Seminars Lead the List of Good Ideas

I confess that am growing somewhat tired of every article and every presentation beginning with “in this challenging economic environment.” I hear it at Chamber of Commerce events, business presentations, read it in articles on marketing during a recession, and in general am feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the dire message. It is reality, and I recognize this is an unprecedented economic situation we currently face, but it would be great to start a discussion on a positive note for a change.

So – with that in mind – I want to recommend that during this “challenging economic climate” you consider hosting some networking and informational programs for your clients, centers of influence and business prospects. While it has traditionally been difficult to consistently draw a good crowd for seminars and roundtables, at this juncture – in this recession, business owners seem especially hungry for relevant information and timely advice that will help them make immediate adjustments to weather the storm. Just one good idea becomes a golden nugget for a closely-held, mid-size business. Topics discussed at your events should be selected to provide sugestions that can help a business owner gain a competitive edge.

When you are deciding how to spend your marketing/practice development resources (dollars and time invested), I have found that having the opportunity to be in front of an audience, adding value and demonstrating real expertise, is about the most effective tool in the proverbial marketer’s tool box. Unlike an ad, which can appear self serving, or even an article, which often has no call-to-action, time spent together in a meaningful way has a significant impact.

If you do not have a series of client-focused seminars on your calendar this year, you might want to consider adding a few targeted programs. Perhaps partnering with another business group, bank or law firm (to help spread out the responsibilities) will make this even more attractive for you and for your audience!