How to Develop and Promote Successful Seminars and Workshops: The Definitive Guide to Creating and Marketing Seminars, Workshops, Classes, and Conferences 1st Edition

After reading this book, I feel like I've hired a professional advisor to coach me through starting a training practice. The book covers all the bases: how to choose a topic, how to promote your workshop, how to price it, details about booking facilities, the importance of the back-of-the-room selling, and other topics. The chapters have an authentic feel, coming from someone who has learned from his own mistakes and the mistakes of others, and gives practical and useful tips.The chapters on testing different mailing lists, prices, days of the week, headlines, brochure sizes is very good. The author refers to dozens of research studies, illustrating how different lists can lead to drastically different profitability. His numbers sense is very good, showing how to calculate break-even attendance, how to decide how much money to risk on initial marketing, how lower attendance can be more profitable than high attendance.The chapter on making money from selling videotapes, audiotapes and consulting services is also very good, where the author shows several examples of how speakers increased their profits 30% or more by selling additional products at the speaking event. Again, the author shows great business sense about how to increase your profits.My only complaint is the book is 20 years old and I wonder how much is still relevant. For instance, he has case studies of promoting a seminar through the daily newspaper and direct mail but has nothing to say about the internet, which must surely be an important part of marketing seminars in the 21st century. The dollar figures are all from 1990, so when he says you can conduct a market test for under $1,000 it is meaningless. What is that in 2010 dollars? And is the advice even valid today? These clearly outdated examples make me question how much of the rest of the book is also outdated.Still, when I was finished reading I didn't feel like I'd read a book; I felt, instead, like I had gained experience. And it gave me a strong foundation and a sense of confidence about moving forward.

I used this as a reference when myself and a professor friend owned a training workshop business. Our business was profitable and this was a good book to have around for reference.

While this book gives a good starting point for a seminar newbie, it is quite hampered by its dated material. All statistics and pricing examples are from the late 1980's. There is no recognition anywhere in the book that the Internet exists, PowerPoint can be used in presentations, etc. For instance, you are warned against using carbon copy paper. Hello? Good in 1990, but needs a serious and thorough updating to reflect current trends and technologies.

Looking forward to its teachings.

I have read it cover to cover and it has lots of great information on the seminar business, unfortunately it is somewhat dated marketing system I just can't see the use of direct mail as a main means of promoting anything these days, but alas what do I know, I am just the student at the feet of the master. I would recommend it otherwise.

Excellent reading and guidance. This is the kind of book that never gets old. Full of information I would not have thought of. Definitely a book to keep in ones library.

Interesting-- old info but some of the info was good

Book was probably amazing in the early 90's. It's in desperate need of an update. It teaches outdated strategies (none of which require the internet). Still, there is some useful ideas in here that are universal. But, overall, not worth it.

This book while rather dated in someways is packed full of relevant marketing information, If you can get it at a good price go for it!

The book is very useful. Lots of info