As the post-pandemic dust settles, in-person gatherings have become more popular than ever, and this includes interest among retail investors in events from financial advisors that offer education and insights in an increasingly uncertain economic environment.

Indeed, there’s an argument to be made that hosting and presenting such events can create incredibly fruitful client prospecting opportunities.

Fear Of Public Speaking—The Tip Of The Iceberg
But many financial advisors aren’t always comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. And small wonder! For most people, public speaking is something to be avoided at all costs. There’s even a name for a fear of public speaking: Glossophobia. With that said, financial advisors who master the art and science of presenting to a room full of prospects and educating them about financial concepts can drive new levels of growth for their businesses.

If you are considering hosting an event for potential clients, you will need to blend marketing, event planning and carefully selected content. To be successful in driving engagement and future sales opportunities, it’s important to keep the event educational in nature. However, there are three common mistakes that can tank any possibility of success, and they all revolve around focusing too much on yourself instead of your audience.

Not Meeting Your Audience Where They Are
The first—and possibly biggest—mistake you can make is selecting a topic that is hyper-focused on what you want to talk about, instead of what your prospects are interested in hearing. Starting to plan your content with your end goal in mind isn’t necessarily the wrong approach, but you need to focus on what significant value you can provide. Pick a topic that will benefit all who hear it, not just those who will become clients.

A universal topic, such as generational wealth, social security or retirement taxes, will always resonate better than talking about a specific pain point or solution. I have seen countless advisors talk about market volatility, annuities or the latest investment opportunity to near-empty rooms. Meanwhile, attendees are cramming into retirement income, college saving and estate planning events.

Estate planning especially resonates well with high-net-eworth individuals and families. And it’s not just wills and trusts they need to learn about. Estate planning is also about life insurance, Roth conversions, tax planning, and in broader strokes, retirement planning. An advisor who can educate on a topic like that can have great success converting prospects to clients.

Not Emphasizing Location
The second common mistake usually happens early in the event planning process, when choosing a location for your seminar. If you focus solely on your preferences and what makes you most comfortable. you're going in with the wrong mentality. Many professionals get wrapped up in the venue's image, thinking that the more upscale the location they pick, the better they will look.

After seeing results from more than 35,000 seminars, I’ve determined that if you want to have a poorly attended prospecting event, host it in the conference room attached to your office, a professional-looking business center or a high-end country club. These venues scream sales pitch, and unless you add in a bribe of food, you will struggle to attract the audience you want. Instead, think of a location that could add credibility to the event by being the embodiment of education, such as a library, community center or small (easy to navigate) local college. These three types of venues have the highest attendance rates of any of the 34 locations I have seen used in the last six years.

Lack Of Sufficient Preparation
The last mistake is pretty basic but often overlooked—poor planning for the presentation itself. Many assume that being an expert on a subject alone will lead to a powerful presentation. The truth is a presentation that is educational and engaging needs to be constructed thoughtfully.

There are pieces you must include and a structure you should follow that can achieve your goal of booking appointments immediately. You must engage with your audience in a way that makes you approachable—not just knowledgeable. You should make them feel empowered, not frightened or uncertain.

People will not act if they are scared. You need them to make the decision to meet with you, and for them to do that, they need to feel confident. Even a lackluster presentation can be saved if the presenter executes a powerful opening, shares an engaging story that relates to the audience and finishes strong with a clear and concise closing.

Successful Client Events
If you can avoid these three typical mistakes, you can be well on your way to hosting a successful event and filling your appointment calendar. Then it’s time for you do what you’re best at—conveying your value proposition and closing the business. Just remember, it all starts with thinking of your desired audience and creating an educational event that caters to their concerns and feelings.

Brad Swineheart is Vice President of Business Development at White Glove a marketing solutions provider for financial advisors that delivers educational workshops and social media