Seminar (and webinar) scheduling is a make-or-break decision for a financial practice. We all know how much time, money, and effort go into planning and running these things so we must make sure it’s not going to waste. There are a few different variables that come into play when deciding dates and times for seminars and webinars. Here is how you can achieve the ideal marketing schedule:

• Advertising

  • We have found that the advertising prior to the events is a large part of the marketing schedule. This is how you fill the venue and give yourself a better chance of getting a new client. 

  • Start advertising 2-3 weeks out and only on weekends. This allows you to keep your ad spend low while still being effective enough to fully book your event. Running ads on weekdays has the potential to raise cost per lead. Running ads 2-3 weeks in advance gives enough time to only run on weekends.

• In-person Seminars

  • We run in-person seminars two days a week. Specifically, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Doing two a week lets you have smaller attendance at each and establish a more personal connection with each attendee. 

  • Saturdays in the morning also can work well if you are willing to use your weekend for work. 

  • All other days are not great. Specifically Wednesdays and Sundays as people have religious obligations on those days. Be mindful of characteristics such as these when scheduling.

  • We find the best time to do seminars is 6-6:30 p.m. Do not provide dinner or snacks despite it being around that time for most people. It may seem like a bad time but it has proven to have the best show rates.

  • Our sweet spot is 4 seminars a month. Again, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We cycle among 3 different locations. However, it should be noted that the seminars in the same week are at the same location.

  • Lastly, it’s important to avoid the week before and the week after a holiday. While you may get registrants, it’s likely the attendance rate will be low and the appointment show rate will be even lower.

• Webinars

  • Webinars are less complicated than seminars in the event they are prerecorded. 

  • This is not to say that your webinar should be on demand. We suggest recording a webinar in a way that seems live and allowing access to it on a schedule.

  • We have attendees register for our webinar from four options: 11:30 a.m. or 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays or Thursdays. 

  • We do not allow people to watch it whenever they please, it must be at the set times as if it were live. This ensures a more committed audience. 
    

Scheduling seminars and webinars is a strategic endeavor that can make or break the success of your efforts. The investment of time, resources, and energy into planning these events demands a well-thought-out approach to ensure optimal outcomes. If you have any questions or want to learn more about our schedule, click HERE.