The Importance of Seminars in your Overall Marketing Plan
By: Kane Harrison
Founder & CEO of Vision Care Connect
The most successful marketing tool for generating new clients over the short-term is without question the seminar. That is not to say that seminars are the be-all and end-all when it comes to marketing your practice. When it comes to marketing, there are many things that seminars cannot accomplish, most of which fall under the headings of branding. But if you want new clients in just a few weeks and have limited financial resources, implementation of a seminar should be at the top of your list.
There are a number of reasons for this. The most important of which is the fact that seminars offer the opportunity to connect with potential patients before, during, and after the actual event.
The Vision Care Connect Seminars system has proven to be up to 5 times more effective than traditional seminar advertising models. The information below will give you some insight into the opportunities presented from promoting a seminar, hosting the seminar, and the after-effect of the modern seminar.
Promoting the Seminar
Practices should understand that the benefits of a seminar for the public are not limited to the interaction such events allow. Promotion of the seminar itself has value, even on those occasions when it does not attract a large number of attendees. That is because publicizing the event still generates awareness. The fact that a potential client elects not to attend can be a function of anything from apathy or fear, to simple logistical conflicts. Even in not attending, there will still be viewers, readers, and site visitors who will be exposed to your brand.
That’s just one reason. There are a number of others. Unlike image-oriented marketing, promoting a seminar is time-sensitive. This means that you will probably only have to be “out there” for a relatively short period of time (translation: less financial outlay). Our experience has been that such events can be successfully publicized from 2-3 weeks prior to the actual date. Seminars also lend themselves to a myriad of ways in which to reach the individual who is contemplating using your services. These include advertising, email blasts, social media campaigns, and an announcement on your website. Finally, depending on the content of the seminar, the event may be a good way to publicize your special knowledge or interest in a particular segment of the market.
The Seminar Itself
Seminars provide a combination of benefits that most other marketing tools cannot. They offer the opportunity for a potential client to actually begin a relationship with the surgeon. The “immediacy” of the moment is second only to a one-on-one consult. The information the surgeon provides is invaluable to the individual most often hungry for anything that will help him or her get through the process more painlessly. This includes education on the procedures and reinforcement of surgeon’s expertise. Seminars create a non-threatening environment. (Remember, all of this is ‘old hat’ for you, but usually quite intimidating for the potential client). Finally, seminars offer the surgeon a forum for touting their expertise in particular areas.
Clearly, the single most important variable in determining whether your seminar is successful in attracting new clients will be the actual event. In planning this aside from preparing the actual content, there are three questions one must invariably ask:
What kind of a client do you wish to attract?
There are many practices that seek out any and all kinds of clients. There are others however, that focus on attracting specific segments of the overall population. For example, a surgeon may emphasize serving mostly those with a high net-worth. Or it may have particular success in attracting clients of one gender or another. Whatever the target market may be, the determination of the target audience will have significant impact on the content of the seminar itself.Where should you hold the seminar?
One should have a good understanding as to the types of clients the practice is most likely to attract and to the geographical locations to which such prospects will be most comfortable traveling.When should the seminar be held?
Finally, your choice as to the date and time of the seminar will have some bearing as to who does and does not show up. The middle of the day will probably not be an attractive time for most working professionals. It may be however be exactly that, for non-working mothers of school aged children. Be aware of holidays – not just national holidays that impact everyone, but also those holidays that have special significance to religious or ethnic segments of the population.
After the Seminar
Obviously, the importance of creating a seminar that is informative, captivating and sheds the surgeon/practice in the best light possible cannot be overstated. That being said, the greatest opportunity for maximum success comes in a careful planning of not just the event itself, but of all pre and post-event activities as well. Done right, seminars can often have a very successful outcome.
Opportunities for promoting the practice both before and during the seminar are a plenty. Also, there are opportunities to do likewise after the event. “Keepsakes” in the form of brochures, testimonials, articles, etc. all lend themselves to being maintained by the prospect or passed along to others also seeking your services.
Seminars can be publicized following the event as well. You can have your seminar video recorded and archived on your web site, thereby extending the presentation’s life still further and potentially reaching other prospects who had been unable to attend. Seminars can be a way to build on the practice’s database of prospects.
Obviously, the importance of creating a seminar that is informative, captivating and sheds the surgeon/practice in the best light possible cannot be overstated. That being said, the greatest opportunity for maximum success comes in a careful planning of not just the event itself, but of all pre and post-event activities as well. Done right, seminars can often have a very successful outcome.
For information on our Vision Care Connect Membership and Vision Care Connect Seminars please contact us today.
