The key to a successful client-education event lies in the details. And when all the details for a seminar fall into place, the results speak for themselves.
Paying attention to all the necessary elements of an event ensures its success, says Sylvia Garibaldi, a business-building coach with SG and Associates in Toronto. That is true whether your objective is to re-connect with clients or bring in new assets.
Follow these tips to make your next seminar a success:
> Shorten the guest list
Invite fewer people for a more intimate event.
“Gone are the days of 50-plus attendees,” says Garibaldi. Advisors used to market their seminars by covering geographical areas with direct-mail invitations, bringing in new people they didn’t even know.
Today, she says, seminars should be small, intimate events of 12 to 15 people. For the best results, invite six clients and ask each to bring a guest to the seminar.
> Choose a theme
Organize your seminar around a topic that’s important to your desired clientele.
Your theme should focus on a specific issue and a target market, Garibaldi says. For example, the topic might be on introducing employee benefits for healthcare professionals who run their own businesses.
> Know the material
Make sure all participants, especially guest speakers, understand the structure of the event and their role in it.
Many advisors make the mistake of not running through the seminar presentation with the invited guest speakers, Garibaldi says. This can cause problems as a guest speaker might speak for too long or not cover the topic you had planned.
> Invite the right guests
Make sure the clients and prospects you invite are suited to the seminar topic.
For example, Garibaldi says, if you are hosting a seminar on retirement planning, scan your client database for people who are either retired or about to retire and who would benefit from the information being presented.
> Gather phone numbers
Collect contact information from prospects.
All the effort you put into the seminar will be wasted, Garibaldi says, if you are unable to reach prospects to follow up.
Find out prospects’ contact information before the event takes place, she says. Ask clients to pass along their guests’ email addresses so you can send reminders and more details about the seminar as the date approaches.
Contacting the prospect before the event helps to establish trust between with the prospect. It also piques interest in the seminar and your business.