3 Tips for a Successful Client Education Seminar

If you think live events and educational seminars are dead, research the current conference scene. No matter the industry, live events still draw major crowds.

One major reason for continued popularity is technology. Live streaming helps increase awareness and draw more people to the event. You’d think we’d all want to sit in our robes and slippers at home watching online. That would mean fewer real attendees. But the opposite is true. People watching virtually tend to venture out the next time, building attendee momentum.

Plus the virtual crowd helps increase awareness!

Even the elusive Millennial Crowd loves live events. In-person events bring more value, greater connections and better experiences. They’re powerful.

Keep your live event relevant to a digital audience

So, how do you make your client education event relevant to the digital crowd? Start with the audience in mind. Do they want mini-webinars and digital takeaways before or after the event? Offer those if they do.

Does your audience interact online at the event? Create hashtags and shareable content they can share with their audiences. We love to be helpful and share content as social media users. Empower them to do so!

Promote your event

Next you’ll want to plan your promotion. Of course social media plays a part here, but so can traditional marketing, advertising and PR methods.

Consider helping your local representative get in touch with local media. A financial adviser on a local morning show (TV or radio) can go a long way towards positioning them as a thought leader. And thought leaders bring attendees to events.

For social media, consider using tools like Facebook events, Eventbrite and Instagram stories.

And don’t forget email. Inviting current clients through email and encouraging them to forward the invitation on can be powerful. Email hasn’t died. It’s still a powerful tool.

Keep in touch with attendees

You know you need to keep in touch with attendees after the event. Your local financial adviser or other representative knows this, too. It comes down to 3 basics reasons: Setting future appointments, asking for recommendations, attending future client education seminars.

Automation software – CRM and marketing tools – like Salesforce, Constant Contact and MailChimp all help businesses keep in touch with people. But is that enough?

Here’s another way to keep in touch while setting your brand apart: Handwritten thank you notes.

Research published in Psychology Today points out the effectiveness and connection handwritten thank you notes bring. People expressing gratitude underestimated how pleasantly surprised recipients would be to receive a handwritten “thank you.”

Begin the “keeping in touch” process – most likely run with digital tools – with a handwritten thank you note to really start off with powerful momentum. You doesn’t have to pen a long-winded love note. A simple thank you can go a long way. Of course, it takes time, but how much is a powerful network and new clients worth?

Then after the notes, you can put email and social media to work, connecting with attendees to keep them part of your world.

Want more Client Education Seminars training? We have a concise, impactful video course at EPI Marketing Services. In the video series we explore in-person events in the financial services industry and similar service businesses. Start your on-demand training today!

3 cacti photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash