Webinars are great for nonprofits and charities to share their passion, their mission and their goals. They can help attract donors and volunteers and raise your visibility. If you are convinced that hosting a webinar is right for you, then understand you will need to put in hours of behind the scenes work to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Scripts have to be written, software must be selected and visuals should be prepared well in advance, not to mention the technological setup and testing that comes along with it.

Let’s run through some of the basics.

Format of Webinar

How many speakers will there be? Will there be a question and answer segment? Do you want to host a series of interviews? Consider what you want to achieve by the webinar and the best way to get your message across.

Date of Webinar

When do you plan to run the webinar? During the weekday? In the evening or during the day? Once you have the date in mind, you can start planning your timeline of events. Don’t forget to start promoting at least 6-8 weeks before the event.

Webinar Software

Are you familiar with any brands of webinar software? How large will your intended audience be? You will need to do your research and assess the benefits that each software has. Compare the costs and features to determine what is right for your nonprofit.

Write Script

Every webinar needs a script to follow. You cannot be expected to present a 30-60 minute webinar without the support of a script and images to back you up. You will need to write your script ensuring you capture the interest of your audience.

Plan Visuals

Visuals are very helpful to enhance the webinar and are perfect for letting the audience understand when the webinar is due to start and when it has ended. You can also introduce your topics and break down more complicated issues through the use of visual aids.

Practice Webinar

It is necessary to practice the webinar, preferably with a test audience to check that everything is working. This will help you pinpoint any issues that may occur on the actual day. Run through it at least 2-3 times prior to the scheduled date.

Webinar Marketing

Use your social media platforms, blogs and email newsletters to advise your potential donors and supporters of your plans. You can even ask for FAQs to be sent in on the particular topic before the event. Market as much as possible to attract the crowd you need to make it a success.