A well-hosted seminar can give your clients and prospects a positive impression of your business.

The skills of a seminar host are similar to those of a party host, says Gerri Leder, president of LederMark Communications LLC in Baltimore. Clients will evaluate your practice based on the way you organize the event, pay attention to detail and treat your guests, she adds.

Many of those details begin before anyone even takes a seat. These tips will help ensure that you play the perfect host at your next seminar:

> Call For Confirmation

Phone your invited guests to confirm that they are coming to the seminar. Leder suggests calling 24 hours prior to the event.

If a guest has had a change of plans and cannot attend, inform him or her that you will find another guest to fill his or her seat. That way, you imply that there is limited space and high demand for your event.

> Check The Site

When choosing a venue for your seminar, look at it through a visitor’s eyes.

On the day of the event, do a “visitor’s tour” of the site, says Sara Gilbert, founder of www.strategist.cc in Montreal and holder of the financial management advisor designation. Walk from the parking lot to the venue. Make sure there are clear markers and signs to direct your guests.

> Offer A Warm Welcome

As guests begin arriving, get things off to a good start by greeting them at the door. Making guests feel welcome lowers the barriers to doing business with you.

Says Leder: “The advisor’s role should be one of hospitality.”

To make sure everyone at the seminar is greeted properly, have other team members at the door in case several guests arrive at once.

> Get The Names Right

Prepare name tags for your team and your guests to avoid the awkward situations that arise when you or others forget a name.

“Some advisors are not keen about name tags,” Gilbert says. “But they are a good idea.”

You or a team member may have a forgetful moment and fail to recall the name of a client’s spouse right away.

Name tags are especially helpful, Gilbert says, if the clients at the event have not yet met your entire team.

> Avoid Surprises

Tell your clients what to expect at the event, Leder says. For example, if there is a meal, tell guests that lunch (or dinner) will be served, to be followed shortly by the presentation.

If you would like guests to complete an evaluation form, she says, hand out the sheet as they arrive and ask that they fill it out at the end of the presentation before leaving.

> Allow Time To Mingle

Give your clients a chance to relax and chat before you start the presentation.

Says Gilbert: “You want people to get comfortable in the room.”

Set aside 30 to 45 minutes at the start of the event for people to arrive, have something to eat or drink and to chat with other guests. This extra time also reduces the chance that late arrivals will interrupt the presentation.

> Break The Ice

Get conversations going at your event by introducing your guests to one another.

Bring together clients who have common interests, Gilbert says: “For example, if you have two clients who like travelling, introduce them.”

> Take Notes

To help in your followup process, make brief notes of conversations you have with your guests at the seminar.

After speaking with a client or prospect, Gilbert suggests, make a quick note about what was said. Write the note discreetly on your smartphone, or designate a team member to take notes. IE