Because the audience might be diverse with mixed expectations, have something for the person trying to get a better job, the nonprofit volunteer, the small business owner, the executive, the retiree and more.
What To Do Before
If there are a ton of beginners in your client base, work with them in advance of the event. Have them in a small room or even do one-on-one consultations to set up accounts and get started. Beginners need a different level of hands-on help and probably should be sitting in front of a computer for this type of training. Consider having this step done first, maybe by an intern, if you have one on staff.
Of course send out the well-designed invite to get folks to register. On top of that, a week before the event, send out a survey asking the attendees what topics they would like covered. It serves as a reminder for better attendance, but more importantly it will allow the speaker to customize the presentation to meet the audience’s needs.
During The Event
Promote a hashtag for the event and encourage your clients to share photos, the advice, interesting facts and more. (Just be careful not to ask for testimonials.) Especially on Twitter, and maybe on Facebook, the hashtag can create an amazing back-channel conversation, if the speaker is great at what he or she does. This type of social media engagement can create awareness for the host organization beyond the room of attendees.
Also, take a lot of pictures (with clients’ permission). he photos will allow for some great sharing during and after the event.
Try to get followers, fans, subscribers, etc. for all the active social network accounts you have. It is great if there is a slide with a call to action from the speaker to promote these sites and a handout so attendees can take this action on their smart phones while in the room, if they have not already done so.
After The Event
Follow up with a survey. Attain feedback on what clients liked and disliked. See if they require follow-up information. Send out a recap of some of the advice in your next enewsletter and practice the advice shared in the presentation. Of course, do what you can to meet with the prospective clients that attend the event.
If done right, the topic of social media will make an awesome event! Likely you will find this marketing tactic has a great return on investment.
Mike Byrnes is a national speaker and owner of Byrnes Consulting, LLC. His firm provides consulting services to help advisors become even more successful. Need help with business planning, marketing strategy, business development, client service and management effectiveness? Read more at ByrnesConsulting.com and follow @ByrnesConsultin.