FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a webinar or virtual event?

Web seminars or 'Webinars' are virtual seminars held across the internet and/or across a corporate intranet. They combine technologies such as streaming audio &video, graphics and interactivity. Attending a Webinar at your PC or MAC is almost the same as being there; you can see and hear the speakers and be able to read and follow their presentations. If you are attending a live event you can ask questions to the floor and take part in audience surveys a 'virtual show of hands'. Because they are virtual they are very scaleable so any number from 5 to 5000 delegates can join a Webinar live, and there can be unlimited viewings from the library archived on a web site. There are no geographical boundaries either, so you can present to anyone anywhere in the world at anytime. Imagine it as a discussion group where a key speaker talks to an audience; he is supported by a PowerPoint presentation, maybe bits of video, then talks to an audience for 30 minutes, finally taking questions from 'the floor'. This is now possible on the web. A Webinar sits in a normal browser, there is no software to download, and no plug ins.

What are the benefits?

No travel costs. No travel time. No accommodation and subsistence costs. There's total scalability from 5 people to 5000 and because it's web driven, it's geographically independent. The presentations are fully interactive, so you know what your staff/delegates/customers are thinking. And they can be 'stored' very cost effectively and viewed by anyone at any time, or they can be password protected. ROI is increased through maximising existing collateral.

How can they be used?

Product and skills training, product presentations, sales demonstrations, employee communication, consumer information and marketing, focus groups, affinity group marketing, not to mention, user group events and sales management.

How can they be used?

Product and skills training, product presentations, sales demonstrations, employee communication, consumer information and marketing, focus groups, affinity group marketing not to mention, user group events and sales management.

Who can attend?

Anyone with access to the internet.

Does it have to be live?

Webinars can be produced live and archived within 24 hours, or more commonly for training purposes, they are only produced with 'library' in mind.

Is it like web conferencing?

No, web conferencing is where a small group of users share the same bandwidth to meet and chat online and 'share' documents

How many cameras do I need?

It's up to you, one is usually sufficient unless you have a panel of speakers and then you might require two.

How many In Situ people are involved?

Normally, at least three; an account manager, a production manager and a technician to shoot video and record sound. On larger live projects more people will be needed in the preproduction phase to coordinate the invitations &registration process.

On the client's side we would normally work with Marketing to invite attendees to a live event then on the day we would suggest a facilitator to field questions from the virtual audience.

How long do I need to get ready?

To successfully market a live event you should really allow a minimum of 6 weeks prior to the event. Obviously the more times you can tell someone about an event the better chance there is that they will attend. To actually record the event we only need to be there on the day, however you might wish to factor in a brief rehearsal period for live events.

Who handles the registrations?

In Situ Productions has a purpose built backend registrations procedure which can be customised for individual companies. This registration takes into account individual connectivity and organises simple computer tests to guarantee success on the day.

Who manages the presentations?

The speaker will manage his or her presentation in the same way as they would do normally. In the event of a panel discussion In Situ can operate the slides in time with the changes that the speaker makes.

What about after the event?

Any live event can be archived and up on your site within 2 hours of the actual event. It is important to keep an automated dialogue going with the attendees and we have some clever technology to aid that.

What happens on the day?

The speaker(s) set up as they normally do and we position a camera to record them. We will coordinate the sharing of PowerPoint slides and if necessary, rehearse. We'll make sure it gets on line.

What might go wrong?

Webinar technology is not new and the software is very stable. The main weak link is out of our control, ie: the connectivity for live events. We suggest you use a combination of ISDN lines and broadband connectivity to ensure a constant stream.

How can I best utilise a Webinar?

There are numerous applications, but just think of them as a good way of sharing information with a special audience. This could be a band about to launch a new album, a training organisation offering a skills based seminar or a company sharing financial news with its stakeholders.

Can I have speakers in different locations?

Yes.

How do I stop my competitors asking tricky questions from cyberspace?

You only have to read out the questions that you 'like'. The audience registers only the questions that are chosen by your facilitator.

How much does a Webinar cost?

In Situ Productions has a simple packaged approach with prices starting from &apound;995 .