Four Lessons From The IFB 2008 Fall Summit

You can observe a lot by watching.

--- Yogi Berra

I attended portions of the Fall 2008 Summit from the Independent Financial Brokers (IFB) on November 4-5. By watching the presenters, I spotted four ways to improve our marketing and presentations.

1. use subtle self-promotion
   
2. have handouts
   
3. stand apart
   
4. write a book
   

Use Subtle Self-Promotion

Each presenter was introduced, which is courteous. Then bios were read, which is boring. Many presenters praised themselves, which is blatantly self-serving. You can't boast about yourself. Being part of a team helps because members can build up their colleagues. If you're solo, compelling content with a captivating delivery will make you memorable. The keynote speakers who started and ended the conference used this technique.

Since your attendees can read, why not rely on a printed biography instead? Interested attendees can find out more if you make an impression. This was done at the CALU Associates meeting two days later on Nov 7th. 

Have Handouts

Very few sessions had meaningful handouts. This continues to puzzle me because giving creates a positive impression and invokes the first universal principle of influence: reciprocity.

When handouts are used, the content is often too small --- three PowerPoint slides on a page with lines for writing at the side. We're aging and some rooms have dimmed lighting. Two slides per page works better. Recently, I've switched to 

• one slide per page for readability 
• printing on both sides to save paper
• premium paper for quality
• three-hole punched for insertion into binders
• colour for impact

These handouts go into nice folders, stand out and seem to get kept. Well worth the extra cost. 

Stand Apart

Branding gurus and personal coaches tell us we must be different in a memorable way. How odd to see these experts touting similar, overlapping messages. They did not stand out in the sea of sameness. 

It helps to be where your competitors aren't. At a different conference, I sat with attendees at a table. I looked like an invited guest, not an annoying pest. This lead to better, longer conversations in a nicer environment. 

Write A Book

Several presenters wrote books. This is no longer seems to be a point of differentiation since you can self-publish. None of the titles were best sellers. I've read a couple in the past and haven't been impressed with the content. You can buy a book from an international thought leader like Seth Godin instead.

Writing helps you think better, which is very valuable. Putting meaningful ideas into a free ebook could be useful in marketing since advisors don't generally do this.