Question

Topic: MProfs PRO Seminar Q&A

Best Places For Seminars

Posted by Anonymous on 12/5/2010 at 6:45 PM ET 125 Points
What location pulls the best for a free seminar? A hotel? A university? Library? Community center.

I am a univ professor and PhD and am leaning to a University, or a hotel.
I am not going to provide a meal.

Any other ideas? Especially low cost ideas?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 12/5/2010 at 7:33 PM Member
    I think the answer would depend on the content and target audience. Are they all local, or coming from a far? Is this an academic seminar? Is there a pleasure component to the seminar such that it would benefit from being near appropriate facilities (golf course, etc.)?
  • Posted by mgoodman on 12/5/2010 at 9:22 PM Moderator
    Who is the target audience for this seminar? The best location is the one that will be easiest for your target audience to attend.

    And, FWIW, the location isn't the thing that will determine attendance. It's the marketing and the benefit your target audience thinks they'll get by attending.

    If they think they'll walk away with $100,000 in their pockets, you can hold the seminar in the basement of your home and they'll show up. And if they think there's no benefit at all, you can hold it in the nicest hotel ballroom in New York, and there won't be anyone there except you.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 12/6/2010 at 9:21 AM Accepted
    Also consider - if the purpose of your seminar to sell products or services not necessarily locally, do an online seminar (teleseminar or webinar) and record it. It'll allow more people to hear about your offering when you post the recording online.
  • Posted by bill.hoelzel on 12/6/2010 at 7:10 PM Accepted
    I think the location may be important only for what it connotes about the significance of the event.

    * If you're offering a free financial seminar ("plan your retirement"), your audience might think it's more valuable at a hotel than at a community center.

    * If you're convening a seminar with academics, then your audience may expect the site to be the university, not a hotel. Anything else might look suspicious.

    But as others have said, the important thing is the WIIFM question the audience will be asking -- "What's In It For Me?"

    If I were putting my reputation behind this seminar, I would be sure to test the overall concept with some of my colleagues at the university and some of the people in my target audience. You want to make sure that every word in your invitation and every aspect of the location connotes the high value of this "free" seminar.

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