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Ken!
Take the Work Out of Holding a Workshop
Copyright © 2006
John Jantsch
Workshops, seminars and speaking engagements of all shapes and sizes
are great ways to share your expertise and build trust with a
prospect audience.
I've sometimes referred to speaking as the world's most efficient
way to sell. Think about it, you get to stand up and talk about
something that matters to an entire group of potential customers for
a very focused amount of time. The speaking tactic is so powerful
that I advise every one of my clients to find a way to get to a
podium often.
Now, at first brush it would seem that the thing to do then would be
to host a series of workshops and just start inviting folks to come
on down and listen. This may indeed be a good approach, but I would
like suggest a few very powerful ways to get in front of prospects
without you doing all the work. (Remember I mentioned the word
efficient before.)
Make the Circuit
There are many groups that need speakers for breakfast, lunch and
dinner meetings. Start reading your local business publication for
workshop and meeting notices and you will find a ready built list of
speaking opportunities. It's best to consider groups that contain
your target market of course, but sometimes if you are just getting
started, practice in front of most any group may have its place.
Be Hosted
One simple way to get in front of a highly targeted group is to
approach other organizations that serve your target market and offer
to provide a workshop on a timely topic of interest to their
clients. A bank, for example, may be very open to topics from other
small business experts. Package your pitch as a way for the host to
add value to their existing client relationships. This approach is a
very powerful way to win clients because you are essentially being
referred by the host.
It goes without saying in one of these arrangements that as well as
providing the marketing and filling the seats, the host provides the
room and sodas too.
Win-Win
Take the approach above and really turn up the juice by going to two
host partners and proposing a group event. This way both partners
get to view the event as a value add for their clients and a way to
meet new prospective clients invited by the other host. This
packaging twist will help you get even attention for your ideas.
A Power Group
Another great way to efficiently sell to a group is to find several
professionals who serve a similar target market and put on a 1/2 day
workshop. Each participant presents some great information and each
participant is responsible for inviting guests. This way you can
create a very compelling event and get a good crowd without too much
effort. (I've seen this approach work so well that it turned into a
lucrative product for the partners involved.)
Teleseminar Series
One of the difficult parts for any workshop is getting people to
leave the office and attend your event. Teleseminars, or seminars
held via a telephone conference line, offer great convenience and
low cost. You can set-up a series of topics and invite local or
national caliber guests to interview on your teleseminar. The cost
for producing one of these is low enough that even if only a handful
of people attend the call it can be well worth it. Another very
powerful benefit of this approach is that you can record the calls
and create permanent marketing content to entice prospects long
after the actual session.
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John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and
author of Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small
Business Marketing Guide published by Thomas Nelson - due out in the
fall of 2006
He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business
marketing system. You can find more information by visiting
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/