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Webinars have become a cornerstone of B2B marketing strategy. When done right, they bridge the gap between brand awareness and sales conversion—but most marketers still haven't cracked the code.
As Paxton Gray notes, certain marketing tactics tend to cycle in and out of favor, and webinars often suffer from a "this is how they've always been done" mentality. The truth is, webinars are like "a sleeping giant and if done correctly, and if you innovate... it's kind of a blue ocean, despite a lot of people doing them."
But what separates an effective webinar from one that merely occupies space on your calendar? According to Matt Murdoch, VP of Marketing at Franklin Covey, the difference comes down to engagement, value delivery, and strategic follow-up. Murdoch should know—he's the author of "The Webinar Manifesto" and has increased webcast registrations at Franklin Covey by an astounding 1600%.
The Evolution of Webinars
Webinars have changed significantly over the last decade. The most notable shift has been from "slide-first" to "video-first" presentations. As Murdoch explains: "In the early days, you had no video, right? It was always just voiceover PowerPoints. And so today, everyone's on camera. And you're switching between multiple video feeds. You're using branded overlays and incorporating studio-level production values."
Another significant change is in content length and delivery. "Modern webinars are typically shorter, they're sharper, they're more digestible," says Murdoch. Today's attendees expect a polished, engaging experience—not "sitting through a dry monologue with slides full of bullet points." The best webinars now feel more like professional broadcasts with fast pacing, compelling storytelling, and genuine audience participation.
The Engagement Framework
The core challenge of webinars is maintaining audience attention in a virtual environment. As Murdoch points out, "When you're in a physical room, we're naturally accountable to each other... But in a virtual setting, that accountability completely disappears."
To combat this, Murdoch developed a three-part framework for what he calls "virtual accountability":
Verbal Accountability
This starts with setting clear expectations and creating an interactive atmosphere:
- Let everyone know that you’ll be calling people by name. It might seem intimidating, but using the "cocktail party effect"—our natural tendency to pay attention when we hear our name—can snap wandering minds back into focus.
- Ask meaningful open-ended questions rather than simple yes/no queries.
- Employ the "10-second rule"—when you ask a question, allow a full 10 seconds of silence. "It's going to feel like an eternity," Murdoch admits, "but that pause forces people to engage and to realize this is going to be an engaging experience."
For larger groups, use common sense about opening up the microphone, but in sessions with 30-70 people, this approach can dramatically increase engagement.
Visual Accountability
Keeping eyes on the screen requires thoughtful design choices. Murdoch's approach includes:
- "Paint it" — Tell stories instead of just presenting data. Stories create mental images that stick with your audience.
- "Burn it" — Use striking visuals that reinforce your story. "No one remembers another pie chart, but they're going to remember a striking image."
- "Shun it" — Avoid outdated design. "If your slides look like they came from a 1997 PowerPoint template, people are going to check out."
When attendees are visually engaged, they're also mentally engaged and less likely to multitask during your presentation.
Kinesthetic Accountability
The final element involves physical engagement. As Murdoch says, "Newton's first law of motion says an object at rest stays at rest, and that includes webinar attendees." His solution is a three-part approach:
- "Play" — Give participants short tasks, like leaving for 30 seconds to solve a problem before reporting back.
- "Push" — Utilize interactive elements like polls, whiteboards, and chat features. "Don't be afraid to overuse them because I believe that people want to interact," Murdoch advises.
- "Poll" — Incorporate external content by having participants research something and share their findings.
"When you combine all three forms of accountability—verbal, visual, and kinesthetic—you're going to create an experience where engagement isn't optional," Murdoch concludes. "It's a requirement."
Planning for Success
Effective webinars begin with strategic planning. "Think about your audience, what their problems are, and then develop your webinar around that," says Murdoch.
A common mistake is assuming "if you build it, they will come." As Murdoch points out, "Spoiler alert, they're not going to. You have to build it and market it like your job depends on it because it really does."
Approach your webinar like a product launch, focusing on three key elements:
- Your market (who are you targeting?)
- Your message (what problems are they facing?)
- Your media (which channels will you use to promote it?)
When developing content, focus relentlessly on addressing real audience problems. "Make sure that what you're talking about is really what they want to hear about," Murdoch advises. If possible, run a beta test to gather feedback before your main event.
Driving Attendance and Conversions
Getting people to register—and then actually show up—requires strategic promotion and follow-up.
Start with a compelling title. Instead of generic titles, try something that addresses specific pain points.
Use every channel at your disposal to promote your webinar, and remember that registration doesn't guarantee attendance. "To be realistic, on average, you're going to get 35 to 50% that attend, 60% if you're super, super lucky," Murdoch says.
However, the registration itself is valuable. "When someone signs up for your webinar, they're basically raising their hand and saying, 'Hey, I've got a problem and I think you might have the answer.'" This is a critical moment, and timing matters tremendously. You need to start reaching out as soon as individuals register.
Balancing Value and Sales Objectives
A common complaint about webinars is that they're too sales-focused. Murdoch acknowledges this tension: "Many webinars are just glorified sales presentations, right? Nobody wants that."
The key is providing genuine value while still serving your business objectives. By delivering real value upfront, you build trust that makes prospects more likely to continue the conversation when your sales team follows up.
Live vs. On-Demand Strategies
Both live and on-demand webinars have their place in your marketing strategy. Murdoch uses an apt analogy: "A live webinar is like going to a concert, right? It can be exciting. It's unpredictable. It's full of potential. And on-demand webinars are more like Netflix. They're convenient. They're bingeable."
Live events create urgency and real-time engagement, while on-demand content extends your reach and serves prospects at their moment of need. "Host it live and then repurpose it like a pro," Murdoch advises. "Clip it, put it on social media, send it out in an email, put it on your website, use it wherever you can."
This approach ensures you meet prospects where and when they're looking for answers, without forcing them to wait for your next scheduled event.
Breaking the Mold - Creative Approaches
Innovative webinar formats can dramatically increase engagement. Murdoch shares a recent example from a webinar with Kim Scott, author of "Radical Candor," who "presented for 25 minutes and then she took Q&A for 15 minutes and then she presented for another 25 minutes and then did Q&A again." This approach broke up the cognitive load for attendees, making the content more digestible.
Other creative formats include:
- Interactive product demos
- Game show-style presentations
- "Choose your own adventure" webinars where "attendees voted in real time on what topic the speaker should cover next"
The goal is to "make it something that people want to attend and not something that they have to endure," Murdoch says.
Conclusion
Effective webinars combine thoughtful planning, engaging delivery, and strategic follow-up to move prospects down your sales funnel. By implementing Murdoch's frameworks for verbal, visual, and kinesthetic engagement, you can transform your webinars from passive presentations into interactive experiences that drive real business results.
Remember that engagement should always take priority over arbitrary timeframes or formats. As Paxton Gray notes, "In order of operations or priority, it's engagement and providing that value and way down that list is going to be how long should it be."
By focusing on your audience's needs and creating webinars they genuinely want to attend, you'll stand out in a sea of forgettable virtual events—and turn your webinar program into the powerful lead generation tool it's meant to be.
