Offline Warriors: Creative workshop bonuses to encourage quick seminar signups

[chrisnegro]

Warriors:

Wanted to get a creative list of ideas for those who want to promote the seminar workshop angle to promote your offline marketing services. I'll share some of my ideas but feel free to throw in your own. Here is a couple I just threw together:

For the first 25 business owners who sign up, you will get to choose from one of the following bonuses:

1) One hour of free marketing consulting ($150 Value)
2) How to market on Your Business on Youtube Report ($30 value)
3) 13 Deadly Marketing Mistakes you Don't want to Make in 2009 Report ($30 Value)

You can put these on your post card (direct mailings) or through your PDF Flyers that the Chamber will promote for you.

Thoughts?

Chris Negro

[FlightGuy]

Remember Chris,

KISS.

Keep it simple, stupid. Simple sells. On a postcard (or flyer), you want just enough information to spark curiosity and desire.

I like #1, I'd say scratch 2 and 3.

Also, there have been numerous case studies (both online and offline) that show when you make a decision FOR a person, you are much more likely to see your desired result than if you were to give them a list of choices.

This is why USA has more Organ Donors than a lot of European countries.

Denmark:
[ ] Please check the box to the left if you would like to be an Organ Donor.

USA:
[x] Please uncheck the box to the left if you would not like to be an Organ Donor.



So, I'd say, don't overload them with choices before they have even made a commitment to attend a seminar. Create curiosity and desire, with a tad bit of trust(credibility) so they give you their time. Accomplish this on a postcard/flyer, and bingo.

Best,
John Dennis

[chrisnegro]

Originally Posted by FlightGuy

Remember Chris,

KISS.

Keep it simple, stupid. Simple sells. On a postcard (or flyer), you want just enough information to spark curiosity and desire.

I like #1, I'd say scratch 2 and 3.

Also, there have been numerous case studies (both online and offline) that show when you make a decision FOR a person, you are much more likely to see your desired result than if you were to give them a list of choices.

This is why USA has more Organ Donors than a lot of European countries.

Denmark:
[ ] Please check the box to the left if you would like to be an Organ Donor.

USA:
[x] Please uncheck the box to the left if you would not like to be an Organ Donor.



So, I'd say, don't overload them with choices before they have even made a commitment to attend a seminar. Create curiosity and desire, with a tad bit of trust(credibility) so they give you their time. Accomplish this on a postcard/flyer, and bingo.

Best,
John Dennis

John:

Actually choice has proven (in studies) shows that if a customer perceives their choice was "free chosen" it fosters a high level of identification, long-term loyalty, and an increase in purchase behavior. An example of choice marketing is McDonalds Value Meal......#1, #2, #3 ect...

However...offering this choice in post card direct mail marketing may not be wise...I see you point on this one. Thanks for the tip.

Success to you,

Chris Negro

[LMC]

Chris,

I recently did a workshop/seminar with 100 individuals from a 1,500 post card and flyer mailing/soliciting....

These are the bullets we presented:

- Free Seminar! Expand your business through the power of the Internet
- Special Guest = Client shows how he expanded his business and added another $60,000 to his net revenue within 6 months.
- Free Breakfast -and networking hour
- Just call and give your name to be on the list

No crazy bonuses
No limitations

Just extreme call-to-action, they call, they give their name to a voicemail, and there seat is reserved.

Done.

100 butts in the seats.

[Market1]

LMC,

How did you get your special guest to come to the Workshop?
From a cost perspective what would you say your ROI needs to be in order to make that workshop profitable?
Also how many of those 100 do you think will convert to clients?

Thanks for sharing

[chrisnegro]

Originally Posted by Market1

LMC,

How did you get your special guest to come to the Workshop?
From a cost perspective what would you say your ROI needs to be in order to make that workshop profitable?
Also how many of those 100 do you think will convert to clients?

Thanks for sharing

Would be curious to know this information as well.

Chris Negro

[chrisnegro]

Originally Posted by LMC

Chris,

I recently did a workshop/seminar with 100 individuals from a 1,500 post card and flyer mailing/soliciting....

These are the bullets we presented:

- Free Seminar! Expand your business through the power of the Internet
- Special Guest = Client shows how he expanded his business and added another $60,000 to his net revenue within 6 months.
- Free Breakfast -and networking hour
- Just call and give your name to be on the list

No crazy bonuses
No limitations

Just extreme call-to-action, they call, they give their name to a voicemail, and there seat is reserved.

Done.

100 butts in the seats.

Now that I'm thinking about it.....here are the out of pocket expenses:

$200 for an auditorium for 100 people to host your event
$500 to feed 100 people for breakfast
$650 to send 1500 post cards (which includes printing costs)

So your looking at $1350 out of pocket expense with no guarantees? Doesn't seem to be a good business model unless you have tested your response rate and have a big backend that you know people will want.

Chris Negro

[James Schramko]

How about getting them online instead?

Webinars perhaps?

[MaskedMarketer]

Originally Posted by chrisnegro

So your looking at $1350 out of pocket expense with no guarantees? Doesn't seem to be a good business model unless you have tested your response rate and have a big backend that you know people will want.

Seminar marketing is proven and works.

Not many business models can produce 6 figure pay days when you have the model down to a science.

[LMC]

My special guest came because he was a client of ours and he got a cut.

Chris it cost me $400 for the room, $100 for breakfast, 100 bagels, cream cheese, butter, and orange juice.

We did $50k at our seminar, we definitely covered our costs...

Your ROI could be $1.00 for you to call your seminar a success because it is building your brand, and you have opportunity for more backend sales.

We had a 20% conversion on our 100 attendees...

[MakeCash]

Hey LMC,

Im interested in running a workshop just as you did... you definitely inspired me and my team to just go out and do it.

In regards to your package you sold at the end, i was wondering if you could give some more details on your package you offered.

Like who was your target market for the seminar and how did your $2500 package help them?

The reason i ask is because it doesnt seem like you were exactly targeting business owners, considered you said you were doing marketing at your local staples and officemax.

Just looking for a little clarification.. hopefully our free seminar could be half as successfull as yours was.

Thanks,
MakeCash

Felix Rodriguez

[LMC]

Felix,

Our soliciting at OfficeMax and Staples was done survey style, by first qualifying the individual operated their own business... we did a mailing as well for marketing, built the list from YellowPages industry specific who did not have a website.

The package helped them because they owned their own product or service, generally:

- Real Estate Agents
- Accounts/Lawyers
- Mom and Pop Retail Shops
- Catering Halls
- Deli's
- Golf Courses
- Mini Golf Courses
- Movie Theaters
- etc....

The package was full installation of a marketing funnel, site, blog, mailing list, etc...

[M4UNow]

LMC
In this last post you said you did a mailing however when you broke down your costs you did not include a mailing cost?

So did you mail or just drive to all those businesses and give a flier?
Thanks
Gina

[chrisnegro]

Originally Posted by LMC

Our soliciting at OfficeMax and Staples was done survey style,

How was this done as Staples abides by corporate policies very strickly. How on earth were you able to convince the Staples to let you do a survey and how did you use this information to contact people down the road. Seems like alot of work just to do a mailer.

Chris Negro

[sofia12]

Chris --

Can you explain what you mean Staples' strict corporate policies? As promotion for my upcoming seminar I'm planning to approach Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot about leaving flyers in there store with a coupon code so they get a commission for attendees that register from flyers left in their store.

Is there anything I need to know before approaching them? I'm assuming I'll need to approach each store owner individually but anything else other than that?

[chrisnegro]

Sofia:

Actually...I didn't say that. LMC did (so you may want to ask him)....but Corporate Companies (such as Staples) typically have "policies and procedures" in place that prevent promoting other companies. HOWEVER...don't let this stop you from trying.

Success to you,

Chris Negro

[Tsnyder]

Originally Posted by sofia12

Chris --

Can you explain what you mean Staples' strict corporate policies? As promotion for my upcoming seminar I'm planning to approach Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot about leaving flyers in there store with a coupon code so they get a commission for attendees that register from flyers left in their store.

Is there anything I need to know before approaching them? I'm assuming I'll need to approach each store owner individually but anything else other than that?

I don't think you're going to find any individual store owners with
Staples, Office Max or Office Depot. I believe these are all corporate
chains, not franchises.

Tsnyder

[bestIMtools]

How about free social media consulting?

[chrisnegro]

Originally Posted by bestIMtools

How about free social media consulting?

This could be a nice angle since the EXPLOSION of Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter. Everyone is catching the wave of this and I"m sure many business owners would be interested in this.

Success to you,

Chris Negro