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Anyone who has a business and has toyed with the idea of sharing their
product or service in a large group setting eventually comes to the topic
of public speaking. With the advent of the Audio/Video (A/V) capabilities
presentations are now being given from the comfort or our homes and
offices. If you are considering how to take advantage of this marketing
trend for your business but dont but don't know where to start a quick
search on your favorite search engine could be the quickest way to
begin.
Text chat rooms are fine for some businesses and come at a nominal
fee, but if you have the financial resources to rent an online A/V chat
room pr teleconference service your marketing dollars could end up
bringing a two-fold benefit. Perhaps it is time you considered offering
online A/V presentations or teleseminars.
A/V chats and teleseminars are fast becoming the hot new marketing
trend. A well thought out promotion can be organized in a short time
and with very little effort. If you have a customer base that you have
developed from offering an ezine or newsletter you can create a
simple email to let them know when and where and how to access
your presentation. If not I recommend you begin to compile your list
today.
Once you know who your target market is you next need to decide
on a topic that will interest them enough to set aside time from their
hectic schedule to attend. You might want to offer them an incentive
to join you such as a product sample or information source. As an
example, when I began my ezine, you may remember, I offered you
a Resource & US State Abbreviation List. Also, presentation notes or
audio copy of your presentation given after the fact can increase
your credibility as well as your customer base.
Dont feel like you have to provide this service free. Your customers
know that there are fees involved with hosting a teleconference, just
like there are for hosting any conference. Figure out a reasonable fee
that will cover your expenses and confirm the value of the information
you will be providing. You might even surpass your expectations and
earn a profit from your teleconference.
Recently I read a testimonial from Barbara Thompson, the author of
a weight loss book. She states, "I sponsored my first teleseminar
called 'It's All About Food' and 114 people signed up at $19.95 each.
That's $2,274.20 in revenue. I recorded it, so I have a brand new
product that will go into my shopping cart. I couldn't have done it
without you!" There you have two good reasons for considering
adding teleseminars to your list of marketing plans.
Deciding on the conference host can be the most important decision
you will make when planning your teleconference. Be sure to select
one that fits your intended audience number. Dont over extend
yourself here; limit your available seats. This will do two things for
your marketing efforts, first it will keep you within budget and most
importantly it will give your target market an incentive to register early,
to say nothing of the perceived value it will garner.
Also, be careful that you hire a company that offers several choices of
available services. You will need to decide if your presentation and your
pocketbook can afford the use of a moderated A/V chat room or teleconference
line or an un-moderated one. Dont skimp on quality; free is not always
cost-effective. When selecting your provider a poor quality connection can
do more harm than good. One company, e-Teleconferencing
(http://www.e-teleconferencing.com/), charges $75.00 for a one hour
conference with 100 lines. This includes recorded mp3 file. They also
have lower end services that run about $35 for 10 lines. An un-moderated
A/V chat room can be secured for the modest fee of $15 per hour from
companies such as Secret of Prosperity (http://www.secretofprosperity.com).
This environment offers the additional advantage of video which can
add tremendously to even a modest presentation. Check around, do
your research; there are plenty of companies available.
If you are unsure how to put together a presentation that will demonstrate
your product or service in a way that will prove valuable to both you and
your audience, you may want to pick up your copy of Presentational Skills
for the Next Generation, available now at www.lulu.com.
© Copyright 2006 Ginger Marks
Ginger Marks is the founder of DocUmeant, Your writing & design assistant
and co-owner of Nibroc Marketing Solutions. For more information, visit
http://www.documeant.net and http://www.nibrocmarketing.com Currently
she authors a column on business development and personal growth at
ArticlesOn.com http://www.articleson.com/Category/Business-Development-Personal-Growth/289). Mrs. Marks has recently released the second edition
of her book Presentational Skills for the Next Generation available through
Lulu.com. She also offers insight into marketing solutions through her ezine,
Rock Solid Marketing, available at her marketing website.
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