While managing the transition from in-person events – seminars, conferences, CLE training, and other programs – to all-digital programs has been a challenge for many law firms, some teams are particularly good at managing this change.
Proactive companies keep visitor numbers high, gather valuable feedback that will help shape future programs, and even attract new viewers and, above all, new customers in the process.
What are these teams doing to get meaningful results as you transition to a pure online world? Here are five things we see:
1. You create new digital strategies
With robust programs focused on in-person events to instill knowledge and thought-provoking audiences large and small, many companies – unprepared when the pandemic forced them to change the way they communicated and connected – put all your events online quickly. Using technology that enabled them to repeat the “one-to-many” approach of face-to-face presentations.
The most successful companies also developed new and unique digital strategies to train and educate their clients while promoting their lawyers and law firms. They started running short webinars in an edition that the audience could use as they please, and even “binge watch”. They collected thought guidance in content portals that demonstrate their skills and experience.
Most importantly, instead of trying to stick to the old way of doing things in the new normal, they have adapted their content delivery strategies to the digital online environment.
2. They show their diversity
Webinars offer you a great platform to showcase your lawyers: their skills and experience, but also the diversity of your legal team.
A law firm that does this particularly well only organizes panels of speakers with a wide range of lawyers of all ages, genders, and races. Additionally, at least one non-attorney speaker is always present to round out the discussion and add value to the session for attendees who appreciate a variety of perspectives.
3. You teach your employees how to make online presentations
The transition to digital programming is not always easy, and the companies that best manage it are taking steps to facilitate this shift: training moderators to understand webinar technology, coaching them to speak in web cameras , and they work with them to make sure lighting and background noise don’t distract from their message and more.
We know a company that regularly hosts in-house webinars led by the marketing and events team to train panelists and guest speakers to present themselves in the best possible light.
In addition to the general preparation of moderators, this is also an effective way of giving them the opportunity to get to know each other before the webinar – which is not always easy when colleagues are spread across the country – and their roles and the smooth running of the meeting rethink .
4. You study the data
I’ve said this before: webinars are a tremendous opportunity to quantify the value of your think-provoking program. More than ever, companies are collecting as much data as possible from each event to better understand the mindset and concerns of attendees: what they read, what they ask about, what they share, and more.
The successful then use this information to design their webinar program, which will help them generate additional opportunities to get their content in front of customers and prospects.
5. You create opportunities for networking
Moving events online shouldn’t mean giving up the valuable network benefits that in-person activities traditionally offer. Of course, you can’t repeat the impromptu conversations that take place on the drinks line at a cocktail reception, but there are plenty of ways to engage and motivate the audience.
The companies we monitor build surveys, polls, and Q&A into each webinar to ensure attendees share experiences and concerns about their key legal and business issues. In addition, they regularly use digital breakout rooms to ensure attendees receive personal attention from their attorneys.
How does your company manage the transition to digital first events? I would love to hear about it.
* *
Katie O’Rourke is Regional Vice President Sales at ON24. Connect with her on LinkedIn; Follow for her latest writing on JD Supra.