In communication we talk about two-way communication, sender and receiver, interactive and dialogue, viral and e-communication, as well as integrated communication plans and concepts. With webcasts, I am sending out very specific information, portioned into digestible news blocks or categories on average to a very broad audience. Therefore my role was to brief and coach the CEO and Executive Team members as to their performance in front of the camera as well as the messages we wanted them to bring across to employees, clients, shareholders etc. I made sure any scripts and presentation print-outs were available, the microphones working, the speakers desk set up and any and Q&As prepared. Often times during an employee information event, I’d sit in the front row close to the speaker’s desk, just in case something went wrong. From there I also had eye contact with the cameraman recording the webcast who could give me hand signs should any technical issues arise.
Reading the non-verbal communication signs
Be aware of who you are broadcasting to. Depending on your receivers, you need to prepare your content accordingly. As this is an honest and sometimes non-forgiving format, where people pick up on non-verbal signs as much as what is actually said, interpretations may vary depending on cultures, religions, gender and hierarchical level. 
Keep your communication bits relevant, significant and to the point. It all depends on how it is delivered. You have surely heard that a million times, but take note, with webcast this holds true even more.
Connecting with the audience
I see so much wasted content, that I wonder what really sticks with the people. One of the best examples I experienced was the introductory speech of a new CEO, early in the morning on a cold winter day in February where employees at first seemed half asleep sitting in the auditorium where they suddenly got captivated by the company’s new leader through her clarity and direction, charisma and personal engagement. Wow, that was an experience. We webcast it to all our local offices around the globe and received instant feedback on our new CEO from the far corners of the world.
Categories: corporate communication · internal communication · investor relations · marketing communication · shareholder communication
Tagged: auditorium, broadcasting, camera, cameraman, CEO, clients, communication, employee information event, employees, Executive Team, interactive, microphones, presentation, script, shareholders, speech, webcast
I have been working in communication departments for many years for demanding bosses and evenmore demanding CEOs. The orders are passed down the line and we tend to, at least sometimes, pass on those tasks to outside parties. Some communications people may say: “You just do it, I don’t want to have anything to do with it. And, it’s not allowed to cost too much.” Or “I want to know this and that and every detail. And why is it this way and why that way and why why why…..” That is not how it is going to work. You got to learn a little bit about webcasts and trust in the experts. Don’t forget, it’s about team work and collaboration. The goal is to have things run smoothly and look good. So how can you make it happen?
Test, check, test, check…
Set realistic expectations, allow yourself enough time for the preparation and testing phase. Take the lead in organizing the location and briefing the speakers. It helps to clarify the logistical details in advance, to make sure you have things in place before you get started. Once the camera is rolling it’s much harder to fix something that isn’t already working.
From my experience I can tell you that it is invaluable to be well organized, have your scripts, presentations, Q&As etc. ready, to stay calm and let the streaming engineers and web TV producers do their job! Do a sound and light check, make sure the air condition is working if you expect a large crowd and try to make your speakers as comfortable as possible. Accompany them to the start of the webcast and reassure them of the benefits of its use and cost effectiveness.
Tracking your viewers’ behavior
Following the production of a webcast and its publication on the respective Internet page, you will have the opportunity to get instant feedback from users e.g. via e-mail and get hard facts in the form of statistics from the respective Internet page usage. This way you get a track record immediately. I’d have so many people call or e-mail me on the latest video stream and they’d tell me right away if for some reason something wasn’t working.
The good news is that you can rely on an external partner like Solutionpark who takes care of and looks after the entire technical side. I produced many many webcasts and videos for the intra- and Internet over years for a variety of internal and external audiences and scenarios, even in crisis situations. Every time the video was completed and uploaded in time for all to watch. We also did a lot live streaming and as far as I can remember there were no major glitches that the viewers would have noticed. On that note I can only say: it’s worth it, giving it a try.
Categories: corporate communication · internal communication · investor relations · strategic communication
Tagged: audience, camera, communication, crisis situation, engineer, Internet, intranet, live streaming, presentation, script, Solutionpark, statistics, streaming, testing, video stream, web TV producer, webcast
