Making a presentation at a seminar can help both your clients and prospects understand the financial planning options available to them — as well as the expertise you provide.
“There are so many ways of getting information, it tends to lead people to paralysis,” says Kevin Toney, a marketing coach with Winnipeg-based Primetime Promotions. “The role the financial consultant can play is to be the filter of all the information that’s out there.”
To get your message across and deliver a successful seminar, follow these five recommended tips:
1. Choose the right content
For an interesting seminar, it’s all about finding the right topics.
The seminar topic should be informative, educational and a little entertaining, says Toney. Most important, the information should solve a particular problem that your target market is facing.
“The topic or the subject matter is what draws people in for the most part,” he says, “and it has to be something that’s relevant to what’s going on in [the client’s or prospect’s] life at the moment.”
2. Use layman’s terms
Don’t lose your audience’s attention with a lot of financial services industry jargon.
Advisors often make the mistake of using technical terms, abbreviations and industry jargon during a seminar presentation, says Toney, which can confuse the audience.
Instead, make sure any layman in financial matters can easily understand the presentation, he says.
3. Integrate multimedia
Incorporate photos and videos, says Toney, to keep audience members interested and following along with the presentation.
Some people are visual learners, so it helps if you have a few videos or graphics included in the presentation, he says. Videos also keep the presentation flowing and wake people up a little.
4. Make time for questions
Encourage questions from the audience at any time during the presentation.
Some people argue questions should be held until the end, says Toney. However, if someone just wants to clarify a point, taking 30 seconds out of the presentation won’t hurt.
5. Followup again and again
One of the main objectives of the seminar should be to collect the contact information of all attendees, says Toney, and to followup with everyone shortly afterward.
You should already have names and contact information through the registration process, he notes. Confirm those contacts with a draw or another similar strategy at the event itself.
Next, place all of the information in your contact management system and followup with people within 48 to 72 hours, Toney suggests. The key with following up is to be persistent. You should reach out to a prospect at least seven times before deciding that he or she is not interested.