.png)
Marketing managers do it all. 💪 From strategizing to execution, they run engagement marketing programs that are creative, targeted, and designed to convert. Webinars are just one of the many channels effective marketing managers use to win customers and hit business goals but they’re a uniquely powerful tool for building relationships as the only truly two-way channel in the marketing repertoire.
Banzai is here to take some of the load off and give marketing managers easy-to-use templates to scale their webinar program.
Webinar Roles and Responsibilities Worth Having
Whether you’re a team of one or 10, it’s important to have designated roles for each webinar. Can one person have more than one role? Of course, especially if you work solo. 😅
Here are a few roles every marketing manager should plan for:
Host: The webinar host is responsible for kicking off the webinar and introducing the topic and speaker(s). They facilitate the Q&A session and provide the final wrap-up.
Producer: The webinar producer is often the webinar software expert responsible for setting up the virtual event and managing the webinar process from start to finish. A producer builds the webinar in the virtual event platform, develops the run of show, supports speaker prep, and manages the tech during the event.
Marketing manager: Depending on the size of a team, the marketing manager may also be the host, producer, moderator, and even presenter! They understand the strategic vision behind the webinar, utilizing this tool to interact with their audience and hit business objectives. The marketing manager takes the lead in developing webinar content, creates targeting and promotional strategies, and manages the webinar follow-up and sales handoff.
Moderator: A webinar moderator is a subject matter expert who leads the conversation during a webinar. They come prepared with thoughtful questions that keep audiences educated and engaged throughout the event.
Presenter: A webinar presenter is responsible for sharing content that empowers audiences and helps them be even better at what they do. Whether a webinar is 15 minutes or an hour, presenters need to be dynamic and present information in a way that keeps people engaged throughout the entire event.
Guest: A webinar guest joins the webinar to offer their expertise and insight as a panelist or interviewee.
Webinar Formats Worth Copying
Marketing managers don’t need to recreate the wheel when choosing the format of their upcoming webinars. Find a webinar structure or two that works for your target audience and makes sense for hitting your webinar goals, then start planning!
Below are a few webinar formats to consider for future events (with accompanying sample run-throughs).
Subject Matter Expert (SME) Presentation
This can take the form of a thought leadership webinar, a customer case study, or even a product announcement. SME presentations are a great way to showcase expertise around a topic and provide your audience with valuable information.
Sample run of show for a 45-minute thought leadership webinar
Webinar Roles:
- Host
- Presenter
- Producer
15 minutes before the webinar
The host and SME join 15 minutes early to test audio, video, and any special presentation requirements.
Start of the webinar (5 mins)
The host kicks off the webinar by welcoming everyone and introducing the SME. This is the time to ask the audience questions and generate energy for the webinar. Get your audience excited!
Presentation (25 mins)
Give the SME the reins to run through their presentation. Thought leadership presentations can take the form of a step-by-step guide or be a deep dive into a specific topic. This is a great opportunity for the host to manage the chat and prepare for the Q&A. Meanwhile, the producer is on deck to run polls, send out handouts, and publish featured call to actions.
Q&A (10 mins)
Save the Q&A for the end to make sure the SME gets through their entire presentation. Audience members can still ask questions throughout the webinar of course. Encourage attendees to ask questions in the chat as they come up. The host can organize and prioritize to make the most out of the Q&A session.
Wrap-up (5 mins)
Don’t overlook the final wrap-up. The host uses this time to facilitate the next steps for attendees. Highlight the featured call to action, give them an easy way to connect with the SME, and let them know what they can expect after attending the webinar. Remember to thank your SME!
A Focused Conversation
This can look like a fireside chat, an interview, or even a debate. Focused conversations are a great way to dive into the details and learn directly from the experts.
Sample run of show for a 60-minute fireside chat
Webinar Roles:
- Moderator
- Guest(s)
- Producer
15 minutes before the webinar
The moderator, guest, and producer log on 15 minutes early to test audio, video, and any special presentation requirements.
Start of the webinar (5 mins)
The moderator starts the webinar by welcoming attendees and introducing the webinar guest(s). During this time, set expectations for the Q&A and let the audience know what to expect over the next hour.
Poll #1
The moderator begins the conversation with an initial attendee poll to help guide topic #1.
Fireside chat topic #1 (10 mins)
The moderator and guest spend the first 10 minutes discussing topic #1. The producer manages the chat, preps for the first round of Q&A, and hands out related resources.
Q&A #1 (5 mins)
The moderator and guest take a break to hear from the audience. The moderator can turn to the chat to view the questions the producer flagged for the Q&A, or ask the audience to submit questions in real time.
Tip: Is your audience a little quiet? Prepare a question that a member of your team can ask in the chat to get the ball rolling.
Poll #2
The moderator announces a second attendee poll to help guide topic #2.
Fireside chat topic #2 (10 mins)
The moderator and guest spend the next 10 minutes discussing topic #2. The producer manages the chat, preps for the second Q&A, and hands out related resources.
Q&A #2 (5 mins): The moderator and guest take a break to hear from the audience again. The moderator can view the chat to see the questions the producer flagged for Q&A, or ask the audience to submit questions in real time.
Poll #3
The moderator announces a third attendee poll to help guide topic #3.
Fireside chat topic #3 (10 mins)
The moderator and guest spend the next 10 minutes discussing topic #3. The producer manages the chat, preps for a third round of Q&A, and hands out related resources.
Q&A #3 (5 mins)
The moderator and guest take a break to hear from the audience for the third time. The moderator can turn to the chat to view the questions the producer flagged for Q&A, or ask the audience to submit questions in real time.
Final thoughts and additional questions (7 mins)
The moderator and guest spend the final few minutes sharing their key takeaways from the conversation. They can also return to the audience to answer any questions they might have missed.
Wrap-up (3 mins)
Don’t overlook the final wrap-up. The moderator or producer can use this time to facilitate the next steps for attendees. Highlight the featured call to action, give them an easy way to connect with the moderator and guest, and disclose what they can expect after attending the webinar. Remember to thank everyone for attending and participating.
Expert Panel
This can be a facilitated conversation with two to three industry and/or product experts. Panels are an effective choice for discussing research or sharing best practices.
Sample run of show for a 60-minute industry panel
Webinar Roles:
- Moderator
- Guests
- Producer
15 minutes before the webinar
The moderator, guests, and producer log on 15 minutes early to test audio, video, and any special presentation requirements.
Start of the webinar (5 mins)
The producer or moderator kicks off the webinar by welcoming attendees and introducing the panelists. Use this time to set expectations for the Q&A and to let the audience know what they can expect over the next hour.
Discussion (20 mins): The moderator kicks off the panel discussion with prepared questions for the panelists. Panelists are encouraged to respond and interact with one another.
Tip: Does your panel hit on a topic that could benefit from audience insight? Add a poll in real time to gain attendee input and increase engagement.
Q&A (5–7 mins): Turn to the audience for their initial questions. The moderator can look at the chat to view the questions the producer flagged for Q&A, or ask the audience to submit questions in real time.
Discussion (20 mins): The moderator continues the discussion with the panelists. They can use prepared questions or pivot based on the earlier conversation or topics inspired by the Q&A.
Q&A (5–7 mins): Ask the audience for their final questions. The moderator can view the chat to see the questions the producer flagged for Q&A, or ask the audience to submit questions in real time.
Wrap-up (3 mins)
Don’t overlook the final wrap-up. The moderator or producer can use this time to facilitate the next steps for your attendees. Highlight the featured call to action, give them an easy way to connect with the moderator and guest, and disclose what they can expect after attending the webinar. Remember to thank everyone for attending and participating.
Ask Me Anything (AMA)
This can take the form of a topic expert answering questions directly from the audience, or a virtual office hour where attendees can interact directly with a product expert.
For example, see the clip below from our "Beers and Webinar Fears," AMA-style webinar where VP of Marketing, Ashley Levesque, provided answers and solutions to the audience's webinar questions. In this clip, a registrant wanted to know, "How can we encourage more Q&A from participants viewing the webinar?"
Sample run of show for a 30-minute AMA
Webinar Roles:
- Host/SME
- Producer
15 minutes before the webinar
The host and producer log on 15 minutes early to test audio, video, and any special presentation requirements.
Start of the webinar (5 mins)
The host kicks off the AMA by welcoming attendees. Use this time to set expectations for the Q&A and let the audience know what they can expect over the next 30 minutes.
AMA (20 mins): The host/SME spends the majority of the webinar answering questions directly from your audience.
Tip: Source questions ahead of time so you have a bit of structure to your webinar and a solution for avoiding awkward silences.
Wrap-up (3 mins)
Don’t overlook the final wrap-up. The hose can use this time to facilitate the next steps for attendees. Highlight the featured action, give them an easy way to connect with the host, and let them know what they can expect after attending the webinar. Remember to thank everyone for attending and participating.
Slide Deck Templates Worth Repurposing
Not to be dramatic, but webinar slide decks can make or break your webinar. Great slides should give a presentation an organic feel, tell a cohesive story, and provide attendees with valuable information. Poorly designed slides can be distracting, resulting in an unfavorable brand reputation, and yield poor audience engagement. Fortunately, creating a powerful webinar slide deck doesn’t need to be complicated, especially when you find a template that works for you.
Components of a Successful Webinar Slide Deck
Here are a few must-haves for an effective webinar slide presentation.
Tell a Story
Webinar slides should be built like a story, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Use slides to set the stage for the presentation, present a problem, share examples and use cases, and then provide a solution and next steps.
Data, Data, Data
Data is a powerful storytelling tool. Qualitative and quantitative data both add credibility to a presentation. This information can be used to establish the problem and showcase a solution. Data can take the form of statistics, testimonials, and use cases.
Images > Words
The golden rule of effective webinar slide decks is never to write out exactly what you’re going to say on the slides. Instead, use images and graphics to support the story. Wordy slides run the risk of your audience reading ahead and not being actively engaged in the presentation. They're also dense and boring.
Tip: If you’re having difficulty cutting out the text, consider writing a blog as supporting content for your webinar.
Less Is More
Avoid trying to pack the entire presentation into five slides. Instead, give your audience one thing to focus on for each slide. This helps your attendees stay focused on what’s being presented at that moment.
Looking for inspiration? Below are a few of our favorite webinar slide deck templates. These slide templates are worth repurposing because they:
➡️ Use bold colors and images that compliment rather than distract
➡️ Feature direct headlines
➡️ Feature examples of charts and graphs
➡️ Have text-only slides that are easy to read
➡️ Consist of a variety of slide formats.
View the Webinar Slide Template
Edit on Canva using keywords: Green and Black Typographic Diversity Workshop Webinar Keynote Presentation
View the Webinar Slide Template
Edit on Canva using keywords: Purple and Green Bold Leadership During a Crisis Workshop Webinar Keynote Presentation
View the Webinar Slide Template
Edit on Canva using keywords: White Yellow and Blue Animated Illustration Resume Writing Workshop Webinar Keynote Presentation
Speaker Prep Docs Worth Sending
Want your webinar experience to stand out for presenters and guests? Send a speaker prep doc.
No one wants to go into an event feeling like they have no idea what to expect. A webinar prep doc is an easy way to make sure guests and presenters feel confident leading up to the webinar.
Prep docs provide day-of expectations and promotional kits that enable speakers to share the webinar with their networks. Send the prep doc one to two business days after a speaker is confirmed.
Here are a few must-have elements to include in a speaker prep doc:
- Date and time
- Expectations for when a speaker logs on
- Link to join
- Webinar description
- Name, bios, and LinkedIn profiles of other guests
- Brief audience overview
- Run of show
- Important dates leading up to the webinar
- Rehearsal
- Final slides due
- Tips for an effective webinar presentation
- Webinar promotion kit
- UTM
- Social copy
- Email copy
- Graphics
Don’t forget to grab your speaker prep template (no email required!).
Webinar Follow-Up Worth Writing Ahead of Time
You likely have a plan for moving your qualified attendees through your marketing and sales funnel. Great! But what about a general webinar follow-up for all registrants? Wrap up your webinar by reaching out to both attendees and no-shows.
Here is a brief follow-up email cadence to set up ahead of the webinar.
No-Shows
One to two hours after the webinar
Send a “Sorry We Missed You” email including the recording.
Two business days after the webinar
Send an email with the Featured Action and any resources shared during the live webinar.
Live Attendees
One to two hours after the webinar
Send a thank-you email with the recording and a brief webinar survey.
Two business days after the webinar
Send an email with related resources and a link to subscribe to your content, including future event updates, product announcements, and more.
Don’t forget to grab your webinar survey template (no email required!).
Start Producing Webinars that Drive ROI
At Banzai, we know producing revenue-generating, engaging webinars take a lot of work, but we promise the results are worth it. 🤩 Use the templates above to help streamline the webinar creation process so you can focus on what really matters: generating ROI for the business.
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)
.png)