think of it like selling a product. You’d need to understand your target market, right? Construct your webinar according to the needs of the audience you’ll be presenting it to so they’ll engage.
Make it light, not heavy
Keep your webinar script to the point and don’t add confusing or complicated concepts. Remember that you’re there to share information, and personal anecdotes are tools to help. Don’t add emotional stories or bring the audience down with too much information. Doing either can make your webinar dull.
Test run your script
Always do a test run of your script before you present it to a live audience. You can read it to yourself, focus on your gestures and time the whole thing to see if you’re doing well. People can tell when a speaker has come prepared, so make sure you’ve tested it out.
Pro-Tip: Go Easy on the Numbers
A certain amount of statistics and numerical information is necessary in every presentation. You might want to provide concrete evidence or shock your audience with big numbers. Use stats in your script, but don’t go overboard. Your audience will get overwhelmed and confused by lots of numbers and won’t engage with your presentation.
For more great tips, tricks, and how-to’s, subscribe to the DivvyHQ blog today!