A client appreciation event is a great way to thank clients, create a memorable event for your attendees and gain lots of new referrals. Yet, they also can be frustrating exercises where we spend time and money without the yield we hoped.
We want clients to bring friends. We want clients to give us additional business, post-event. And, of course, we want referrals. Here are some strategies that advisors have used to get exactly what they want from their client appreciation events.
Set your event objectives, then work backwards
It may sound simple, but one way to insure a successful event is to define in writing your anticipated results. If your goal is, for instance, to have most clients bring a friend to the event, then make sure you are doing everything you can to get the message out. Often we just state in the invitation, "We encourage you to bring guests" and hope for the best. The more times you tell the client, however, the more likely it will be. State it in your invitation and call top clients and/or mention it when you are face to face. "This event is a great opportunity in a relaxed, fun environment to bring those friends that you've wanted to introduce to us."
Use the "limo method" to get referrals without asking
