Determine your overall goals for the seminar. Do you want to build your reputation as an expert in a particular area, possibly increasing seminar attendance in the future? Do you wish to encourage attendants to carry out a specific action, such as donating to a specific cause?
Invite guest speakers to come to the seminar and speak passionately about the topic the seminar focuses on. The speaker should be an authority on the subject that you are choosing to cover.
Provide visuals when possible to help the audience conceptualize the topic. Use visuals that are large enough for the audience members to see. When using multimedia visuals projected on a large screen, test these visuals on the screen to make sure they are easy to see. For example, text that is often easy to see on a computer may be harder to see on a larger screen. Also, make sure the visuals are not too difficult to process. Visuals with large amounts of information can overwhelm an audience.
Use effective public speaking techniques, such as voice projection and eye contact. Every participant in the seminar should hear you clearly. Speak directly to the audience to keep them engaged. Keep notes to remind you of main points, but do not rely too much on them.
Introduce the audience to the topic so they have a general understanding of what the seminar’s purpose is. The audience will likely have a general idea, but you should make the purpose of the seminar clearer. Provide necessary background information. Help the audience understand how the individual ideas covered in the seminar by fitting it into a big picture.
Find some way to bring entertainment into the seminar. If you have a sense of humor, incorporate that into the seminar. Entertaining videos or interesting stories can keep the audience engaged. Depending on the audience, you may even bring in a musician to provide musical entertainment. Try to have fun during your own seminar, since the enjoyment you have is reflected in how you behave. Provide additional rewards for attending, such as giveaways, free food and services like writing workshops that can help attendees.
Pay attention to how the audience responds to different aspects of the seminar. If they seem bored or uninterested in certain aspects, consider replacing that element of the seminar with something else next time.