Pull the Trigger(s)! The Value of *Scheduling* any Web Event

By Johnson Cook | Published: February 15, 2010

We Peaches say at least 6 times per week that clients need a “trigger” to get their customers to use their online programming. Whether you are selling webinars, online CLE videos, or even knowledge communities, the one thing that seems to be a success factor is scheduling.

In recent posts by Ken Molay, of Webinar Success, and Tim Bourquin, they each discuss how challenging it is to sell webinar recordings and archives. Our clients who offer online continuing education programs know the same thing!  We even have seen this trend developing with Knowledge Communities… the trend is this: if you market something as available 24/7/365, your audience will never do it. They don’t have a reason!  Even if they benefit from this dramatically, they will likely not do it unless you give them a specific deadline and timeline.

The Knowledge Community observation is the most interesting to me. We’ve found that even communities with good steady flow of content, often don’t get the participation they seek until they schedule a webinar, or rebroadcast, or even a Tweet-up-like chat session (where you schedule a time for your forums and message boards to be active).

While they can be, the triggers don’t have to be expensive, high production events. The point is that it is a scheduled “event” from a reputable organization. That’s enough to get at least some attention and participation.

Here are some Triggers we have used at Peach with clients with some if not great success:

  1. Rebroadcasts – schedule a time to replay a live webcast or live webinar as a “Pre recorded” webinar, but the key is to have your experts online and ready to handle live Text based Q&A.  It is likely that the presentation wouldn’t have changed anyway… just the Q&A.   So take your well-produced content and schedule it to happen many times over the course of a month. It works.
  2. Live Webcasts – even a simple video from a studio or conference room can be enough to entice people to your site.
  3. Mandatory CE deadlines – of course these are great triggers when they come from large governing bodies. However, if your organization offers certification programs, consider the deadlines for the CEU’s for these programs as great ways to get large audiences of people online and “doing something” on your site. Be ready for the push, and plan to upsell and promote anything you have that is relevant to this segment.
  4. Webinars – tried and true. Enough said! You should always be doing webinars. We do them for ourselves, and they work.  Believe me, they work!
  5. Tweet-Ups – during your in-person conferences or active times of the year, schedule tweet-ups around specific hashtags. Here is a great story on “How to Organize a Tweetup” from Mashable.

My goal with this post is to simply get you thinking about Triggers with your online content, regardless of what it may be.  If you have more ideas, post them below in the comments section.    Now, I’d be happy to come visit your site to see what you have, but when is your next scheduled web event, exactly?

Posted in Continuing Education, Distance Learning, Knowledge Community, Marketing, Non-Dues Revenue, Web Site Strategy, Webinars | Leave a comment

2010 New Media Summit – A Public Google Wave

By Johnson Cook | Published: January 27, 2010

The Peach Knowledge Community is holding our second annual New Media Summit for Associations in Washington DC on June 8, 2010. We are in the process of exploring topics around new media, learning, and social media. One of the topics we are considering is also one of the tools we are using to plan the event: Google Wave. We have embedded a Wave below for you to add your suggestions. Because Wave is still in Developer preview offering, you may have to login with your Wave account to edit it. (If you can’t get the Wave to work, just post your suggestions with replies to this post.)

Here is the wave:

Posted in Distance Learning, Knowledge Community, Marketing, Non-Dues Revenue, Social Media, Web Site Strategy, Webcasting, Webinars | 3 Comments

Webinar Marketing: The Basics

By Amelia Omar | Published: January 26, 2010

How can we increase our annual Webinar revenue? Why can’t we improve the number of attendees to our webinars? How can we reach a broader audience?

The answer, in the simplest terms, go back to the basics, improve your marketing.

In this blog, we have listed the 5 marketing tips that Peach New Media sees as the essentials to enhancing your overall marketing efforts:

Tip #1: Simplicity. When it comes to marketing, keep it simple. Be short, compelling and specific. Use bullets, lists, and brief sentences. Essentially, whether it’s an email blast, or a description on your website, customers want the information they need and they want it fast.

Tip #2: Use the tools you have; Social Media, E-mail, Partners. There are so many outlets available to you, literally at your fingertips, that can and should be used to expand your marketing efforts. Taking advantage of these opportunities is key.  There should be a link to your Webinar registration page almost anywhere you can think of. Your email signature, your Facebook page, Twitter, Blogs, your event partner’s/speaker’s email signature and their social media accounts. The new age of Social Media and E-marketing are here to assist you, so use them.

Tip #3: Listen to and know your audience. It certainly takes time, surveys, polling and analytic strategies. But you have an audience, and it is extremely important to value their opinion. Presenting them with knowledgeable speakers and relevant topics that are specific to them is what will keep them coming back. Take steps to make sure your speakers know your audience, and coach and guide them so they have a thorough understanding of what your audience is hoping to takeaway from the Webinar. Most importantly, make sure you are always trying to improve and adjust to the growth and variations within your audience.

Tip #4: Track, Analyze and Revise. After touching upon listening to your audience, it is also notable to say that it is a must to use tracking and analytical devices to keep getting better. Use surveys, polling and Google Analytics to learn about what your are doing well and what you need to adjust. In addition, use several marketing links and track them, so you get a better understanding of where your registrations came from and which channels were successful.

Tip #5: Be Consistent. Everything above won’t work without consistency. Marketing is a full-time task that needs a lot of grooming and attention. Each effort must be continuous. Updating your Social Media forums, gaining a better understanding of your audience and continuously reviewing and adjusting your strategies are tasks that must be repetitive. Consistency will make your marketing efforts a success.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Why Niche Web Sites are Better than Google

By Cecilia Satovich | Published: October 22, 2009

Have you ever searched for something on Google, only to revise and resubmit your search three or four times and give up?  Why do we put up with that?  Google is an effective search engine, but it’s a poor research engine.  (Check out my recent post, “6 Things I Hate About Google”).  Niche Web sites, like many association Web sites, serve this purpose better.

Here’s why:
Smart professionals doing research in their industry want to read content that’s deemed valuable by a known community of their peers, not based on criteria like random backlinks (incoming links to a Web page, this is a factor in Google’s page rank algorithm), keyword selection, and ad dollars like Google offers.

Here’s why niche Web sites are better:

  1. I don’t have to know the right keywords.
    Google doesn’t offer a non-keyword approach to content, which makes research about an unfamiliar subject difficult.  Successful industry-specific Web sites group content based on relevant sub-topics and known industry terms and approaches to information.
  2. I find that content is targeted and straightforward.
    Google’s pages are lists of text and hyperlinks.  Niche Web sites offer specific, targeted content that is easy to find and read.
  3. I can filter search results and browse by classification.
    Google doesn’t offer this kind of functionality.  Niche sites are so targeted, they often offer the ability to filter search results by sub-topic and the ability to browse by classification so that I can jump straight to current, relevant content.
  4. I find authors I know and admire.
    Google search results pages don’t list authors.  Experts and familiar peers in the industry write content for association Web sites, not some nameless, faceless person.

    Bonus: I can connect with the SME’s (subject matter experts) of this content. Niche industry sites, like association Web sites, offer the opportunity to network and connect with industry peers and content providers.  It’s a value-add to which no search engine can compare.

  5. I find content that’s related to my interests, not full of clutter.
    Google’s ads are irrelevant and getting out of control.  Good niche Web sites display content related to a user’s interests… so when I’m browsing the Institute for Supply Management Web site for the latest manufacturing data, I’m presented with the latest Report On Business®, too.
  6. I find all kinds of resource types while browsing.
    Google segments its search by content type.  Good industry sites don’t only separate content by image, video, blog, or book.  Information is accurate and reliable, and segmented by content classification, not content type.

Associations are the ideal providers for these niche industry Web sites, as they usually have the inside scoop on advocacy efforts, industry trends, important shifts in thinking and early impact of outside forces on their industry.  But the power of knowledge sharing goes much further than that.  Associations have a unique opportunity to gain credibility and build their communities by not only delivering quality data, but also actionable knowledge and peer-to-peer wisdom to share in their trusted network of members.

To learn more about how associations can excel online and provide a better richer experience for members, check out the upcoming session “Competing in the Age of Google – Association Tactics for Translating Data into Knowledge and Wisdom” at the Association New Media Summit October 27th.

Posted in Marketing, Web Site Strategy | 1 Comment

6 Things I Hate About Google

By Cecilia Satovich | Published: October 20, 2009

  1. I have to guess what keywords to use… over and over again.
    Every time I look on Google for content I know is out there, somewhere, I have to guess what keywords to use.  IMHO, this requires a superior act of skill and patience because to get the good stuff, (you know, the paid research studies, the articles by industry experts)… well, to get that stuff you pretty much have to know the lingo.
  2. I find the results page overwhelming.
    Too much text, not enough substance.  I’d rather have 5 very targeted, reliable resources to read than thousands of unknown junk competing for my attention.
  3. I can’t filter the results.
    Within both of my vaccine searches, it’s pretty obvious that there are subtopics to tackle… where to get it, who’s on the preferred list, latest or breaking news, how it started, etc.  Want any of that stuff?  No such logical groupings or filters are available.  Search again.
  4. I believe the resources are unreliable and inaccurate.
    When reviewing the search results for “swine flu vaccine”, I noticed that Wikipedia out-ranked the CDC as a resource.  Seriously.  Don’t you think the CDC a more qualified resource to talk about swine flu facts than a bunch of wikipedians?  How am I to know if someone adding the content on Wikipedia is an expert, is a doctor, or is my next-door neighbor’s 16-year-old kid?

    Note: This is not a slam against Wikipedia, which does have some good content.  However, when I’m doing research, particularly for something that impacts my health or my business, I want to know who that person is, where they’re from, how I can reach them, what makes them an “expert”, etc.  Google offers none of that.

  5. I find sponsored links are often irrelevant and just add clutter.
    I got a chuckle checking out all the people trying to make a buck off of H1N1 and swine flu…and yeah, you can bet Google’s laughing all the way to the bank.  As a prize to the most irrelevant ad, I’m providing a link to it.  The winner is: Dr Weil’s swine flu ad for antioxidant and multivitamin package.
  6. I do not care about content type, I care about quality.
    I don’t care if the content is an image, video, blog, or book.  My concerns are that the content is reliable.  Videos of news clippings about H1N1/Swine flu vaccines are very relevant to my search.  Why don’t they appear in the results listing?

Bottom line, Google’s not a good research engine.  Tune in for part two, “Why niche Web sites are better than Google”.

Posted in Continuing Education, Distance Learning, Marketing, Non-Dues Revenue, Web Site Strategy | 6 Comments

Get Great Scores on Webinars

By Dave Will | Published: October 16, 2009

When recently asked by one of his clients about what makes a webinar score really high on the post-event surveys, what specific things make it seem more “real” or practical and interactive? Collin Buckley, an Account Director with Peach New Media has this to say:

“From my experience, a successful webinar depends upon many things. One of the most important is the engagement of the speaker. Are they passionate and knowledgeable about the topic? Are they a relaxed speaker? Can they talk to the audience and not at them? And of course, the topic is very important. Are the expectations of the audience met by the presentation/presenter?

Other thoughts:

Actual program needs to cover the advertised topics
Provide real-world examples
Provide actionable suggestions, tools, and next steps
Know the audience. If multi-national, be prepared to offer country-specific resources for information.
Avoid self-promotion or sales pitches
Have handouts that list sources for additional information for easy reference
If appropriate, pull up actual websites that may be helpful or provide screen shots
Use polling questions to engage the audience
Use the annotation tools to provide additional visual stimulation

And most importantly, have some fun. It comes across well to the audience if you are not too serious.”

Posted in Non-Dues Revenue, Webinars | Leave a comment

Public or Private – What Type of Association Community Do You Favor?

By Ryan Graham | Published: September 15, 2009

This year’s ASAE Annual was dominated by a very consistent theme– “Building Communities through Social Media”.  Many associations are trying to make sense of social media and how to best leverage it for their organization and make it profitable. With that said, it’s evident to me that an association can take one of two routes towards deploying a community – 1. Create a public network through tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc.. OR 2. Create a private “white label” community that is closed to the masses and driven by membership.

Some of you may have noticed through our August 6th webinar “Creating an Online Knowledge Community: 6 Tips for Association Executives” that Peach New Media is exploring this topic as it relates to our clients and their professional development goals.  The fact is that there is not a right answer when you’re talking about a closed or open community – you can have both and they can work together or you can pick one or the other.  They each serve a different purpose as it relates to the type of collaboration and community you are trying to develop.

Want to learn more?

——

We’re excited to host Jeff De Cagna, experienced association professional and founder of Principled Innovation, as he will be leading a 3-part webinar series starting on September 25.  This will be a great opportunity to learn more about how your association can leverage the social web and develop a community strategy.  All 3 webinars are being offered for just $299, which gives you full access to each 90 minute session and the associated webinar recording and handouts.  To take advantage of this great opportunity or learn more CLICK HERE.

Posted in Knowledge Community, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web Site Strategy | Leave a comment

(Part II of III) Create a Strategy for a Profitable Online Community

By Dave Will | Published: September 3, 2009

We want to start a Blog. We want to do Twitter. What is it again? I just set up a Facebook site for our Association.

Every day I hear from Association Executives and business owners that they want to do {fill in the blank with choice of social media tool}. Usually it’s because they have found some connection with that particular tool or they know someone else who is doing it. What are lacking in most cases are a strategy, a plan, and measurable metrics to identify if your plan is working.

Well, this is part 2 with a few more tips: (see previous post for first 2 tips)

3. Create a blended solution – Create a goal, strategy and id your tactics
Not everyone learns best from whitepapers, or podcasts, or webinars and webcasts. Some like short snippits and sound-bites to keep them informed and others want a video clip as it may be more stimulating. There are a number of tools out there you can utilize create a blended solution for your community. And surely the right mix will help appeal to the right people interested in your content.
It may be easier to pick out the tools if you start thinking about your goals. What do you want to accomplish? Once you know that, you can figure out how you’re going to get there. That’s your strategy. And then of course what tactics you’re going to use along the way. This is a complex process and probably a good blog post in and of itself. But this is the start to identifying the tools best for your online community.

4. Speak to the people and for the people – no jargon – keep it personable
Remember, you’re probably not writing a whitepaper or a commercial. This is a community. It’s the neighborhood around your specialty. Talk to me like a person, not a commercial. Leave the big words out of it. Save the big words for professors, pharmaceutical companies and rich people!

5. Provide valuable content in a pyramid structure – start simple and lead to depth
Think about content like a resume. I think the best resumes are 1 page. I’ll bet Ronald Reagan had a good 2 page resume, but imagine his one page resume!?! Tease people into getting more information. Don’t go crazy with content. Keep it simple and short.

More to come….

Posted in Knowledge Community, Non-Dues Revenue | Leave a comment

Perfecting the Rubik’s Cube

By Dave Will | Published: August 23, 2009

So Johnson Cook (Peach COO), Ryan Graham (VP, Sales, Peach), Tom Kerwin (Sales Associate, Peach) and I went to the ASAE Annual Conference in Toronto last week.  The days were filled with meeting people we’ve only talked to on the phone, meeting other vendors, and of course meeting  association execs interested in webinars, webcasts and building a community around their knowledge.

The evenings were filled with other kinds of networking. The kind of networking I have not participated in since college. And this is when I began to acknowledge my age. Well after my bedtime, a young lass stepped up to me and with the music pounding in the background and she yells, “I’LL GIVE YOU $20 (Canadian, I assumed) IF YOU CAN TELL ME WHO SINGS THIS SONG!!!” I didn’t hear everything she said but heard enough to know the answer was “Justin Timberlake”.  Her jaw dropped and I heard her say, defeated, “Oh my God! (OMG) I thought you were, like, 40!”

Well, I am like 40. And I know who Justin Timberlake is. I like to think I’m hip.

And being nearly 40, I have worldly knowledge (extend a slow nod and a knowing wink if you’re over 40). For instance, I remember the Rubik’s Cube when it first came out in the late 70’s. I also remember getting 2 sides solid before giving up and going back to riding my Flying Turtle down the drive way.

(Flashforward) – Last week, among the people we met at the ASAE Food and Wine Classic in Toronto was Eric Limeback.  Eric solved the Rubik’s cube for us in about 11 seconds.

And if you search YouTube, you’ll see videos of Eric doing this blindfolded. Really???? Yes. So I Googled it… How can it be?.

Ok, so I fell asleep in the second paragraph but I dreamed about how similar the theory is to the way we run webinars. Everything is discombobulated to start. But based on the configuration and the state of things, we (and Eric) apply certain memorized algorithms to produce the end result. It’s a collection of procedures all glued together. Every event is managed and treated differently, just as every time Eric solves the Rubik’s cube he applies a different set of algorithms.

Funny how everything comes back to webinars for me…. Funny how I’m comparing my genius with Eric’s.

Just curious: Have you ever had success in solving the Rubik’s Cube? How old were you when it first came out? Do you know who Just Timberlake is?

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Kick Start Your Webinars – 4 Factors That Affect the Health of Your Webinar Program

By Ryan Graham | Published: August 5, 2009

The economy is down.  Your association has either cancelled your annual conference or has a realized attendance decline of 30+%.  From speaking with associations small and large, from coast to coast, I’ve realized that this is a real scenario in 2009 and potentially into the near future.  Many associations have turned to webinars.  They have either been running them for years (as is true with the Association of Fundraising Professionals – https://afp.bostonconferencing.com, whom we work with) and decided to increase the volume of webinars they host OR they may have just begun to adopt webinars (as is true with the Associated Builders and Contractor, Inc. – https://abc.bcconf.com, whom we have helped to launch a new series of monthly webinars this year) and are integrating them into their meetings and professional development for the first time.

Let me be the first to say, Webinars are not new! They have been in existence for over 10 years and whether your organization has 8 years of webinar experience under your belt or has just begun your foray into webinars this year, here are 4 Factors that will affect the health of your webinar program:

  1. Webinar Frequency & Schedule – A set webinar schedule is not for every organization, but it is something to strongly consider.  We see many associations who have their entire next calendar year of webinars planned and scheduled by September.  That way people can plan for their webinars at the beginning of the year and plan their schedule around them.  Your Takeaway – Whatever the frequency of your webinars may be, the key is to maintain that frequency so people come to rely on and expect your webinars.
  2. Webinar Timeliness  (Make a HOT TOPIC Webinar Available) – In many industries these are very important, as some topics or initiatives come up and a webinar is a great way to present on them.  If you can find a good combination of frequent webinars and ad hoc webinars, that may be a great fit.  Your Takeaway – As the trusted source of information within your industry, you should always be searching out critical topics and be ready to host a webinar on those topics.
  3. Marketing Efforts – The best call to action to foster registration for a webinar is via a dedicated email blast about the webinar –and not just 1.  Send at minimum 2 and hopefully 3.  Different from a plug in a newsletter and/or website banner about the event (both of which are good compliments to the dedicated email), the dedicated email is the most effective way to promote a webinar.  You have to make it clear and simple, avoid clutter and too many calls to action.  Give people a visible place to click and register for the webinar.  Your Takeaway – Plan on distributing at least 2 dedicated emails for every webinar you host.
  4. Integration – Too many organizations have their webinars in one place, their podcasts in another and their social media networks scattered all over the place.  However the most successful organizations have adopted Knowledge Communities.
    Definition – A knowledge community brings together your education and online learning content (ie. live webinars, archived webinars, webcasts, podcasts etc.) and social media presence, displaying it all side by side.  Someone can read your blog, see your last tweet, follow you on Facebook, watch your YouTube channel, register for a live webinar and submit online continuing education credit ALL IN THE SAME PLACE! Your Takeaway – In today’s learning environment you should consider the integration of your online learning with your social media to enhance the learning experience and drive your community.

Posted in Webinars | 2 Comments