6 Steps For A Successful Workshop
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Transcript of 6 Steps For A Successful Workshop
6 STEPSFOR ASUCCESSFULWORKSHOP
p r e s e n t e d b yL e g a c y F i n a n c i a l P a r t n e r s
legacy-financial-partners.com1.877.614.0141 | [email protected]
INTRODUCTIONWorkshops still work.Workshops and seminars are powerful
marketing activities for advisors. Even in our
digitally driven world, nothing will replace the
value of an experienced advisor presenting
relevant information to a live audience. It
should be no surprise that many advisors and
agents rely heavily on this method to prospect
for new clients. A well-run and informative
seminar simply works.
INTRODUCTIONSome advisors may struggle with
workshops
However, new and old advisors alike miss many
opportunities to maximize their workshops. New
advisors may overlook small details that can derail
their presentations. Experienced advisors may
become too rote in running their seminars, ignoring
possible blindspots that can inhibit the effectiveness
of their event. To help advisors and agents
everywhere, here are six best practices for running a
successful workshop.
STEP 1:
CHOOSEYOURTOPIC
CAREFULLY
Advisors may want to try
workshops/seminars but struggle with
topic selection. This is also a problem
that experienced advisors may face,
after exhausting a set of topics. The
topic you present is the most important
part of your workshop. A good topic will
be relevant and provide opportunities
for elaboration. A good topic will relate
to things that affect your client base,
whether they know it or not. You must
also have some knowledge or expertise
with the topic you choose so that you
can present it with confidence.
HOW TOCHOOSE YOURTOPIC:Find a topic or focus that is relevant
to your consumers.
Address current trends related to
this topic.
Provide research and stats with
your topic presentation. This will
lend your presentation credibility
and support your main arguments
FOREXAMPLE...
...let’s say you want to run a SocialSecurity workshop.
You know that this topic is very relevantto a significant portion of your consumer
base. Prepare a presentation thatoutlines Social Security basics, then
discusses specific maximizationstrategies. Interlace your presentation
with credible stats. Focus on newchanges that may impact consumers.
Social Security is subject to manychanges this year, with the removal of
“file and suspend.”
You may struggle with topic development not
because a topic is bad, but it is too broad.
Social Security and retirement income
planning are both important areas of financial
planning, but they are broad. So if you are
struggling with a topic, think about a specific
focus that you can present. If you are trying
to reach pre-retirees and retirees, you may
want to discuss things that Medicare will and
won’t cover, with the angle that a good
financial plan and an LTC policy may help to
protect an individual’s finances. This has a
good broad topic that will appeal to many of
your target consumers (Medicare), a specific
focus that educates consumers, and imparts
the urgency of proper financial protection
(solutions you can provide).
STEP 2:
INVOLVE ANASSISTANT
During your workshops, your time should be
spent presenting to and engaging with
consumers. Collecting forms, managing the
session, handing out pens, etc. can take away
time you could spend educating consumers
and interrupt the flow of your presentation.
Having an assistant that handles the grunt
work of running the workshop can make your
presentation run smoother. From the time
attendees arrive to the collection of follow-up
forms, your attention needs to be on the
consumers. An assistant that handles much of
the operational aspects of the seminar frees
you to build rapport and make a strong
connection with your audience.
STEP 3:
BEPREPARED
ANDORGANIZED
The more prepared and organized youare, the more time you have to spendeducating your consumers. Anticipateissues, rather than react to them inmoment. This means:
establishing an itinerary for the sessionarriving earlycommunicating with wait staff (if say youare doing a dinner seminar)having extra copies of relevant forms andpenstesting any tech (such as microphones andprojectors)running through the event with yourassistant to make sure you are both on thesame pageallocating a buffer window for issues thatmay occur or Q &A portions that run longcreating take home sheets and evaluations
Your seminar could have many more
components. The important thing is that you
are prepared at every moment--before,
during, and after the presentation. Not only
will this reflect on you as a professional and
ensure a smooth workshop, it will make things
like follow-up and appointment setting easier.
STEP 4: CHOOSEA GOODLOCATION
Where you hold your seminar can have an impact
on how well it runs. Ideally you’ll want to choose a
venue that is supportive and located in a central
area to your target market. You should also
consider issues like road construction that may
make it difficult for your target market to travel. A
high-end or well-suited venue can give your
workshop more credibility, causing consumers to
associate their positive feelings of the location with
your presentation. For dinner seminars, find
higher-end restaurants or event halls that have
brand recognition in your local area. For more of
an educational workshop, a library or community
center may suffice, especially if staff is supportive
of your seminar as community event.
STEP 5:
ADVERTISEYOUR
WORKSHOPTHROUGHMULTIPLE
MARKETINGCHANNELS
Direct mail is the most common way advisorsmarket a workshop or seminar. Certainly directmail is an effective means to get the word out andget responses. However, there are other meansthat can enhance the marketing of your seminar,often at a minimal cost. Don’t discount the powerof a local newspaper ad placement—in manycommunities physical newspapers still reach alarge audience, especially older consumers.
Digital ad placements can also greatly improveregistration responses. Even something like aboosted Facebook post can help you reach youraudience. These marketing pieces, all operating atthe same time, also mean that a large segment ofyour audience sees your workshop ads in multipleplaces, through multiple channels. And of course,don’t forget the power of a simple flier at thevenue to reach consumers.
STEP 6:
FOLLOWUP
Although you are educating your consumer base
with a seminar, the bottom line is that you are
trying to set appointments and capture new
clients. Follow-up is crucial for these things to
happen. This means that you need to have some
form of an information-gathering sheet where a
consumer can provide their concerns and other
valuable information you can use to tailor a pitch
to them. If you don’t already have emails from the
workshop registration process, this is your
opportunity to get them. After the workshop, issue
a thank you message that also summarizes what
you discussed. If you plan on doing a workshop on
a different topic, invite the consumer to the next
one. You can also use the list to build a drip
marketing campaign.
Legacy Financial Partners is an independent and fullservice Life Insurance and Annuity FMO that provides
specific marketing solutions to help their clientssucceed. Using dynamic tactics, an extensive supportnetwork and progressive marketing options, Legacy
Financial Partners provides unique and specificdevelopment strategies to our business partners.