A GUIDE TO SPONSORING A RESEARCH WEBINAR
Office of the Senior Vice-Provost and Vice-Provost Research
The sponsor is usually a research leader or executive staff member that is responsible for the strategic decisions behind the webinar.
As the sponsor you are responsible for;
Establishing the purpose and value;
ESTABLISHING THE PURPOSE AND VALUE
A good webinar takes meticulous planning and execution, if you are finding it hard to answer any of the following questions then you may want to reflect on whether a webinar would be a good investment of your team’s time.
- Why is this webinar important?
- What do you want to communicate with it?
- Who is your audience and how will you reach them?
- Does this webinar fit with your overall research strategy?
- Is the content of this webinar easily accessible elsewhere?
CHOOSING THE TOPIC
When choosing a topic for a webinar reflect on the key messages of your overall research strategy and ensure that it aligns with at least one of them.
There have been lots of webinars produced recently, to cut through the noise and attract an engaged audience you need to ensure that you are highlighting the unique value proposition of your research and thinking.
You could consider the following when selecting a topic.
- What is unique about your team’s research?
- Are their aspects to your research that you are trying to strategically give prominence?
- What information or perspectives can you share that can not be found elsewhere?
- What aspects will resonate with your existing audience?
- What aspects will resonate with the audiences you are trying to attract?
CHOOSING THE HOST AND PANELISTS
CHOOSING THE HOST
A good host will conduct a seamless conversation with the panelists, making them and the audience feel comfortable and engaged.
You may want to ask the webinar producer to put together a list of potential hosts including a summary of their careers to date and their areas of research expertise. Alternatively, webinar sponsors often also play the role of the host, think about how either option will compliment your research strategy.
You could consider the following when selecting a host.
- Are they a leader or an up and coming researcher in their research field?
- Is their expertise relevant to the topic?
- Will they bring authority to the webinar?
- Do they have their own audience that they will bring to the webinar?
- Are they personable?
- Will they bring out the best in the panelists?
- Will they cover any awkward moments?
- Will they make the audience feel inspired and engaged?
CHOOSING THE PANELISTS
There is no webinar without the input from expert panelists so selecting the right mix of panelists is crucial.
You may want to ask the webinar producer to put together a list of potential panelists including a summary of their careers to date and their areas of research expertise.
You could consider the following when selecting panelists.
- Are they leaders or up and coming researchers in their research fields?
- Is their expertise relevant to the topic?
- Will they bring authority to the webinar?
- Does the panel have diverse representation?
- Do you have a range of expertise and view points represented?
- Are their viewpoints complimentary or contradictory (depending on the goal)?
- Do you have a mix of internal and external expertise?
- If not is there a reason that you do not have a mix of both?
- Do they have their own audience that they will bring to the webinar?
- Are they charismatic/ personable?
- Will they make the audience feel inspired and engaged?
SCOPING YOUR AUDIENCE
Scoping your audience is a strategic exercise that can help you focus your communication efforts.
- Who is your existing audience?
- Are there multiple subgroups within your existing audience?
- What are you trying to communicate to your existing audience via this webinar?
- How will you engage and retain your existing audience?
- What will your existing audience gain from attending this webinar?
- Are there multiple subgroups within your existing audience?
- Are there untapped groups that you would like to amalgamate into your audience?
- Who are they?
- What are you trying to communicate to them via this webinar?
- Will they find this webinar topic accessible?
- Will they find this webinar topic engaging?
- How will you invite them to the webinar?
PREPARING THE SCRIPT, QUESTIONS AND PANEL BRIEF
You may want to develop the script and/or the panel questions with the support of the host and the producer.
Involving the host ensures that the script will feel natural for them when live and that you won’t have to make revisions at a late stage if they are uncomfortable with aspects of the script or questions.
The producer can assist by preparing some information about each of the panelists, their research and how it connects to the webinar topic. While developing the script and/or panel questions together they may be able to draw further connections between the key messages and the panelists research.
Briefing the panel allows them to reflect on the questions and bring their A game. You still want there to be an element of conversation and building of ideas throughout the webinar but a short brief about the topic and intent behind the webinar is key to making the panelists feel comfortable and confident.
The brief could include the following;
- A short description of the webinar topic;
- A short description of the expertise that you envisage that particular panelist bringing to the panel;
- A list of potential question close to those that will be asked of them in the webinar and
- Some information about the other panelists and their areas of expertise.