Your Client Attraction Secret: Workshops

Workshops are a valuable way of showcasing your talent and expertise to both prospects and clients. They get to see you interact with others to assess your consistency (didn't know that, did you?) and connection with others. They also learn more in depth skill building and knowledge because they are somewhat of a captive audience. And workshops give participants the chance to share their experiences and learn from the real examples of others. This also helps the solopreneur not to feel so isolated, because they can connect with like-minded individuals who share their struggles and successes.

For the workshop host, it gives you the opportunity to teach and reach more prospects and clients. You give them a different insight into who you are and what your business is about. It also gives you the spotlight to showcase more of your business' programs, products and services – again, to a captive audience who is already interested in what you have to say! Adding workshops to your marketing and business model is essential, though not always easy. Here are three tips to help you create the best experience for your prospects, clients and yourself, and so that you will include workshops as part of growing your client base and business.

Tip #1 – Content – what do I talk about or teach them?

The best way to determine the content for your workshop is to simply ASK! Ask during your presentations, ask during your networking events, ask current clients, past clients and prospects. Simply ask:

– What would you like to learn more about?
– What would you be willing to pay to learn more about?
– What is it that no one is telling you that would make a huge difference?

Oftentimes you're being asked the same question or for more details on something specific and that gives you great topics to teach or to "ask" if they would attend a workshop to learn more. Content is easy when you ask those whom you would like to help AND when you listen to what people say they most want to learn from you!

Tip #2 – Communicate – how do you tell everyone about your workshop?

There are so any options when marketing your workshop. But here are some that I've used and that you should consider:

- Social networking sites: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter to promote your event

- Local calendars: Google "event calendars" for your state or county

- WhoFish.org (new to me!) – a low cost ad will let you see what people are saying about your event!

- Meetup.com discussion boards – promote your event

- Blog – Post it on yours and others where appropriate and approved

- Newsletter – Announce it in yours and others where you can

- Talk about your upcoming event while networking or when making a presentation

- Tell your current clients and ask them to share it with the people they know

This is just a "short-list" but enough to get your started!

Tip #3 – Conversion – how do I convert prospects to clients in a workshop?

To help your prospects become your clients as a result of attending your workshop you MUST deliver great content that they can use, immediately. If they feel like it's more theory than something they can implement and see results, they won't see an immediate need to become your client.

Also, you should give them a clear path to working with you next. If you give them great content and they know how to use it, they may want more. They need to know to make that happen. So make an offer during the workshop that gives them a way to work with you afterwards. It makes it an easier transition since they know what you deliver, like it AND now have a way to get more!

Hosting workshops as a part of your client attraction system is an important tool to help you grow your business. Not only do you benefit from sharing your knowledge and expertise in a leveraged way (and perhaps create a new information product from it!) but your current clients learn more and your prospects have a clear path to becoming one of your newest clients.

A clear win for everyone!