A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of participating in one of our free Webcasts (also know as Webinars or online live seminars). It was very exciting to see just how many chiropractors from around the world were interested in attending.
Unfortunately, not every DC who registered was able to attend the live Webcast. The good news is it was recorded, so no matter your schedule at that time or where you live, you can still "attend" by visiting www.dynamicchiropractic.com/webcasts.
Sitting at the producer's control screen was a real education. It provided information (that only we could see) about who was attending and where they were from. (There were several doctors whose names I recognized.) Control of the Webcast presentation was passed between the producer and the speaker though some nifty tools.
A number of the doctors who attended admitted this was their first time at a Webcast. Even so, they were able to view the event and participate in the Question & Answer session without any problems.
The topic of the Webcast was "Build Patient Relationships That Will Build Your Practice." Apparently, it was a popular topic, as quite a lot of DCs registered to attend. The speaker also was very good. Attendance increased steadily throughout his presentation.
The Q & A at the end was especially good. There was no shortage of questions. Most of these were presented to the speaker himself, who provided quick, pinpoint responses. While this is typically when many attendees sign off, almost all stayed through the entire Q & A portion of the Webcast.
For some reading this article, the idea of a Webcast is not new. You may already have attended a few. For others, it might be hard to appreciate their value until you actually attend one. Applying the resources of the Web to chiropractic education is a hot topic right now for our global community. The World Federation of Chiropractic and the Association of Chiropractic Colleges are sponsoring a two-day conference on the topic in Beijing on Nov. 10-11, 2008. I will be presenting our experiences as a publishing organization in an effort to help all chiropractic organizations better understand how the Web can connect our profession and provide important information to doctors of chiropractic right in their offices.
This truly is a remarkable time. In my short lifetime, I have seen the beginning of television, when everyone who had a TV was forced to watch the same (usually inane) programs on a few stations. Since then, cable has evolved to provide general programming on specific topics (food, fine living, etc.) that are more in tune with the preferences of particular audience groups.
The Webcast gives us the best experience yet. It allows a well-known speaker to make a presentation to several hundred DCs in the comfort of their offices. As an attendee, you can hear a presentation on a topic that is applicable to your practice while you eat your lunch. At the end, you can ask questions and get answers to what matters to you.
The number of Webcasts is growing. Many will feature speakers and topics you will want to hear about. To make this convenient, we have established a priority registration program that will give you advanced notice of upcoming Webcasts. You will be among the first to know and have the opportunity to be among the first to register. (There is a limit of 500 DCs per Webcast.)
It's easy to sign up for priority registration. Go to http://events.dynamicchiropractic.com, click on "Subscribe for Priority Registration" and enter your name, degree and e-mail address. From there, you will receive a confirmation e-mail letting you know you signed up correctly.
This is an exciting new era of online information and education. These Webcasts are designed to provide valuable information on topics that are meaningful to your practice. The speakers understand your time constraints and appreciate you are making a choice to invest in their presentation. If you haven't tried it already, you will be surprised at how much you will benefit from this new educational medium.
Click here for more information about Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher.