Writing an RFP for Maximum ROI
In the past, a customizable template may have allowed you to only upload logos. But today, you can manipulate a logo and place it wherever you want. With the right solution, you can take full control of your screen and place any element anywhere you want, allowing you to create a branded and unique look and feel. Furthermore, advanced systems may be able to provide you with reusable templates that can be created for various aspects of the user experience, including webcasts, event lobbies, login and registration, and postevent surveys. Ideally, your customization system will be "point-and-click," so webcast creators can use this powerful feature without having to rely on complex programming.
Remember, as your webcasting activity grows, your need for personalization and customization may increase. Your research should give you a firm idea of what customization options you may want today and in the future.
Here are questions to ask about customization:
—What aspects of the viewing experience can be customized? Templates? Reports? Lobby pages? Security features?
—Is the software easily customizable for different departments that have different needs? How frequently can we update our templates? Is there a limit on the number of templates we can have?
—Is customization a service? Is there an additional fee? Can you provide a wizard so my company can perform its own customization?
—Can I reuse customized templates?
—Can I make the viewer experience appear any way I want it to?
Viewer and Event Management. How viewers and the event itself are managed are other important considerations. Webcast viewers need to be invited and supported in each broadcast. You will want to know how easily this can be done. Research whether the system allows for different viewing formats, including mobile, distributed, and office, and whether you can have different levels of management for attendees in different viewing formats.
On the event management side, you will need to know the number of people required to create and support any kind of webcast. You will also want to know the types of interactivity your solution features, such as whether presenters can immediately provide a link that allows statistics to be viewed in real time. (See the sidebar, "Elements of Viewer and Event Management.")
Here are questions to ask about viewer and event management:
—What are the system requirements for viewers (in order to view the webcast and interact with the presenter)?
—How does your system support viewers who may not have access to a high-speed internet connection? Does your system have the ability for the user to select a variety of video bitrates, multiple video formats, and/or an option for audio-only formats?
—How does your system integrate with email and calendar functions in Microsoft Outlook and/or Lotus Notes? Is it possible to send emails from the system?
Video Encoding and Distribution. Many companies use a companywide standard media player. If this applies to you, understanding the basic details about streaming output will enable you to choose a product that fits your standards. For instance, you do not want to use a system that delivers video clips on RealPlayer if every desktop in your company is standardized for Windows Media Player. Similarly, if you’d like your employees to view presentations remotely on all types of computers, then certain solutions, such as a live Flash offering, will be a more appropriate fit. If you intend to use webcasts for marketing, you may want several different viewing options to enable a greater number of viewers to see your presentations.
Here are questions to ask about video encoding and distribution:
—What video formats do you support?
—What are the bitrates for each of these video formats?
—What are your plans for supporting future video formats?
—What streaming servers does your system integrate with?
—How does your system integrate with our existing video encoding system?
Viewership Metrics. Reporting and tracking viewership and viewer behavior are key components of a successful webcasting program. They can be used to justify the return on investment of the purchase and the overall initiative. Deep, detailed, and usable metrics are a powerful way to build momentum and excitement with webcasting users as well as your organization’s influential decision makers.
Your original research should tell you what types of reports are necessary and what types of information would be helpful to have. You need a provider that offers the kind of output you want at the level of detail you desire and need. Make a list of all of these things. When querying vendors about capabilities, a yes-or-no format makes sense, as does leaving a field open for vendors to note additional data that you may not have thought about. Ask to see samples of reports so you can see the detail behind an event. Remember, vendors may say they allow for survey questions, but make sure they are the types of questions you want, such as yes-or-no, open-ended, scaling, etc. (See the sidebar, "Critical Components of the Reporting Function.")
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