So you have a full room of qualified prospects and you are completely confident in your presentation.
What next? The next step is perhaps the most important one. Knowing how to work a room and connect with an audience is something you can learn from the pros. This video shows you some of the proven steps to make your next event a winner!
Many advisors rely on events to prospect for new clients. Whether it’s a dinner seminar, college workshop or lunch & learn, success depends on the presenter’s ability to connect with the audience.
If you choose to use a slide deck, remember to keep it short and simple. A good set of slides should be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more, information, expressed simply.
When it comes to connecting with your audience, it’s important to start out strong. This usually means telling a story. Stories help us pay attention, and also help us to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation, your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. You also need your presentation to act like a story and help create an emotional response from the audience.
It has been said that the first five minutes of your presentation needs to show three things to the audience.
First…that you are like them, and that you have worried about the same things that they worry about now. Second…that you have figured out solutions to these problems and will share your solutions with the audience. Finally… your “why.” Why you do what you do and what you believe in. Be clear about your expectations. For you this is about setting appointments and that only happens when you engage the audience.
If you are using a slide deck also have a white board or pad to periodically write something to make a point. This helps refocus the attention of your audience on you. Be conscious of your body language. Smile, make eye contact and move with purpose. It’s important to look confident in your message. If possible invite one or two existing clients to act as advocates at your event.
There are a number of strategies we can use to help optimize your events. If you feel like your seminars could use a boost, contact your Quantum consultant to learn more about our client acquisition support.
Call us at 800.440.1088.
With 10 years of experience in related roles, Alex brings a range of marketing skills as well as event planning and program management to her position. She manages Quantum’s multiple client acquisition programs and works closely with advisors to find the right program to fit their unique business development strategies.
