Do Free Webinars Deliver Value?

Mentors, coaches and the like are not really that easy to come by – at least, the ones that you like and trust and can build a lasting rapport with even when, or especially when, you’re paying them to be an advisor.

I’ve spent the past few months mulling over a business problem, spinning it around in my mind like a Rubik’s cube, trying to solve the riddle with very little success. Each time I thought I was close to the answer it receded like a mirage in the shimmering desert. Yet all the while I was plagued by a persistent knowledge that the solution was simple and it was right there within my grasp. How annoying is that? Well, if you’ve never experienced anything like it, it’s maddeningly so. If you have, then you know precisely what I’m talking about.

As a business consultant I am rarely at a loss about what to do when it comes to my clients’ or other people’s business issues, always ready with solutions and helpful suggestions and advice. When those issues relate to my own business, however, all of a sudden I’ve got a great big blind spot; it’s like I’m a juggler learning to perform with one hand tied behind my back and the other pinned at my side—in other words, it’s a challenge.

Now, there’s no shame in admitting you need professional help—I wouldn’t have a business if that weren’t true—and most service professionals of one kind or another seek out mentors, coaches, advisors, therapists and so on from which to gain greater insight into their profession, hone their craft, if you will, and continue to advance and deepen their expertise. But mentors, coaches and the like are not really that easy to come by – at least, the ones that you like and trust and can build a lasting rapport with even when, or especially when, you’re paying them to be an advisor to you or your business. Again, I should know.

As an expert it’s also important to continually monitor the field, stay up-to-date, and know what other experts are doing, so with both the desire to find a qualified advisor and check out the competition I began attending quite a number of free business coaching or strategy sessions either via teleseminar or webinar over the past several weeks. In short, I was on a hunt to find the needle in the haystack, the prince among frogs.

What I found and learned was this:

• The more specific the topic of the presentation the better. Don’t be fooled by presentation titles that make grand promises; look for ones that are very specific about what they’re going to teach you. Some of the best are tied to books or documented methodologies, processes and so on, because you can review the related material before or after.
• There’s a big range in quality and depth of information, so choose wisely before giving away your name and email to sign-up for a session.
• Read up on the company or consultant making the presentation before signing up. Check out their Twitter feed, Facebook fan page, and website. If you’re prevented from entering or freely moving about their website without first giving away your information, it’s a sure sign you’re dealing with a sophisticated sales entity—so use caution.
• Know that there’s a sales pitch coming at some point and feel free to bow out of the presentation as soon as your goals are no longer being met. There’s no law that says you have to stay to the end. However, if you're hooked all the way through, give consideration to what's on offer—there may be a bigger pay-off for you in the services or program being pitched.
• Don't be shy about unsubscribing from any mailing list if you’re really not interested in receiving ongoing “smailings” (my word for sales emails, spam’s smooth-talking cousin) enticing you to more free programs all trying to get you to eventually buy-in to something that you know you're never going to go for. Believe me, it's better for both of you to nip it in the bud.

I did ultimately get the nudge I needed for my “ah-ha” solution to rise up out of the darkness of my grey matter while watching a free webinar by a business consultant who I found out about from another consultant's free series of business teleseminars. However, I'm still cleaning out tons of smailings from my inbox from all the frogs I had to kiss just to find my prince. Was it worth it? Only time will tell.

What do you think? Have you found free teleseminars and/or webinars a useful tool in solving your business or career issues? I'd love to know how your experience compares to mine, so get in touch.

Related Links

• What is a webinar
• This Week's Teleseminars and Webinars