HOLD A SEMINAR

Generating new sales leads is an activity that never stops.

Once a month, or so, you can generate a BATCH of leads with a seminar. Here's how:

1. Hold the seminar for a group of people who you believe should advertise with you and call the seminar: "WINNING NEW CUSTOMERS - HOW TO GUARANTEE SUCCESS".

With a seminar, you can speak to 20 to 200 potential advertisers at a time, and you can demonstrate that you are an 'expert', not just at selling space or airtime, but at winning new customers.

2. Invite SOME OTHER SPEAKERS to share your seminar with you. Someone from an advertising agency, someone from a Public Relations company, an advertising copywriter and someone from the editorial side of your publication or station.

Give each speaker 20 minutes, and hold a panel discussion of about 20 minutes at the end.

If you are nervous about speaking in public -- YOU don't have to. Just host the seminar and let others do the talking. You control who attends and who speaks.

3. Afterwards, send out a PRESS RELEASE about your seminar. At the very least, your own publication or station should run the story.  In the press release say that there is a transcript of the seminar, and you will send a copy of it to anyone who requests one.

Anyone who DOES request one has some interest in advertising -- obviously -- AND becomes a lead.

4. Of course, you capture the names of everyone who attends .... then contact them every week until they advertise with you, or die -- whichever comes sooner.

5. GET A SPONSOR. Your most important objective is to fill the room. Offer the sponsor an advertising bargain and some editorial space or air time. They then pay the expenses of the seminar, and also COMMIT TO BRINGING A NUMBER OF CLIENTS TO THE SHOW.

Each of your speakers must also commit to bringing a number of attendees as the price they pay for speaking.

The easiest way to get a sponsor is to find a company or organization that would benefit from developing a relationship with the audience you seek.

You showcase the sponsor on all promotional materials and throughout the event. This creates a win/win situation.

6. Write your own introduction. Your introduction is an important opportunity to POSITION YOURSELF AS AN EXPERT on effective advertising. An introduction sets the tone of the seminar and the mood of the audience, so you should write your own.

Give a copy to the person who will introduce you (either as a speaker or the host) and insist that they read it word for word.

7. SUMMARIZE. As with a good sales presentation, it's good to close a seminar by summarizing. Simply use the panel discussion to cover the main points of the talks -- inviting questions on each subject covered.

8. CLOSE THE SALE!! What good is putting on a great seminar if you don't get some business out of it?

Ask the audience to take out a business card and write "YES" on the back if they would like to receive more information from you about winning more business. These are your hot prospects. They're interested! Call ALL the others anyway, once you have served your hot prospects.

9. TRY TO MAKE IT A SPECIAL EVENT. If you want your seminar to stand out from other seminars, make yours a special event. Get your sponsor to provide a breakfast or a lunch and have the speakers' companies set up trade booths, door prizes, giveaways and entertainment.