Jeremy Sacco
BuyerZone.com Editorial Staff

A webinar - essentially a web conference with audio - is a great way to conduct training, introduce new products, and conduct working meetings. In any situation where meeting participants are scattered around the country and need to share documents and data, a webinar is an effective solution. Here are some tips on how to make sure your webinar runs smoothly.

Get the right features

When choosing a webinar service, make sure you get one that supports the software you want to use to share documents. Almost all support PowerPoint - but if you want to be able to share other applications, check with your vendor before you commit to a service.

Do a practice webinar

Nothing is more frustrating than finding technical problems as your presentation starts. Even though you'll likely be paying by the minute for the webinar service, you should set up a practice webinar - with one or two colleagues in different locations - a day or two before your first real event. In addition to working out any technology issues, you'll be more familiar with the use of the software when the real event rolls around.

Make sure moderators are early

This is half an etiquette suggestion and half practical: webinar moderators should make sure they arrive a few minutes early. It's polite to greet participants as they arrive and be ready to start the meeting as soon as possible, but it also gives you one last chance to make sure the webinar is set up correctly. While we're at it, it also makes sense to ask first-time participants to arrive early.

Create a schedule - and stick to it

Whether your webinar participants are customers, partners, employees, or some other mix of people, you should make every effort to respect their time. As the moderator, it's your job to help steer the discussion back on topic if necessary.

Don't just recycle classroom materials

While webinar technology is great in many ways, you shouldn't expect to cover the same amount of material in a one-hour webinar as you would in a one-hour classroom session. Plan to include slightly less content than you would in person, especially if you're new to online conferencing.

Take a look at yourself

Many webinar providers include options to archive your presentation. If you're just getting started, try watching your own event afterwards. You'll get a sense of what the audience experiences, which can be much different than the experience you thought you were providing. It will also help you determine what you should improve on for future webinars.

Know what you need to know

In addition to being the subject matter expert, you can expect to get at least a question or two about setting up the webinar. If the participants are required to install software plug-ins, make sure you can point them to the download location; if there are particular browser requirements, make sure you know what they are. Beyond that, though .

Know what you don't need to know

Your webinar provider will give you a technical support number. Have it ready - not filed away - in case you encounter any significant issues. Your focus should be on running your presentation - not on solving technical problems.