Let’s talk Tele-Seminars.  The more I look into this technology the more excited I get!  Tele-seminars are great for a variety of reasons.

– They’re a great way to promote a service or product.

If you’re offering a new clinical group you can use this technology to promote a free ½ hour tele-seminar that focuses on the theme of the group (e.g., grief and loss, life transitions, relationship workshop).

– They help to build community partnerships and expand your network.

You can partner with community organizations or collaborate with colleagues to promote a tele-seminar that will increase your visibility.  If you aren’t ready to give your own talk you can interview other experts in the field and then convert the interview into a recorded audio file that you can offer to potential clients via a link on your website.

-    They give you another service delivery model.  (You can offer fee-based workshops without the physical limitations.)

You might choose to offer and sell a 6-week tele-seminar series that includes a once a week conference call.

In the past, there were a lot of limitations when it came to using this kind of technology.  Things have changed considerably, and today there are some great resources available.  Below are a few that I like.

www.instantteleseminar.com

-    This is an inexpensive and easy tool to use.  It offers phone and web simulcast capabilities for up to 200 participants.  You are given the ability to offer an online promotional page where people can sign up for a paid or free event. It has built in e-commerce capabilities where you set the price and people can pay and register online.  As the facilitator, you’re able to track who has signed up and you have the option to mute participants during your talk.  Participants can interact with you during the talk by pressing a designated button on their phone keypad.  I’ve participated in a paid tele-seminar through this service and it worked out quite well.

www.maestroconference.com

– MaestroConference.com is similar to instantteleseminar.com and supports up to 200 callers.  It allows you to create a dynamic environment combining the convenience of traditional conference calls, with the interactivity of a live workshop.  With the press of a keypad, callers have the ability to raise their hands to express opinion, vote or ask questions in an orderly manner.  The facilitator has access to a main console that is very easy to use and gives you a good look at who is on the call.

www.simpleevent.com

– Simpleevent.com gives you the ability to host up to 1,000 separate lines.  This tool is great if you have a product such as a book that you are looking to promote to a large group of people.

www.gotomeeting.com

– GoToMeeting.com is a bit different than some of the other resources presented above in that it is computer driven.  Participants click on a link taking them to a virtual conference.  It is a great tool for small groups (15-20 people).  The facilitator and team interact much like a conference call except it happens through their computers.  The facilitator is also able to share documents such as a slide show presentation.

Complement Your Tele-Seminar With An Online Forum

If you decide to hold a tele-seminar and you really want to make a big impression then I suggest you offer an online community as a complement to the tele-seminar.  The idea is to create a community platform where people can go for additional information or to meet and network with other people who signed up for the seminar.  This is a great way for your seminar to stand out.  In addition, it gives your message staying power because the online community will still exist after your seminar is completed.

Online communities are easy to set up and most are free!  My favorite platform is ning.com.  Here’s a snapshot of the online community that was created for a six-week tele-seminar I recently took.  The facilitator set up this community using ning.com.