A seminar is an
organized gathering to discuss certain topics. The learning is to benefit both
parties financially and to acquiring knowledge.
The convener covers a specific topic and offers tutorials
to respondents. The topics covered by such gathering touch on trade, industry,
business, craft and creative ventures.
Other general
topics are import, export, commodity trading, stock trading and manufacturing. Seminars
are information packed with well researched programs.
The programs are time constrained and located at a per-determined location. Lectures are carried out by a single tutor or multiple
tutors primarily to disseminate useful information.
Seminars generally focus on one industry such as eCommerce,
commodity trading, farming or manufacturing.
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| By DenLee (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Purpose of Seminars
The main purpose is to transmit
useful information. The underlining reason why you should organize a seminar is
money.
Information is neither free nor cheap so
gathering valuable knowledge should be commensurate with a fat paycheck.
Therefore the purpose for organizing a business seminar is to disseminate useful
information and profit from the arrangement.
The business of organizing seminars
is a very lucrative especially if you are a public speaker. According to some tabloids former president
of the United States of America Mr. Bill Clinton makes huge earnings as a
public speaker.
Are you an educationist, experienced public
speaker, teacher or writer seminar production business might be your calling?
Why do it?
The answer is why not, are you
averse to making huge earnings. Imagine a farmer developing a manure compound
that increases his yield 300%.
He could keep it to himself, patent it,
reveal the formula, or sell the information. Seminars provide useful
information that impact positively on the recipient. Everywhere you turn
information is up for sale in one form or the other.
Who
Organizes a Seminar?
Any one with important information
could organize a seminar. However, the product most be useful, informative, truthful and to
the point.
You most prove the validity of your product
through experience, testing and graphs. Make sure you show adequate proof and
validity of your claims.
People in the teaching profession
are well suited for running seminars. High schools during holidays sometimes
have couching classes. Extramural classes during vacation periods are a form of
seminar.
There are different types of seminars
some cover areas such as banking and finance. Banks need to stay ahead of the game so they
invest heavily in training staff.
The financial workers learn new
banking, accounting and customer relations skills. Sometimes the central bank
of a country might organize seminars to inform the banks on new policies.
We have seminars directed at
students interested in getting admission into foreign universities. They are
giving all available information on how to get admission, academic
qualification, visa specification and financial implication.
Another common one in Asian
countries is job recruitment agencies. They carry out seminars for prospective
job seekers finding the right job that fits their qualification.
In African countries self-help seminars teach
jobless youth’s special skills to become financially independent. Some of them
actual pass-on the knowledge to apprentice trainees for a fee.
Business seminar are also common,
some attract high net worth investors while some are focused on low income
earners.
How to Organize a Seminar
To organize a seminar you need a
product. The product borders on what knowledge you wish to share for a fee.
If you are technically inclined or
gifted in art and craft, sell your skill by organizing a seminar on craft
making. An importer with the experience in shipping goods can use this
information to teach people the easiest and safest way to ship their goods.
To organize a seminar you need a topic or
subject matter. You also need a manual,
or handout to distribute to your attendees.
Create a pdf manual, audio disc or a video
presentation that covers scope of work to be done. The manual could be your
guide when you are conducting the seminar.
Some seminar providers give out complete
packages such as manuals, audio and video presentations. This is a normal
practice with professional seminar organizers.
It is not compulsory however offering
value and sharing additional reading material is just good manners.
The Product
Before you start the process of
organizing a seminar you need to have a good product. What do we mean by
product?
A product is an intellectual
property, commodity or any value added information. The information should
provide business growth and profit making opportunities for an individual,
group or organization.
The product does not have to be original
however it should beneficial the recipient and add value to his life. If you
have developed a good product that covers all of the above criteria then you
are in business.
Although slightly challenging
seminar organizers make lots of money and the business is very profitable.
How to Organize a Seminar
1 Create a product
2 Prepare lecture material
3 Secure a Hall
4 Place advertisements
5 collect payment
6 Hold the seminar
The lecture
There are many people without public
speaking skills. If you are one of them you are allowed to hire someone to
teach the attendees on the subject matter.
School teachers are good candidates as seminar
lecturers. The lecturer’s attendance fee differs according to qualification and
service. University lecturers are ideal for such freelance jobs and they get
paid handsomely.
The Seminar Venue
The lecture has to take place at a
pre-determined location. Some venues are very expensive, mid range or free. The
more money you pay the more sophisticated the venue.
If you can find a free venue that is decent
you can go for it. There is no gain in spending to much and not breaking even.
Take a look around your immediate
environment and compare prices. Favorite venues used by seminar organizers are
church hall, hotels, school halls and event centers.
Promoting the Seminar Product
Without adequate promotion the seminar
could flop. This is because you need a far reach to connect with people
interested in your subject.
Promotions are a very effective why
to reach people who might want to attend. Take out a classified advertisement
including newspaper publications.
Avoid heavy investment in
advertisement and focus on quality. Invest
in a good product and collect reasonable attendance fees.
You can either collect your seminar
fees at the venue or have it paid into your account or both. It is better to receive
funds directly into your account because it helps estimate the number of
attendees.
You can offer a discount to early
subscribers and increased fee for late comers. Work out how much to charge
based on the cost of the hall, advertisement, manuals, and audio.
Others are video presentations, refreshment
and lecturers fees. Be careful with the pricing so as not to over charge which
would be counter productive.
The Day of the Seminar
The seminar could last for 3 hours
and organized only on weekends. Organizing a seminar on a weekday is a bad
idea.
Provide refreshments and other useful
material to help your attendees. At the end of the seminar present a
certificate of attendance and participation.
To make extra cash offer consultation services to your attendees.
Post Seminar
Some attendees actualize the project
or business plan. They might find some areas difficult and need assistance.
Others need mentor and
consultancy arrangements which you provide for a fee. This is purely optional
and is due largely to the convener of the seminar.
Summary
on Organizing
a Seminar
1 Choose your topic or product
2 Write a manual
3 Create a video. Audio of the
subject matter
4 Hire a lecture or do the teaching
yourself
5 Select a venue
6 Advertise the seminar in newspaper
publications
7 Collect payments directly into
your account
8 Be punctual
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