As most of y'all know I held my first webinar this past week. What you don't know is what was going on here behind the scenes. It wasn't pretty, so I'm sure you're all going to enjoy hearing it! (Who doesn't enjoy a good train wreck?!)
Ok, so Ray and I had practiced a couple of times. Not nearly as many as I had hoped for, but a couple of times. I had also taken the online course on running webinars and really, they make it look and sound so easy. (Then you get in front of that screen for real and you realize there are way more buttons than you remember in the webinar...or maybe it's just that now YOU'RE in control of those buttons! Either way, lots of freakin buttons!)
I became a nag. "Ray, I need to practice!" was a standard sentence coming out of my mouth almost daily for about two weeks. (Please understand that at work, he co-presents webinars all the time, so he figured he'd be able to guide me. Apparently though, the platform I'm using is somewhat different than his. Still, he had promised to help and I wasn't going to refuse.)
Now, I'm not faulting anyone. Ray has his own work stuff to do, and frankly when he finishes work for the day I'm sure the last thing he wants to do is start working with me. But he does want me to succeed and he did offer to help.
I don't know why it is that when I'm almost completely focused on something important to me, it tends to get tuned out. Crap happens and they forget. Like I mean five minutes after I'd say something, I'd bring it up and Ray'd look at me blankly and then you'd see the memory flash across his face. And lemme tell ya, this never happened to me before as much as it did this past week.
I'm on Monday now, and we maybe have one practice under my belt and I'd say something during dinner and by the time the 6:30 news ended, it was forgotten and some other project or issue would take precedence. I kept my anxiety in day after everlovin day. Finally we hit Wednesday night, (the webinar is Thursday night) and the love of my life looks at me over dinner and says "honey, you look stressed. Are you okay?" And for the first time I snapped. "NO! I'm NOT okay! yadda, yadda, yadda, bitch, bitch, bitch!" and pout! We practiced that night.
I practiced alone a couple of times the next day and did alright considering I had nobody to pass things to. Those practices were more to familiarize myself with the buttons, I guess. And I really thought I had it. Since Ray was going to be working from home on Thursday, he promised that every break he took we'd practice. Do I need to tell you there were no breaks? Nope.
Also, there were like zero groceries in the house, nothing for dinner and a full shopping list. During the only quick break for lunch he did have Thursday, we discussed his plan for when he got off of work at 4pm. He mentioned groceries and I mentioned that I needed to go Facebook Live at 5:30pm to help get the word out that there was still time to register. We agreed upon a time for Facebook Live and he went back to work. (For the record, he prefers to do the groceries. He does the whole calculating thing where I just pick chit up if I think the price is okay. Not good when you're on a budget.)
His workday ran until 4:30 rather than 4 and in a flash he grabs the list and leaves. This makes me just a little uncomfortable. One hour for the store is not enough for the size list we have and we'll also need to add another 10-15 minutes just to put everything away! I'm itching now. Quite literally. My chest started to break out in hives.
When he got home from the store and found me all dressed and made up he was confused. "Why? It's a webinar. Nobody will see you unless you turn your camera on." he says. Incredulous, I look at him and said that we were supposed to go Facebook Live a half hour ago! There went that look that sweeps across his face when he remembers something. A split second later he looked upset. I don't want him upset. That's my job and I do it damn well, thank you VERY much! So I told him I needed a little time to calm down anyway. I'm not good live to begin with, but when I'm flustered, I can't, I just can't. I either run out of breath from nerves, get tongue-tied, or get diarrhea of the mouth and word things inappropriately.
Ok, so we get Facebook Live done and it's time for me to get into my webinar. The webinar to teach me about webinars said that if you're new, you should get there about an hour early. So like I said, I pretty much immediately went to my webinar. And I sat. And sat. Then, sat s'more. The thing that slipped my mind is that my presenter has done this countless times and doesn't need to be there nearly as early. Besides, I don't think the webinar link even works for attendees until 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time, so for some reason, I sat with my ear buds in for 45 minutes before my first attendee arrived and said hello.
Our speaker, Marie Ruzicka arrived. Now I can't say what was going on on her end, but I can say that on mine, at first I heard background noises and tried to speak to her. That didn't work. I figured maybe there was a little delay, so I just said like hi again or something and now I can't even hear background. Then I hear her saying hello so I respond back, but she only comes back with "Nancy?" I'm thinking I'm screwed. I'm watching the clock and "Go" time was upon me.
Now Ray is behind me pointing at things on my screen for me to click. I'm hesitant. He wants me to click start. I'm saying "no, what if she can't hear or present or whatever!" (nearing hysterics, I might add.) Finally I decide that with the clock ticking and my start time upon me, I'd better click that damn button and pray for the best.
I found out through the chat box that for some minutes prior to that my audio to the audience was on and they heard everything. They even heard me freaking out before I finally patched Marie in! ("No! Don't touch that button!" and hubby just face palming himself.) I did remember pretty well when and how to mute and unmute myself. For that I give myself props.
Just so you know how it works on the organizers end, you can't really see the slides or videos because it's your job to keep up with questions and comments and take notes of to refer back to later. Let's just say that about midway through, there was a lull in posts coming in and I allowed my eyes to wander around my screen and I felt something in my gut. I forgot something. But what?! I look and look and look and then it's there, staring at me -- get this - a red box which says "record". I. Forgot. To. Record. The. Webinar!
I was too busy watching my screen for posts that I couldn't pay much attention to the actual webinar except in a few select spots where something caught me to take a quick note of. I myself was depending on that recording so I could review it also! Not to mention that everyone who was registered was supposed to get a copy!
Anyway, from the moment I realized I forgot to hit the record button until the webinar closed, I was beating myself senseless. I know it was my first time and I know this is a big undertaking for a single person agency to take on, but I also know how important it is that it goes well. It's such a worthy concept that I simply cannot allow it to fail. I love the idea of bringing different travel experiences and destinations to people from the comfort of home. It would have appealed to me five years ago, before I even considered becoming an agent myself.
The end was anti-climactic. Once I ended the webinar, it was over. Except for my emotions. I walked away from my computer and sat down until I could calm my shaking hands. When I felt able, I sent our presenter, Marie, a thank you note along with my apologies for such a rough start and end. And I have to say what a class act Marie is! She offered to re-present the webinar if I want. I want! I want! I just also want to make sure she doesn't come back until I can run it the way it's meant to be run. Professionally and without confusion.
All I need now is an easy-to-refer to list of steps of buttons to push, when to push them, and some practice. The show WILL go on! This Thursday, November 10 at 7pm PST, Ntaba African Safaris! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1397842496002155009
I'll be better. I promise! ;)
Ok, so Ray and I had practiced a couple of times. Not nearly as many as I had hoped for, but a couple of times. I had also taken the online course on running webinars and really, they make it look and sound so easy. (Then you get in front of that screen for real and you realize there are way more buttons than you remember in the webinar...or maybe it's just that now YOU'RE in control of those buttons! Either way, lots of freakin buttons!)
I became a nag. "Ray, I need to practice!" was a standard sentence coming out of my mouth almost daily for about two weeks. (Please understand that at work, he co-presents webinars all the time, so he figured he'd be able to guide me. Apparently though, the platform I'm using is somewhat different than his. Still, he had promised to help and I wasn't going to refuse.)
Now, I'm not faulting anyone. Ray has his own work stuff to do, and frankly when he finishes work for the day I'm sure the last thing he wants to do is start working with me. But he does want me to succeed and he did offer to help.
I don't know why it is that when I'm almost completely focused on something important to me, it tends to get tuned out. Crap happens and they forget. Like I mean five minutes after I'd say something, I'd bring it up and Ray'd look at me blankly and then you'd see the memory flash across his face. And lemme tell ya, this never happened to me before as much as it did this past week.
I'm on Monday now, and we maybe have one practice under my belt and I'd say something during dinner and by the time the 6:30 news ended, it was forgotten and some other project or issue would take precedence. I kept my anxiety in day after everlovin day. Finally we hit Wednesday night, (the webinar is Thursday night) and the love of my life looks at me over dinner and says "honey, you look stressed. Are you okay?" And for the first time I snapped. "NO! I'm NOT okay! yadda, yadda, yadda, bitch, bitch, bitch!" and pout! We practiced that night.
I practiced alone a couple of times the next day and did alright considering I had nobody to pass things to. Those practices were more to familiarize myself with the buttons, I guess. And I really thought I had it. Since Ray was going to be working from home on Thursday, he promised that every break he took we'd practice. Do I need to tell you there were no breaks? Nope.
Also, there were like zero groceries in the house, nothing for dinner and a full shopping list. During the only quick break for lunch he did have Thursday, we discussed his plan for when he got off of work at 4pm. He mentioned groceries and I mentioned that I needed to go Facebook Live at 5:30pm to help get the word out that there was still time to register. We agreed upon a time for Facebook Live and he went back to work. (For the record, he prefers to do the groceries. He does the whole calculating thing where I just pick chit up if I think the price is okay. Not good when you're on a budget.)
His workday ran until 4:30 rather than 4 and in a flash he grabs the list and leaves. This makes me just a little uncomfortable. One hour for the store is not enough for the size list we have and we'll also need to add another 10-15 minutes just to put everything away! I'm itching now. Quite literally. My chest started to break out in hives.
When he got home from the store and found me all dressed and made up he was confused. "Why? It's a webinar. Nobody will see you unless you turn your camera on." he says. Incredulous, I look at him and said that we were supposed to go Facebook Live a half hour ago! There went that look that sweeps across his face when he remembers something. A split second later he looked upset. I don't want him upset. That's my job and I do it damn well, thank you VERY much! So I told him I needed a little time to calm down anyway. I'm not good live to begin with, but when I'm flustered, I can't, I just can't. I either run out of breath from nerves, get tongue-tied, or get diarrhea of the mouth and word things inappropriately.
Ok, so we get Facebook Live done and it's time for me to get into my webinar. The webinar to teach me about webinars said that if you're new, you should get there about an hour early. So like I said, I pretty much immediately went to my webinar. And I sat. And sat. Then, sat s'more. The thing that slipped my mind is that my presenter has done this countless times and doesn't need to be there nearly as early. Besides, I don't think the webinar link even works for attendees until 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time, so for some reason, I sat with my ear buds in for 45 minutes before my first attendee arrived and said hello.
Our speaker, Marie Ruzicka arrived. Now I can't say what was going on on her end, but I can say that on mine, at first I heard background noises and tried to speak to her. That didn't work. I figured maybe there was a little delay, so I just said like hi again or something and now I can't even hear background. Then I hear her saying hello so I respond back, but she only comes back with "Nancy?" I'm thinking I'm screwed. I'm watching the clock and "Go" time was upon me.
Now Ray is behind me pointing at things on my screen for me to click. I'm hesitant. He wants me to click start. I'm saying "no, what if she can't hear or present or whatever!" (nearing hysterics, I might add.) Finally I decide that with the clock ticking and my start time upon me, I'd better click that damn button and pray for the best.
I found out through the chat box that for some minutes prior to that my audio to the audience was on and they heard everything. They even heard me freaking out before I finally patched Marie in! ("No! Don't touch that button!" and hubby just face palming himself.) I did remember pretty well when and how to mute and unmute myself. For that I give myself props.
Just so you know how it works on the organizers end, you can't really see the slides or videos because it's your job to keep up with questions and comments and take notes of to refer back to later. Let's just say that about midway through, there was a lull in posts coming in and I allowed my eyes to wander around my screen and I felt something in my gut. I forgot something. But what?! I look and look and look and then it's there, staring at me -- get this - a red box which says "record". I. Forgot. To. Record. The. Webinar!
I was too busy watching my screen for posts that I couldn't pay much attention to the actual webinar except in a few select spots where something caught me to take a quick note of. I myself was depending on that recording so I could review it also! Not to mention that everyone who was registered was supposed to get a copy!
Anyway, from the moment I realized I forgot to hit the record button until the webinar closed, I was beating myself senseless. I know it was my first time and I know this is a big undertaking for a single person agency to take on, but I also know how important it is that it goes well. It's such a worthy concept that I simply cannot allow it to fail. I love the idea of bringing different travel experiences and destinations to people from the comfort of home. It would have appealed to me five years ago, before I even considered becoming an agent myself.
The end was anti-climactic. Once I ended the webinar, it was over. Except for my emotions. I walked away from my computer and sat down until I could calm my shaking hands. When I felt able, I sent our presenter, Marie, a thank you note along with my apologies for such a rough start and end. And I have to say what a class act Marie is! She offered to re-present the webinar if I want. I want! I want! I just also want to make sure she doesn't come back until I can run it the way it's meant to be run. Professionally and without confusion.
All I need now is an easy-to-refer to list of steps of buttons to push, when to push them, and some practice. The show WILL go on! This Thursday, November 10 at 7pm PST, Ntaba African Safaris! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1397842496002155009
I'll be better. I promise! ;)