{"id":1,"date":"2009-04-23T15:49:31","date_gmt":"2009-04-23T20:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.referralmastery.com\/blog\/\/blog\/?p=1"},"modified":"2009-04-27T13:08:03","modified_gmt":"2009-04-27T18:08:03","slug":"hello-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.referralmastery.com\/blog\/hello-world\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Avoid Expensive Mistakes When Hosting Events"},"content":{"rendered":"

Due to the dramatic falloff in results from traditional financial seminars, advisors are now hosting events to generate prospects.\u00a0\u00a0 The good news is that many advisors are generating good will with clients. The bad news is that many of these events are huge failures in initiating relationships with quality prospects.\u00a0\u00a0 The exciting news is that by avoiding the key mistakes listed below, advisors can turn events into hugely successful prospecting vehicles.<\/p>\n

Here are the top 6 mistakes advisors make when hosting events<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Failure to clarify a primary objective for the event.\u00a0 Too many advisors promote a “client appreciation event”, when their real desire is to generate prospects.\u00a0 Showing clients your appreciation is a very DIFFERENT objective than generating prospects and these objectives require DIFFERENT types of events and invitation strategies.\u00a0 What you say to clients, how directive you are in the invitation process, and how you follow-up are very different.<\/li>\n
  2. Failure to link the event to your primary marketing objectives.\u00a0 Many advisors spend a lot of money hosting big events when a smaller and less expensive event aimed at their target market can do much more to build awareness and secure appointments with target prospects.\u00a0 An exclusive briefing for key managers of a company may do much more for you than an expensive dinner gathering for a larger group.<\/li>\n
  3. Failure to direct the invitation process so you get who you want to attend.\u00a0 This is the single most important factor in driving your results, yet most advisors leave this entirely to chance.\u00a0 They “hope” that clients will bring along quality prospects and as a result the advisor is frequently disappointed.<\/li>\n
  4. Conducting events that are too large.\u00a0 If the objective is to initiate relationships with elite prospects by making them comfortable with you, having them attend your event with 40 other people gives you NO TIME with them to accomplish your objective.\u00a0 Is your goal entertaining a lot of people or making select people comfortable enough with you to agree to a one-on-one appointment?<\/li>\n
  5. Inadequate or non-existent follow-up.\u00a0 Your event is NOT THE END RESULT.\u00a0 It is the BEGINNING of the selling process.\u00a0 Have you specified exactly what your follow-up process will be with clients and guests who attend?<\/li>\n
  6. Failure to give yourself enough lead time to do it effectively.\u00a0 To make your event a profitable business building strategy, you need to set it up effectively.\u00a0 For example, you need enough lead time to check the calendars of the people you want to attend BEFORE you finalize the event date.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Events can compress time and get you introduced to dozens of elite prospects within 90 days – if you conduct them effectively.\u00a0\u00a0 They can be a huge success or a huge waste of money.<\/p>\n

    To help you host the right type of event, get the people you want to attend, and turn those introductions into appointments, we created Attract High-Quality Referrals with Distinctive Events.<\/p>\n

    This referral event toolkit covers everything from A-Z including<\/p>\n