6 STEPSFOR ASUCCESSFULWORKSHOP

p r e s e n t e d b yL e g a c y F i n a n c i a l P a r t n e r s

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INTRODUCTIONWorkshops still work.Workshops and seminars are powerful

marketing activities for advisors. Even in our

digitally driven world, nothing will replace the

value of an experienced advisor presenting

relevant information to a live audience. It

should be no surprise that many advisors and

agents rely heavily on this method to prospect

for new clients. A well-run and informative

seminar simply works.

INTRODUCTIONSome advisors may struggle with

workshops

However, new and old advisors alike miss many

opportunities to maximize their workshops. New

advisors may overlook small details that can derail

their presentations. Experienced advisors may

become too rote in running their seminars, ignoring

possible blindspots that can inhibit the effectiveness

of their event. To help advisors and agents

everywhere, here are six best practices for running a

successful workshop.

STEP 1:

CHOOSEYOURTOPIC

CAREFULLY

Advisors may want to try

workshops/seminars but struggle with

topic selection. This is also a problem

that experienced advisors may face,

after exhausting a set of topics. The

topic you present is the most important

part of your workshop. A good topic will

be relevant and provide opportunities

for elaboration. A good topic will relate

to things that affect your client base,

whether they know it or not. You must

also have some knowledge or expertise

with the topic you choose so that you

can present it with confidence.

HOW TOCHOOSE YOURTOPIC:Find a topic or focus that is relevant

to your consumers.

Address current trends related to

this topic.

Provide research and stats with

your topic presentation. This will

lend your presentation credibility

and support your main arguments

FOREXAMPLE...

...let’s say you want to run a SocialSecurity workshop.

You know that this topic is very relevantto a significant portion of your consumer

base. Prepare a presentation thatoutlines Social Security basics, then

discusses specific maximizationstrategies. Interlace your presentation

with credible stats. Focus on newchanges that may impact consumers.

Social Security is subject to manychanges this year, with the removal of

“file and suspend.”

You may struggle with topic development not

because a topic is bad, but it is too broad.

Social Security and retirement income

planning are both important areas of financial

planning, but they are broad. So if you are

struggling with a topic, think about a specific

focus that you can present. If you are trying

to reach pre-retirees and retirees, you may

want to discuss things that Medicare will and

won’t cover, with the angle that a good

financial plan and an LTC policy may help to

protect an individual’s finances. This has a

good broad topic that will appeal to many of

your target consumers (Medicare), a specific

focus that educates consumers, and imparts

the urgency of proper financial protection

(solutions you can provide).

STEP 2:

INVOLVE ANASSISTANT

During your workshops, your time should be

spent presenting to and engaging with

consumers. Collecting forms, managing the

session, handing out pens, etc. can take away

time you could spend educating consumers

and interrupt the flow of your presentation.

Having an assistant that handles the grunt

work of running the workshop can make your

presentation run smoother. From the time

attendees arrive to the collection of follow-up

forms, your attention needs to be on the

consumers. An assistant that handles much of

the operational aspects of the seminar frees

you to build rapport and make a strong

connection with your audience.

STEP 3:

BEPREPARED

ANDORGANIZED

The more prepared and organized youare, the more time you have to spendeducating your consumers. Anticipateissues, rather than react to them inmoment. This means:

establishing an itinerary for the sessionarriving earlycommunicating with wait staff (if say youare doing a dinner seminar)having extra copies of relevant forms andpenstesting any tech (such as microphones andprojectors)running through the event with yourassistant to make sure you are both on thesame pageallocating a buffer window for issues thatmay occur or Q &A portions that run longcreating take home sheets and evaluations

Your seminar could have many more

components. The important thing is that you

are prepared at every moment--before,

during, and after the presentation. Not only

will this reflect on you as a professional and

ensure a smooth workshop, it will make things

like follow-up and appointment setting easier.

STEP 4: CHOOSEA GOODLOCATION

Where you hold your seminar can have an impact

on how well it runs. Ideally you’ll want to choose a

venue that is supportive and located in a central

area to your target market. You should also

consider issues like road construction that may

make it difficult for your target market to travel. A

high-end or well-suited venue can give your

workshop more credibility, causing consumers to

associate their positive feelings of the location with

your presentation. For dinner seminars, find

higher-end restaurants or event halls that have

brand recognition in your local area. For more of

an educational workshop, a library or community

center may suffice, especially if staff is supportive

of your seminar as community event.

STEP 5:

ADVERTISEYOUR

WORKSHOPTHROUGHMULTIPLE

MARKETINGCHANNELS

Direct mail is the most common way advisorsmarket a workshop or seminar. Certainly directmail is an effective means to get the word out andget responses. However, there are other meansthat can enhance the marketing of your seminar,often at a minimal cost. Don’t discount the powerof a local newspaper ad placement—in manycommunities physical newspapers still reach alarge audience, especially older consumers.

Digital ad placements can also greatly improveregistration responses. Even something like aboosted Facebook post can help you reach youraudience. These marketing pieces, all operating atthe same time, also mean that a large segment ofyour audience sees your workshop ads in multipleplaces, through multiple channels. And of course,don’t forget the power of a simple flier at thevenue to reach consumers.

STEP 6:

FOLLOWUP

Although you are educating your consumer base

with a seminar, the bottom line is that you are

trying to set appointments and capture new

clients. Follow-up is crucial for these things to

happen. This means that you need to have some

form of an information-gathering sheet where a

consumer can provide their concerns and other

valuable information you can use to tailor a pitch

to them. If you don’t already have emails from the

workshop registration process, this is your

opportunity to get them. After the workshop, issue

a thank you message that also summarizes what

you discussed. If you plan on doing a workshop on

a different topic, invite the consumer to the next

one. You can also use the list to build a drip

marketing campaign.

Legacy Financial Partners is an independent and fullservice Life Insurance and Annuity FMO that provides

specific marketing solutions to help their clientssucceed. Using dynamic tactics, an extensive supportnetwork and progressive marketing options, Legacy

Financial Partners provides unique and specificdevelopment strategies to our business partners.