Marketing Tips
Reaching Seminar Attendees Who Don't Immediately Buy
See if this scenario rings a bell: You spend a great deal of time, money, and effort drawing prospects to a seminar or workshop only to have many seem interested but fail to set an appointment. Then what? Stand at the door waving, looking longingly, saying, “Thanks for...coming?” Then just cross your fingers and move on to your next event?
In many areas of the country, seminars are still a great way to get in front of groups of qualified prospects, but the truth remains, they can be fairly expensive. So why let any of that effort and expense go to waste just because a prospect didn’t immediately respond? Consider the ways in which you consume. Do you make important decisions impulsively without really doing your homework? When it comes to larger purchases such as a new car or a new home, do you instantly grant trust to some salesman or realtor, or are you slightly more methodical in your buying habits?
We’ve come to call those who don’t immediately buy from our seminars “plate lickers,” when in fact, they may be far more serious “tire kickers” who are very close to purchasing – they just need to know a little more about you. In fact, according to the Boomer Project – the industry’s leading authority on Boomer consumptive habits – today’s clients are much more skeptical than their parents’ generation, having watched politicians, supposed authorities, and other leaders falter right before their eyes for years. Boomers are looking for repeated messages from you that are packed with information because these messages demonstrate your credibility as a reputable source of counsel.
Here are some practical steps to implementing just such a ‘drip marketing system’ following your seminar or educational event:
- Gather attendees’ e-mail addresses at the event.
- Input these addresses into a Client Relationship Management (CRM) software tool. (If you don’t have already CRM in place, contact PBS – we have a number of solutions we can recommend.) Your CRM will not only help you organize and calendar your messages, but in many cases, they will allow you to track responses as well.
- Select the methods you’d like to use to contact event attendees. You might use e-newsletters, postcards, brochures on your services, or a number of other options, and PBS can assist you with whichever media you choose.
- In general keep your messages or ‘touches’ valuable but fairly short and sweet. You want to inform but remember, your primary goal is to pique interest so that prospects will contact you for additional information.
Just keep in mind – the fact that someone leaves your seminar without setting an appointment does not mean that they’re not ready to buy. They may literally be heading home to hop online and research you further or explore the types of products you offer, and your repeated ‘touches’ may be the exact reason they ultimately choose to do business with you vs. some other professional in your market.
For help establishing a true drip marketing plan, contact your Business Development Director today at (888) 807-9793!
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