Marketing an offline seminar?

by SpikeS
6 replies
Hey all,

I've been asked to deliver a one day only seminar and am considering how to market it.

Basically I'm unsure if I should:

a) run some sort of lead gen. Basically drive people to an opt-in page for some sort of report (I'd basically print the squeeze page & have it placed around the city and send them online to opt-in), build a list over the next few months...then, after a few email contacts, send them a sales letter selling the event.

OR

b) simply design a poster outlining the event (as in what will be covered) but utilizing as much DR as possible i.e. headline, testimonials, guarantee etc etc. This would send them online to register their interest - the idea being I can get a gauge as to numbers before hand, then, closer to the time & after a few email contacts, send them a sales letter selling the event and asking for payment.

As it's a one-off, one-day event, I'm unsure which direction to take. I suppose they'll both work.

Any thoughts?
#marketing #offline #seminar
  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Who is asking you to put on the event? Don't they have a list?
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    • Profile picture of the author Sipboy3000
      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      Who is asking you to put on the event? Don't they have a list?
      What Claude said. That's the same thing I was thinking initially.

      Depending on your funnel and what type of event it is, I've seen this work well with FB ads and also LinkedIn ads for b2b.
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      Nothing here to see

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  • Profile picture of the author scottgallagher
    Over the years, the best method that we've used to attract a local audience was through direct calling to a membership list, and position the invitation to 'members only'.

    We typically call the Chamber members, as members ourselves and personally invite, with email follow ups.

    Additionally, for our national clients, we've done well with email marketing, which in theory, should work with a local audience providing you have a relationship with them.
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  • Profile picture of the author davidreese
    Not sure if it is helpful but I had a client get 550 signups for a free one day lecture. His goal is 1000 but he still has three weeks to the event.

    He was using a poster (about 1000). That being said his name is well recognized and he is offering a full workshop with lunch free.

    Your guess as to how many show up is as good as mine. The poster itself is more relying on the name of the person presenting then a direct response style to the poster.
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    David Alger
    Thumbtack Bugle We Get the Word Out

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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by davidreese View Post

      Not sure if it is helpful but I had a client get 550 signups for a free one day lecture. His goal is 1000 but he still has three weeks to the event.

      He was using a poster (about 1000). That being said his name is well recognized and he is offering a full workshop with lunch free.

      Your guess as to how many show up is as good as mine. The poster itself is more relying on the name of the person presenting then a direct response style to the poster.
      Selling by poster? Not a bad idea...but I can guarantee a lot of "I need a meal" people showing up. The bigger the city, the worse this problem.

      Notice how the OP abandoned us?
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      One Call Closing book https://www.amazon.com/One-Call-Clos...=1527788418&sr

      What if they're not stars? What if they are holes poked in the top of a container so we can breath?
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  • Profile picture of the author century90
    Cold Calling and E-mail marketing both are really best, that's work good. I hope you should use those method.
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