Frequently Asked Questions about our Webinars

Q. What's the Difference between a Webinar and a Webcast?


A. A common area of confusion is the difference between a webinar and a webcast. Many believe them to be the same thing. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and this lack of clarity leads people constantly into poor decisions about what their online opportunities are.

A webcast is a web-based broadcast of something – any topic really. That means that YouTube videos are webcasts. So are those screenshot-based tutorials that are so popular with technology companies. And, yes, the recorded version of a webinar can be called a webcast. In other words, once a webinar is complete it can become a subset of a webcast. Webcasts can be created by recording, editing, adding sound and then making it available somewhere like on YouTube. It can be a very valuable tool for many promotional, marketing, educational and informational purposes. But a webcast is lacking one thing that is a critical part of a webinar.  That is Interactivity. A webinar is like a web seminar. In its simplest form, a presentation is given live, streamed over the web. Attendees can ask questions and answers are provided. The audience has the ability to be live - to be part of the discussion. But the essence is a presentation and a question and answer session. Just like a live presentation of any kind, but given over the web. That's a key reason why a webinar is usually a better solution.  Participants get to interact, to ask questions and to generate new topics. Once recorded the webinar becomes a recording of the experience, as a webcast.

So we can see that a key difference between webinars and webcasts is that webinars are usually intended for a prioritised audience and sometimes for a specific number of people while a webcast is visible to anyone who chooses to watch it or subscribe to it.   

Q. Do I earn CPD points by subscribing to a webinar?

A. Yes, each 1 hour NFI webinar session earns you 1 CPD point. CPD points are required if you are registered with MFAA, FBAA and ASIC.  Subscribe to 12 months of Webinars and this equates to a minimum of 12 CPD points, and up to 18 points where some of the webinars are longer than 1 hour.

Q. How to I subscribe and what is the cost of NFI's webinars?

A. The first step is to go to our main Webinar page and choose your preferred subscription option - either $22 per month automatically debited safely by PayPal each month, or pay an upfront annual fee of $240 which gives you a guaranteed monthly webinar (or its recording if preferred) for 12 consecutive months.  Choosing the monthly subscription will cost $264 (12 x $22) for the year but by choosing the annual subscription the cost is only $240.

Q. If I miss a scheduled webinar date/time do I still get to watch it?

A. Yes.  Webinars that NFI presents are all recorded. If you miss a session that you have registered and paid for, you will be sent a link.  If you register in 2012 but would like to choose from the subjects recorded in 2011, this is also an option.

Q. Will you send me a reminder that my webinar is coming up each month?

A. Yes, we will send you email reminders as each webinar gets closer to the start date. They are currently held on the third Thursday of every month.

Q. How do I register?

A. You just fill out the registration form, make your payment, then we will approve your registration.  All participants will be sent an invitation by email which will contain a link.  When you receive your confirmation or reminder email you just need to click on that link to join the webinar.  Only takes a few seconds.  If using phone audio you can dial into the session like a conference call. 

Q. How do I participate?

A. Once you are logged into the session of the month, you can participate by "raising hands", typing in questions or chatting. Both Mac and PC are supported.  

Q. What kind of topics are covered?

A. Topics for 2011 included:

• How to market your business on a small budget (incorporating email marketing) - was held on 15/2/11
  - Real life case studies and practical examples on how to market your business

• Time Management for Mortgage Brokers - was held on 15/3/11
  - Why is time so important? Tried and true practices, time budget. What is really important?

• Business Practices and Processes - was held on 19/4/11
  - Leadership versus management, leadership styles, why brokers fail, managing people

• Building your Personal Brand - was held on 17/5/11
  - Guest speaker Doug Mathlin will discuss identifying your clients' real needs, personalising your service, and winning strategies in today's market

• The Art of Closing a Deal (incorporating the psychology of a loan) - was held on 21/6/11 (no recording available for this one)
  - In this session we will discuss identifying your clients' real needs, personalising your service, and winning strategies in today's market.

• Client Loyalty – One Piece of Advice - was held on 19/7/11
  - ‘Touch points’, word of mouth marketing, the importance of staying in touch

• How to Gain Referrals – Now - was held on 16/8/11
  - Adopting a referral mindset, relationship is everything, prospect for referrals

• ACL Holders: Annual Compliance Certificates Simplified! - was held on revised date of 29/9/11

  - From July 2011 the first Australian Credit Licence renewals and compliance certificates fall due. Find out your obligations and what to do to comply (Guest speaker from our legal team).

• The Habits of Effective Brokers - was held on 18/10/11

  - Clint Hawthorne National Manager of Sales for Australian First Mortgage will discuss what makes really effective mortgage Brokers effective. Clint has been a leader in the mortgage industry for many years so deeply understands what makes good brokers function.

• What is Your Product, the Product is You! - was held on 15/11/11
  - Recognising how the relationship you build with your clients - rapport and trust - determines your future level of success

• The 5 Drivers of Revenue Growth - was held on 20/12/11
  - Practical tips on how to improve your bottom line

• The 16 Principles of Influence in Sales - was held on 19/1/12
  - We outline the 16 Principles of Influence in Sales for you to review your own principles

• Sales Slumps - Are you in one now? - was held on 16/2/12
  - Sales people know that from time to time there are slumps. It can affect your results but it also affects your confidence, enthusiasm and may affect family or friend relationships. 

• Effective Selling - Barriers to Cross Selling - was held on for 15/3/12
  - In this two part webinar we discussed Effective Selling and then move on to the barriers to Cross Selling. Cross selling other products has been touted as extremely important for the survival of brokers. What stops us from doing it effectively?

• How to Overcome Marketing Reluctance- was held on for 19/4/12
  - Many Brokers are quite happy to market and it comes naturally to them but many are shy and perhaps introvert and aren't comfortable with a lot of marketing activities. Can they still do well at personal marketing? This webinar will discuss some strategies that may assist the introverts to do some personal marketing

• Marketing - Where are we now? - scheduled for Thurs 17/5/12
  - Marketing evolves over time like everything we do. The actual marketing ideas don't change much but the way we use the ideas constantly changes - and so must we.

 

 

 

Technically speaking ...

Q: How do I join the webinar session?

Joining a webinar on a PC or Mac^® is easy. When you receive your webinar email invitation, after your payment has been made, click the registration link register for the webinar. You can then join the webinar at the scheduled time one of three ways:

1. Click the link in your confirmation or reminder emails, which will be automatically sent to you after registering and leading up to the webinar.
2. Go to www.joinwebinar.com. Type or paste in the webinar ID provided by the organizer in the webinar invitation email, enter your email address, click "Yes" or "Always" (or "Trust" on a Mac) if prompted to accept the download and, if required, enter the webinar password provided by NFI.
3. Click the "Join a Webinar" button from www.gotowebinar.com. Type or paste in the webinar ID provided by NFI in the webinar invitation email, enter your email address, click "Yes" or "Always" (or "Trust" on a Mac) if prompted to accept the download and, if required, enter the webinar password provided by NFI.
    

Q: Do I need a GoToWebinar account to attend a webinar?
 

No, you do not need a GoToWebinar account to attend a GoToWebinar session. You attend as a guest of NFI. To join a webinar, click the link in the confirmation or reminder emails or go to www.joinwebinar.com and enter the webinar ID found in the invitation email.
 

 

Q: What are the system requirements for attending a webinar?

On a PC

• Internet Explorer^® 7.0 or newer, Mozilla^® Firefox^® 3.0 or newer or Google^™ Chrome^™ 5.0 or newer (JavaScript^™ and Java^™ enabled)
• Windows^® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
• Cable modem, DSL or better Internet connection
• Minimum of Pentium^® class 1GHz CPU with 512 MB of RAM (recommended) (2 GB of RAM for Windows^® Vista)

Participants wishing to connect to audio using VoIP will need a fast Internet connection, a microphone and speakers. (A USB headset is recommended.)

On a Mac^®

• Safari^™ 3.0 or newer, Firefox^® 3.0 or newer or Google^™ Chrome^™ 5.0 or newer (JavaScript^™ and Java^™ enabled)
• Mac OS^® X 10.4.11 – Tiger^® or newer
• PowerPC G4/G5 or Intel processor (512 MB of RAM or better recommended)
• Cable modem, DSL, or better Internet connection

Participants wishing to connect to audio using VoIP will need a fast Internet connection, a microphone and speakers (A USB headset is recommended).

 

Q: Can I view presentations in full-screen format?

Yes.  On the top of the Attendee Control Panel, click the View Menu button and select the Full Screen option.  Or, on the Attendee Grab Tab on the side of the Control Panel you can click the View button to toggle between Full Screen and Window viewing.