3 COMPELLING REASONS WHY YOU NEED YOUR OWN WEBINAR SERIES

If your dealership’s business development strategy relies heavily on sales reps making calls, local advertising, and maybe a steady spend on Google Ads, you’re not alone. Those methods have worked for years—and they still have value.

But buyer behavior has changed.

Today’s prospects want to learn before they talk to sales. They want confidence, clarity, and proof that you understand their business challenges. That’s where a webinar series becomes one of the most underutilized—and powerful—tools in a dealership’s marketing program.

And if the idea of being on camera makes you uncomfortable, here’s the good news: that discomfort may be costing you visibility, credibility, and leads right now.

Let’s break down why.

1. Webinars Extend Your Visibility Far Beyond Cold Calls and Local Ads

Sales calls and local advertising are limited by time, geography, and attention. A webinar, on the other hand, works for you long after it’s recorded.

One 30–45 minute webinar can:

• Be promoted via email, LinkedIn, and your website

• Be watched live or on-demand

• Be reused as sales enablement content

• Be shared by prospects internally with decision-makers

That means your expertise is visible to multiple stakeholders at once, without requiring your sales team to chase every conversation.

And here’s the part camera-shy professionals often overlook:Your competitors are already being seen as the experts—simply because they’re showing up.

You don’t need to be a performer. You just need to be present.

2. Webinars Build Credibility Before Sales Ever Gets Involved

Most prospects don’t want a product pitch—they want answers.

A webinar positions your dealership as:

• A trusted advisor, not just a vendor

• A problem-solver, not a price sheet

• A local expert who understands real-world business challenges

When prospects attend a webinar, they’ve already raised their hand. They’ve already invested time with you. By the time a sales conversation happens, the trust gap is dramatically smaller.

For camera-shy individuals, this is actually an advantage:

• You’re not “selling”

• You’re explaining

• You’re educating

• You’re answering common questions you already get every day

In other words, you’re doing what you already do—just once, instead of repeatedly.

3. Webinars Generate Higher-Quality Leads Without Pressure

Cold calls interrupt. Ads compete. Webinars invite.

People who register for a webinar are telling you:

That’s a warmer lead than most traditional outreach methods can deliver.

Even better:

• Attendees self-select into your funnel

• Sales follow-up is more natural and informed

• Marketing can track interest by topic

For those worried about being “on camera,” remember: Your audience isn’t judging your delivery—they’re listening for answers.

Authenticity beats perfection every time.

Webinar Topics That Work for Business Systems Dealerships

You don’t need flashy topics or dramatic presentations. The best webinars answer the questions your prospects already ask.

Here are a few proven ideas for a webinar series:

• Managed Services: What It Is and When It Makes Sense

  Explain managed print or IT services in plain language. Who benefits? When does it actually save money? What misconceptions should buyers avoid?

• When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Equipment?

  Help businesses understand lifecycle costs, productivity impacts, and warning signs that their current systems are holding them back.

• “We Get Asked This All the Time” – A Common Questions Episode

  Turn your most frequent sales objections and service questions into a Q&A-style webinar. Low pressure, high value.

• Security, Compliance, and Risk: What Business Owners Should Know

  Position your dealership as a protector of data and workflows—not just a hardware provider.

These topics don’t require a polished speaker—just knowledgeable people who understand the business.

The Opportunity You May Be Missing

Webinars aren’t about becoming a broadcaster or influencer.

They’re about:

• Making your expertise visible

• Letting prospects come to you informed

• Giving sales teams better conversations

• Modernizing your marketing without abandoning what already works

For the most camera-shy individual, the real risk isn’t being on video—it’s staying invisible while buyers look elsewhere for answers.

If your dealership already has the knowledge, a webinar series simply gives it a stage.

And that stage can quietly become one of your most effective lead-generation tools.

The Most Common Barriers—and How to Get Past Them

When webinars come up inside dealerships, the hesitation is rarely about technology. It’s almost always about comfort, time, or perceived risk. Let’s address the most common reasons salespeople and managers give for avoiding webinars—and why none of them need to stop you.

Excuse #1: “I’m Not Good on Camera”

This is the most common objection—and the least valid. Repeat - the least valid.

Sales professionals often assume webinars require:

• A polished presenter

• A high-energy personality

• A flawless delivery

In reality, credibility comes from clarity, not charisma.

Your audience doesn’t expect a TV host. They expect:

• Straight answers

• Real-world experience

• Practical insight

In fact, overly scripted or “salesy” presentations often perform worse than conversational, matter-of-fact ones.

How to overcome it:

• Use a slide-led format where the presenter is secondary. Just don't make every slide copy heavy. People don't need or want to be read to.

• Start with audio-only or screen share

• Frame the webinar as a conversation, not a performance.

• Pair a subject-matter expert with a moderator so no one carries the load alone

Remember: your prospects aren’t judging your delivery—they’re deciding whether you understand their problems. For those of you with the word "solutions" in your brand name or tagline, that should resonate.

Excuse #2: “We Don’t Have Time”

Sales teams are busy. Managers are stretched. Adding “one more thing” feels impossible.

But here’s the reality: Webinars save time in the long run.

How many times do your reps explain:

• What managed services really include

• Why price comparisons miss the bigger picture

• When it’s actually time to upgrade equipment

A single webinar answers those questions once—for dozens of prospects at the same time.

How to overcome it:

• Limit webinars to 30 minutes

• Record once and reuse indefinitely

• Treat it as sales enablement, not marketing overhead

• Replace one internal meeting per quarter with a webinar prep session

If your team already answers these questions daily, the content already exists—you’re just packaging it.

Excuse #3: “Our Customers Aren’t the Webinar Type”

This assumption is often based on age or industry—but buying behavior says otherwise.

Decision-makers may not call themselves “webinar people,” but they:

• Watch videos

• Research online

• Attend virtual vendor briefings

• Forward content internally

Even if only a portion of your audience attends live, on-demand viewing multiplies impact.

How to overcome it:

• Rebrand webinars as “Briefings,” “Updates,” or “Business Insights”

• Keep topics practical, not promotional

• Promote them as educational, not sales events

• Use recorded sessions as follow-up tools for prospects who didn’t attend live

The format matters far less than the value.

Excuse #4: “What If No One Shows Up?”

This fear stops more webinars than bad technology ever has, but even a “small” audience can be a win:

• 5 attendees = 5 highly engaged prospects

• 10 attendees = 10 people who chose you over everything else on their calendar

And once it’s recorded, attendance is no longer limited to a single time slot.

How to overcome it:

• Set realistic expectations for early sessions

• Promote internally so sales can invite prospects personally

• Treat the first few webinars as content creation, not events

• Measure success by quality of conversations, not headcount. Don't be surprised if half the people who register attend your webinar live. That's common.

One good post-webinar sales call can justify the entire effort.

Excuse #5: “We Might Give Away Too Much”

This is a classic sales concern—but transparency builds trust, not lost deals.

Sharing insight doesn’t eliminate the need for a dealer—it highlights the value of working with a knowledgeable one.

If a prospect uses your webinar to better understand their options, you’ve already positioned yourself as the expert they’re more likely to call.

How to overcome it:

• Focus on decision frameworks, not pricing

• Explain how to think, not what to buy

• Leave room for consultation and customization

• End with an invitation, not a pitch

The goal isn’t to close on the webinar—it’s to start better conversations afterward.

The Bigger Truth

Most resistance to webinars isn’t about effectiveness—it’s about familiarity.

Cold calls feel safe because they’re known. Ads feel safe because they’re passive. Webinars feel uncomfortable because they’re visible. But visibility is exactly where modern credibility comes from. Your dealership already has the expertise. Your prospects are already looking for answers. A webinar simply puts the two together—efficiently, authentically, and at scale.

And once the first one is done, the hesitation usually disappears—replaced by, “We should have started this sooner.”

Want help from someone who's moderated, facilitated and produced webinars for several years? Reach me at tvotapka@prosperityplus.com