HOW TO MAKE SURE A SEMINAR DOESN’T RUIN YOU- Part 2

Seminars can be an ideal marketing tool.

In Part 2 of our series, we look at some best practices for scheduling your seminar.

Confirming attendance

If possible, after the mailing, handle all incoming phone confirmations personally.

Take the opportunity to warmly thank callers for taking time out of their day to attend your seminar.

Suggest that they are free to bring a friend.

Make sure they know the easiest way to get to your seminar site from their home (of course, you already know this, because you checked out the locations well in advance). And ask if they have any suggestions on a possible topic you should cover at the seminar.

Send each phone confirmation a brief follow-up by mail or email.

Type up a short master letter or email on company stationery. Be sure to confirm the reservation and reiterate the seminar location, and highway access options.

Close this letter with the statement that you are anxious to see the attendee, and are confident he or she will find the seminar’s information valuable.

Call each mailing respondent the day after you receive his or her response card. The purpose of this call is to cover the same points outlined immediately above.

Call every respondent a second time, approximately three days before the seminar.

Briefly remind them of the seminar, remind them of the time and date, and tell them you’re looking forward to seeing them. Make absolutely certain they know how to find the seminar site by relating it to a landmark or intersection.

Finally, on the day immediately preceding your seminar, check your appearance.

?Will you be wearing neatly pressed, conservative business attire, to enhance the audience’s perception that you are an experienced professional?

?Is your hair neatly trimmed?

Are accessories like ties, shoes, etc. ready to reinforce your image and build credibility?

Your seminar is essentially a job interview.

You’re asking every member of your audience to trust you and hire you.

Look the part.

THE SEMINAR

Most successful seminars actually begin the evening before their scheduled start time.

This is the time for you to carefully go over your six-week checklist and make sure every item has been addressed. It’s also a good time to take a quiet moment to walk thru the seminar in your mind.

Go back and imagine you are one of your seminar guests, just as we described in the earlier section.

This time, however, your visualization of the seminar should be decidedly different from your previous walk-through.

This time, every detail you visualize should be accounted for and in place.

If you think of any loose ends (or any nice touches), resolve them before the day of the seminar.

Be certain to note any loose ends on a final checklist. It will be a valuable resource for future seminars you give.

Another important item to address the day before the seminar is how you will open and close your presentation.

Tailor your remarks to the specific audience you’ll be addressing.

If you will be relying on an icebreaker or humorous anecdote to get the seminar started, nail it down now. If you need to “borrow” an icebreaker, watch the late-night talk shows with a pen and remote control in hand.

Flip back and forth until you catch a topical humorous remark you feel comfortable incorporating into the following day’s presentation. Write the icebreaker down word for word.

Then get a good night’s sleep.

If you have any appointments on the day of your seminar, make certain they can be wrapped up well before the seminar begins. You should make sure you can get to the seminar site at least an hour before your scheduled start time.

Before you leave for the seminar, do two things.

First, take another look at your final checklist and be sure everything you need is either at the site or in your trunk.

Second, make sure an associate is available to field any last-minute calls from attendees.

Leave behind your cell phone number and a map showing the site highlighted with the routes you suggested attendees take to get to it.

If possible, have a second associate come to the seminar site with you. This person can help greet guests as they arrive and can serve as a backup to help everything go smoothly during your presentation.

When you arrive at the seminar site, be sure everything in the room is set up at least 30 minutes in advance.

If you are using directional signs, make sure they are in place.

Check the microphone, sound levels, room lighting, and projector.

Slowly walk around the room to see if there are any seats that are undesirable because of glare.

Arriving early will also give you a chance to relax and warmly greet any guests who arrive early, which they will.

In part 3 of our seminar series, we look at best practices for your seminar presentation.