Are you a serial business workshop attendee? Do you find it hard to take home actionable items to prove your ROI for attending business events?
In the spirit of preparation for my upcoming participation as a business speaker at the 2017 THE LIST TOUR, I want to share some helpful tips about how you can make the best of your time and investment when attending business workshops.
I have been a repeat instructor for THE LIST TOUR LA. I typically speak about social media marketing and the audience receive so much aha moments during my talk but I rarely see them implement any of the tips I give them. When following up with some attendees, I find that the biggest challenge is that they get back into their regularly scheduled program the very next day. I understand the challenges of ‘solopreneurs’ BUT if you spent the money and took the time to attend a workshop, you must quantify your return for your investment.
1. Come with at least three immediate questions. If you have a business, you definitely have challenges you are trying to solve, which is also probably the reason why you are attending seminars and workshops. You are trying to find answers to your challenges. Write down the top three areas of concern and find the right time to ask the instructors if the topic permits.
2. Have your elevator pitch ready! There’s no denying that you will meet new contacts at the event. You may even be asked to introduce yourself in front of everyone and what better way to get the biggest bang for your buck than to leave knowing you were memorable? Keep your elevator pitch to a minimum. Memorize two versions of your pitch – a 15 second pitch and a 30 second pitch. Anything longer is a drag when it comes to introductions.
The best elevator pitch is one that establishes your credibility and clearly positions your brand or services to the minds of your audience. In a room full of entrepreneurs who are looking to improve their marketing and social media strategy, my typical elevator pitch is:
“Hi my name is Sweeney Mae. I have been in the marketing industry for almost 15 years and have won several awards for marketing excellence and creativity. I am passionate about helping business owners improve their sales by at least 10% in the first month with creative social media and content marketing solutions. Your time is valuable and I can help you navigate through what you need to learn and cut the trial and error phase to a minimum. I am available for social media training sessions, brand message clarity or marketing mastermind sessions. I offer free discovery consultations to see if we are a good fit for each other. You can contact me directly at sweeneymae.com.
If I have to make it shorter, I use:
“Hi my name is Sweeney Mae and I am an award winning Marketing Director who’s been in the industry for almost 15 years. I am results driven and passionate about serving business owners the branding clarity and marketing strategy that best fit their lifestyles. I’m known for my creative tactics and I offer free discovery consultations to see if we are a good fit for each other. You can contact me directly at http://www.sweeneymae.com.”
3. Learn as much as you can about the coaches featured at the event. The more you know about the coaches prior to the event, the more prepared you are for thoughtful questions and connections. Visit their web pages and social media pages. Do your due diligence in vetting them so you have a better idea of who you possibly want to work with. Connect with them and sign up for the free information they offer. Most coaches have email subscriptions, blogs, or Facebook groups you can join where they share free advice. I personally run a marketing group called “Everything Branding & Marketing”. Feel free to join our conversations!
4. Open your mind to possible collaborations with other entrepreneurs or professionals in attendance. I cannot stress this advice enough! I have been to so many networking events and I somehow always leave knowing that I have a pending project or event that I will have to follow up on after the workshop. Collaborations are the biggest key to success in this genre. Imagine how much more customers you can attract if two complimentary brands work together? There is enough room for everyone and through collaborations, we reach a bigger audience and we create a bigger impact. Make it your goal to initiate a collaborative project with at least one person from the seminar.
5. Take notes and commit to at least three actionable items you can implement within 24 – 48 hours. Write down every nugget that gave you “aha moments” because our minds can play tricks with us when it comes to memory. You’re going to have multiple moments of clarity and you must write it down. Furthermore, you should write what actionable items you can implement next to those aha moments and review them as soon as you get home and add more notes. You will be fired up within the next 24 hours of a mind-blowing business workshop and you do not want to lose momentum. Commit to taking actions right away!
The point of attending a workshop is to disturb your norm. So, in addition to the 5 tips I’ve carefully laid out above, you must allot 6-12 hours after the event to sort through your notes, follow up with any coaches or contact, and draw up a plan of implementation for the adjustments you need to make with your daily routines, business strategy, social media strategy and etc…
I wish you luck on your next business workshop venture and I hope that this article has inspired you to improve your post-workshop routine. If you are in or near Los Angeles, I urge you to reserve your seat at the upcoming THE LIST TOUR.
Mae Day Marketing 
Nice!