Webinars in Forex: The do’s and don’ts you need to know

Forex trading is a skill that requires a strong knowledge base and a thirst for learning. Traders, who want to be successful have to be continuously educating themselves on the subject and monitoring all the main resources and market trends. And while reading articles and freshly published guides is helpful, it cannot beat professional expertise from those who work the field in real time.

In the past, to get advice from a professional trader, you would need to probably catch them at a conference somewhere, whereas today you can learn from them in the comfort of your home, thanks to webinars.

With the marketing world slowly accepting that video is the future and that video content is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy, professionals started exploring different approaches to analyse the directions they could proceed in. One such direction that proved to be extremely effective was online seminars otherwise known as webinars.

Between 20% and 40% of webinar attendees turn into qualified leads. (Source: ReadyTalk)

Webinars gained popularity in the Forex community mostly because they gave young traders instant access to the “Top Dogs” of the industry and enabled them to receive the support and the information they needed at that exact moment. They also proved to be much more convenient as traders could go through the learning process from any location and, in the cases when the webinar was saved, at any time.

They played an important part in brokers’ marketing strategies, by being highly effective at spreading brand awareness and attracting new potential leads. In addition to that, one webinar created multiple content opportunities that could be promoted through different channels and in different ways.

So here are our best tips on how to prepare, promote and conduct the perfect webinar, that will help you be at the top of your game.

 

Take on topics that will help your audience

A good webinar doesn’t just give an overall explanation of a topic, but goes in deep, providing the listener with details and problematics of the subject. It answers all the main questions – Who, Why, How? The whole idea behind it, is to solve customer’s problems and make their life easier.

Don’t try to take on multiple subjects in one go. You will either end up not developing any of the topics thoroughly or making a webinar that will be too long.

Focus on one big idea that will remain in the heads of the viewers and eventually cause them to become part of your regular audience. Try to make sure that the topic you select reflects your company’s message and branding. Make it about the trading and everything that has to do with it.

Don’t write a script and in no case whatsoever read your speech off a paper.

Viewers appreciate honesty and, even though webinars are online videos, they still want to feel like you are having a real-life conversation with them. Lack of pre-prepared text will also allow speakers to feel freer during the process and keep them from worrying about going of script.

It is, however, important to create an outline of the video, a certain map, that will help you prepare for the filming.  Think about what additional material you might need. Maybe you will want to share the screen with a real-time product demo? Or show a presentation during it? You might even decide to use a whiteboard to draw schemes or write important points down.

Whatever the case, you will definitely benefit from having everything prepared prior to the filming day.

Want to showcase two perspectives on one topic? Invite a guest for a loose discussion on the matter! You can even go a step further and do a whole panel on a subject offering your viewers diversity and variety.

At the end of the day the main thing about presenting your topic to an audience through a webinar is creativity. Don’t focus on a typical approach and try to look outside the box and capture your audiences’ interest with unique techniques.

 

Selling has a limit

Remember one key thing about webinars – they are supposed to educate and provide value. If your main highlight of the video seminar is promo information about your trading platform, then don’t be surprised if your webinar flops.

People will expect to hear mentions of your product, as obviously you are sponsoring it for a reason. But you will only be able to build up your leads if you make the message more about them and their interests, rather then you and your own goals.

Try to keep your pitch until the end of the video. Viewers will more likely be ready to listen and react to it if they’ve received something valuable to them prior to this. Think of offering bonus materials and exclusive content to those who sign up for your product, thus giving viewers an additional motivational factor.

60% of webinars are designed to move people through the entire customer lifecycle – from unaware prospect to loyal customer. (GoToWebinar)

 

Make it accessible

After your webinar has aired make sure that it is accessible to everyone. According to GoToWebinar’s research, 84% of B2B consumers opt for replays over live streams. By giving your viewers the freedom to decide when to watch your video, you are essentially showing them that you care about their comfort and are also providing them with the opportunity to share your content with others, thus expanding your reach.

Post the recorded version on your website, social media and YouTube channel, so that people can access it from the platform they prefer. If you have an education section on your trading website, add it there as well, so that your users can also enjoy it.

 

Spread the word

You’ve come up with a great idea for a seminar, prepared the materials and found a speaker. But none of this will matter if nobody knows about it.

Best practices show that you should start promoting your webinar at least 3 weeks prior to the event itself.

By generating buzz for a significant period of time you will be able to reach a much bigger audience and build up their interest. Use all the channels you have for promotion – social media, newsletters, a promo ad on your website, etc. Create a memorable hashtag to start a conversation on your social media channels and have quick access to all the posts on the subject.

Get the speakers to record short teaser videos inviting your audience to the webinar.

Human interaction is essential when you are targeting an audience, as it adds a personal touch and allows people to connect with your brand. Create a plan to remember when to send updates and reminders to your audience and also to control the number of messages you send. This is important, as you don’t want to spam your potential viewers and push them away.

Email drives 57% of webinar registrations (GoToWebinar)

Use bold call to actions as “Last Chance”, “2 seats left”, “Don’t miss your opportunity” to catch your audience’s attention and prompt them to tune in. Creating a sense of urgency will have a much stronger and effective effect than a simple invite. People tend to be a lot less relaxed if they feel they are missing out on an opportunity.

 

Conclusion

Webinars will continue being one of the dominant marketing tools in the years to come, mainly because the market itself remains dynamic and thus forever changing. This means that traders will continue craving knowledge and searching to acquire it.

By investing into webinars and being consistent with them, companies are essentially investing in a community of traders and potential leads. They are also forming a more positive and trustworthy image of their brand and setting themselves apart from the competition.

 

 

Author: Nadia Ivanova, PR & Digital Marketing Manager at Qobo Group Ltd