What Is Your Seminar Worth?
By Jenny Hamby, the Seminar Marketing Pro™
Certified Guerrilla Marketer and Direct-Response Copywriter
Struggling to get prospects to pay the registration fee you’re asking for your seminar? Proving the value of your seminar is one of the primary goals of your marketing materials – and one of the hardest to achieve. Most of my consultations with clients focus on how to prove value in their copy, such as by demonstrating how much money attendees will be able to save once they’ve learned the content of the seminar … or by comparing the cost of attending the seminar vs. paying for private consulting.
The goal is to help prospects see that they’re getting a fabulous bargain by attending your seminar. If they feel they’re getting more than they’re paying for, it’s easier to justify finding the money to pay their tuition. Plus, the idea of passing up a great deal makes many people incredibly uncomfortable — even if they know they really shouldn’t spend the time or money right now.
But adding value to your seminar comes with a warning: Don’t overdo it. Offering too much of a bargain can be a red flag for many prospects, making them wonder why you’re so desperate for business. It might even make them wonder if your “seminar” is merely a thinly disguised sales pitch.
The second reason you don’t want to give away too much? You! You deserve a fair price for the knowledge and benefits you’re offering. It’s OK to give a discount, but you don’t have to be a doormat.
If you have a hard time recognizing and asking for a fair price for your services, try this:
- Compare your seminar with those offered by competitors. Compare how many hours of training you’re offering, the bonuses you’re offering, the personal guidance you’re providing, etc. Then compare tuition rates. If you’re offering the same length of seminar, but you’re offering free follow-up personal coaching, you’d probably be able to justify a higher price.
- Survey current clients and prospective attendees. Describe what the seminar will deliver — what they’ll learn, how they’ll benefit, and what they get. Then provide a choice of prices you’re considering and ask for their vote.
- Ask trusted advisors and colleagues who are familiar with your industry to review what you’re offering and give their opinion. Even if you don’t price your seminar as high as they recommend, you’ll gain enough confidence to raise your price a bit … which makes for a better win-win situation. Setting a price for your seminar registrations can make you squirm. However, utilizing these simple steps can help you feel a little more comfortable asking for – and receiving – the true worth of your seminar.
While you can’t ever “make” someone register for your event, you can create marketing copy that makes your seminar seem irresistible. Incorporate these proven ideas to help prospects recognize that they are the ideal candidates for your training – and that your event is what they’ve been waiting for.
