Teaching Home Inventory Workshops

Providing Home Inventory Services is a one-to-one business. One home inventory service business caters to the needs of one client at a time. But you can market your services — and even make money — if you are able to serve the needs of multiple individuals at once, such as with a seminar or workshop.

Workshops and seminars are excellent marketing tools. They provide a highly effective way to position yourself or your business in the marketplace. They are a promotional vehicle that can increase the awareness of the type of services you offer.

A seminar or workshop demonstrates your expertise on the subject matter, establishes you as a credible spokesperson in your field, and provides you with name recognition.

There are two basic types of seminars — a self-promotion seminar and one hosted by someone else. If you are just starting out, you might be better off serving as a speaker for a seminar hosted by someone else. These are seminars and workshops presented by associations, community groups, and clubs.

How can you find out what events are out there? Start by checking the events listing in the newspaper. When you see a group listed, call the phone number listed for reservations and ask for the program chairperson. Tell that person you are interested in presenting a program that will benefit the organization’s members. Offer to send more information, if asked. This is the perfect type of partnering with a collector's group, for example.

• Contact the Chamber of Commerce or check the directory, if you are a member. The Chamber maintains a list of local organizations and associations, including Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, etc. The Chamber also books speakers for its own meetings (although it rarely uses speakers outside of its membership).

• Check with your local library or bookstore. They often present community programs, and you don’t need to be an author to participate. You may wish to consider preparing a list of books that relate to your topic matter.

• Contact your local college, university or adult education facility. Many of these offer special seminars for continuing education for adults. While some of these are volunteer opportunities (still great for introducing you to prospective clients), other teaching positions that pay a small amount.

If you are looking for extra money, don’t look to speaking engagements for associations or groups as a source of revenue. However, as a general rule, nonprofits and service club don’t pay speakers.

Even if there is no fee, speaking opportunities allow you to:
• Build a reputation
• Attract media attention
• Get referrals
• Collect endorsements.
• Acquire a database (ask for a list of members or ask members to give contact information on a sign-up sheet in exchange for a free booklet or special report to be mailed to them)

If you decide to host your own seminars and workshops, you assume more of the risk — with the possibility of financial reward.

The advantage is that you’re in complete control of arranging everything, including the location, food, setup and time frame. Of course, you take all the blame if you don’t get the turnout you wanted. If the seminar makes money, you get to keep it; if you don’t make money, you’re on the hook for all the expenses.

How can you assure that your workshop will be well received?
• Provide lots of information to participants
• Teach skills
• Solve problems
• Provide answers
• Add value to their lives
• Offer benefits that improve the attendee’s current status.

If you’re thinking that workshops and seminars would be a great way to promote yourself and/or make some extra money, you may have another question: Where can you get topic ideas?
• Watch news broadcasts and read the newspaper to see what is currently in the public eye
• Attend meetings in your own or related fields and keep an ear out for topic ideas
• Study the calendar section of the daily paper for issues already being presented
• Browse the bookstores. Study current and best-seller non-fiction titles (especially self-help!)
• Check out educational course offerings for nonacademic classes
• Ask your librarian about the most frequently requested nonfiction topics for research
• Look through magazines

If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you might team up with a local home improvement store to offer "Hurricane Readiness" workshops, where participants learn how to get their home ready for hurricane season, including a presentation by you on conducting a home inventory. (Just like when you write articles on conducting a home inventory, don't be afraid to give away information. Give lots of tips on how to do it, making sure to go into great detail about the depth of information required in documenting the inventory. The more complex it seems, the more likely the homeowner will hire you to do it for them.)

You can also contact local professional home organizers and see if they do workshops; offer to co-sponsor a workshop if you can have the opportunity to make a short presentation too.

If you are sponsoring your own workshop, how can you attract participants?
• Send a mailing to your current database (especially referral sources, media, and prospects)
• Publicity! Send date, place, details, and topic information to the calendar section of the local newspapers, plus television and radio outlets. Send this information at least three to four weeks in advance of your event.
• Use posters, flyers, postcards and other visible mediums to get the message across.
• Depending on your marketing budget, invest in a small display or classified ad in a local paper.
• Distribute brochures on the workshop to related but non-competing businesses.

No matter which format you choose, be sure to list your contact information on any handouts you distribute so participants can contact you to utilize your services later on. And be sure to have brochures available at the back of the room for participants to pick up.