We’ve all been to seminars. I think we would all agree that some are incredible, some ok and then those you would rather have watched paint dry.
As salespeople we have a plethora of seminars to choose from. Whether it’s in your office, in your industry or outside sales events you can always find one to attend.
There are seminars that you have to attend, others that you heard were worthwhile and others you seek on your own.
So what makes a great seminar? What makes it worth your while in time and cost? How do you decide which to go to or which to skip? What makes it valuable enough to take time away from seeing clients?
Rick’s 7 Traits of a Great Seminar
1. Speakers
Yes, the most obvious are the speakers. They must bring with them a resume of success, not just one year but many years. They must have ‘gravitas’; dignity, presence and influence. However just because they have all the above does not necessarily make them great speakers, right? So…
2. Interactive
The speakers must be engaging and compelling. Effective speakers are like actors on a Broadway stage. They must be able to grab your attention from the start and hold it throughout. Therefore seminars are really ‘Showminars’. That’s a term I learned from Bob Proctor when he was teaching us (my partners and I) how to give great presentations. Seminars must allow audience participation, otherwise it’s just like college professor lecturing from a podium.
3. Topics
Is there a topic at a particular seminar or event that you haven’t seen before? Is there something of immense value that you cannot find anywhere else? Check out the schedule and agenda and ask questions before enrolling.
4. Access
Now this one is often overlooked and to me is one of the most important criteria I have in my decision making as to attend or not. How many times have we had an opportunity to ask questions or chat with one of the speakers? Rarely, correct? How many times does a speaker come just to have their time on stage then disappear after? It gives you that feeling that they are there just for the money and not for you. Breakout sessions might give you that access.
5. Setting
This is also overlooked. The setting and environment has a lot to do with your ability to stay attentive and gain value. When you walk into an event or seminar are you visually stimulated? Is there an air of excitement? Or is it simply a room with chairs? Are you greeted enthusiastically by the hosts or is it just a basic sign on the event door? Is the location easy to get to, is there a gathering area with snacks and beverages or are you simply herded into a small claustrophobic room?
6. Attendees
Are the attendees your peers, are they like minded individuals or are they not even in your industry? Are you able to network and learn from other attendees?
7. Value
Lastly will you walk away with specific tools that you can implement right away? Or were there so many topics with way too much information that you weren’t able to grasp any? Did you learn something that you feel will stay with you throughout your career, things that can have the potential to change your business? Or will you forget most if not all that was presented days after?
I hope the above has given you some food for thought. And yes, I will admit the timing of this post does have a little to do with our own Seminar, Best of the Best. And yes we have learned what our attendees wanted and included in this years event.
Oh, one more thing; we will be adding the event agenda shortly. So other than that one item I can promise you our event will fulfill all the other requirements for a seminar worth attending. Check it out and I do hope to see you there.