tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49729022058837487962024-03-13T14:41:06.355-07:00Seminar Planning - Event Captain's BlogSharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-44036342808907709162008-06-24T11:17:00.000-07:002008-06-24T13:19:25.670-07:00Seminar Planning - The Themed Event<p class="MsoNormal">I often get requests for suggestions for themed events.<span style=""> </span>These types of events are very popular for seminars and client appreciations because they add a touch of fun.<span style=""> </span>I wouldn’t recommend them for every situation but certainly, if a themed event is done well and professionally, it can show your audience your creativity, personality and attention to detail.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here are some ideas for themes:</p> <ul><li>Baseball (or a sport that is currently in season)</li></ul> <ul><li>Golf</li></ul> <ul><li><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city> or a particular movie (Indiana Jones) </li></ul> <ul><li>Travel or select a particular country</li></ul> <ul><li>Casino</li></ul> <ul><li>Western</li></ul> <ul><li>Island – <st1:state st="on">Hawaii</st1:state> or <st1:place st="on">Caribbean</st1:place></li></ul> <ul><li>Holidays such as July 4<sup>th</sup> – stay clear of religious holidays</li></ul> <ul><li>Rock and Roll of the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal">Themes can be carried out in invitations, food, décor and attire.<span style=""> </span>Check party rental stores, party stores and even toy stores for ideas and props.<span style=""> </span>Keep your event professional and in good taste, no matter what theme you select.</p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-36138012800663997702008-06-16T16:13:00.001-07:002008-06-16T16:15:20.408-07:00Seminar Planning - Marketing with Direct Mail<p class="MsoNormal">Today I received an “invitation” to an asset protection seminar.<span style=""> </span>At first, I didn’t even realize it was an invitation.<span style=""> </span>It has some questions and answers about personal estate planning on one side and names, dates and locations of a seminar on the other.<span style=""> </span>The invitation said nothing about the presenter, who, I assume is a lawyer since the return address is a law firm.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Will I consider attending?<span style=""> </span>No.<span style=""> </span>First, none of the questions posed pertain to me.<span style=""> </span>The sender probably asked for a very general list of names and addresses in my zip code.<span style=""> </span>Second, who is presenting this seminar and why would I believe what they were saying?<span style=""> </span>I’ve never heard of them.<span style=""> </span>Third, the invitation is poorly done, disorganized and unclear.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Having critiqued this invitation, I’ll ask those of you who are using direct mail to get attendees a few questions:</p> <ul><li><o:p></o:p>Are you using your own list or are you purchasing one that has been customized to reach your specific target market?<span style=""> </span></li></ul> <ul><li><o:p></o:p>Have you established yourself as an expert in your field so people will know, like and trust you enough to attend your seminar?<span style=""> </span></li></ul> <ul><li>Have you invested the time and money it takes to create a mailer that reinforces your professional image?<span style=""> </span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>If you said “yes” to all of these, you are on your way to having a successful seminar filled with qualified attendees ready to spend their money on you.</p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-84769271614541495192008-06-10T18:34:00.000-07:002008-06-16T16:15:53.879-07:00Seminar Planning - Finding VenuesSpeakers often ask me for ideas for places to hold their seminars. They want to use something besides hotels and restaurants. There are actually many different types of venues you can rent at a variety of prices. Here are some ideas for you:<br /><br /><ul><li>Ballparks and Stadiums - Parks and stadiums, such as AT&T Park, <a href="http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/giantsenterprises/plan_your_event.html">http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/ballpark/giantsenterprises/plan_your_event.html</a> Dodger Stadium, <a href="http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/stadium_rentals.jsp">http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/stadium_rentals.jsp</a> and Fenway Park <a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/events/index.jsp">http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/events/index.jsp</a>. allow rental of their spaces for events.</li><br /><li>Community Centers - Check with Parks and Recreation departments to find event space. Many have lower rates during the week since weekends are reserved for weddings and other large social events.</li><br /><li>Conference Centers - Some cities have these facilities which were constructed just for meetings and seminars.</li><br /><li>Country Clubs - These are not just for social events, I've seen financial planning seminars, real estate investment seminars and business networking groups have successful events at country clubs. </li><br /><li>Cruise Ships - There are cruise companies that do lunch or dinner events on their ships as they cruise the area. </li><br /><li>Libraries - Larger community libraries often have meeting rooms that can be rented for seminars.</li><br /><li>Mansions and Estates - Older homes often are now open for seminars and events.</li><br /><li>Movie Theaters - The Cineplex in my area advertises their theaters for events. Great if you need auditorium-sized space.</li><br /><li>Museums - Many museums rely on events as a source of revenue and have event coordinators onsite who can help you.</li><br /><li>Universities and colleges - While you investigate renting their space, find out if they need speakers for their programs. Many speakers make a very good living doing presentations to students which are paid for by the schools.</li><br /><li>Wineries - Beautiful settings, not just for for social events.</li></ul><p>There are websites with lists of event sites, here are two to visit <a href="http://www.uniquevenues.com/">http://www.uniquevenues.com/</a>, <a href="http://www.agendaonline.com/venues/">http://www.agendaonline.com/venues/</a>, </p><p>Check with Convention and Visitors Bureaus in the cities you want to hold your events for additional ideas. Also, if your subject matter is appropriate, contact churches and medical centers for event space. </p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-90869386100123619082008-06-06T10:49:00.000-07:002008-06-06T10:51:44.424-07:00Seminar Planning - The Budget<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Have you set a seminar budget yet?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p></o:p>Setting a budget at the start of your seminar planning process will help you make important decisions, including the type of marketing you can do and the venue you can afford.<span style=""> </span>If you have held seminars before, you’ll have a good idea of how much money you can allocate to each area by reviewing your past expenses.<span style=""> </span>If this is your first seminar, you will need to do some research to create a realistic budget.<span style=""> </span>Get estimates for marketing, advertising, the venue and all costs related to the on-site services, audio/visuals, travel, costs involved with having a back-of-room sales area, staffing and follow-up mailings and calls.<span style=""> </span>Take each category, break it down into details and get estimates for each item.<span style=""> </span><span style=""></span><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Don’t try to rush through this step.<span style=""> </span>Having a budget that helps you spend wisely will make it easy for your seminar to be a financial success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-57251662584157854982008-06-04T13:49:00.000-07:002008-06-04T14:20:29.769-07:00Seminar Planning - Trimming the Cost of Food and Beverage<span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >Are you serving a meal at your seminar? If you are, you’ll notice the cost of food and beverage can be quite high. You don’t want to be stingy when it comes to food, doing so will certainly leave a bad impress on your audience. Here are some suggestions on how you can keep costs relatively low:<br /></span><ul style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Use a caterer or a venue with moderately priced menus or one willing to create menus that work within your budget</span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><li><span style="font-size:100%;">If you are having a sit-down meal, don't have too many courses</span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Generally speaking, breakfast is less expensive than lunch or dinner so start your seminar early in the day. If you still need two meals, serve a full breakfast and a light lunch.</span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" ><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Don't serve bottled water</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Most important of all, plan and book your seminar as early as possible. This will give you more time to negotiate lower costs not only for food and beverage but for all of the services you require.</span><br /><br /><br /></span>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-27767709089457542332008-05-27T16:36:00.000-07:002008-05-27T16:44:45.562-07:00Seminar Planning - Your Target Market<p class="MsoNormal">Determine your target audience very early in your seminar planning process.<span style=""> </span>Be very specific as to who you want to attend your event.<span style=""> </span>By this I mean going beyond selecting the age, gender, marital status, financial status and profession that many people do.<span style=""> </span>Go deeper into the minds of your prospective clients.<span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""></span>Ask yourself these questions:</p> <ul><li>What is their pain?</li></ul> <ul><li>What problem are they trying to solve?</li></ul> <ul><li>What information do I have that can help them?</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal">Knowing the answer to these questions will help you plan an effective marketing campaign and design a presentation that will meet the needs of your audience.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-19806729448309837832008-05-22T14:12:00.001-07:002008-05-22T14:22:36.105-07:00Planning A/V for Your SeminarYour A/V requirements can impact your budget and help you determine whether or not a venue is right for your seminar. Your goal is to present a professional presentation at a venue that lets you use the technical tools you require while you stay within your budget.<br /><br />Here are some things to consider when planning your seminar:<br /><ul><li>If you plan to use your laptop to show a presentation on Power Point, do you own a projector and screen? If so, will the venue let you bring them in? Is the equipment appropriate for the size of the venue and audience? For instance, the projector and screen you use for meetings in your office conference room may not be adequate for a presentation to more than 50 people. If you don’t have equipment, will you rent them from the venue or an outside vendor? How much do they charge? Do you know how to set these up the equipment? If not, you may need to hire an A/V engineer.<br /></li><br /><li>Are you planning to use a microphone? Will you need to have a microphone in the audience for a Q&A session? Again, find out if you need to rent these things from the venue or can use an outside vendor. You may also need a sound engineer.<br /></li><br /><li>Will you record or videotape the event? If so, can you bring in your own equipment or must you rent from the venue? Are there union regulations about who you can hire to do the work or can you use your staff? Also, is there enough room to set up recording and camera equipment without creating a safety hazard?<br /></li><br /><li>If your presentation requires access to the Internet; check to make sure it’s available in the room and ask if there is a charge. You can always use screen captures instead of a live link if you can’t get reliable access at a good price. </li></ul>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-90210506203678767422008-05-20T21:05:00.000-07:002008-05-20T21:11:47.593-07:00Seminar Planning - A Checklist for Room Set-up<p>Here is a list of some of the things you want to do to prepare the seminar room for your audience:</p><ul><li>Arrive early to rehearse</li><li>Assign one staff member to be the lead</li><li>Put signage up outside the room to guide people to your seminar</li><li>Know how to reach the on-site contact during your event</li><li>Test your audio/visual equipment</li><li>Make sure you have your notes, laptop, water and whatever else you need at the podium</li><li>Set up an easel, if you plan to use one, and make sure it has an adequate number of markers</li><li>Check the temperature</li><li>Check the lighting</li><li>Check for loud noises coming from other rooms</li><li>Have a staffed registration table at the door for attendees to sign in</li><li>Have seating for people with special sight, mobility or hearing needs</li><li>Check and correct any safety issues – tape down cords with duct tape, make sure aisles are wide enough for easy access, clear all items from aisles</li></ul>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-80340176686282007542008-05-16T11:54:00.000-07:002008-05-16T12:07:09.709-07:00Planning the Seminar Room Set-up - Part 2 Banquet, U-Shaped and Boardroom Style SeatingYesterday, I blogged about different seating arrangements you can use at your seminar. Here are some additional ideas.<br /><br />Banquet Style<br />The banquet set-up is used when a meal is served. It is a series of round or oval tables with room for seating 8 to 10 people per table. The arrangement takes a great deal of room but is an excellent style to use not only for meals but when you want to encourage the audience to network with each other. There is a disadvantage, if you seat people completely around each table, half of the audience will have to turn their chairs to see your presentation. You can arrange it so you only seat people around half of the table but this will mean adding tables and using even more space.<br /><br />U-Shape<br />Long, narrow, usually 6-foot, tables are placed in a U-shape and chairs are put around the outside of the U. I’ve also seen seating on the inside of the U to double the amount available seats but this tends to make people feel cramped. You, as the speaker, would stand at the opening of the U but could also move about the room.<br /><br />This style works for intimate seminars with less than 30 attendees and is best for interactive sessions. You might want to use it for a breakout session of a large seminar.<br /><br />Boardroom<br />A large rectangular table with you at the head, establishing you as the authority. This is for a very small group, not more than 12 to 15 people. You may have problems making eye contact with the people sitting at the end of table.<br /><br />In the next blog and tell you some of the things you need to have when you are setting up your seminar.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-49575853376460651872008-05-15T15:13:00.000-07:002008-05-15T15:22:01.836-07:00Planning the Seminar Room Set-up - Part 1 Theater, Classroom and Chevron Style SeatingIn this and the next few blog posts I'll tell you about the different ways to set-up your seminar room and give you some tips about set-up. When selecting a seating style keep in mind that you want the audience to be able to see you, hear you, and be comfortable during the event.<br /><br />Theater Style Seating<br />Chairs are set up in straight rows facing the stage. There are aisles on either side and a center aisle, just like in a theater. There are no tables in this arrangement so it would not be appropriate if the audience needs to take notes during your presentation or if you are serving food. This arrangement allows the most number of people in a room but make sure the rows have enough room between them to allow leg room.<br /><br />Classroom Style Seating<br />Same as theater style but with long, narrow draped tables – usually 30 inches by 6 feet. Audiences like tables when they have take lot of notes or have handout materials and when they have a drink or a small plate of food. With the addition of tables, there is not as much room as theater seating. Some people do a mix of both, classroom style in the front of the room and theater seating in the back and add chairs when they have more attendees than anticipated.<br /><br />Chevron Style Seating<br />Theater or classroom style seating but instead of straight rows facing the stage, the rows are angled towards the stage. The audience can see the well without straining their necks and you can establish good eye contact with everyone. This style takes more room than theater and classroom.<br /><br />I'll tell you more about seating styles next time.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-69234361685641753172008-05-14T16:35:00.000-07:002008-05-14T16:47:10.064-07:00Setting Your Seminar StageWhat is your presentation style? Knowing how you move and act when you speak will help you determine your stage requirements.<br /><br />If you walk or pace when you speak and want to interact closely with your audience during a question and answer period, you will need a lavaliere microphone, plenty of room on the stage or presentation area to move around. If you have a PowerPoint presentation, you will also need a small table for your computer. Make sure the entire stage area is lit so you will always be seen when you walk and talk. Be aware of the edges of the stage if you are on a raised platform so you do not trip or fall.<br /><br />If you or your audience would be the most comfortable with a traditional business presentation stage setting, you will need a stationary microphone and a podium. Make sure any paperwork and computer equipment you need will fit neatly on the podium, you don’t want to be scrambling for your notes during your presentation.<br /><br />Anytime you plan to show video or PowerPoint slides, make sure you can dim the lights and set up a screen. You might also want to set up an easel to take notes during audience interaction.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-9072156118634128392008-05-13T17:00:00.000-07:002008-05-13T21:10:15.101-07:00Can Everyone See Your Seminar Presentation?There is a hotel in my area that has a large event space. I’ve spoken to them a few times about holding seminars and other events there but my clients and I are hesitant to use the space. The room has a few columns and not everyone would be able to see a speaker or a Power Point presentation without straining or adjusting their chair.<br /><br />When you visit locations during your site selection process, notice if the room is an odd shape and if there might be any obstacles to being able to see clearly from any part of the room. If you think there might be a problem, mention it to the venue and find out what they can do. They may suggest different types of seating arrangements, they may offer to set up a stage or they may suggest you set up a camera and a couple of screens. If you still think there may be problems, go somewhere else. When your audience has to strain to see your presentation, they will be not concentrate on you and your message.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-8741344583739765012008-05-12T15:57:00.000-07:002008-05-12T16:06:49.922-07:00Why No One Came to the Seminar<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">A friend of mine referred me to the president of a professional association who needed help with his seminars.<span style=""> </span>I contacted him and he invited me to meet him at his upcoming “Black Tie” seminar on a Sunday afternoon.<span style=""> </span>As it turned out only three people came; the president, the hired speaker and me.<span style=""> </span>He couldn’t understand why it happened.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Here are some of the mistakes he made that you need to avoid:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ul><li><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">Invitations went out only two weeks prior to the event.</span> Since many he invited were from out-of-state, it did not give them enough time to plan a trip.<span style=""> </span>Get invitations and announcements out early – 4 to 6 weeks perhaps more, depending on the type of event.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <ul><li><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">The speaker was not nationally known</span>, she was someone who appeared frequently on television and in the news but only in the San Francisco Bay Area.<span style=""> </span>People outside the area would not be interested in traveling to hear someone they had never heard of before.<span style=""> </span>He did say he tried to get an internationally known speaker but received a note that he was not available at such late notice, three weeks before the event.<span style=""> </span>If you are counting on a speaker to draw attendees, make sure the speaker is well-known or has a message that is very important to your targeted audience.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <ul><li><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">He assumed people would come so they could bring their families to an event in the San Francisco Bay Area.</span><span style=""> </span><st1:city st="on">San Francisco</st1:city> is a big draw for conferences but this event was about 30 miles outside of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:city> and not near any tourist attractions.<span style=""> </span>If you plan an event in which you think people will bring their families, you must have it in the city which would attract people.<span style=""> </span>Also, you might want to provide information about local attractions and maybe even have events that family members can attend.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <ul><li><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">This professional business event was on a Sunday afternoon</span>.<span style=""> </span>Most people do not want to attend business-related events on the weekend.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <ul><li><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">The seminar was “Black Tie”.</span><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span> </span>I had never heard of someone having a formal dress seminar at 2pm on a Sunday. <span style=""> </span>There wasn’t any purpose to the event being “Black Tie”.<span style=""> </span>Not everyone enjoys dressing up and certainly not on a Sunday afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">You must get to know your target market before you plan your seminar.<span style=""> </span>Do your research; find out what days are good for them, where they like to meet and what topics they want to learn about.<span style=""> </span>If you don’t, you will be wasting both time and money on an event no one will attend.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">To make sure your seminars are a success, get a copy of my free report the "7 Mistakes Seminar Promoters Make . . . And How to Avoid Them" at <a href="http://www.eventplanningmistakes.com/">http://www.eventplanningmistakes.com/</a><br /></p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-34077144080064365622008-05-09T11:32:00.000-07:002008-05-09T11:39:11.011-07:00Plan a Follow-up to Your Seminar<p class="MsoNormal">Last night I was listening to a teleseminar and the speaker talked about how people fail to make money when they don't follow-up with listeners after their calls.<span style=""> </span>He said it perfectly, “Your future and your fortune is in your follow-up.”<span style=""> </span>This is true of live seminars also.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I work with speakers to plan their seminar and their follow-up.<span style=""> </span>But some speakers don’t make follow-up plans.<span style=""> </span>If an attendee has not made an appointment or purchased a product or service, they don’t make any attempt to contact them again.<span style=""> </span>Sometimes they don’t even contact the people who have made a purchase, they just move on to doing the next seminar.<span style=""> </span>They have no follow-up plan in place and no time to create one after doing a seminar.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You must make your follow-up plans while you are planning the seminar itself.<span style=""> </span>The seminar should be part of your bigger picture - to train people on your topic of expertise, get clients and market products and services.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some ways to follow-up:</p> <ul><li>Thank people for coming with a phone call, letter or e-mail.</li></ul> <ul><li>Send a copy of the audio you made of your presentation.<span style=""> </span>This would be good to send to clients who were not able to attend.</li></ul> <ul><li>Send a monthly newsletter or e-zine.</li></ul> <ul><li>Create a “tips” sheet or series of “tips” sheets on your area of expertise and mail them out monthly.</li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal">You want to stay in touch with your attendees so they continue to get to know, like and trust you and remain or become loyal clients.</p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-19491815623157343282008-05-08T22:43:00.000-07:002008-05-08T22:44:32.096-07:00Make Recordings of Your Seminar PresentationsAre you recording your seminars? You should be. Experienced professional speakers have been doing this for years. They used the audio recording to evaluate their performance. Now, they edit the recordings, put them on CDs or make them into MP3s and use them as products to sell or give to clients. At larger seminars, you would need the help of an audio engineer and special equipment. However, if you are doing a small event at a small venue, you may be able to record your presentation with a digital recorder and edit it yourself with audio editing software such as Sony Sound Forge.<br /><br />Video taping your seminars are a great idea too. Use clips on your website or post them on YouTube to help market your products and services.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-5117631485375087852008-05-07T14:42:00.000-07:002008-05-07T14:49:20.137-07:00Planning a Seminar? Be Sure to Centralized Your Registration ProcessMy financial planner’s assistant called to invite me to an exclusive event. I told her I would be happy to attend. A week later I received an invitation in the mail from the financial planner’s corporate office for this same event and a request to RSVP to someone I did not know. I called to ask my planner’ assistant if I needed to also confirm my attendance with this second person, she told me not to worry about it.<br /><br />When I attended the event, there were so many people in attendance it was hard to breathe. We were seated at round tables and it was impossible for everyone to comfortably see the speaker and his presentation because not everyone could turn their chair in the direction of the podium. I had to inhale and push my chair into the dinner table in order to let waitpeople walk behind me. What happened? There was confusion about the number of people actually attending because there were multiple people in multiple offices accepting RSVPs.<br /><br />Don’t let this happen to your seminar. Have one central place where all the information on RSVPs or registrations are kept and put one member of your staff in charge of keeping it up-to-date. If you don’t have available staff, you can invest in a registration system which allows you to set up an account and have people register for your seminar online. Or, if you prefer your attendees speak to a live person, you can use a 24-hour call center that has operators who can register callers, process their credit cards, gather information and answer questions.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-14100297719541753802008-05-06T10:42:00.000-07:002008-05-06T10:51:48.639-07:00Seminar Speaking TipsBecause I work with speakers, I often have people asking me for tips about doing presentations. Here are some things I’ve noticed successful speakers do:<br /><br />They rehearse, rehearse and rehearse<br />They know their material backwards and forwards. They do full-blown on-site dress rehearsals of their presentations prior to the event even if they’ve done the same presentation many times. This includes testing technology they will use – projectors, Internet connections, microphones and video.<br /><br />They arrive early for their presentation <br />Very few speakers can run in at the last minute, get up on stage and speak successfully. Those that appear they can usually have someone taking care of details, such as testing audio/visuals and getting a feeling of the audience, for them. I know because I’ve been that person!<br /><br />They are prepared for anything and everything to happen.<br />They know how to cut their presentations short if they suddenly are given less time. They know how to alter their speech if it appears their audience needs more or less information than they originally had anticipated. They can give their presentation without their slides if, for some reason, technology and all back-up plans fail them.<br /><br />They have an event planner<br />Ok, this is a shameless plug for my seminar planning services but it’s true. Successful speakers know the value of having someone else handle the details of planning a seminar. They want to be able to concentrate on giving a successful presentation and connecting with their audience.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-57364797912208910532008-05-05T14:58:00.000-07:002008-05-05T15:00:53.480-07:00You Are Here, But Where is Your Presentation?<p class="MsoNormal">I attended an event in which the speaker was flown to <st1:place st="on"><st1:state st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place> from the East Coast.<span style=""> </span>He decided to make a mini-vacation out of the trip and flew in early so he could spend time touring the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Napa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Valley</st1:placetype></st1:place> wine country, just 45 minutes.<span style=""> </span>He left his laptop in the back seat of his rental car while he stayed overnight in a hotel.<span style=""> </span>The morning he was scheduled to give his dinner presentation, he discovered his car had been vandalized and the laptop, with his presentation, and his flash drive, with the back-up cop, had been stolen.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">First, never leave a laptop or any other piece of equipment in your car.<span style=""> </span>Don’t even leave a laptop bag that doesn’t have a laptop in it.<span style=""> </span>I had a client do that and the bag and all of the contents were taken even though there wasn’t a computer in it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Second, if your presentation is dependent on PowerPoint slides, or any other information, which is on your computer, make sure you are not the only one with a copy.<span style=""> </span>If you have an assistant helping you, give that person a copy on a flash drive or CD or, if they have a laptop, have them load it on their computer.<span style=""> </span>If you are traveling out of your area to give a presentation, see if there is a local contact who would be willing let you e-mail a copy to them as a back up.<span style=""> </span>Some of my clients still travel with slides they can place on an overhead projector in case modern technology fails them.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The speaker in my example ended up recreating his presentation from scratch on someone else’s laptop.<span style=""> </span>The events of the day had left him little time to do this so his presentation was disorganized and confusing.<span style=""> </span>Unfortunately, he had not planned his travel schedule well and did not have time to stay and answer a lot of questions.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Don’t let this happen to you.<span style=""> </span>Be prepared for things to go wrong so if and when they do, you can rise above the problems and present yourself professionally.</p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-45142534043064845352008-05-02T11:29:00.000-07:002008-05-02T11:35:44.622-07:00Planning Seminars Outside Your Local Area<p class="MsoNormal">Are you experiencing success with the seminars you are holding in your local area and feel ready to expand?<span style=""> </span>Great!<span style=""> </span>Time to sit down and decide which cities you want to conquer next.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">First, look at your database.<span style=""> </span>Do you have a good following, a number of prospects and existing clients, in any one area?<span style=""> </span>If so, survey them to see if they would be interested in attending a live event.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Are there speakers in other cities with whom you can partner and do joint seminars?<span style=""> </span>This way you have access to multiple databases of potential attendees and everyone has the opportunity to pick up new clients.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">What you don’t want to do is just pick a city, let’s say, <st1:city st="on">San Francisco</st1:city>, <st1:city st="on">Atlanta</st1:city>, <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Chicago</st1:city></st1:place>, etc. without first doing a lot of research to make sure you can draw a qualified audience.<span style=""> </span>If you do, you will be wasting a lot of time and money.<span style=""> </span>Also be aware that costs can vary greatly from city-to-city.<span style=""> </span>Check with local Convention and Visitors Bureaus or venues to get ideas about pricing for rooms, food, parking, audio/visual equipment transportation and labor.<span style=""> </span></p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-67788716982636708142008-05-01T12:02:00.000-07:002008-05-01T12:06:25.186-07:00Seminar Goals<span style="">Many people decide to have an event and without setting clear goals.<span style=""> </span>Don’t be like them!<span style=""> </span>Determining the goals for your seminar is a top priority when starting to plan.<span style=""> </span>Your goals will help you select your seminar date, location, content and keep you and your staff focused on success.</span><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Here are some of the questions I ask clients to answer to help them determine their goals:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <ul><li><span style="">What do you want to achieve by having this seminar?</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="">Are you planning to sell a product or service?<span style=""> </span>If so, what?<span style=""> </span>How much are you charging?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="">Are you planning to educate?<span style=""> </span>If so, are you offering CEU (Continuing Education Units)?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="">Have you held this seminar before?<span style=""> </span>What were the results?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="">What would have to happen for you to consider your seminar a success?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="">Do you have enough time to promote, invite, organize, advertise your event and plan your presentations so you will be successful?<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p></o:p>It takes a little time to sit down and write out your goals but your event will have a greater chance for success if you do it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-59113009285266111302008-04-30T21:20:00.000-07:002008-05-01T12:02:02.727-07:00How One Financial Planner Does His Seminars<span style="">I heard about a successful financial planner who specializes in working with retirees and pre-retirees.<span style=""> </span>He used to get mailing lists of retirees in his area and send invitations for everyone to attend a free seminar and dinner.<span style=""> </span>He stopped doing it because they were not paying back well.<span style=""> </span>Instead, he now does lunches and dinners for his clients, whom he calls “members”, has them bring guests and invites prospects who are in his sales funnel.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">The seminars have a guest speaker, an expert in an area of concern for his members, but the atmosphere is social.<span style=""> </span>Each event has a theme such as luau, magic or spy.<span style=""> </span>There are raffle prizes and opportunities for members to share experiences and be recognized for personal achievements, such as recently retiring.<span style=""> </span>Guests and prospect who attend these events want to be part of the membership and are eager to become clients.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-63703058766076147052008-04-29T13:03:00.000-07:002008-04-29T13:09:45.614-07:00Different Presentations for One SeminarA few years ago, I attended a luncheon event put on by the local business journal for corporations and small businesses in the area. I was a friend of one of the corporate sponsors and was invited to also attend a breakfast event just for VIPs. During the breakfast, the keynote speaker gave us a special presentation. He was entertaining and informative, everyone enjoyed listening to him.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the presentation for keynote later that day was the VERY SAME presentation the speaker had given at breakfast. Those of us who had attended the breakfast looked at each other in shock. Did he not know the same people would be in the audience? One woman commented that she couldn’t believe he only had one presentation; she found it very unprofessional and guessed that he really didn’t know his topic very well.<br /><br />Are you giving multiple speeches to the possibly the same audience at your own seminar or have you been hired to speak at different sessions at someone else’s event? Make sure you are prepared with different presentations so people view you as an expert in your field and a valuable speakerSharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-16145219504774348912008-04-28T14:48:00.000-07:002008-05-01T11:38:17.098-07:00Planning a Seminar? - Who is your target market?<p class="MsoNormal">One of the first things I ask people who are planning seminars is; “Who is your target audience?”<span style=""> </span>If they tell me “anybody who is retirement age” or “anybody with skin” or “anyone looking to buy as house”; I tell them they will have a difficult time having success with their event.<span style=""> </span>Why?<span style=""> </span>They don’t have a clear idea of who their ideal attendee/client really is and will have trouble creating the message that will bring the right people to their event.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here are some of the things you might want to know about your target market, no matter what your seminar topic might be:</p> <ul><li>Gender</li><li>Age</li><li>Children/No children<br /></li><li>Income level</li><li>Level of education</li><li>Profession, field of work</li><li>How they spend their free time</li><li>How they spend their money</li><li>The best way to reach them – e-mail, phone calls, mailer, advertising (Internet, newspaper, magazine, radio, television)</li><li>The organizations they belong to </li><li>The magazines they read</li><li>Other types of seminars they attend</li><li>Level of knowledge about your seminar topic<br /></li><ul><li>Little – your seminar will introduce them to this subject </li></ul><ul><li>Moderate – has some knowledge; would attend to have you help them solve problems about the topic</li></ul><ul><li>Expert – they would attend to get latest information and network with other experts</li></ul></ul>To find out more about your target market, survey your current clients and find out all you can about them. What problems of theirs are you solving? Chances are there are other people just like them who also want what you have to offer.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-62085187469779123952008-04-23T18:38:00.000-07:002008-04-23T22:55:17.024-07:00Planning a Seminar - Be Ready for Anything with an Emergency Resource KitWhenever I work on an event, I bring my own box of items I think might be necessary on-site that others might forget. Here are some of the things I include:<br /><ul><li>Aspirin</li><br /><li>Band-aids</li><br /><li>Breath mints</li><br /><li>Cough drops</li><br /><li>Duct tape</li><br /><li>Envelopes</li><br /><li>Extension cord</li><br /><li>Flash drive</li><br /><li>Hand sanitizer</li><br /><li>Highlighters</li><br /><li>Kleenex</li><br /><li>Laundry stain remover</li><br /><li>Memo pad</li><br /><li>Mini-Screwdriver</li><br /><li>Name tags</li><br /><li>Packing tape</li><br /><li>Pens</li><br /><li>Permanent marking pens</li><br /><li>Power strip</li><br /><li>Rubber bands</li><br /><li>Safety pins</li><br /><li>Scissors</li><br /><li>Scotch tape</li><br /><li>Sewing kit</li><br /><li>Shipping labels</li><br /><li>Staples and stapler</li><br /><li>Sticky notes</li><br /><li>Swiss Army Knife</li></ul>In case of any emergencies, you should also bring along a list of contacts for the venue, technical set-up and staff back at the office.Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4972902205883748796.post-26380455146654058482008-04-14T12:24:00.001-07:002008-04-14T12:30:07.055-07:00Seminar Presentation Handouts, Part 2<p class="MsoNormal">I received an e-mail asking what a good handout might be when you are only giving a short presentation.<span style=""> </span>What I have seen a lot of speakers do is hand out a list of tips, a checklist or a glossary of terms relevant to their area of expertise.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Tip Sheet<br />Give the audience a list of ideas that will position you as an expert and stimulate their interest in learning more about what you have to offer.<span style=""> </span>For example, a financial planner might have a tip sheet with the headline, “5 Questions You Must Ask Your Financial Advisor”.<span style=""> </span>A CPA might have a handout, “The 7 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Filing Taxes. . . and How to Avoid Them”. <span style=""></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Checklist<br />Create a checklist for people to use to help them get organized in your area of expertise.<span style=""> </span>For instance - tax preparation checklist, emergency preparedness checklist, checklist of things to do to prepare your home for sale, a party planning checklist, etc.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Glossary<br />A list of terms, and their definitions, that are commonly used in your area of expertise.<span style=""> </span>Someone speaking about using the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Internet</span> in business might have a glossary of terms that include, ‘”social networking”, “blog,” “social bookmarking” and “wiki.”<span style=""> </span>I’<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ve</span> seen some speakers laminate their glossaries,<span style=""> this gives them</span> a much higher perceived value.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Remember to put your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, website, logo and company information on everything you handout so people can contact you in the future.</p>Sharon Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01810037016345823224noreply@blogger.com