Last week, in the 2020 PPR Strategies Annual Report, we shared our staggering Zoom numbers: in 2020, we hosted approximately 935 Zoom meetings and spent 6,148 total hours on Zoom.
That’s a lot of time on Zoom!
We’ve been using Zoom for years for everything from client meetings to virtual events and seminars to our own online offerings. When the pandemic hit, our clients’ needs on Zoom skyrocketed. Many came to us seeking help as they worked to quickly pivot and shift to more virtual offerings.
Today, we want to highlight our client, the Charles County Economic Development Department, and share how we helped them successfully pivot and create a series of successful webinars on Zoom.
Their Goal:
As a result of the pandemic, the Charles County Economic Development Department needed to support their businesses in new ways. The economic downturn weakened small businesses due to regionally instituted lockdowns, which impacted tourism and patronage. Charles County wanted to find ways to retain local businesses and assist them during COVID-19.
Their Challenge:
Like economic development organizations around the country, the Charles County EDO had to find ways to retain business and provide resources without face-to-face visits.
Businesses needed assistance, and there was an overwhelming sense of uncertainty of the future given present circumstances. The Charles County EDO looked to us to create an actionable plan that would accommodate business leaders.
The Strategy:
The Charles County Economic Development Department wanted to provide COVID-19-related technical training for their businesses. PPR Strategies curated an educational training series called “Tools, Tips, and Tactics: A Webinar Series on Business Resiliency During Times of Uncertainty.”
PPR Strategies connected with local, regional, and national experts to discuss popular topics such as cash flow management, social media, mental health care, virtual team building, online marketing, and more. We provided promotional content to spread the word about the online training series and facilitated the weekly event.
PPR Strategies moderated and facilitated each webinar. Before each webinar, we ran practice sessions with the panelists to help them feel confident and clear about the material and ensure a quality experience for participants.
The Results:
The webinar series was a success and averaged 64 registrations each week. After the live event, registrants were able to rewatch each webinar on YouTube. A total of 880 people viewed the webinar series through YouTube.
Charles County Economic Development Department demonstrated that they were a reliable resource for their business owners, which advanced existing relationships. The webinar series was also a replicable process. Word spread about its popularity and positive impact, which allowed PPR Strategies to host more virtual events for other clients and communities.
This success story is just one example of how we can use online video platforms like Zoom to bring training, resources, and expertise to the businesses in our communities.
‘Til next time,
Sandy
