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http://www.gibsondunn.com/news/firm/detail/id/526/?pubItemId=6638
The firm’s web site offers the “Gibson Dunn Sarbanes-Oxley Resource
Center” — a virtual compendium of 4 webcasts, 20 documents, half a dozen links
to web resources, and a contact list of the firm's relevant attorneys. The webcasts are audio
plus slides (no video) and require either RealPlayer or Windows Media Player.
Aleisha Gravit, Gibson Dunn’s Director of Marketing, explains that the firm’s
interest in webcasting “really started back when Sarbanes-Oxley hit the circuit. We
have a high profile SEC practice in our Washington D.C. office and those lawyers were
actively advising clients on issues related to the Sarbanes-Oxley bill. We determined that we
should get something out on this to our clients very quickly and efficiently. I thought of
doing something over the web that would allow us to reach several hundreds of our clients
and those people who were not necessarily our clients but who might also have an interest in
the subject.... I hooked up with a company called Placeware and we put the webcast together
and it was highly successful ... We had a retention rate that Placeware said was unheard of
— 95% stayed on for the entire webcast.”
WEBCASTING ADVANTAGES
The firm is sold on webcasting as a quick, efficient way to relay information, especially to
educate clients on breaking hot topics. “Now we also use webcasting to do training on
certain issues internally because it allows us to get it all done at once. Since we have 800
plus lawyers it’s pretty effective.” Recently, “we needed to address all
the lawyers ... and we found that instead of videotaping it or instead of videoconferencing at
all different time zones where our offices exist, we found that it was best to do a webcast,
that way everybody could just logon at their desk ... The people we have in Europe could
view the recorded webcast” and so could the people who were not able to catch the
webcast live. Many tune-in from home or on the road.
No question that the webcasting medium is a winner. “It’s just so great from
the standpoint that it allows you to sit at your desk ... instead of having to leave the office,
go to a hotel or other venue, and sit in a seminar — you can do other things while
you’re listening to the presentation.... We get feedback saying that they like the
format because it gives them the ability to sit at their desk and have lunch, answer e-mails if
they need to, and if an important phone call comes in, they’re there” to take it.
COSTS, CHALLENGES
Regarding costs, Ms. Gravit says of webcasting: “It is efficient. But, I’m going
to be honest with you, it is expensive. I would say that there isn’t much difference
between [the cost of a live webcast] and putting on a seminar at an outside venue.” A
webcast of course has much greater reach and can be archived for long-term access on a web
site.
The biggest challenge: “Introducing the new concept. But after I explained the benefits
and the broader reach and quicker access that our clients would have to this information, it
was an easy sell.”
“One downside to a webcast is that you lose the one-on-one face time with your
clients,” she notes.
Follow-up is prompt, but not hard-sell. “I send them — that day (and I’ve
been at the office until midnight, e-mailing) — the PowerPoint slides and a
‘thank you’ note.”
Regarding the future, “We are going to be doing more,” with a continued focus
on client education.
(Placeware is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Microsoft.)
Too many webcasts, not enough time.
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