My First Webinar

Today has been a big day for three reasons. First, I’ve gotten my blog off the ground and am making this initial posting! (yeah!) I’m going to use this blog as my Center of Authenticity checker each week. In other words, my goal is to convey to you the following: "What’s happened to me good or bad, personally or professionally that will be of use to you?" I know that I learn best by hearing other people’s stories and experiences, so I’m hoping you’re alot like me and learn that way, too..:)

Secondly, I attended my first all-day webinar, put on by Coach Chris Barrow, www.thebusinesscoachingco.com Chris was his usual charming and witty self, but was a bit more subdued than the "performing monkey" he describes himself to be in his live events. I’ve tried to be on webinars before, but there has always been some major technological snafu that has made the experience pretty miserable for all involved. While we weren’t totally trouble-free (is technology EVER totally trouble-free??), everything ran pretty smoothly. Many of the callers were from Europe, and Chris was calling in from the U.K., so we certainly had an international group and proved that technology can make the world a smaller place.

This service, found at www.convoq.com, lets you share files, upload files, and have an instant messenger program available to the participants. It’s also the most inexpensive service I’ve seen of its kind. We supplemented this webinar with a telebridge call, so the participants had to be able to be online and on the phone at the same time. We did this so that everyone could pretty easily participate in the call. The ConVoq system has an audio component, but I assume we didn’t use that because not everyone has a mic hooked up to their computer.

I’ve been doing programs by phone (teleclasses) now for about 6 years, and have always been hesitant to add a video component to it. My reasoning? There are some days when I would prefer not to be seen–have a bad case of bed-head, or am sitting at my computer in my bathrobe, and I’d prefer not to broadcast that..LOL Adding a video component would mean I’d have to look semi-presentable…I’m still thinking about that one..

But, it has opened up a whole new world of possibility for doing business virtually–no hassle, no travel, no overnight stays, no bad food in a hotel restaurant…..

And, last but certainly not least, Chris’s program gave me some focus and direction for better defining my target market. I’m in conversation now with some friends and colleagues about collaborating on a coaching business/website aimed at a particular market niche in which each of us have different areas of expertise. It’s quite exciting at this point, and something of a relief to know that the energy of the group might make it happen, as the task seems overwhelming for one person.

Today’s question: How has technology aided you in the development of your business, or has it hindered you?