Effective Seminar Design

Seminars should follow a strategic plan in order to work. This includes the conceptualization of the seminar, the promotions and the program flow. Here's a detailed explanation of what your seminar design should include.



The Pre-Seminar Stage

During the planning of the seminar, you should select your target audience and establish a good topic. Prepare advertising tools such as posters and invitations which you are going to use to promote your event. Choose an ideal location and date that fits the seminar. Also, think of how much you will charge each participant.



The Program Design

A seminar should always employ a theme depending on what the seminar is all about. If it is a business-type seminar, the theme should be formal and bold. If it is a motivational seminar, maybe you should choose something that the participants can feel good about. Set a mood so your audience will be comfortable.



The Program Order

An effective seminar should be organized. Hand-out the programs for the seminar upon the registration of your participants. This will help them know what they will learn for the day. The program should begin with the opening remarks, stating the objectives of the seminar. It should be followed by the introduction of the speaker and their background. The speaker should start his speech aiming to interest the audience. He could use a quote, a statement, or even a joke to get their attention. Then he should carry out his points in such a way that they will be understood by the audience. He should smoothly make the transition from one idea to another and discuss them point-per-point to avoid cluttered ideas. It would be helpful if the speaker suggests attainable means and shares experiences or some situational analysis to explain his point further.



Give 15-minute to 30-minute breaks in between topics to keep your audiences minds fresh. Make a visual presentation of the talk to help the audience understand what the speaker is talking about. Try to make the seminar interactive so the audience feels that they are part of the program. After concluding the speech, allot time to conduct an open forum to address the participants comments and questions. Then, follow it with the closing remarks. Leave a powerful statement for the end to make the audience remember your seminar and inspire them to act. Remember to thank them for their participation and promote your future seminars as well.