SALES ARTICLES
Sell It With Seminars
By Jeff Slutsky and Marc Slutsky
The advantages of using seminars as a marketing and sales tool, according to Michael Aun, co-author of The Toastmasters International Guide to Successful Speaking are:
- It puts you in front of potential clients.
- Gives you credibility.
- Positions you as an expert.
- It's free.
When Dr. Gary Berebitsky was just starting his pediatrics practice after finishing his residency in Phoenix, he used free seminars to help his practice through its infancy. His hospital sponsored pre-natal care seminars for expectant mothers and he taught those seminars, free. It was a great public service for the hospital and Dr. Berebitsky who both acquired new patients because of the combined effort.
Frank Foster, patent attorney, was asked to speak at the Ohio Speaker's Forum. This is a group of professional speakers who also write and produce original material. One of their biggest concerns is protecting intellectual properties. Mr. Foster's seminar, at this group's meeting, was an excellent way to attract potential clients who may need legal work done in this area.
Target Audience -- Mr. Aun suggests that you first need to identify your ideal target audience. What type of customers or clients do you want to attract?
People Magnet -- Once you've determined the type of target audience you want, identify what they have in common and look for groups that have meetings where these potential prospects attend.
Outline-- Next you need to figure out what you want to say. It's important to give your audience valuable information they can use but not give away the store at the same time. You also must not be a constant commercial. Depending on the amount of time you have, you need to figure out what you want to accomplish in this presentation. What are the main points you wish to make?
Practice -- Find a no-liability group to whom you can practice. This practice group ideally should have no one in the audience that you would normally go after as a client. Use this group to work out the bugs in your presentation, and the butterflies out of your stomach. Don't expect to give a polished presentation immediately. That's okay. That's part of the process. Another good way to improve your presentation skills is to join a local Toastmaster's club.
Handouts -- With every presentation, prepare a leave-behind piece that your prospects can take home with them. It can be a combination of bullet points, fill-in-the-blanks, and illustrations if appropriate. Also, make sure that your name, business, address, and phone appear at the top or bottom of every sheet in your hand-out. Make it easy for people to get in touch with you later.
Street Fighter Action Plan
- Outline a 1-2 hour seminar that educates people about your product or service.
- Develop a audience handout, based on the seminar outline.
- Practice your seminar with several groups of people that typically don't buy from you.
- Join your local Toastmasters club to help learn presentation skills.
- Identify the target group you want to present this seminar.
- Identify organizations that have meetings that reach that target group.
- Contact that group and offer to provide a free seminar.
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