HOW TO MAKE SURE A SEMINAR DOESN’T RUIN YOU-Part 4

In part 4 of our series, we look at the “Do” and Don’ts of Seminars.

SEMINARS????????????????????????DO’s???????????????????????????????????????????????????DON’T

You want attendees who???Things you want to do??????????????????????Things you don’t’ want

want the following:

Average Attendance???????????25-50???????????????????????????????????????????????????0 to 10

Earnings per???????????????????????$500 - $1,000???????????????????????????????????????0 to $100

Attendee

Earnings per???????????????????????$12,000 to $20,000??????????????????????????????0 to $1,000

Seminar

Cost per Seminar????????????????$250 to $1,000????????????????????????????????????No refreshments??????????????????????????????

(Mail & lunch)

Sponsoring partners?????????????Wants an extra $25,000?????????????????Any non-producing

??????????????????????????????????????????????$50,000 in commissions’??????????????partner

??????????????????????????????????????????????Has client base??????????????????????????????Happy with extra $100

??????????????????????????????????????????????Strong, positive relationship?????????Never sees clients

??????????????????????????????????????????????With clients???????????????????????????????????Doesn’t follow up

??????????????????????????????????????????????Can close, but has no clients

??????????????????????????????????????????????Combination of closer with

??????????????????????????????????????????????Client base agent

Client Attendees??????????????????Best client prospects in order???????Any mail lists

?????????????????????????????????????????????CEO/COO/CFO clients????????????????available

?????????????????????????????????????????????Long-term clients?????????????????????????Recent customer

?????????????????????????????????????????????Corporate clients with budget ??????Any warm body

?????????????????????????????????????????????Prospects with stated issues

Seminar Invitation??????????????Must include “How to” points??????Design your own

????????????????????????????????????????????Of interest?????????????????????????????????????Just telephone and

????????????????????????????????????????????Should identify sponsoring??????????save on mailing and

????????????????????????????????????????????partners and be signed??????????????????printing costs

????????????????????????????????????????????May include personal note

????????????????????????????????????????????Stating “Bring a friend”

????????????????????????????????????????????Use quality paper

Seminar Place?????????????????????Easily accessible???????????????????????????????Pick cheapest site

????????????????????????????????????????????Close to clients homes/business ???????site regardless of

????????????????????????????????????????????Free parking??????????????????????????????????????location

????????????????????????????????????????????Perceived as “nice place”

????????????????????????????????????????????Best choices with meals:

????????????????????????????????????????????Hotels/Motels/Church social halls

????????????????????????????????????????????Best choices without meals:

????????????????????????????????????????????Retirement activity centers/Office conference ?????????????????????????????????

Seminar Time????????????????????Not too early????????????????????????????????????????????Most convenient

???????????????????????????????????????????Not too late??????????????????????????????????????????????for speaker not

???????????????????????????????????????????Not during commuter rush hours????????????clients

???????????????????????????????????????????Only one seminar per day???????????????????????7:00 a.m.

???????????????????????????????????????????Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday?????????8:00 p.m.

???????????????????????????????????????????Best schedule:?????????????????????????????????????????Schedule two or

???????????????????????????????????????????9:30 coffee??????????????????????????????????????????????three per day so

???????????????????????????????????????????10:00 seminar?????????????????????????????????????????you can repeat

???????????????????????????????????????????11:15 lunch??????????????????????????????????????????????two or three times

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????for same overall

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????attendance

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Serve just coffee

Seminar Size?????????????????????Attendance varies by strength of?????????????Mail only 25 sure

???????????????????????????????????????????Speaker/client relationship:????????????????????suspects

???????????????????????????????????????????500 to 1,000 invitations??????????????????????????Wait for them to

???????????????????????????????????????????35 to 60 “RSVPs”???????????????????????????????????show an interest

???????????????????????????????????????????25 to 50 attendees

Seminar Preparation: Do's Don'ts

Minus 6 weeks??????????????????Watch Previous/other seminar ??????????????Just dream

??????????????????????????????????????????Select and confirm meeting site????????????about fees

??????????????????????????????????????????Requirements

Minus 4 weeks??????????????????Print enough sets for expected

??????????????????????????????????????????Attendance plus 10

Minus 3 weeks??????????????????Separate by pages –50-page ones,???????????Ask vendor office

???????????????????????????????????????????50 pages twos??????????????????????????????????????????to print

???????????????????????????????????????????Mail invitations first class

Minus 2 weeks?????????????????Verify number of responses??????????????????????Ask vendor office

Minus 1 week???????????????????Call responders to remind/confirm??????????Cancel

??????????????????????????????????????????Call enough non-responders to fill

??????????????????????????????????????????Room. “We are ordering lunches

??????????????????????????????????????????For our client luncheon. Will you be

??????????????????????????????????????????Able to attend, or would you prefer a

??????????????????????????????????????????Private meeting to learn how to …...”

Minus 1 day??????????????????????Meet with site manager and review??????????Never coordinate with

???????????????????????????????????????????Requirements???????????????????????????????????????????site manager

???????????????????????????????????????????“U” shape with dining tables behind

???????????????????????????????????????????tables alone

???????????????????????????????????????????All tables are placed so the speaker can be heard

???????????????????????????????????????????And seen without continual turning

???????????????????????????????????????????Setting at tables organized facing speaker

???????????????????????????????????????????Pencils and paper at each setting

???????????????????????????????????????????Registration table at the entrance

???????????????????????????????????????????No podium-speaker should walk among

???????????????????????????????????????????Clients

???????????????????????????????????????????Small table upfront for speaker

???????????????????????????????????????????Larger table at both sides of the room to hold

???????????????????????????????????????????Sets of pages

???????????????????????????????????????????Easel upfront listing sponsoring partners with

???????????????????????????????????????????sponsor names

???????????????????????????????????????????Meeting notice in the lobby

???????????????????????????????????????????Parking validation procedures

???????????????????????????????????????????All supplies at the site, if shipped

???????????????????????????????????????????Settings at tables comfortably spaced

???????????????????????????????????????????Hot buffet or pre-selected lunch meal?

???????????????????????????????????????????Room clean

???????????????????????????????????????????Heating/air conditioning temperatures moderate

Meet with partners????????????Review what will take place???????????????????????????Assume they know

??????????????????????????????????????????Review sequence of events?????????????????????????????what to do

??????????????????????????????????????????Assign roles to sponsor and observing

??????????????????????????????????????????partners

??????????????????????????????????????????ABOVE ALL, instruct them to mix with clients

??????????????????????????????????????????Not with other partners

Meeting Day

Prior to meeting???????????????Final review with site manager???????????????????????Show up just prior

?????????????????????????????????????????Final review with partners???????????????????????????????to meeting

?????????????????????????????????????????Check off attendees on the registration list???????????Show up with no

?????????????????????????????????????????Name tags with BIG first names only,????????????name tags

?????????????????????????????????????????So speaker can involve the audience

?????????????????????????????????????????Make sure coffee/cold drinks are set up

?????????????????????????????????????????MIX with early arrivals to show friendship

?????????????????????????????????????????And real concern for their financial well being

During meeting????????????????Pass out pages as the speaker reads any pages???????Talk with other

?????????????????????????????????????????One partner per table speeds up meeting and????partners and not

?????????????????????????????????????????Keeps continuity of seminar flowing????????????????clients

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Leave room to

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Make telephone

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Calls

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Eat and talk with

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Other partners not

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Clients

During lunch????????????????????If not enough partners, sponsor should table?????Eat and talk with

?????????????????????????????????????????Hop and mix with each client during lunch????????other agents not

?????????????????????????????????????????Talk about how products/services, give them

?????????????????????????????????????????Choices.????????????????????????????????

Cost??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Get quotes on meals, coffee, drinks, easels, etc.??

?????????????????????????????????????????Underestimate attendance, you will always be

?????????????????????????????????????????Glad to pay more if more show

Speaker Duties?????????????????Involve attendees, use first names

?????????????????????????????????????????Kickoff-THANK YOU to your clients

?????????????????????????????????????????A big buildup of sponsoring agency experience,

?????????????????????????????????????????Expertise and reputation

?????????????????????????????????????????Poll audience-What do clients think of when they

?????????????????????????????????????????Think of Social Security, Medicare, Long Term Care?

?????????????????????????????????????????Start by reading invitation promises

?????????????????????????????????????????Now, the agency will fulfill promises

?????????????????????????????????????????Speak in general terms so everyone understands what is said

?????????????????????????????????????????A free 30-minute interview will cover your actual situation

?????????????????????????????????????????Door prize for completing first page-$50 cash for gourmet

?????????????????????????????????????????Dinner for two works well (whatever you do have ready)

?????????????????????????????????????????Follow seminar as learned

?????????????????????????????????????????Add color stories or personal experiences _” my father”

?????????????????????????????????????????-“My grandmother”-that relate to subjects being discussed

?????????????????????????????????????????Go slow and have them make notes to review with their agent

?????????????????????????????????????????LAST PAGE is reviewed of “Free 30-minute confidential review”

?????????????????????????????????????????Be sure to check items you want further information on

?????????????????????????????????????????Fill out appointment preference

?????????????????????????????????????????Name and telephone number for a door prize

?????????????????????????????????????????Draw winner

?????????????????????????????????????????MIX with clients during lunch

?????????????????????????????????????????See every attendee