Seminar Promotion Issues

[ManOfVirtues]

Maybe someone more experienced could assist with some issues I am having.

Through a very and I mean VERY elaborate attempt to draw attention to an upcoming seminar with some of the greatest names in the form, we seem to be falling on our face (so to speak).

I am a web developer by trade and spent quite a bit of time and money building, collecting email addresses of potential attendees, suffering a 35% inquiry rate, and a 0% registration rate with less then two months remaining before the event.

When promoting a seminar are there certain steps you take to insure attendance?

Maybe someone would care to critique my marketing methods.

 

[michaeledward]

A 35% inquiry rate to unsolicited mail is, probably, about the norm.

Registrations may come in at the last minute. Many people don't make a decision until they get closer to the date.

Other than that ... <<shrugg>> ... do you have a link to the seminar posted on this board?

 

[ManOfVirtues]

There is a link posted on every martial arts forum I can think of in thier seminars section.

https:://www.shiroitora.org/RSVP/


the application I wrote is still in its infant stages, but is functional none the less.

 

[stickarts]

Back when i promoted some fairly big seminars, i traveled the circuit first and made a lot of connections with people that would be interested in attending. I gradually built a mailing list. I made sure I had an instructor come in that would be a good draw and tried to pick a good location.

Every year that i promoted seminars (about 10 years) the registrations mostly came in during the last few days before the seminar and quite a few showed up at the door. Every year I sweat it out but every year i ended up doing fine.

I hope this helps!

 

[michaeledward]

Well, I will say this ...

There really isn't much information on that web link to encourage me to sign up. And, what is there seems to be very 'inside' information.

The advert is talking about the 'current year's theme'. As I am not part of your system, the 'current year's theme' is irrelevant to me, and perhaps driving my interest elsewhere.

The foreign terms used in your advert also work to decline my interest. I don't understand what those terms mean, and how they would be useful in my training. And there is no explaination to help me understand what these terms mean.

Lastly, in my system, a 15th Dan, is none-existant and is indicative of a self-promoting ego. It decreases the credibility of the seminar, the system and the instruction. I have no knowledge of Mr. Legare, so I can only base my opinion of him on that title on your page. A biography and photo might be helpful.

From what is on this web page, I have no desire to attend or to recommend others to attend.

 

[ManOfVirtues]

thats definately good to know. The next step i think im going to take is start personally emailing those within a 200 mile radius that would be interested in attending.

We have even discussed opening it up to even people outside of the the Bujinkan community.

 

[ManOfVirtues]

Well, I will say this ...

There really isn't much information on that web link to encourage me to sign up. And, what is there seems to be very 'inside' information.

The advert is talking about the 'current year's theme'. As I am not part of your system, the 'current year's theme' is irrelevant to me, and perhaps driving my interest elsewhere.

The foreign terms used in your advert also work to decline my interest. I don't understand what those terms mean, and how they would be useful in my training. And there is no explaination to help me understand what these terms mean.

Lastly, in my system, a 15th Dan, is none-existant and is indicative of a self-promoting ego. It decreases the credibility of the seminar, the system and the instruction. I have no knowledge of Mr. Legare, so I can only base my opinion of him on that title on your page. A biography and photo might be helpful.

From what is on this web page, I have no desire to attend or to recommend others to attend.

thank you for honest opinion, it will help me adjust how we post our information. Its interesting you are the third person to point out the 15th Dan issue. In Isshinryu Karate I was fairly acclimated to the idea of a 15th dan, so it never dawned on me that outsiders would not see it the same way. This seems to be something I need to somehow educate the user on.

This post was exactly the type of crticism I was looking for.

 

[Blindside]

If you want pre-registration, you should encourage it with a discount. Right now, there is no incentive for me to pre-register, a $10/day discount might help a bit.

Lamont

 

[DavidCC]

hi Eric, I promoted a seminar in Omaha in October 2005 and it was a lot of work, a bit scary (depending on how much money you have to put up) but in the end, well worth it.

I put together a free web site and domain name, it is still up

http://www.chapelomaha.tk/

Some things I did that seemed to help:
I wrote on the web site some content that I thought would appeal to people in all styles (that may not be relrvant to you since it seems you want only people in your system).

I put together a flyer and a cover letter and mailed out hundreds of them to schools within a 300 mile radius. (I spent 20 hours or more searching for schools to send to and I now have what might be one of the most comprehensive databases of MA schools in the midwest).

I picked up the phone and called a number of schools. I walked into some schools and sat down with the owner (this didn't seem to be very effective for the time it took but I did meet some good people)

I offered discounts for group sign-ups and for early registration. I don't think ANYBODY paid the advertised full price.

I setup a block of discounted hotel rooms, but nobody registered early enough to take advantage of them. The hotel wanted the discounted reservations made 30 days early. Most of my early reg's came in 2 weeks ahead.

We also held a dinner afterwards, which was good food and good fun, but I don't think it made anyone decide to come who was on the fence...

For a seminar limited to people in your system only, in a location where there are very few of your schools, you can't expect a big turnout. if you decide to open it up, you've got to describe exactly what we "outsiders" can expect to learn.

Good luck!!!

if you do open it up, be sure to send me a flyer and I will post it in our school.

-David