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Another lesson from webinars

More live blogging...

Another point Richard Finstein made that really hit home is the difference between being a content leader on a webinar and being a content leader in front of a face-to-face audience. It hit home because I was wholly unprepared for it the first time I was a content leader on a webinar.

The way Finstein put it is that you are utterly isolated. The presenter is speaking into a phone, probably from a quiet office. There is no feedback, no smiles or droopy eyelids, no seat-shifting, no chatter. It is a surreal experience.

I can tell you from my first-hand experience, it was unsettling. Finstein's tip -- even if you have a presentation pro as your content leader, if they haven't done a webinar a rehearsal is more than essential.

Ok, Finstein's getting ready to wrap up, so I better go pay attention.

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Comments

Some of the webinar platforms I've worked on do give feedback about how you are doing. Things such as:

* Stats on what percentage of people currently have your program as their top screen.

* Viewers can vote with different colored smiley faces to show you how they are feeling throughout the program - and when taught in advance some do use them.

* Live Q&A throughout program gives attendees a chance to write questions in.

Watching all of this while keeping your energy up and staying on your plan is sort of like driving a car or perhaps flying a plane. You need to learn how to use the tools and practice so you can be aware of the visual cues without being distracted by them.

I really prefer working with a platform that lets me preload a variety of survey questions, so I'm ready to shift gears and re-engage participants at any time.

Cynthia

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