In all candor, I received this e-mail because, in January, I attended the WWE's Royal Rumble with my two favorite sons (you have your favorites too!). Since then, Ticketmaster contacts me whenever the WWE comes to town, or whenever there is a Monster Truck rally, NASCAR event, Kenny Chesney concert or any other event that might interest people who aren't exactly fond of reading ... or orthodontia.
After today's e-mail, two thoughts crossed my mind: (1) I really need to upgrade my entertain choices to reflect my superior education, intellect and sophistication, such as say, UFC or MMA matches; and (2) We should incorporate similar practices in our marketing of CLE seminars.
Rather than just sending a generic e-mail blast to the entire membership listing every program for the next month, we should specifically target those who have attended past seminars presented by the particular faculty member. The e-mail could read something as simple as, "If you loved [speaker]'s Legal Ethics and Social Media seminar last year, then you'll love him in this year's More Legal Ethics and Social Media, as [speaker] is another year older and wiser (well, at least, wider)."
Likewise, we should also cross-market services whenever a program or speaker is similar to one that the lawyer has previously attended. For example, if your attendees slept through one of Stuart Teicher's seminars last month, why not offer them a chance to sleep through Roy Ginsburg's seminar next month? After all, a busy attorney can never get too much rest.
Seriously, one of my clients uses targeted marketing with great success in my annual seminar for her bar association. In fact, about half of each audience consists of past attendees. Sure, this puts pressure on me to write new jokes each time (or just hope that, like my two non-favorite sons, the repeat attendees weren't really listening to me the first time). This targeted marketing also creates a more consistent turnout and a more enjoyable experience for the attendees; provided, of course, that they don't pay much attention to my ramblings the next time as well.
After all, if the WWE can use this method to sell out sporting arenas with fans clamoring to see middle-aged men in tights, then certainly we can use this method to reach 50% capacity at a suburban Marriott conference room. If nothing else, our middle-aged faculty (with possible exception of Teicher) can be depended upon to at least show up to the event fully-clothed and that's a victory in, and of itself ... if ya smell what the Sean is cooking!
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