Book excerpt: A typical workshop doesn’t always sound intriguing — in fact, it’s something most people try to avoid attending. Still, seminars are held each year in many fields and industries, and usually none are alike. While thousands of executives, employees, and other professionals dread hours of lectures and preaching that the average conference involve, the one you’re planning doesn’t have to be the norm. The Complete Guide to Running Successful Workshops & Seminarsis your complete guide to putting together an effective conference that is sure to be a hitfrom start to finish, regardless of your field and audience. In this new book, you will learn the ins and outs of planning a workshop,from general decisions about how long the event will last to the minutedetails such as where each person will check in and sit. This completeguide will teach you how to effectively target and communicate withyour audience so you can give your attendees the information they weremissing. You will learn about the basics of leading a training program,such as what characteristics you should portray to show your authorityand credibility, as well as the general structural elements of a workshop,seminar, and conference. This comprehensive book will help you define thereason why you are holding a workshop, and will teach you to succinctlycreate an objective for your participants so that you are destined forsuccess. You will even learn how to evaluate and measure your successduring and after the event to prove your true effectiveness and determineyour program’s strengths and weaknesses. Filled with information abouthow to build a budget, planning, scheduling and get funding for yourworkshop, this book addresses the financial aspect of holding an hour, day,or weekend workshop so that you can adequately allocate your money.This comprehensive guide has it all — and will teach you everything youneed to know to plan, promote, and present a conference.