How to Organize a Seminar

Seminar Logistics

When you organize a seminar, these are the issues to attack in order of priority. Make a seminar organization timeline working back from your seminar date so that everything is done on time.

What do you want to happen—e.g. do you want to get 15 appointments from those that attend? If so, assume that you will get appointments with 1/2 of the attendees so you will need 30 buying units in attendance to get 15 appointments. Assume a 1% response to your invitation (if to the public) so you will need to send 3,000 invitations if using direct mail. When you organize a seminar, the economic results are your first priority.

At the end of the seminar, what incentive will you give people to meet with you? Also, what will you say to remove their hesitancy (i.e. fear of being sold)? Seminar organization most be designed around how you convert the attendees to appointments (and ultimately clients).

Who do you want to attend? This dictates the list that you rent when you organize a seminar.

What will the seminar invitation say when you organize a seminar? How will you write the compelling copy? Will you do it yourself or hire a copywriter? If printed, what is the size, format, type of paper and color? (Note that the copy on the invitation is 5x as important as the graphics).

Will you use direct mail invitations, newspaper inserts, newspaper advertisements or telemarketers? How far in advance of the seminar will you extend the invitation to optimize the response when you organize your seminar?

What day and time will you have the seminar and at what location?

What will you do to entertain the seminar attendees during the presentation so that they have a good time? This is overlooked when most seminars are organized because seminar presenters mistakenly think that they are there to convey information and thereby gain credibility and have attendees think they are knowledgeable. However, attendees will more readily set appointments with people they like than people who are knowledgeable.

What information will you present at the seminar? Will you talk extemporaneously or will you use any audio/visual aids such as PowerPoint, overheads or a flip chart? Although the actual content is the least important item when you organize a seminar, many seminar organizers put it first. But the content is least important, because if you don't fill the room with the right people and have an air-tight mechanism to close appointments, then it doesn't matter what you present to an empty room or to a crowd that does not set appointments.

Find answers to the questions raised on how to best organize your seminar at the linked pages below.

Seminar Video Tutorial

Seminar Logistics- Location

Seminar Logistics-Time and Day

Seminar Logistics-Meals