I had a gentleman ask me once, "Elizabeth, you've attended internet marketing seminars, are they really worth your time and money?" 
My answer to that question is always a resounding 'YES'.
In my opinion, there's nothing more personally invigorating or as powerfully educating than getting out of your office, meeting people and making lasting business relationships. In my experience it's a highlight for improving the success of your business.
I like to think of it this way… Having an internet business and working at home isn't like being in the corporate world where you are surrounded by employees, meetings and social gatherings. Working in front of your home computer can be a solitary existence. Your contacts are pretty much confined to your emails, an occasional phone call, the kids or a cup of coffee with the cat.
Don't get me wrong, this is what I signed up for and I LOVE working at home, but let's face it, my business relationships are limited. Your internet business, or any business for that matter, is nothing without continuous education, networking and the relationships you make. They all go hand in hand and one cannot exist without the other.
But even more important than that is you need people to know about YOU, what you do and how a relationship with you might benefit them.
A face to face meeting, a handshake and getting to know someone on a personal level goes a long way for providing lasting impressions, but you are also building the ground work for creating even more relationships as a result of the positive recommendations people will make about you.
Before I had my own business, the company I worked for would send me to periodic seminars. At one seminar in particular I remember meeting a woman who I had spoke with on the phone many times. I had always hated dealing with her because she was hard to get a hold of and never very helpful at that. However, when I finally met her at a seminar, we began to chat and became very friendly. After that day if I would leave a message or needed her help she would always call me back promptly and would go out of her way to give me any help I needed. She also spread the word to others.
What happened there? That day at the seminar we built a relationship based on being real people. Before that I was just a mere voice on the phone. The seminar helped us connect with each other better. I actually made several new relationships that day that not only expanded my reach but helped me become more productive and knowledgeable in my job. People will tell you things in person that they wouldn’t otherwise tell you. No, we're not in the corporate world anymore but the principles are the same. The connections you make and the knowledge you gain from meeting people in the know will put you light years ahead of everyone else who’s just sitting in their home office waiting for a revelation. Seminars aren't really about selling People often think of seminars as a way of increasing sales and finding more sales opportunities, but in reality people don't go to seminars to be sold to. Sure, you’ll always run into the hot shot salesman trying to sell you anything and everything but the truth is, people attend internet marketing seminars to expand their reach, broaden their networking capabilities and make lasting business contacts. These seminars are your best chance to look at the broader scope of your business helping you build a stronger foundation. When meeting someone for the first time put the focus on that person. Find out what they do and then tell them about yourself, what you do and how you might be able to help them. Remember, you're there to build a business relationship …not secure a sale in 60 seconds. Seminars are ideal for gathering new ideas, finding easier ways to do business and reaching new business heights. I always find myself with a boost of new energy and feel a better sense of connection with the world I do business in. When you get home you’ll have so many ideas and brainstorms that you won’t know what to do first. It’s like putting your motivation on steroids. If you decide to attend a seminar here’s what to do: 1. Get out of your room and mingleDon't go back to your room and watch TV or waste away an evening. Find people to hang with. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get to know them, but more importantly let them get to know you. Before you leave, get names and email addresses. When you get home, drop a few emails to those that stand out in your mind and tell them how much you enjoyed meeting them. 2. Shake the hands of the experts and product developers that you recognize and admire. Meeting the people that have helped mentor you along the way is a great privilege. Help them remember you. You will almost always find people that will be interested in partnering with you on projects. That's a huge! So get in on that. Getting to know the "who's who" in your industry gives you a foothold in where you should be going and how to get there. 3. If you go with a friend, spouse or business partner, mingle separately. Going with someone can give moral support but step out of your comfort zone and reach out to as many people as you can. 4. Enjoy the seminar – Don’t be too serious. Keep your head out of your notebook and stop taking notes. Yes, write down the important stuff but don’t miss the forest for the trees. Observe people and their interests and listen carefully understanding what the main point is a speaker is trying to make. I can't tell you how many ideas, tricks and powerful nuggets of information I've gotten this way. I like to strike up conversations by asking questions. It will get people talking and at the same time solves your problem of what to say. The more people that walk away from the seminar remembering you as a credible, capable professional and someone that they think of as a mutually beneficial partner, the better – actually it's priceless. No one knows better than I do how hard it can be to get up enough courage to break away and attend a seminar; after all I don't have someone paying my way any longer. It's on my tab now, however I can’t let that stop me. I know all too well the benefits I stand to gain. Once you go to a seminar, you'll not only want to go every year, you’ll look forward to it. Your education, business networks and relationships will benefit tenfold. It's an investment that continues to give for many months to come. Armand Morin’s Big Seminar is just one of my seminar favorites.
Check out Armand’s 'The Big Seminar'. It's an extraordinary event!
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