The 3 Secret Content Components for a successful Free Online webinar for your course Launch
If you want to have a successful free online webinar to launch your course, discover the 3 secret content components to explode your online course launch and more!
There are more and more people competing out there with online courses. It creates a lot of noise and competing messages.
You would love to attract people to your course through your sales channel… but email marketing is not working as before. Open rates are decreasing, engagement is not what it was.
Or your lead magnet is not driving the number of people you need to your email list.
You really haven’t got a huge budget for ads.
You hear what they say, build your content and your base will grow but… you haven’t got 1 or 2 years to wait for your audience to grow and build trust.
You need quicker results.
You have heard that webinars are the way to go… How scary to go live!
You are still very unclear how not to give away your paying content.
You think you are not one of those strong personalities so successful. So you are super hesitant about you leading a webinar.
And, and… That sales pitch at the end!!!! How dreadful! What you don’t like is that sale pitch.
So is the answer to avoid webinars???!!
Think again. There is a better answer.
Free online webinars are permission-based marketing: your audience registration indicates that they are willing and interested on what you are sharing, so they have accepted to exchange their time and email for your webinar content.
That’s a great way to pre-qualify your audience. You are not going blind. Nothing better.
And webinars are not only a great tool to generate leads and sales for your online course…
… webinars create loyalty.
Your audience, whether they buy or not, will be grateful of what they’ve learned from you for free.
When they get results from following your advice, you achieve that important trust.
So don’t be discouraged by those who decide not to buy. See them and treat them as future customers.
Did you know that between 20%-40% of those who attend a webinar will become qualified leads. While qualified leads are not the same than conversion rates, still, qualified leads are what you really want to have in your email list. These are people right in your target market, interested by what you have to offer. By nurturing them, you are much more likely to convert them into customers.
So online webinars are gold, because they provide you with an audience with a high likelihood to convert when compared to other marketing methods.
‘I see it, webinars make sense lots of sense’, I hear you say.
Still, you are not sure how to create great webinar content…
This is what this blog is all about.
Giving you the 3 secret components to provide to your audience:
what they want
what they love
what they need
Plus, a great bonus on how to nail your sales copy!
Your audience has one key objective when they decide to join your free online webinar: discover how to get to the results they dream of. They are also likely to want that freebie you have promised with the webinar, as they see that as a step to achieve their results.
For you to meet their expectations, it is important that you walk them through the 3 key steps of any transformation:
Their current struggle - the problems they are facing.
Your promise - the results they want.
The process - the roadmap of how to get from where they are today to the results.
You might think that talking about the struggles your audience is experiencing is not necessary because:
they know them,
it can feel not very upbeat,
what they really want is to get the answer from you on how to fix their challenges.
Quite the opposite.
Transformation, which is what your free online webinar promises, is a journey.
A journey from the as-is (the current position) to the to-be (the results you want to achieve) by following a defined roadmap (the process that gets you there).
Psychologically, it is key that you anchor your audience from the beginning.
In order to achieve that, your audience needs to identify themselves with the problems your online webinar is going to resolve.
This part of the content of your free online webinar is truly important.
The more you use the language your audience uses to describe their problems in relation to the subject of your webinar, the better. This helps them confirm they are in the right place and it is worth their time to listen to you because you understand their struggles.
The second element that truly helps when you talk about struggles is to make them relatable.
Share a story, even better at this stage if it is a personal story of a similar struggle and…
… how you have managed to really change.
By using, if you can, your own example, you have made this part of your online webinar really personal.
If you can’t use your own example, you can refer to the story of one of your students. You can carry this story through the webinar, to create a storyline and continuity.
And if this is your very first course, and you haven’t got yet testimonials of students, no worries. Use the example of someone you have helped (even if it was not in the context of a paying course) or a generic example of what is achievable.
Your objective is to strengthen their opinion that their investment in time with you is going to be worthwhile, because you understand their pain points and you know how to overcome them!
You may think that now is the time to tell them how to resolve their struggles…
Not yet.
The second step is to establish the promise. Your webinar promise.
The why they have joined your free online webinar.
Before getting into processes or framework, you need to describe what results they will get from hanging around and listen to your online webinar.
Let’s just look at an example of a promise, to put this into practice.
Example 1 is very weak because:
it is too generic on the subject (what platform?).
it is not specific & measurable enough on the promise (increase by how much?).
it is not clear how long it will take to get the results (would it take too long to achieve the results?).
it does not address the audience (it does not talk to the audience).
Example 2 does a much better job at setting an impactful promise:
The subject is clear: YouTube channel launch.
The promise is achievable, but just because it is not specific enough.
It is time bound: 1 week.
Overall, it is realistic.
Example 3 is the improved version of Example 2 because:
It makes it personal to the audience: “when you launch your YouTube” channel.
It is measurable & results-driven (it is not about the how but the outcome) and still achievable.
It is an outstanding result, which will make anyone extremely happy to achieve.
The Promise for your free online webinar is essential. It is as important as the headline of a blog, the title of a YouTube video, the caption of an Insta post, or the title of a book…
Beyond the well known SMART method to define goals:
Make the promise personal to your audience.
Your promise is ALL about the results, the outcome they want (not the process).
Your promise needs to be outstanding, desirable, memorable to resonate in their heads. Inject it with positivity and ambition.
The exact wording of the webinar promise (your headline) is something that you can take time to define. Don't struggle with this at the beginning.
Leave the definition of your promise to the end of the process building your webinar presentation. Otherwise you can get stuck thinking about it for too long early on.
Finally, always remember: the promise of your webinar is really the outcome that your audience will achieve if they follow the system / framework you share with them. Your credibility builds up with your audience results.
So make the promise a quick win, something achievable quickly. You will ensure you build trust with your audience.
This is the core of your free online webinar. The place where you are going to cover your methods to achieve the promise. You have a wide range of language to use to describe it:
“my process…”
“my framework…”
“my blueprint…”
“my system…”
“my method…”
This is the section of your webinar where you will feel most comfortable. This is really what you know inside out.
Still, there are a few tips and tricks that will make it highly successful and will naturally lead to the course you are selling.
So here is some guidance on the Do’s and Don’ts for your free online webinar, specially for the section about your process, where you will have plenty of content to share. It is specially important to maintain the interest of your audience.
One frequent question is about how much to include without giving away your paying course.
I would turn the question round.
When you attend webinars, how much of your own time would you give away if the content is not valuable?
Value means that your content is helping the large majority of your audience. You will always have those who are more advanced and may need more depth, as well as those who joined but are not truly interested by the subject. Despite those cases, hopefully a minority if your pre-webinar registration campaign was well targeted, the core of your audience should be learning from your online webinar when you deliver value content.
In this part of the webinar, the process sections (“the how” in the transformation journey), you can chose to cover:
your framework, your system - which will provide an overview of how your system solves their struggles but does not go into a step-by-step plan.
a module of your framework in more detail, typically the beginning of your course.
In any case, follow best practice when you cover the how, with:
principles (more the theory side).
examples & proof, to help bring the concepts to light and also support them with social proof.
practice (define easy action for your audience so they can put to practice).
AND, don’t forget to sprinkle throughout your webinar with what your audience really loves… (Continue reading!)
It is always said… you can find all the answers by googling…
So why do people decide to attend webinars? Because they are FREE online webinars? Google is also free…
It is the same reason that is making social media platforms explode versus traditional TV.
Engagement. Interactivity. Live video.
And this is the beauty of your free online webinar. It has that live video combined with the chat feed that is so successful in today’s marketing strategies.
So let’s go back to the example of the coach who did not notice he was talking to himself for 20 minutes.
The learning lesson from his case is that your online webinar should never a monologue.
A monologue is a person speaking and speaking without involving anyone else.
The easiest way to avoid monologues is questions.
Now! Careful!
You don’t want to create a situation with your questions similar to where a teacher asks such a difficult question in a classroom that all the students ditch down to avoid eye contact, not to be the one picked to answer it! You know what I mean, don’t you? Haha!
Questions are the simplest way to maintain attention.
Make it a habit. Use them regularly.
Here are some example of commonly used questions that serve important and different purposes throughout your free online webinar:
You obviously don’t need to use the same. Make them your own. At the end of the day, what’s important is the interaction. The positive and continuous interaction.
Don’t leave question only the Q&A at the end.
Do you know what is one of the most impactful things to do during your free online webinar?
A simple one.
So striking every time.
Calling out people’s name.
Think back to your school days… Have you ever experienced a teacher who was not able to remember the students name? I certainly have had a few (not many thankfully)! Not great, isn’t it?
When I attend webinars, this happens to me…
When one of the great educators I look up to choses one of my question or comments and mentions my name… it is a cool moment.
At that moment, something unexpected happens. A one-to-one connection.
It becomes personal.
And that’s the fantastic capability that webinars give you. There are not just TV programmes where your audience watches but can’t interact.
The ability to establish a personal connection with your audience is fantastic!
Obviously, you have other ways to create the connection beyond using people’s name.
The chat in your online webinar is a great source to make it personal.
You can read comments, pick up questions, ask for reactions. Any of these help create that personal connection. It shows that you care. It breaks the distance of the webinar.
Don’t hesitate to go beyond the subject of the webinar. Share something personal. A personal photo or a video can work marvels. If you manage to make people laugh, even better!
If you think that storytelling is only for kids… think again.
The best & more effective presentations I have witnessed in senior exec board rooms are the ones that were built around story telling. What the execs were focused on was the storyboard.
Storytelling is a great technique to create the connection with your audience.
A story:
makes easier to explain an abstract concept.
breaks the monotony of telling people what to do and how to do it theoretically.
demonstrates results.
shows how to put things into action.
helps avoid mistakes by sharing some.
makes it relatable for the audience.
creates feelings.
Have you spotted the stories in this blog?
Do you know what stories work very well in webinars?
The stories about you. Because they make you relatable, human. You have been where your audience is now… you have achieved what they want to achieve… and you are sharing with them the recipe.
So sum up this overall section about what your audience love, concentrate throughout your free online webinar in having a conversation with your audience.
The approach of a standard presentation, where you just go over your content is just not enough.
The content is what your audience wants, yes, but the connection is what they love.
Conversations build relationships, which themselves build trust. Conversations are not a sale pitch.
Here is a short summary of the techniques you can put into action straight away to establish and maintain your conversation with your audience:
All of this will help you build the sales copy well before you reach the section when you are going to pitch your course.
Storytelling is a much more natural way to share testimonials than just copying and pasting an email from a student.
Your free online webinar is not a presentation. It’s a conversation.
In any transformation project, success depends on a few soft elements. The toughest challenge to overcome in any change is the mindset.
Change is not sustainable if you don’t deeply believe in it.
In elite sports competition, the area where coaches have the biggest challenge is not the sport techniques or the person fitness, is the mindset. Because when it comes to that important moment, the World Cup final, the NBA final, the Olympics final, the Wimbledon final … it is the mindset that will make the difference between a win or a loss.
The success of your webinar is all about getting results for your audience, not just giving them information.
So the one thing a good online webinar delivers is the right mindset for the audience to go for it. The belief they can do it, they can succeed.
However, it is not just as easy as saying “Do it, you can”.
The number one element to tackle for mindset is the objections your audience has about them not being able to achieve the results they want.
So spend some time, well before your free online webinar, researching your audience to understand their objections: their deep fears and misled beliefs.
Your job during the webinar is to take the key objections and fears, one by one, and demonstrate factually that they are unfounded.
They are frequently referred as myths.
This way you are:
confronting the gremlins your audience has,
voicing them up,
demonstrating they are unfounded or that they are easily surmountable.
Step 1 of the mindset is achieved! That’s not all…
The second element for mindset is to have a very strong reason for why it matters to go through the change your webinar covers.
Among your audience, people are motivated by different things. There are those who are attracted by:
“the what” - the subject of the webinar.
“the how” - the process of how to achieve the results.
“the why” - the key drivers that explain the need for change.
It is easy to assume that people who have registered know why your webinar subject matters. It is better not to assume this and create a solid ground for your webinar. “The why” reinforces their motivation to stay and listen to all.
The better your factual proof, the more you will impact the mindset.
Keep it simple but striking.
This is typically where you can share your own results: revenue growth, your traffic growth or any other relevant outcomes, resulting of implementing what you are sharing in the webinar.
But don’t worry if don’t have your own personal proof yet, use industry data and stats!
What also works very well is to let your audience imagine a do-nothing scenario. For instance, a do-nothing scenario for a webinar on how to grow your email list, would be the consequences of not having an email list: dependency on the algorithm changes of social media, not having any control on the content your followers see…
“The why” is an anchor point to build your audience motivation. Always cover “the why”.
Lastly, mindset and motivation are inseparable.
There is one thing that helps build motivation: to believe something is achievable.
This is the other upside of storytelling and testimonials: it provides the proof that your audience can achieve the same results.
Now, remember that you may have a range of different type of people in your audience. The more you understand the profiles of your audience (what they are interested in, what their problems are, your personas), the more you will be able to tailor your examples and stories to what they are interested in.
It is always about making your online webinar content relatable and simple.
Avoid too much detail and information, as it can create overwhelm and confusion.
By addressing the objections, explaining “the why” and providing the proof, you move your audience mindset from skepticism and inaction to motivation and action.
Once you have built confidence, your audience motivation will be there. Don’t stop here.
Now it is the moment to turn motivation into action and action into results.
At this stage is the natural moment when you introduce the online course you are selling.
First of all, your sales copy starts from the beginning of your free online webinar… not just right at the end.
Any sales starts with:
establishing the awareness of a need or a desire. This is what you have done with ‘the struggle - the promise - the process’.
creating the connection and building trust through interaction and storytelling.
building the mindset to believe your audience can achieve the promise.
We have covered all of this before. So, what is left to do to have a good sales copy?
Asking for the sale to start with!
Don’t hesitate to transition from the end of your free online webinar to introducing your online course.
Here are 3 tips that can make it easier and more natural for you:
You can then introduce what the course is about.
And if you are still hesitant about this promotion section…
… change your perspective!
Imagine you are part of your audience.
At this stage, potentially 45 minutes or more into your webinar, the audience is here for a reason. You have delivered value to them through your webinar and they want and need more.
If you were at their place, would you be happy someone saying to you, “That’s it! Thanks for coming”?… Not really. You would like to know more. You may buy or not, but you want to know what would help you reach the next level.
So don’t hesitate.
You are here to provide value to your audience. And that’s exactly what you are doing by sharing what your course offers to them.
However, don’t jump into “this is the price of my course to know more”.
Before you reveal the price, thoroughly demonstrate its value.
Many times, even when your audience really loved your webinar and are truly attracted by your course, they need that extra push. This is where creating urgency helps people make the decision to buy.
And then make the decision easier by offering different payment options and a full refund guarantee. This removes the risk and the out-front payment money barrier.
Now it is down to you! Get ready to do your next free online webinar!
And if you want to:
Get your audience engaged and wanting your course.
Delight your audience to stay until the end.
Launch faster! Get a jump start for your online course launch.
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Your audience has one key objective when they decide to join your free online webinar: discover how to get to the results they dream of.
For you to meet their expectations, it is important that you walk them through 3 key steps of any transformation:
1. The struggles: your audience key current problems (the underlying reason to join your free webinar).
2. The promise: what they will achieve with your free online webinar.
Follow SMART PRO principles when defining your promise.
Make the promise a quick win, something achievable quickly.
3. The process: the framework to follow to achieve your webinar promise.
Provide plenty of value to build credibility and trust. Don’t hold back.
When explaining your process in your free online webinar, remember the do's and don'ts.
Follow best practice when you cover “the how”, with:
principles, the theory side.
examples & proof, to help bring the concepts to light and demonstrate social proof.
practice, defining easy actions for your audience so they can put into practice.
The engagement: keep them involved throughout.
Be personal, connect at a personal level.
Make it relatable: storytelling.
Approach your webinar as a conversation... not a presentation.
Tackle the objections early.
“The Why”: the often missing element.
The proof: What really makes it feel achievable.
From motivation to action and habits.
Any sales starts with:
reinforcing the awareness of a need for change.
creating the connection and building trust through interaction and storytelling.
building the mindset to believe the promise is achievable.
Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale.
Transition to the sale section more naturally:
Announce at the beginning that you will be sharing your online course at the end (with great free bonuses).
Keep your strongest testimonials right before your course pitch.
Ask your audience for permission to introduce your course.
Before, you reveal the price, thoroughly demonstrate your online course value.
Many times, even when your audience really loves your webinar and are truly attracted by your course, they need that extra push.
Create urgency.
Remove the risk and the money barrier of a big out-front payment.
And remember, follow-on by email a number of times to drive more sales after the webinar.
What next?
So now you have it… the 3 secret content components your audience wants, loves and needs in your free online webinar.
And no need to think long and hard about your sales copy.
Time to get that online webinar done!
Don’t forget to tell me:
Your time is precious and it is a real privilege you have chosen to spend some with me. I really appreciate you staying until the end to read my blog!
And, if you want to follow best practice for online webinars and launch faster, get my Webinar Template including:
sales copy for online course launch
guidance & examples
stunning photos for business use*
PLUS fab free bonuses for your social media campaigns!
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Hi! I’m Isabel!
For years and years I have created and produced content, in particular visual content. You can find me very often with my cameras and tripod out and about!
My passion: to help you with your online presence and drive business growth through my blog and visuals collections (marketing templates, styled photos & video).
Ah, I have also worked for 24+ in the corporate world, leading quite a mix: transformation, marketing, coaching, sales, productivity, programme management, investments and product management.
I love sharing all these skills with you in my blog.
I am also founder of Agavea Properties, our family holiday rental business. My husband and I lead it with the passion with one goal in mind: serving our customers to create a memorable holiday experience for them.
So there you have it, that’s me! Ah... I almost forgot, my happy place is by the sea.
Thanks for being here with me!