Berenschot sees power in webinars

For many organizations, webinars are the way to go when it comes to knowledge sharing and branding. One such organization using webinars is Berenschot. They deploy them as one of their tools within the marketing mix.

We spoke with Hans van der Spek, manager Knowledge Center HRM and senior managing consultant at research firm Berenschot. He told us why webinars work well for their organization and what is involved in conducting a webinar.

Webinars as part of your branding

In cooperation with SkillsTown, Berenschot is broadcasting several webinars. Here they focus on the HR manager and management. Thanks to the knowledge Berenschot has in-house, they can offer relevant insights for HR professionals. Hans explains, "We always try to respond to current or relevant topics. For each topic, I look for another expert within our organization. This is how we contribute to spreading knowledge and insights within the HR profession."

Berenschot deploys their webinars not only to contribute to knowledge development within the HR industry. Sharing knowledge in this accessible way also contributes to the branding of their organization. Hans: "We try to give the viewers of the webinar something to remember and hope that as a result some of them will remember our name. We make a subject open for discussion, show that we have what it takes and are not afraid to give our opinion. By doing so, we hope that people will think of us when they run into a problem where we can help them."

"Realize what the underlying purpose of your webinar is. The ultimate goal is not to deliver a well-crafted webinar, but to achieve something with your target audience."

The art of omission

A webinar usually lasts thirty minutes. This is an advantage for the viewer, as you have the opportunity to gain relevant knowledge on a particular topic in a relatively short amount of time. For the speaker this can be a challenge, you have to make sure that you highlight the core of your story within those thirty minutes. Hans says, "It is good to realize that time is very short. I think that is precisely the strength of a webinar. It is a short moment where you actually have to make your point clear in twenty minutes. You have to be able to apply 'the art of omission' to your own subject matter."

Think about your target audience

When determining the content of your webinar, it is important to focus on your target audience. They are ultimately the ones with whom you want to accomplish something. Whether you want to inform, influence or incite them to action. Hans says: "I still tend to include everything in my story, but you have to realize that you are the expert on the topic. This gives you a knowledge advantage and it can sometimes be confusing or complicated for the viewer who first encounters a topic. That's why it's important to focus on the target audience and stick to the core of your story."

"People often don't decide until a late moment. That's why we draw attention to the webinar again a day in advance or on the day itself."

Find interaction

Hans emphasizes that interaction is a nice part of a webinar. Even though you are in front of a camera, and your audience is not physically present in the room, there are plenty of opportunities to interact. Hans: "Of course, what you want most is for people to engage with something. You have a short twenty-minute introduction to a particular topic. Ask yourself carefully how you can really help people further. Leaving contact information is an open door. You can also seek interaction by, for example, adding a white paper or article to your webinar. Viewers can use this to read up beforehand, or have the opportunity to do reference work afterwards. In your webinar, you can cover this article and, for example, ask questions or use a poll.

Deploy communication channels

Creating, scheduling and broadcasting webinars is a time investment for all parties involved. Therefore, it would be a shame to limit yourself only to creating a webinar and deploy little to no communication around a webinar. It is important to properly publicize a webinar prior to broadcasting. For example, announce the webinar in a newsletter, on your website, social media and/or other channels your organization has available. Hans says: "As the date of the webinar approaches, we always repeat the message. You notice that people often decide late in the day. That's why we draw attention to the webinar again a day in advance or on the day itself."

"Also prevent enthusiasm from dwindling after your webinar. When a viewer investigates further about the topic of your webinar, further information should also be found. Integrate the topic on your website and make sure the organization is informed. This will prevent a viewer from ending up in a dead end."

Use your network

You can also use the speaker's network to target viewers. Many speakers have people close to them who are tangentially related to the topic of the webinar. If they indicate an interest, you can approach them with a personal message, for example.

Hans says, "I always ask our speakers if they have people in their network who are interested. If so, I create a personal message and invite them from our own portal. We alert all people who have previously attended a webinar that they can also watch the next webinar. The best part, of course, is when people watch live. But if that is not possible, there is always the option of following the webinar afterwards. That is not yet as well known to everyone."