More on Selling Seminar Seats

One of the perennial questions people ask when they're thinking of putting on seminar or workshop events is, 'How can I get people to attend my event?' How, in other words, do you sell seats?

Look at that question another way and some answers might become clear.

Try to remember all the events you've been to, especially any in the same niche (or similar) and ask yourself how you came to hear about them. Think about events you would have liked to attend as well, and ask yourself the same question.

The events you went to were promoted better than those you thought about but resisted, all other things being equal, but they should all give you ideas.

Was it direct mail that persuaded you, or word of mouth, or an email newsletter, or a 'tell a friend' email? Was it a speaker at a previous event, perhaps? Did you spot a small ad and go to a website? Did someone phone you about it?

Whatever method the promoters of those events used clearly worked on you. If the events were a success, those methods must have worked on other people, too.

Apart from direct mail, you need very little cash investment to use some or all of those methods. You can probably think of a few others, too. How about doing an 'ad swap' with someone in the right niche (you promote their product and they promote your event)? Can you ask your local Chamber of Commerce to email their database? You can if you're a member.

Use all your online networking contacts to spread the word, including Ecademy, Facebook, etc, forums and blogs. Be careful to present the most professional image you can whenever you talk or write about your upcoming event. Self-deprecating remarks can undo a lot of self-promotion; no one has to know you're nervous.

Basically, whatever you've seen work for someone else, copy it. Don't be too proud to use something that seems a bit 'tacky' or obvious. Obvious usually works!

Remember, customers (especially seminar customers) are buying into you. When you're more enthusiastic about your company and its products, whatever they are, your customers will be, too.

Roy

PS. Remember the One Dollar Trial of Niche Seminar Secrets is still ON!

Answering Another Question From The Survey

One of my survey respondents wonders how they can rely less on Powerpoint.

('Powerpoint' is the Microsoft program that enables you to create and display slides for your audience. I'm sure there are other programs, but we tend to use the term 'Powerpoint' for all of them).

I think we've all been victims of 'death by Powerpoint' and I can understand how you want to avoid inflicting that fate on your audience!

But we've all been to lectures and presentations where the slides have added a lot of useful, even essential information. I think there are a few rules we can try to keep to, but I am aware that circumstances will vary a great deal.

Anway, assuming you'll be using some slides, here goes:

1 Only use slides that actually add something to your spoken words. Don't just use the slides as the text of your presentation.

2 Keep your slides brief and pithy - in other words, they must be quickly understandable and make a memorable point.

3 You can use slides to highlight any quotes, key phrases, website addresses or other points you want your audience to write down. Then you can move on while the slower writers make their notes.

4 Use a consistent design for your slides, including the colour scheme, a simple font, etc, and don't try to be clever. You need your audience to be able to take in the content of each slide at a glance and then return their attention to you.

5 On which point, don't try to use your slides to divert attention from you! If you're going to put on a slide show you shouldn't be on the stage at all.

6 When you want the audience's attention (ie, most of the time) make sure any slide that's showing isn't a distraction. A blank screen looks accidental, but a simple logo or company name looks far more professional, especially if you're recording the event on video.

7 Be the most engaging, entertaining and dynamic speaker you can be, with your content pitched at a level your audience can grasp (but not necessarily remember in detail) and you'll hardly need any slides at all. Naturally, some subjects will be more complex, but they'll mostly atract a more intelligent audience anyway. If you feel your subject is bound to be above the level of many in the audience, be sure to pepper your presentation with enough 'amazing' facts to keep them entertained as well.

8 Why not practise in front of an honest critic, without slides, and see what he or she thinks of it. At any points where they feel 'lost' or need some information you can't convey clearly in your spoken presentation, consider using a slide. You might be amazed by how few you need.

If you have any thoughts on this or any other subject I'd be delighted to get your feedback, via the comments below or by email.

Roy

PS. The One Dollar Trial goes on! Try Niche Seminar Secrets for a whole 30 days, for just one dollar, then get a $20 reduction on the full price too!

Answering a Question You Didn't Ask

How do I overcome 'pitchfest phobia'?

Note: these articles are supplementary to Niche Seminar Secrets, available for a 30-day trial for just one dollar, HERE.

I'm sure we've all been to events where at least one of the speakers did little more than pitch their product or service, where the information you got was all about them and their company.

Equally, I know some excellent 'teachers' who tell you loads of what you need to know and don't manage to sell a thing. That's great for you when you're a delegate but not so good when you have your seminar promoter's hat on.

Most experienced speakers will get it about right, of course. Natural selection will see to that. Meaning, you don't get to gain experience if you don't get the gigs because you don't sell anything...

I usually suggest about 80-85% good, unbiased content to about 15% or so spent promoting yourself and your product. Delegates mostly see that as acceptable. So about ten minutes out of every hour can be 'pitch'.

You might still get some resistance, of course. What you don't want is people spreading the word that your event was just a 'pitch fest', especially when it wasn't. So here's a way to get your delegates to look at it (and the sharper ones will see it this way, anyway)...

...it's all part of the education process.

Learning how to pitch is as important as anything else in business, and seeing someone do it right is an education in itself. Actually, seeing people get it badly wrong is even more instructive, but you can't afford too many lessons like that at your event!

When we were learning the seminar business (not that we'll ever stop learning), seeing how smoothly or otherwise each speaker segued into his or her pitch was fascinating. Seeing inexperienced speakers struggle a little and then make rapid progress was actually quite a thrill, while hearing a few of the delegates' grumbles taught us a thing or two.

And we were keen to learn.

So you can make a virtue out of the speakers' desire to sell by including at least one session, perhaps near the end of your event, where you explain what the presenters were doing and why.

As I said, it's all part of the education process for your delegates and it might help them appreciate just how much thought, effort and experience goes into the average presentation.

Most of us are used to being sold to by now. As marketers, we probably keep swipe files and acquire countless books and ebooks about 'how to sell'.

Your event could be the example 'par excellence'!

Roy

PS. Many people take copious notes during an event but most of them stop writing once the speaker goes into his or her pitch. Imagine the boost to your DVD sales when people realise the lesson you just gave them, and that they won't find in their notes.

PPS. The One Dollar Trial is still available, directly from this blog, here.

Another Question From The Seminar Secrets Survey

One of my members asks, 'How can I sell more effectively from the back of the room?'

Firstly, in case you don't know what we mean by 'back of the room' sales, we're talking about the products on sale at a seminar event, usually at a special 'today only' price. They're almost always literally at the back of the room.

Healthy sales depend on a few factors, among which are:

1. The speakers having a suitable product to promote on the day that's relevant to the audience (or the audience being sufficiently targeted to be likely to want that product) .

2. The ability of the speakers to offer an excellent 'today only' deal.

3. How convincing the speakers are, both in the information they give and their ability to sell.

4. The audience being in a positive, upbeat mood generally.

5. The audience members trusting you and your payment process.

6. Enough of the audience having the money to spend or being offered terms they can afford.

7. Having a convenient and well-organised buying process, so everyone who wants to buy can do so quickly.

8. Offering brilliant, no quibble guarantees.

9. The speakers being available to talk with undecided buyers and explain their offer, maybe offer special terms, etc.

10. Offering good value in the presentations, suggesting (rightly) that there's a lot more to tell, if only we had the time, and offering the products (information products, courses, coaching, etc) as a solution to getting that information, help, encouragement, etc, across.

Briefly, get the best speakers you can (or do the best presentation you can), with the best and most relevant products. Give your delegates a great event by entertaining, educating and encouraging them to take action - starting with this investment in themselves.

You'll notice, especially when you've been to a few events yourself, how often the speakers will congratulate you on taking action (by being there), choosing to be among the four or five percent who've opted to succeed, and so on. The implication is that to stay among those top few percent you need to keep taking action by investing in your education, by equiping yourself and your business for the future and by 'teaming up' with them and their evident success.

And all that needs to be true. Then you can have what Niche Seminar Secrets promises you: real wealth with a totally clear conscience.

Roy

PS. You can still take the one-dollar trial of Niche Seminar Secrets, when you click here.

Two Ways to Improve Your Speaking Confidence

Here's another question I received from you in the Niche Seminar Secrets Survey:

'How do I overcome nerves/become more confident as a speaker?'

As with the very old joke I quote in Niche Seminar Secrets, to get to Carnegie Hall, 'You Gotta Practise.'

Dale Carnegie would agree (I know the hall was financed by Andrew Carnegie but the coincidence adds a nice symmetry).

Essentially, practice is the thing. First, write your presentation to sound as relaxed and natural as you can manage, then practise speaking it out loud (not just in your head), amending and adjusting it each time so that it becomes more and more like your natural 'voice'. A natural presentation is much more pleasant for the listeners, since an uncomfortable speaker makes them feel anxious, too.

By the time you've got a really natural-sounding presentation you will probably have learned it well enough to do without the script. If not, practise some more! When the time comes to make your presentation, you should need no more than your opening lines, plus some key words to prompt you and help to keep you to a logical sequence, plus your closing remarks. Put these on cards and staple them together.

If you've signed up to my niche-seminar list you should have had your copy of Dale Carnegie's 'The Art of Public Speaking', which still makes great sense today. Sign up now if you haven't done so and I'll send you the download link, free of charge.

I know some people prefer to learn in other ways than by reading, though, which is why I've previously recommended 'Step Up and Speak', an 11-part audio and video course (plus extras) that I'm confident you'll find useful. It's modestly priced and can transform your confidence and performance as a public speaker.

Remember, the more convincingly you speak, the more your public speaking will boost your business.

There are also some simple ways to combat nerves, which I've described in some detail in Niche Seminar Secrets, including taking moderate exercise and a great technique called Thought Field Therapy that I can personally recommend - TFT helped me overcome crippling nerves and I demonstrate some simple methods in an appendix to the manual.

Few things eradicate nerves as well as knowing you're well-prepared, though, so I'd recommend you use Dale Carnegie's book and / or 'Step Up and Speak' to help you prepare, then practise, practise, practise.

Enjoy the experience and you won't need me to wish you 'Good Luck'!

Roy

PS. The One Dollar Trial of Niche Seminar Secrets continues, here: http://seminar-secrets.blogspot.com/2008/12/one-dollar-trial-with-difference.html

Seminar Secrets Survey

Another question that came up in the survey was 'How do I find a suitable venue?'

Specifically, the questioner wanted to know about finding a venue for workshops, and I take it that means a smaller event, and probably held locally.

In the UK, and probably elsewhere, probably the best place to start researching venues is your local Tourist Information Office or its equivalent. Most hotels of any size will have meeting rooms for hire, and you can visit village halls, churches, and other likely venues but your Tourist Information Office will have information about most of them, including their charges.

Our local office, in Suffolk, has a very handy leaflet, free to anyone who wants it, with a list of venues for hire. There are some ommissions, though, including local schools who we know are always eager for new fund-raising opportunities.

Also, we know of at least one local company that offers preferential rates to people they know through our networking group, so it's worth spending time building a list of local contacts and just asking around.

Finally, some charities, including hospices and the like, have buildings they need to make maximum use of. One in our town has an impressive new building they sometimes struggle to fill. Again, ask around.

But if time is short, I'd still say start with your Tourist Information Office.

Some of these venues will have all the facilities you need, including Internet connections and catering facilities, while others may not. Hotels, of course, will probably offer catering, but ask about prices and try to compare like with like when you're gathering quotes.

I hope that's helped.

Roy