Webinars are among the most foolproof ways for brands to connect with their audiences. Through a webinar, brands can promote their services and explain all the hows and whys their audience needs to know to form an opinion and, eventually, proceed with a purchase.
The numbers are something to write home about, that's for sure. Webinars, after all, can help you nurture leads and capture a wider chunk of your target market, especially if you promote it correctly. And this isn't exactly easy to do. There's more to promoting your webinar than the perfect webinar invitation. And since we're talking about retaining and turning a lead into a customer, there's more to this venture than webinar content as well.
To boost your conversion and have people proceed with a purchase, you will need the perfect webinar follow-up email. But how can you nail that?
Webinar Follow-Up Emails: The Elements You Should Incorporate
Email marketing is a channel with an exceptional ROI. Email marketing has a return on investment (ROI) of $36 for every $1 spent.
But getting that ROI is not easy. Most marketers, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs forget that email marketing - even webinar follow-ups - isn't a one-size-fits-all deal. And while more than most brands invest in email newsletter software that can help them achieve their goals and make informed decisions, there are some steps that they're missing out on. Most of these steps involve not thinking about the power of a great follow-up email and what this should entail.
Think like one of the guests on that one: All you need to do is save your spot and watch the webinar. So, you need something to hook you, to have you think about the webinar and think about the brand after the webinar is over.
As a brand, you understand that this is where you need to provide value, give useful information, and request attention and feedback.
To manage that, you'll need to stand out in a full inbox. And that requires some subject line magic. Make sure it's personal, personalized, and showcases value up front. You don't need any of the "Hello, [First Name], thank you for attending our webinar". On the contrary, the less automated your subject line looks, the better.
Another element you'll need to consider would be your pitch as a whole. The content should be valuable and helpful, with great examples. Your email's content should be similar to your webinar's, with materials and extra information, for some added value.
Include bonus materials, infographics, links, or perhaps a link to some type of content upgrade and a blog post that could be more informative. Remember, this is not the time to be chatty. Be short and sweet, thank users for attending, and have them come back for more. Blocks of texts are not preferable after all. Opt for more knowledge instead, and ask for some feedback.
Your follow-up email should also include a link that users can access to ask you any questions. It could be a form or perhaps a link to set up a call with a representative; that one is up to you and your buyer personas.
Lastly, ensure your design is on point. Your follow-up email should be simple to navigate and easy to interpret. If you opt for design elements, make sure to keep them minimal and plain. After all, webinar follow-ups are a critical element of lead nurturing, and you need to ensure your audience will be able to read your email, even in a hurry.
How to Reach Out to No-Shows
Having 500 registrants and 100 attendees is not unheard of, and you shouldn't look too much into it. Of course, this doesn't mean you shouldn't reach out to your no-shows. Perhaps they couldn't make it, or perhaps they forgot the date.
Create a follow-up email that will resonate with your no-shows. First of all, acknowledge that you noticed their absence - there's nothing like making a lead feel as special as that. Secondly, provide them with an alternative where they can watch the whole thing at their own leisure. Of course, this doesn't mean that they shouldn't access the extra material your attendees did or that they won't need that link to book a demo with a representative or partake in a survey that would give you much-needed data and allow them to become an integral part of your marketing moves down the line.
Also, don't refrain from inviting them to your next event - perhaps it's a webinar, a social media action like an Instagram live, or a competition they could be a part of. Whatever your following step may be, inviting them again shows that they're a valuable lead, and being valued as an individual and not a mere number is just what you need for your webinar follow-up emails.
Of course, you've heard all of the above before; I'm sure you know all about the power of personalization and segmentation. Probably some of you already use these techniques.
There's nothing that can put things into perspective better than some examples, though. So, let's go ahead and see webinar follow-up emails in action.
Webinar Follow-Up Emails: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
If your post-webinar email sequence has given you all of the leads you've imagined, you probably won't need to read beyond that point. You've done a great job nurturing them post-webinar. They're ready to continue their customer journey down the funnel.
However, not all brands are lucky enough to nail lead nurturing that quickly. The truth of the matter is that a good chunk of your audience won't purchase at first - and with a mistake here or there, they won't even remember your brand down the line.
Let's see how you can make a lasting impression, how you can make them say "Eeeh, better not!" and how you could turn them away altogether.
The Good
The first example in this list is by Moosend:
Subject Line: "How did you like our webinar?"
Preview Text: Don't worry if you missed it
Body Copy:
Hello {First Name}
Thanks so much for attending our webinar "Last-minute email marketing: The Black Friday edition"! We hope you loved it just as much as we did.
If you want the presentation click here. Don't forget you can rewatch the webinar whenever you want, by accessing this link here.
Until next time!
Téa
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Why Did It Work?
It's a very simple, very explanatory email that gets straight to the point. And this simplicity is what got us a plethora of answers and a lot of constructive feedback.
Notice how the subject line is, essentially, a question? This worked wonders for our engagement. Recipients acted on that question, much like they would if the email were a survey. It worked wonders for our engagement and led users further down our sales funnel.
Also, we received actionable tips that we could implement for our following webinars and understood how to get better with simple adjustments.
What to Copy
This is a simple, straightforward webinar email. The subject line gets straight to the point, and users can see all of the valuable links - complete with the unsubscribe link - where they'd expect them to be. Don't hide information, and don't be too cryptic. You need users to interact with your brand for longer than a webinar's length. Ideally, you need your brand to be the first one they come to.
The Bad
The second email falls under the "Bad" category because it's not terrible, sure, but not great either. Let's check it out:
Subject Line: "Thank you for attending"
Preview Text: Do you have a couple of minutes?
Body Copy:
Hello, {First Name}
We hope you enjoyed our webinar on email automation. I'm sure you'll be looking into some extra resources, so I figured I should let you know you could find the link to our infographic here. Our blog post could provide more insight if you need some additional information on the subject matter. And don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for all of our latest marketing ideas.
I'm sure you have some extra questions about our brand. It would be great if we could have a quick chat. You could book a call with me or a demo with a representative through the link here.
Looking forward to chatting with you again.
Kind regards,
Why Wouldn't It Work?
As I mentioned above, this email is not something to write home about, but it's not terrible either. It's just... Bland. And, frankly, it also seems a little presumptuous. Yes, you should encourage users to reach out to you and chat with you, but no, you shouldn't "be sure" that they'd like to chat further.
Another issue with this email is that it's dense, information-wise. Users wouldn't be able to scan through it while they're going to work or just open their emails before their morning cup of coffee. Some bullet points would help in that case.
Also, always refer to your webinar by its name and not its content. You don't need to include complex email design or a fancy signature; just the webinar's title would do.
What to Do in That Case
Should you ask for some of your users' time? Of course. Should you provide them with some extra resources? Sure. But a "Thank you for attending" subject line doesn't stand out, and an email that's not easy to read is not one a user will revisit.
Make sure the subject lines of your webinar email sequence are more personalized and can get straight to the point. Also, don't shy away from information that matters, and don't be vague. You need users to remember you, and this includes giving actual data and not just hints of who you are.
The Ugly
And onto our third category. The ugly email is a prime example of what not to do when sending a webinar follow-up.
Subject Line: "Here's your recording"
Preview Text: Care for a quick call?
Body Copy:
Hey there,
Thank you for your attendance. I hope you liked the tips we shared and that you'll use them for your future marketing strategies. As promised, here's your exclusive link to the webinar's recording.
If you want to know more about our products and our brand in general, you could book a call here. One of our representatives will reach out to you and discuss all of the options that would best meet your needs.
Sincerely,
Why Wouldn't It Work?
This email is, quite frankly, a mess. From its subject line to the "Sincerely" part, it's an example of what not to do when reaching out to a prospect.
The subject line could very well send this email to spam. It's not that there are any spam trigger words here, but the user will still feel the need to mark this as spam. It looks an awful lot like these automated Facebook messages that say, "Hey, is that you in this video?" and then redirect you to an unsafe link.
Moving on to the body copy now. The link is not "exclusive", and the user can verify that with a simple search. Secondly, this email is even more presumptuous than the previous one, without giving any extra information, no less! Not all leads are ready to watch a demo, and not everyone who attends a webinar wants to get familiar with a new tool. Some watch webinars for the tools, some to gain extra knowledge, and some have both in mind.
What to Do in That Case
Lead scoring is your best friend in that case. Segment users based on behavioral data and ensure you send the right message at the right time to the right person.
Don't be vague - at this stage, you're not selling something. On the contrary, you're trying to retain your leads and continue being relevant without being pushy or salesy.
You need your brand to be the point of contact for your niche, not just an option, and definitely not the last, spammy option.
The Takeaway
The webinar might be in the past, but the conversation shouldn't be. And this is the magic of email marketing - it opens a dialogue and creates opportunities, provided you do it correctly.
Don't let your leads' attention die out just because you didn't find the correct way to hold your end of the conversation. Create emails with highly relevant information and links with extra material, and convert them slowly but surely.