Option to start all webinars in Practice Mode

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Option to start all webinars in Practice Mode

Option to start all webinars in Practice Mode

I always start my sessions in practice mode. When hosting a webinar, other staff and presenters join me 20-30 minutes in advance to discuss final details, verify flow, do sound checks, etc. Then about 5 minutes prior, we hit START and share visuals with PowerPoint title slide displaying, then START BROADCAST to open audio.

 

However, the organizer email links go directly to START mode. Why is this? Or why doesn't it ask and let host choose?  

 

When I set co-hosts from my license group, I have to caution them NOT to use their email links in case they arrive before me, starting the webinar when I intended to begin in practice mode, but only come in from their account login.  I find it inefficient as I can always move forward in to START mode if I wish. But I cannot go backwards into practice mode .  So why not always begin a session in PRACTICE - or give a choice?

 

The big difference is that - while in practice mode - other staff and I can share visuals and discuss the slides, flow, handout, without attendees seeing anything as the session is not yet open to them.

 

Is there any way to change this in account configuration? Any hope we could add it to a wish list?

7 Comments
Chris Droessler
Respected Contributor

Have the Co-Organizers join as Panelists, then once in the Practice session promote them to be Organizers.

JHB
Frequent Contributor

Thanks, I do use that strategy for non-essential organizers.

 

However, we like to list another account licensee as an organizer as a backup measure. Then we have a 2nd person who can make an edit or download registration list if primary organizer not available. And it gives us an emergency backup to start the webinar if anything ever prevented primary from doing so.

 

Our package has 10 licenses, so our practice is to recruit one of the other 9 as back-up. Often, it's a person who intended to participate anyway. Sometimes person is just doing a favor and only joins if needed.  

 

And even for myself as primary, it's annoying not to be able to simply click on the link.

Chris Droessler
Respected Contributor

I'm answering from the perspective of a one-Organizer account. I rarely assign co-organizer rights ahead of time.

 

I have my co-Organizers register as an Attendee, and then I promote within the webinar.  I can do that after I start the webinar and before I start the broadcast.  Thus I can promote them and chat with them without the Attendees hearing.

Webinar Studio
Contributor

We always have 'tech-checks' ahead of the webinar.  We do have co-organizers as they work a lot with the reports.  Typically the webinar is started well before any co-organizers join, but we have occasionally had one join early the "start" the webinar.  It would be great for the links to always default to starting a session in practice mode if it has not already begun.

Melanie_SPM
GoTo Contributor

Hi JHB, even though your idea entry is 1,5 years old we will use it for the improvements we are working on for GoTo Webinar in the next quarters.

Would it be ok to reach out to you with some ideas once we get into the details to hear if that works for you?

 

Webinar Studio
Contributor

I would be happy to discuss any ideas and improvements in this area as well.  We always use the same process of prepping with presenters in practice mode prior to allowing any attendees to join.

KateG
GoTo Moderator
Status changed to: Reviewed by moderator