| You need to fill the room because perception is | | | | room is direct mail invitations. Direct mail allows |
| everything. If you begin your Safe Money | | | | you to target your demographic. You can sort |
| Seminar with empty tables and chairs in the | | | | your mailing list by several parameters, but age |
| room, those people who do show up will question | | | | (60 plus) and address (within 5 miles of the |
| whether they should have. The trick is to gauge | | | | restaurant and your office) are all that really |
| attendance based on RSVPs. If you have 40 | | | | matter. Wedding style invitations look nice and |
| RSVPs for the event, figure 30 will show up. Then | | | | cost around 75¢ each. Simple post card |
| set the room up for 20 to 25. It sends a more | | | | invitations cost around 30¢ each and often wind |
| prosperous message when you have to break | | | | up under a refrigerator magnet for future |
| out additional tables and chairs to accommodate | | | | reference. Surprisingly, both wedding style and |
| the overflow. "Standing room only" is your | | | | post card invitations pull about the same. But with |
| perceived image. On the other hand, having | | | | post cards you can mail approximately 2 ½ |
| empty seats at your meeting is just lame. | | | | times the quantity for the same money. |
| Holding your retirement planning seminar at the | | | | Expect between a .75% and a 1% response on |
| right restaurant will help fill the room. A safe bet is | | | | your mailings. By mailing 10,000 pieces, you'll get |
| an Olive Garden style restaurant. Avoid Mexican | | | | 75 to 100 RSVPs, of which around 50 to 70 will |
| food, Chinese food and pizza joints. Limit dinner | | | | come out to your two seminars. This will fill the |
| choices to one: a salad with a single entrée of | | | | room with 25 to 35 attendees per night, which |
| general appeal. You can't go wrong with a chicken | | | | keeps it cozy and gets you up close and personal. |
| and pasta plate. Include a glass of ice water at | | | | Another way to boost your response rate is to |
| each place setting. That's it; no iced tea or Coca | | | | add emotional appeal to your invitation's headline. |
| Cola. Never pass out menus, and limit waitress | | | | For example, which headline gets your attention |
| involvement to serving the food then disappearing. | | | | better? (a) "You're Invited To Our Safe Money |
| In choosing a restaurant, stop by several | | | | Seminar" or, (b) "Five Serious Mistakes That Wipe |
| possibilities around 4:30 on any given afternoon. If | | | | Out Retirement Savings, And Simple Ways To |
| you see a lot of Seniors there, it means they like | | | | Avoid Them." The answer is B. Few people will |
| that restaurant and are familiar with it. Just make | | | | show up to a Safe Money Seminar. We don't use |
| sure your entree is a notch above the typical | | | | our seminar's name in the invitation because it's |
| early bird special. | | | | not an emotional draw. But once the people are in |
| Always remember that a Safe Money Seminar is | | | | their seats, stop teasing them and start rewarding |
| not a teaching event and not a sales event. It's a | | | | them. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our |
| social event! Now that you've managed to fill the | | | | Safe Money Seminar," is now music to their ears. |
| room, don't set it up like a classroom or like a | | | | Remember, people act on emotions then justify |
| horseshoe. Set the room up just like people sit in | | | | their actions with logic. |
| a restaurant 2 per table or 4 per table at most. | | | | The seminar business is all about working the |
| And don't think it's you they're coming to see. It's | | | | numbers and setting enough appointments so that |
| your food they're coming to eat. You are just the | | | | if one or two should cancel (which they will) what |
| dinner show. Remember, you must get people to | | | | you get is an unexpected but much needed break |
| (a) like you and (b) respect you, if they are to | | | | between eager, pre-sold prospects. As always, |
| give you that all-important appointment. Now that | | | | keep your eyes on the prize: This is a career |
| you've gone to so much trouble setting the stage, | | | | objective leading to seven figures annually. Fill the |
| go out there and show them your star power! | | | | room, set the stage, make a million. |
| The most effective form of advertising to fill the | | | | |