Just an idea, since I’m not even in the biz yet, but if you don’t want a wholesaler there maybe you could get a CPA to go in on it with you.  That way they could give advice on how to minimize taxes in retirement and other issues that would add to your presentation.

That’s a very good idea.  However, the few good CPA’s in my area don’t need any more business (nice problem to have).

I've never given a seminar with a wholesaler or product pusher involved.  I felt that it took away from my expertise.  I want to be the star    Plus I always prefer my seminars to be more educational and without actual products being presented.  If I do use a flyer or informational piece from a fund family or other named brand company, I always made it clear that the piece was for informational purposes only and not to recommend THAT particular investment.

My seminars are usually fairly small with at most 20 people attending.  No big dinners, maybe a casual luncheon at a local restaurant, meeting room or the golf club.   I also found that big events (besides costing an arm and a leg) tended to keep people from participating.  A smaller event....people are more apt to be interactive and ask questions.   I figured that out of 20 people if I got 2 clients, I was doing really good.

B24 -

In follow up with Cv’s comment, what is your topic besides “retirement planning”?

[quote=snaggletooth]In follow up with Cv’s comment, what is your topic besides “retirement planning”?

Well, I do at least one dinner seminar a month, and I too like to keep it under 20 people. Clients that return for another dinner are really pressed by me to bring guests. They know I’m happy to buy them dinner and give them a good show, but they also know that I am really pleased when they bring a new face or two. I never turn anyone away because any client that has been to one of my seminars knows how valuable they are and is a walking, talking referral source.

I like having wholesalers present simply to share the dinner tab. I introduce them as a “Subject Matter Expert” (or SME for those of you familiar with that acronym) whose experience and training can bring particular insights that are of value to my guests. (Sort of like they’re a focused specialist in that particular field, while I’m a generalist).

As for getting the public to attend, I’ve heard of FA’s that have advertised in the paper or used mailings, and then when people call in, the FA speaks with them and tries to qualify them over the phone (as good prospects/bad prospects) to see if there’s a true interest and some potential in having them attend. Then use some phrase like “Well it’s been great chatting with you Mr. Chen. We’ll be happy to save a seat for you and your guest” or “Well Mr. Chen, we’ve filled up fast. I’ll put you on the stand-by list and call you if we have a cancellation”.

I always send my invitations and 3-month calendars of events to my CPA’s. I’ve tried to have the CPA’s attend at least one seminar so they understand it’s an entertaining, educational evening rather than a sales-presentation. That way, they can better encourage their clients to attend my events. I try to farm my CPA’s for their SBO’s. Have you considered adding a seminar focused on business owners? ie, Retirement Considerations for Business Owners aka exit strategies? I think something that specific would garner good prospects, and would make it easier for your CPA’s and other KRC’s to send their clients to your event. Perhaps invite your primary CPA to attend and speak for 15 minutes on tax-specific issues relevant to the seminar topic and the audience present that evening.

I do try to put my invitations in the hands of local employers but haven’t had much success. As you have seen, employers don’t want to be ‘supporting’ a particular firm. I have had success in getting into companies to do quarterly employee education Lunch & Learns. This has resulted in several individual clients as well as granting access to the HR manager & CEO. (Who have recently asked “How’s our 401k stand up to our competitors? Would you take a look and see if we could do better?” You betcha!)

Hope that helps.

CR-

B24…I’m soon going to be giving a seminar for a local non profit group to their pool of donors on the benefits of charitable giving.  This is a group of fairly wealthy people who like to give to this and other charities.   I’m going to cover the generalities of appreciated assets and how they can be donated, taxation, charitiable trusts, gift annuities, donor advised funds, estate planning issues and lots of other things.  My goal is to help the charity raise money and get in front of a bunch of highly qualified prospects and hopefully garner some of their business by showing them how I can help them accomplish their charitable giving goals.   

Babs, I like it.  The only problem I run into, is there are a lot of veteran advisors and attorneys in my area that focus on estate planning, and are board members of all those non-profits.  Being on non-profit boards is sort of the “thing” in my area (I’m on a few myself).  That and having a boat (they don’t call them “yachts”, though that’s what they are).  In your world they debate hot-rods versus exotic cars, in my world they debate “motor” versus “sails”.