How to Develop a Seminar
Creating a successful seminar is no easy feat, but there are some things that you can do in 60 days. Is it too late for me? No! There’s still hope, and you can make your own way with these steps.
The following blog post will offer some tips on how to create an effective seminar in 60 days that’ll be worth its weight as gold when all is said and done!
Develop a seminar title
Develop a seminar title by selecting the most appropriate name for your course. Selecting an eye-catching, descriptive, and memorable title is key to attracting maximum enrollment numbers. Conduct market research to see what names are being used in seminars that would work well in yours (as long as it’s not too close) or select a catchy phrase from the content of your presentation with some added keywords like “How To” or “Ultimate Guide.”
For example, if your seminar is about how to develop a social media strategy for an upcoming event and you want attendees to remember the post-event marketing campaign ideas that were discussed in the presentation, then “Social Media Strategy For Successful Post Event Marketing Campaigns” would be a great title. This name also includes keywords like “social media” and “marketing campaigns.”
The best way to generate new names without being too close or near another product’s current brand identity is by using free tools online (for instance, Namebrain). Typing in your industry plus phrases such as “best titles,” “how can I come up with good names,” or “what are some catchy titles?” will lead you right to this exercise.
Find an appropriate location for the seminar
- Find a location where students and faculty will feel comfortable. If the seminar is for those who have not met each other before, then find an appropriate place with good lighting to allow people to introduce themselves easily.
- Consider how much space you need in order to meet your needs as well as any guests that may attend.
- Evaluate local hotels or event spaces in the area because they are usually available on short notice (within 30 days). Keep distance in mind when looking at these places too! It's important to keep travel time into consideration when planning for this type of activity. Students might be coming from all over town, so it's best if there is ample parking close by and convenient access points for wheelchair users; don't forget, the venue should be accessible for those with disabilities.
- Once you've found a place that looks good, it's time to reserve it! You can call or email and ask how much space they have available on the date of your seminar. This is simple if you are only reserving one room but may become more complicated when booking an entire event center (especially during peak times). Be sure to get everything in writing before making any reservations, so there's no confusion later on.
Send invitations to potential attendees
Invite people with a personal message. You may want to include information about the seminar on your invitation, such as when and where it will take place, how much space they’ll need for parking, or accessibility-related accommodations. Be sure that you have all of the potential attendees’ contact information before contacting them; this includes email addresses, phone numbers (including cell phones), mailing address(s), and any other way in which someone might be contacted by mail.
The next step is to make sure that you’re covering all of your bases and have planned out how things will go in detail, from beginning to end – this includes when registration opens, what time there’ll be a break between sessions (if applicable), how foodservice works at breaks as well as lunch/dinner onsite or off-site (again if applicable).
Create a schedule of presentations, including topics and speakers
A seminar is a series of lectures that each typically lasts around 30 minutes. If you’ve ever been in the audience for one, you know how excruciatingly long it can feel to wait your turn between presentations. Personally, I find this time spent waiting awkward and unpleasant; when developing my own seminars or attending as an attendee, I do everything in my power to make sure we don’t have any wasted time.
So before anything else—before choosing topics, speakers, venue—you need to plan out how much content will be covered during each session, so there are no gaps or lulls throughout the day. When deciding which people should speak at your event, keep these questions in mind: Who might want to attend?
Who in your organization has the right skills to speak on a given topic? What are their speaking styles like—do they have an energetic or reserved delivery style, for example?
What do I want them to say when asked how my event was? How should they position themselves and what we hope attendees will take away from our day together.
How much time is available for this speaker in each session slot (and don’t forget other speakers)? Will there be enough time allotted so that all of the content can be covered without feeling rushed at some points during the day?
What topics might make sense together for one presenter to discuss across two sessions versus splitting up into multiple presenters who only talk about one topic per session?
How much time should we allow for break-out sessions? How many people will be in each break-out session, and how are those groups determined (randomly or by expertise)?
What other attention needs do the topics have that might require a presenter to fulfill them during their presentation—does one need an agenda with visuals, another speaker needs help with handouts.
When does this speaker’s availability start, and when is it available again (for example, after lunch as part of my event).
Set up registration and payment options
The registration link on the website of your event or organization.
Accepting payment online with a credit card, PayPal account, Google Wallet, and other services.
Create marketing materials, such as flyers and posters
Create marketing materials, such as flyers and posters. Offer a design service if you are asked to do so or if you have the time.
Google it to see what others have done, but do not copy.
Create a banner and logos that represent the seminar well
Design a website for your event if you plan on having an online store with merchandise available during or after the event. Include information about pricing, how long before the event ordering is necessary, background about who you are as an instructor/speaker(if applicable), etc.
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