It has been 4 months since our 10 YCSEA 2.0 participants left the week-long Bootcamp in Jakarta. Time really does fly by! This week, our lovely social entrepreneurs from 10 different cities across Indonesia reunited with Campaign.com and @america teams to learn a variety of topics in the next phase of their YCSEA 2.0 journey: Virtual Mentorships! Woohoo! 

During the first virtual mentorship session, the participants learned about how to organize a successful online event to attract their audience. Like we all know, COVID-19 has forced all businesses to get creative with technology and marketing. Conducting online events is the complete opposite of conducting offline events. Each has its own advantages and challenges at the same time. Thankfully, Campaign.com and @america have all the do’s and don'ts when it comes to conducting a webinar. 

Here is everything you need to know: 

1. Set up your goal and Key Index Performance (KPI)

Set clear goals by breaking it down into 5W+1H. KPI includes target audience, RSVP, and view numbers.

2. Choose topic that interests your audience

The more interesting the topic, the more you can attract a wide range of audience. Make the topic be simple, clear, and eye-catching. You also may use the branding power of community and influencer. 

3. Use reputable webinar platform & chose a prime time

Zoom, Google Meets, YouTube Live, Instagram Live are some of the common platforms for webinars or online discussions. 

4. Use the right equipment

Double, triple-check your internet connection and prepare a backup device like your smartphone in case the wifi connection is bad. Be in a room with good lighting, natural or otherwise. Do not forget to check if the audio and microphone work well. Lastly, have a photo on your account in case your internet connection is poor so you need to turn off your video feature. 

5. Promote webinar in advance 

Be shameless about your promotion! Spread the word about your event well in advance on social media or your private network. 

6. Engage your audience before, during, and after the event

Even after people have registered for the event, keep reminding them so they won’t forget the date and time. During the event, make sure people understand your ideas. Assign somebody in your team to keep the conversation alive during the webinar using the chat feature. Afterwards, you can send a thank you note to make your audience feel appreciated! 

7. Keep practicing

Don’t assume everything will run smoothly the first time you try it. Dedicate time for run throughs, practicing your opening speech, et cetera. 

8. Evaluate your effort

By getting feedback from your audience, your team can discuss things that can be improved next time.

In short, good online webinars come from both good preparation and execution. Now, aren’t you excited about what kinds of creative and fun webinars these social enterprises will create after this? Stay tuned for an announcement by @america and Campaign.com!