How to Leverage Webinars and Live Streams to Supercharge Your In-Person Event Marketing
In today’s fast-paced, digital-first world, event promotion requires more than just the usual posters, email blasts, and social media ads.
While these traditional methods still play a role, you need to adopt more dynamic strategies to capture attention and engage your audience.
One of the most powerful, yet often underutilized, tools in your event marketing arsenal is webinars and live-streamed sessions.
By using these platforms effectively, you can generate buzz, build excitement, and attract attendees to your in-person event in a way that feels personal and interactive.
So, how exactly can you use webinars or live-streamed sessions to market your upcoming in-person event?
In this article, I’ll break down the different ways you can harness the power of live video to reach a wider audience, create anticipation, and ultimately ensure a packed house on the big day.
Let’s dive in!
1. Build a Personal Connection with Your Audience
When you market an in-person event, your primary goal is to connect with your audience and show them why your event is worth their time.
Unlike traditional advertisements that broadcast your message to a broad audience, webinars and live-streamed sessions offer you the chance to engage with your potential attendees directly.
Think about it: when you go live, you’re able to communicate with your audience in real time.
This type of interaction makes your event feel more personal and creates an opportunity for meaningful engagement.
You can answer questions, discuss the details of your event, and offer insights into what attendees can expect.
This builds rapport and trust, which is critical for converting casual viewers into committed attendees.
For example, imagine hosting a live Q&A session where you dive into the core topics of your event, explain the value of attending, and address any questions your viewers have.
This type of interaction helps demystify your event and offers a more personal connection that a pre-recorded ad just can’t provide.
You could even use live-streamed sessions to introduce key speakers, sponsors, or partners.
A live interview with a guest speaker or panelist can provide a taste of the energy and knowledge they’ll bring to your in-person event.
By showcasing their personality and expertise in a live format, you create anticipation and give potential attendees a reason to look forward to the full experience in person.
2. Create Anticipation and Build Excitement
We all know that excitement is contagious, and one of the best ways to generate buzz about your event is by creating anticipation.
This is where webinars and live streams come in.
These platforms allow you to tease the event, giving your audience just enough information to keep them excited without revealing everything.
Use your live sessions to provide exclusive sneak peeks into your event’s lineup, schedule, or new features.
For example, if your event includes special workshops, surprise guest speakers, or unique networking opportunities, you can reveal these little details in your webinars or live-streamed sessions.
This builds curiosity and gives people a reason to stay tuned for more.
Consider hosting a “countdown” live stream where you share exciting updates leading up to your event.
Each week or month, you could reveal something new—maybe the keynote speaker for your event, new sponsors coming on board, or a glimpse of the venue where your event will take place.
This ongoing engagement ensures your event stays top-of-mind for your audience as the date draws nearer.
Another powerful strategy is to create a series of live streams that lead up to the event.
You could host multiple webinars, each one focused on a different aspect of your event.
For example, one session could focus on the speakers, while another might dive into the workshops or interactive elements.
By building a narrative and revealing new pieces of information over time, you keep your audience engaged and eager for more.
3. Showcase What Makes Your In-Person Event Unique
While virtual events have become more common, there are still clear benefits to attending an event in person.
However, convincing your audience to show up at a physical location can sometimes be challenging.
That’s where live-streamed sessions come into play.
During a webinar or live stream, you can emphasize what makes your event special and what attendees will gain by attending in person.
For example, if your event offers hands-on workshops, networking opportunities, or access to exclusive in-person content, these are benefits that can’t be fully captured through a virtual experience.
Use your live-stream sessions to highlight these in-person advantages.
For instance, if you’re hosting a marketing conference, you could host a live-streamed discussion with one of your keynote speakers, touching on topics like current trends, successful marketing strategies, or behind-the-scenes insights.
During the live session, you can talk about the value of meeting these experts face-to-face and how those in-person interactions can take their learning to the next level.
By painting a vivid picture of the in-person experience, you give potential attendees a reason to register.
They’ll realize that attending your event live is an opportunity they won’t want to miss.
4. Offer Exclusive Content and Promotions During the Live Session
People love exclusive content, and offering something special during your live-streamed sessions can be an effective way to incentivize people to attend your in-person event.
You can provide valuable content—such as tips, insights, or behind-the-scenes access—that’s only available to those who join your live session.
For example, if you’re hosting a business summit, you could offer actionable business strategies during your live session that aren’t available anywhere else.
Alternatively, you could provide sneak peeks into the content of your event and let viewers know that more in-depth sessions will be available to in-person attendees.
This creates a sense of exclusivity and encourages people to sign up for the live experience.
Another way to create exclusivity is by offering special promotions or discounts during your live session.
For instance, you could give attendees a promo code for discounted tickets, exclusive access to a VIP area, or a free consultation with a speaker or expert.
Offering these perks during the live stream not only rewards those who engage with your content but also drives action by incentivizing early sign-ups.
Limited-time offers, special giveaways, or contests can generate excitement and a sense of urgency.
For example, you could offer a free ticket to your event as a prize for those who attend your live-streamed session and share the event with their network.
This strategy encourages people to not only engage but also help spread the word to others, increasing your event’s visibility.
5. Engage Your Audience in Real-Time
By responding to comments, answering questions, and even involving your viewers in live polls or surveys, you make the experience more dynamic and personal.
Encourage your live session viewers to ask questions about the event, whether it’s about the schedule, speakers, or networking opportunities.
Engaging directly with your audience in this way builds a stronger sense of community and makes potential attendees feel valued and included.
You can also use real-time engagement to gather feedback on your event’s content and programming.
For instance, you could ask viewers to vote on which topics they’re most interested in learning about at the event, or which speakers they’d like to see on stage.
This feedback gives your audience a sense of ownership in the event and helps you tailor the experience to their preferences.
Additionally, real-time engagement during webinars and live-streams builds excitement and fosters a sense of connection.
This sense of community makes people more likely to sign up for the in-person event because they feel like they’re part of something bigger.
6. Expand Your Reach with Influencers and Guest Speakers
Another fantastic way to extend the reach of your live sessions and, by extension, your in-person event is by collaborating with influencers and industry experts.
When you invite influential figures in your field to participate in your webinars or live streams, you tap into their existing audience and boost your event’s credibility.
Consider reaching out to thought leaders or popular influencers in your industry and ask if they would be willing to join your live sessions.
They can help promote your event to their followers, giving you access to a wider, more engaged audience.
Their endorsement of your event also provides social proof, which can convince their followers that your event is worth attending.
You can host live interviews with these influencers, ask them to provide a sneak peek of what they’ll be discussing at your in-person event, or simply let them share their thoughts and insights on relevant topics.
By sharing valuable content with their audience, you can drive interest and increase registrations.
Even if you don’t work directly with influencers, you can still partner with guest speakers who will be featured at your in-person event.
Having these experts participate in live sessions helps boost your event’s credibility and excitement.
It also gives potential attendees a chance to see the kind of thought leadership they can expect to experience firsthand.
7. Repurpose Webinar and Live Stream Content for Ongoing Promotion
The great thing about webinars and live streams is that they don’t just disappear once the session ends.
You can repurpose the content and use it across multiple marketing channels to keep your event top of mind and continue generating buzz.
Once the live stream is over, you can share clips or highlights from the session on social media, your website, and in email newsletters.
These bite-sized pieces of content can serve as teasers, offering just enough insight to keep people interested and encourage them to attend the event in person.
You can also offer on-demand access to the full webinar or live stream, which can help convince those who didn’t attend the live session to sign up for your in-person event.
By repurposing this content, you not only extend its lifespan but also increase the number of touchpoints with your audience.
Every time someone sees your live-streamed content, it reinforces the value of your event and keeps them engaged in the lead-up to the big day.
8. Measure and Optimize for Future Sessions
One of the greatest benefits of hosting webinars and live streams is the ability to track performance and gain insights into what’s working and what isn’t.
You can measure metrics like attendance, engagement, and audience behavior to understand what resonates most with your viewers.
For example, if you notice that a certain topic or speaker generated more engagement during your live session, you can optimize your in-person event to reflect those interests.
Similarly, if you find that viewers are dropping off at a particular point in the webinar, it might be time to adjust your content or delivery for future sessions.
This data also helps you refine your marketing strategy.
For instance, you can use insights about the best times to host live sessions, what kind of content your audience prefers, and which promotional channels are most effective to improve your event marketing.
Conclusion
Webinars and live-streamed sessions are a game-changer when it comes to promoting an in-person event.
These tools allow you to connect with your audience, build excitement, offer exclusive content, and engage in real-time, all while increasing the visibility of your event.
By incorporating these live sessions into your event marketing strategy, you’re not only reaching a broader audience but also creating a more personalized and dynamic experience for potential attendees.
The key is to make the most of the interactive and engaging nature of webinars and live streams, offering your audience something valuable, exclusive, and compelling that they can’t get anywhere else.
So, get ready to leverage these powerful tools to market your event, and watch your attendance numbers soar as a result.
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