WEBINAR PROGRAM

Playbook & Toolkit

Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop

a webinar program that supports your company’s goals & objectives.
Table of Contents WEBINAR PROGRAM

Framework 03

Introduction 04

stage 1 Objectives & Buy-In 07

stage 2 Pre-Webinar Planning 11

stage 3 Webinar Execution 16

stage
4 Post Webinar Marketing 19

stage 5 Program Measurement 22

Conclusion 25

About 26
 WEBINAR PROGRAM
Framework
Click the buttons below to access all related
Leverage the framework below to quickly empower training, tools, templates, and other resources.
your organization’s webinar program strategy.

1 OBJECTIVES 2 PLAN 3 EXECUTE 4 MARKET 5 MEASURE

Customer Profile Webinar Checklist Webinar Metrics

Product Marketing Plan Lead Generation Plan
Template Template Dashboard

Marketing Webinar Manager Webinar Evaluation

Job Description Budget Template
Communications Plan Template

Web Conferencing ROI Calculator

Content Marketing Plan
Vendor Evaluation Tool

Webinar Plan Webinar Consulting

Template Services RFP

Webinar Program Webinar Speakers

Maturity Assessment Database

Marketing Strategy Message Mapping

Plan Tool

Competitive Webinar Webinar Topic

Tracking Tool Mapping Tool

Webinar Risk Webinar Presenter

Assessment Tool Evaluation Tool

Webinar Program Webinar Promotions

Strategy Workbook Calendar

Business Case Webinar Project

Template Management Tool
 1 2 3 4 5
Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement

Introduction

What Is the Purpose of This Playbook? How to Use This Playbook

To help you develop a Webinar Program that:
Is aligned with corporate values and vision
Provides a valuable form of content for your marketing mix
Supports Corporate Marketing Strategy, Product Marketing Plans,
and Marketing Communications Plan.
This playbook consists of five stages, each with a description, steps,
and action items. Action items include using our premium tools and
templates. Our intention with this playbook is to help you:
Plan your webinar program by identifying goals,
objectives and building a business case

Manage your webinar program by providing you with

time-saving tools & templates

Measure the results of your program and foster an

environment of continuous improvement

WEBINAR PROGRAM 4
 1 2 3 4 5
Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement

Introduction

What Is Web Conferencing? Scope of the Webinar Plan

Web conferencing refers to a service that allows
conferencing events to be shared with remote
locations. These are sometimes referred to as webinars
or, for interactive conferences, online workshops.
In general the service is made possible by internet
technologies, particularly on TCP/IP connections. The
service allows real-time point-to-point communications
as well as multicast communications from one sender
A webinar program should be considered part of a larger, integrated
Marketing plan. This playbook will help you develop a webinar plan
that is aligned with corporate strategy, marketing communications
and product marketing. It should also be considered part of a larger
content marketing initiative.
If you haven’t already discovered our other methodologies, be sure
to review them before moving forward:
Product Marketing Plan
PRODUCT MARKETING PLAN
Playbook & Toolkit

to many receivers. It offers information of text- VIEW RESOURCE

based messages, voice and video chat to be shared
simultaneously, across geographically dispersed Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a product
marketing plan that achieves your goals for a product.

Marketing Communications Plan

locations. Applications for web conferencing
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
include meetings, training events, lectures, or short Playbook & Toolkit

presentation from any computer. VIEW RESOURCE

Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to create a marketing communications

plan that supports its marketing strategy.

Content Marketing Plan

CONTENT MARKETING PLAN
Playbook & Toolkit

VIEW RESOURCE

Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a content marketing plan

that supports your company’s goals & objectives.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 5
 1 2 3 4 5
Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement

Introduction

What Is the Webinar Plan Template? Outputs from This Playbook

The purpose of the Webinar Plan Template is to help you develop
a plan to fully exploit webinars as a sales, marketing and support
channel. Webinars are a very influential type of content, capable of
meeting multiple business objectives.
Organizations have embraced webinars to accomplish a number of
important business goals, including lead generation, to establish or
strengthen their perception as an industry thought leader, and to
train employees, customers or partners.
Key Deliverable: Webinar Plan Template
Stage 1 - Objectives & Buy-In
Maturity Assessment, Risk Assessment, Strategy
Workbook, Webinar Business Case Template
Stage 2 - Pre-Webinar Planning
Customer Profile, Vendor Evaluation, Database, Message
Mapping, Calendar

Download the Webinar Plan Template to document the plan you Stage 3 - Webinar Execution
create as you go through this playbook. Promotions Plan, Execution Checklist, Webinar Evaluation

Stage 4 - Post-Webinar Marketing

Follow Up, Lead Nurturing, Content Marketing
VIEW RESOURCE

Stage 5 - Program Measurement

Dashboard, Budget and ROI Calculator

WEBINAR PROGRAM 6
 WEBINAR PROGRAM

STAGE 1

Identify Objectives
Before you start your webinar program, you will need to:

STEP 1: Establish a Benchmark

STEP 2: Review Your Company’s Marketing Strategy
STEP 3: Evaluate the Competitive Landscape
STEP 4: Conduct a Risk Assessment
STEP 5: Outline Your Webinar Program Objectives
STEP 6: Build a Business Case and Get Approval
 2 3 4 5
Introduction
1 Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement
Objectives &
Buy-In

STEP 1 STEP 2
Establish a Benchmark Review Your Company’s Marketing Strategy

Action Item Action Item

Use the Webinar Program Maturity Assessment to If you have not developed a Marketing Strategy, do that
evaluate and to benchmark your organization’s webinar first before attempting to create a webinar program. Use
program maturity. the Marketing Strategy Plan to do this.

MARKETING STRATEGY
Playbook & Toolkit

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a corporate marketing strategy

that supports your company’s values and vision.

Areas of evaluation include: Regardless of how your marketing strategy was developed, refer
Buy-In Promotions to it to get the context for developing your webinar program:

Strategy Assets What products or initiatives will your webinar program

Competition Measurement support?

Resources What core values or strategic objectives should influence

the development of content for your webinars?
What core competencies can you exploit or showcase
through the use of webinars?

WEBINAR PROGRAM 8
 2 3 4 55
Introduction
1 Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement
Objectives &
Buy-In

STEP 3 STEP 4
Evaluate the Competitive Landscape Conduct a Risk Assessment

Action Item Action Item

Use our Competitive Webinar Tracking Tool to keep track Use our Webinar Risk Assessment Tool to document
of your competitors’ webinar efforts. webinar risks, assess their impact and probability, and
develop risk mitigation plans.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

The goal of your evaluation is to understand the following:
How your competitors are using webinars to influence the
market
What topics and subjects they are addressing
How effective their efforts are
Helpful Hint – Get content updates automatically by using
“Google Reader” (subscribe to RSS feeds and set up “Alerts”).
For most organizations, the risks associated with a webinar
program are reputational in nature, resulting from failing to
execute well.
This assessment, therefore, is not so much to make a go/no-go
decision on a webinar program as it is to simply identify and miti-
gate in advance any risks of a poorly executed webinar program.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 9
 2 3 4 5
Introduction
1 Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement
Objectives &
Buy-In

STEP 5 STEP 6
Outline Your Webinar Program Objectives Build a Business Case and Get Approval

Action Item Action Item

Use the Webinar Program Strategy Workbook to outline, Use the Webinar Program Business Case to help you build
summarize and communicate your webinar program a business case for an investment in a webinar program.
strategy plan and objectives.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

Use the workbook to document your program’s purpose from Your first instinct may be to justify a webinar program based on
the following key perspectives: cost savings, which are real enough.
Marketing Opportunities Most organizations, however, find that the value of a webinar
Sales Opportunities program is the increased engagement it provides with key audi-
ences, such as customers.
Customer Service Opportunities
Other

Helpful Hint – Use the “Objectives Scorecard” tab to document

high level objectives, programs, KPIs and target timeframes.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 10
 WEBINAR PROGRAM

STAGE 2

Pre-Webinar Planning
Before you start you webinar program, you will need to research and plan in each of these
areas: audience, content, talent, delivery and promotions.

STEP 1: Understand the Audience

STEP 2: Hire a Program Manager
STEP 3: Select Web Conferencing Technology
STEP 4: Build a Roster of Speakers
STEP 5: Prioritize Your Messaging
STEP 6: Identify Webinar Topics
STEP 7: Select Speakers for Upcoming Webinars
STEP 8: Plan Your Webinar Promotions
 1 3 4 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In
2 Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Marketing Measurement
Pre-Webinar
Planning

STEP 1 STEP 2
Understand the Audience Hire a Program Manager

Action Item Action Item

Use the Customer Profile Template to help you identify Use the Webinar Program Manager Job Description to
and understand the target audiences for each webinar. outline roles & responsibilities.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

In addition to using this template, answer the following questions:
Who they are?
What do they need to know?
Where do they tend to get their information?
What do you want them to do with the information you provide?
You many not initially need a full-time person to manage your
webinar program. What many organizations discover is that
when they execute their webinar program well, demand is
created, leading to the need to produce more content at a
faster rate.
To do this without sacrificing quality, you will need to bring a
Program Manager into the picture, and this is best done early
in the program.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 12
 1 3 4 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In
2 Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Marketing Measurement
Pre-Webinar
Planning

STEP 3 STEP 4
Select Web Conferencing Technology Build a Roster of Speakers

Action Item Action Item

Use the Web Conferencing Vendor Evaluation Tool to Use the Webinar Speakers Database to keep track of
help you evaluate and select the right web conferencing information on webinar resources and speakers.
technology solution for your business.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

Areas of the evaluation include: The ideal webinar speaker is a subject matter expert and is known
Requirements to your audience. A few important Items to keep track of include:

Features Contact Information

Support Expertise
Cost
Helpful Hint – Use Webinar Consulting Services RFP Template
to help you design a RFP for Webinar Consulting Services. Helpful Hint – Use the Webinar Project Management Tool
to keep your webinar program on track.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 13
 1 3 4 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In
2 Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Marketing Measurement
Pre-Webinar
Planning

STEP 5 STEP 6
Prioritize Your Messaging Identify Webinar Topics

Action Item Action Item

Use the Message Mapping Tool to help you prioritize the Use the Webinar Topic Mapping Tool to identify webinar
messages you wish to convey in your webinars. topics that address the informational needs of your target
audience.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

Use what you learned in Step 1 of this Stage to develop core Refer to the Customer Profiles you created during Step 1 of this
messages for your webinars. Use this template to prioritize Stage. Make sure the webinar topics that you identify address
those messages for: things your audience wants to know.
Effectiveness For more information about buyer personas and buying stages,
Credibility refer to our Content Marketing Plan.

Resonance

WEBINAR PROGRAM 14
 1 3 4 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In
2 Webinar Execution Post-Webinar Program
Marketing Measurement
Pre-Webinar
Planning

STEP 7 STEP 8
Select Speakers for Upcoming Webinars Plan Your Webinar Promotions

Action Item Action Item

Use the Webinar Presenter Evaluation Tool to help you Use the Webinar Promotions Calendar to visualize your
select the right speaker for the webinar. promotions plan.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

The right speaker for your webinar is someone with subject Webinars lend themselves to promotion through a number of
matter expertise who is an engaging presenter. Use this template channels. Here is a list of proven, effective ways to promote
to evaluate presenters based on the following criteria: your webinars, and your promotion plan should include a blend
Experience of several of these:

Skill Set Online Sales Team

Professionalism Email Advertising
Personality & Fit Direct Mail Partners
Social Media Webinars

WEBINAR PROGRAM 15
 WEBINAR PROGRAM

STAGE 3

Webinar Execution
This Stage will cover the things you must
address to successfully execute your webinar program:

STEP 1: Handle the Logistics

STEP 2: Organize the Execution
STEP 3: Document Lessons Learned
 1 2 4 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar
3 Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement
Webinar
Execution

STEP 1 STEP 2
Handle the Logistics Organize the Execution

Action Item Action Item

Use the Webinar Plan Template to document the logistics Use the Webinar Execution Checklist to help you manage
of hosting a webinar. your webinar session.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

Recognize that the logistical considerations presented here A webinar is not unlike a performance where the presenter is
may not be the same for all webinars you host. A few items to the actor and your Webinar Program Manager is the director.
consider include:
Use this checklist to clearly define the roles and responsibilities
Monitor Registrations
to ensure your performance goes off smoothly.
Session Start Times
Polls & Surveys

WEBINAR PROGRAM 17
 1 2 4 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar
3 Post-Webinar Program
Planning Marketing Measurement
Webinar
Execution

STEP 3
Document Lessons Learned

Action Item

Use the Webinar Evaluation Template to help you track

and analyze the feedback that you get from attendees
and speakers.

VIEW RESOURCE

This template covers the following sections:

Overall Assessment Lessons Learned
Scope Management Opportunities for Improvement
Quality of Deliverables Future Considerations
Key Accomplishments Best Practices

WEBINAR PROGRAM 18
 WEBINAR PROGRAM

STAGE 4

Post-Webinar Marketing
Post-webinar marketing helps you get the full ROI from your webinar program.
Before you host your first webinar, you should define your post-webinar marketing plan to
ensure that these critical activities are occurring:

STEP 1: Follow Up
STEP 2: Lead Nurturing
STEP 3: Leveraging the Content
 1 2 3 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution
4 Program
Planning Measurement
Post-Webinar
Marketing

STEP 1 STEP 2
Follow Up Lead Nurturing

Action Item Action Item

Use the Webinar Plan Template to document a follow-up Use the Lead Generation Plan to help you identify and
plan with timelines or standards and measures for every document how you will nurture leads generated through
webinar you produce. your webinar program.

LEAD GENERATION PLAN

Playbook & Toolkit

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a lead-generation strategy that provides
a steady flow of qualified leads to your sales team.

When it comes to follow-up, you need to consider: Your webinar program should not dictate your lead nurturing
Timeliness strategy, but fit within it. Webinars have the ability to create
many new leads, so having a lead generation program is essen-
Frequency
tial to getting the full ROI on your webinar program.
Methods
The use of marketing automation can greatly simplify your lead
Best practices for webinar follow-up suggest some form of commu-
nurturing efforts, and increase their effectiveness.
nication, typically email, within two hours of webinar conclusion.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 20
 1 2 3 5
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution
4 Program
Planning Measurement
Post-Webinar
Marketing

STEP 3
Leveraging the Content

Action Item

Use the Content Marketing Plan and ensure that your

webinar plan includes some provision for recording and
using this content.

CONTENT MARKETING PLAN

Playbook & Toolkit

VIEW RESOURCE

Follow this simple step-by-step playbook to develop a content marketing plan

that supports your company’s goals & objectives.

Webinars usually enjoy more recorded than live views, so make

them available in some sort of webinar archive.
In addition, leverage your webinar content through other chan-
nels as well, such as:
Blog Posts How-to Guides
Newsletters Infographics

WEBINAR PROGRAM 21
 WEBINAR PROGRAM

STAGE 5

Program Measurement
Measuring the effectiveness of your webinar program is imperative to determine your ROI,
as well as making improvements to keep your program growing.
During this Stage, we’ll discuss:

STEP 1: Key Performance Indicators

STEP 2: Budget
STEP 3: Calculate Return on Investment
 1 2 3 4
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar
5
Planning Marketing
Program
Measurement

STEP 1 STEP 2
Key Performance Indicators Budget

Action Item Action Item

Use the Webinar Metrics Dashboard to identify and track a Use the Webinar Budget Template to create a budget for
set of metrics or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will your webinar program.
help you understand how effective your webinar program is.

VIEW RESOURCE VIEW RESOURCE

Choose metrics that have meaning for your company, not just Develop a total budget for your webinar program, and track
the marketing function. Here are a few examples of metrics that costs at the individual webinar level. Make sure you consider
you can consider for use: each of the following expense categories:
Registration Numbers Sales Webinar Delivery - This is the cost of your platform.
Live Attendees Social Mentions Promotion - Any costs associated with marketing your webinars:
New Leads & Return Viewers Cost Per Lead ads, direct mail or the use of any channel for which you must pay.
Talent - These fees include honorariums for speakers,
equipment, connectivity, travel or living (if any) associated
with securing and using presenters for your webinars.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 23
 1 2 3 4
Introduction Objectives & Buy-In Pre-Webinar Webinar Execution Post-Webinar
5
Planning Marketing
Program
Measurement

STEP 3
Calculate Return on Investment

Action Item

Use the Webinar ROI Calculator to determine the ROI, in

quantitative and qualitative terms, from individual webinars.

VIEW RESOURCE

A few examples of potential costs include:

Quantitative – Technology, Equipment, Promotions, Sales, etc.
Qualitative – Brand Awareness, Thought Leadership,
Customer Relationships, Leads.

WEBINAR PROGRAM 24
WEBINAR PROGRAM

Conclusion
At the end of any business process, it’s always a good idea to review it
and identify areas for improvement.

Demand Metric has the tools and expertise to help you build an effective
webinar program.
Create or audit your webinar plans
Assist with using any of the tools referenced in this playbook
Provide hands-on marketing assistance to accelerate achieving your
marketing department’s goals.

To learn more, contact Demand Metric: info@demandmetric.com

WEBINAR PROGRAM

About ANA
The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) makes a difference
for individuals, brands, and the industry by driving growth, advancing
the interests of marketers and promoting and protecting the well-
being of the marketing community.

Founded in 1910, the ANA provides leadership that advances marketing

excellence and shapes the future of the industry. The ANA’s member-
ship includes more than 1,000 companies with 15,000 brands that
collectively spend or support more than $400 billion in marketing
and advertising annually. The membership is comprised of more than
750 client-side marketers and 300 associate members, which include
leading agencies, law firms, suppliers, consultants, and vendors.

Further enriching the ecosystem is the work of the nonprofit ANA

Educational Foundation (AEF), which has the mission of enhancing
the understanding of advertising and marketing within the academic
and marketing communities.
 WEBINAR PROGRAM

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