Do you start the year out with a plan of hosting a number of educational seminars and then find that it is difficult to stay on track? Do you wonder how successful they really are? How many proposals are you really getting from these somewhat labor intensive seminars?

Referral sources, whether Financial Advisors or CPAs, appreciate partners that are consistent and reliable, that offer valuable information and service which will increase business opportunity and client retention. I know a TPA sales professional that has been hosting seminars for years, believe it or not he actually charges a fee, somewhere around $25 and always has a full house. His referral sources know that they will learn something at the seminars and that he will follow up with a good post-event one on one meeting. He sells at least 175 plans per year.

The key is to develop a process that is easily replicable and stick to the plan, do not deviate because once you do you lose momentum. This is also especially doable if you have at least one person at your firm that is focused on business development efforts. Take the time to establish your own program, once you do the initial setup work the ongoing process will be much easier to accomplish. After you have a solid plan in place reach out to the various wholesalers in your region for financial support. And finally track all of the activity to more accurately determine the success rate of this type of activity.

Below is a Ten Step Guide, outlining a process that will lead to a successful seminar program that enhances your business development efforts through consistent execution upon which your referral network can rely.

Seminars work whether you start the day with breakfast or host mid-day lunch and learns, the key is to be consistent and reliable. Stick to a schedule that your referral sources not only become accustomed to but expect and look forward to. Deliver a valuable sales tip to help them find new sales opportunities with their existing client base and/or prospects. Offer a “tool or worksheet” that you deliver post event that gets you in front of them again. Follow these steps and you will increase the number of prospects you receive from the seminars you deliver!

So what are the ten things you should strive to accomplish?

1. Be CONSISTENT

• It makes you more efficient

2. COMMIT to delivery

• It makes your firm reliable

3. Develop a SCHEDULE to host a seminar once per month

• A topic list in advance makes for great promotion content

4. Host seminars SAME day, time and place each month

• It’s easy to remember for everyone, most importantly your referral network

5. BRAND your seminars and incorporate into everything

• Develop recognition in your marketplace by coming up with a name and look

6. Design TEMPLATES for invitations, communications, presentations, handout materials

• Simple templates that are plug and play will make for easier execution each time around
• Find templates that are easily customizable, available with office software products

7. Develop PROCESSES and PROCEDURES that are repeatable

• Determine all the steps and who should be involved
• Document in detail so everyone in the firm understands their role
• Incorporate a timeline for all the steps so they occur as planned each month

8. Establish a pre and post event COMMUNICATIONS schedule

• Determine when each step will occur
• When and how invitation is sent, by whom and how often
• Who will make the outbound phone calls to personally invite referral sources
• When and how will the reminder occur prior to the event for registered attendees
• Follow up message to all attendees and all those invited that did not attend
• Follow up call to schedule face to face meeting to deliver post-event prospecting “tool or worksheet”

9. Keep your presentations SHORT and SIMPLE with a clear sales tip for attendee take away

• 10 slides or less and that includes title, Q&A, Contact Us and future seminar info slides
• Use short Bullet Point statements, easy case studies and visually appealing slides

10. FOLLOW UP tool/worksheet for delivery at a face to face meeting

• Always follow up with face to face meeting to deliver a post-event prospecting “tool or worksheet”

LAURA S. MOSKWA CONSULTING
3000 Eagles Nest Auburn, CA 95603 530.823.9007 laura@moskwaconsulting.com