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When you’re a social influencer, you have the ability to sell products and services just on your word. Based on the relationship you’ve built with consumers, you’re seen as a credible source for information in your industry, so your followers naturally look to you.
But how does one become this type of influencer, someone others want to hear from before deciding what action to take next in their lives? According to the owner of one multimillion-dollar company, there is only one right way to increase social influence, creating a webinar.
Building Influence the “Right” Way
Russ Ruffino is the founder and CEO of Clients on Demand and he shares that the best way to transition yourself from being just another service provider to someone with a high level of social influence is by creating “a short, high-impact, 45-minute webinar.”
Webinars provide customers benefits typically received from a number of other types of media, but all rolled into one. Specifically, it is accessible like blogs, enjoyable like YouTube, and contains the same type of expertise one would find in “a well-written article.” With a webinar, the end user gets them all.
What does it take to create one? Here are three steps to get you started.
Step #1: Decide Your Format
Webinars can come in many different formats, but the ones most likely to help you grow your business are:
- Lead generation webinar – shares how others have benefited from working with you
- Joint venture webinar –collaborate with others in your field, giving you access to their audience and vice versa
- Coaching webinar –provide “niche-specific” information to your audience
- Training webinar – takes viewers through a process or series of steps
- FAQ webinar –a webinar which answers your audience’s most common questions
Though you could choose one basic type of format, another option is to combine a number of these to make your webinar more “high-impact”. For instance, you could create a coaching seminar that trains the audience about a specific process, while also including some success stories along the way, satisfying your lead generation needs.
Step #2: Create Your Presentation
You can be the most charismatic person in the world and it’s still highly unlikely that someone is going to want to watch 45 minutes of just you talking. So, you want to come up with a presentation that will keep them engaged the entire time.
For instance, if you’re using PowerPoint, you should use a simple design template, limiting the number of words per slide, and also that you “use good quality images that reinforce and complement your message” while avoiding flashy transitions and the use of too many special effects.
Visual aids, such as white boards or the use of comparative items works well too. And if you have success stories, using short testimonial clips adds to your social proof.
Step #3: Record And Release Your Webinar
Once your presentation is the way you want it, it’s time to record it or set up a time to release it live. Fortunately, many options exist to make this process easier. You can choose an enterprise options or try out some of the free webinar services available online.
Just pick the one that makes the most sense for you and the type of presentation you want to make. Share it on your social media to get the word out and get others to sign up. Creating a powerful and truly engaging webinar does take some effort, but if it puts you in the position of becoming known as a social influencer, the time will be well spent.