7 Steps to Creating Info-packed Teleseminars From your Articles

Copyright (c) 2008 Donna Gunter

Teleseminars, or workshops conducted over a teleconference line, are one of the easiest ways to grow a business and leverage your expertise online. However, when I speak to clients about using this marketing strategy, many believe that they don't have enough content to create a powerful 45-60 minute teleseminar. Do you share that same belief? If you've ever written an article, you've got enough information to create a teleseminar.

I love to repurpose content, i.e., create something once and use it again and again for multiple purposes. I've found the articles I write weekly to be the easiest to repurpose. The type of article that works best to launch a teleseminar is a tips article, or one that is written with numbered points as the body of the article, i.e., 6 Secrets to, How to Do ... in 10 Easy Steps, etc.

Here's how you can create a teleseminar from one of your articles:

1. Craft your description and learning bullet points. Write a one paragraph overview of your teleclass based on the content of your article and include 3-7 bullet points (very short descriptions of the bullet points in your article) outlining what the participants will learn as a result of participating in your teleseminar. This is the description you'll use to help you promote your teleseminar.

2. Expand your article bullet points. Participants like concrete examples, so in your planning process come up with stories or examples you can share about each point, point out mistakes people make with this point, and discuss better strategies to use instead.

3. Craft your introduction. The easiest way to create an introduction to a teleclass is to tell your participants what caused you to create it, and then give a synopsis of what you're going to cover during the teleseminar.

4. Determine your call to action. Typically teleseminars are part of a larger marketing strategy for an online business owner: to sell a product or program, to grow a list, or to create content for an information product. Determine what you want your call to action to be for your listeners, and make plans to insert it into to your teleclass script. Share this call to action with your participants at the beginning, middle, and end of the call.

5. Format your conclusion. Here's where you again summarize what your said during the teleseminar, remind participants of your call to action, and ask for any questions before closing the call.

6. Develop your script. Now, you have all of the pieces developed, and it's time to put them together in an outline or script for yourself. Note your introduction, expanded bullet points with examples, insert your call to action several times when appropriate, and end with your conclusion.

7. Draft a handout. Help your participants remember you and your presentation. A handout with your contact info is the best way for them to refer to the material presented. You can create a study guide which permits them to fill in the blanks during the course of the teleseminar, a handout that you send with notes from the teleseminar, or a PDF of a PowerPoint presentation that you provide before the seminar. Remember to include your contact information in your handout as well as your call to action from the teleseminar.

Now, you have a complete teleseminar that you can use again and again with different target markets to help you grow your list, sell your products and services, and establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field. Take a look at your article bank and determine what you can repurpose into powerful teleseminars for your business.