People will tell you there is only one way to the CLE Future - only one way to do distance learning. You'll hear them say "Video webcasts are the only way to go because it's TV on the Internet!" "Webinars are where's it's at because they blend 'old' and 'new' technology!" "Teleseminars are easy and convenient, why do anything else?" Still others will talk of a random mix of "podcasts," downloadable MP3s and online virtual realities. Don't listen to them! There is no one answer that is universally true. Depending on the goals of your organization, the demographics of your target market, the nature of the content you are distributing and your own technological state, any or all of those methods could be the answer. This presentation will provide you a practical roadmap to the pluses and minuses of each technology and how you can use a blend of them to meet your CLE goals.

What are the most important rules of marketing communications? Every point of contact counts and provides an opportunity to tune marketing. How do you get to know your subgroups to build marketing relationships and your image? How do you target precise subgroups within your contact lists? We also discuss networking and mentorship and unexpected marketing successes.

In a nutshell, here are the 9 obstacles you will learn to overcome: 1. Mistrust in the provider; 2. Money spent for value received isn't worth it; 3. Same old, same old ("I already know this stuff."); 4. Content impressive in size, but not in focus or too general; 5. Lacks relevance. ("I've got unique problems not covered here."); 6. Too big an investment in time; 7. Too big an investment in money; 8. Nothing different from a dozen other programs offered; 9. Time and place won't work.

If non-legal prospects sense just one or two of these, you're inviting trouble. Any more than that, they become sure-fire deal-breakers. So how do you make sure you take precautions up front so your prospects' concerns are quickly snuffed and they at least consider attending? For you to accomplish 100 percent base-touching is impossible; be wary of any "expert" who tells you otherwise. The intent here is to make you fully aware of these 9 common objections and to give you inexpensive, easy-to-implement anti-dotes for each one of them. Followed closely, the advice provided in this session will help minimize resistance and get your prime and not-so-prime prospects quickly in the buying mood.

People will tell you there is only one way to the CLE Future - only one way to do distance learning. You'll hear them say "Video webcasts are the only way to go because it's TV on the Internet!" "Webinars are where's it's at because they blend 'old' and 'new' technology!" "Teleseminars are easy and convenient, why do anything else?" Still others will talk of a random mix of "podcasts," downloadable MP3s and online virtual realities. Don't listen to them! There is no one answer that is universally true. Depending on the goals of your organization, the demographics of your target market, the nature of the content you are distributing and your own technological state, any or all of those methods could be the answer. This presentation will provide you a practical roadmap to the pluses and minuses of each technology and how you can use a blend of them to meet your CLE goals.

What are the most important rules of marketing communications? Every point of contact counts and provides an opportunity to tune marketing. How do you get to know your subgroups to build marketing relationships and your image? How do you target precise subgroups within your contact lists? We also discuss networking and mentorship and unexpected marketing successes.

Coming up with course ideas, developing great programs, juggling multiple projects, and managing faculty are just some of the issues that those with CLE programming responsibilities face. Are there ways that you can maximize your effectiveness as a programmer with minimal time and effort? Join us for this interactive session where we will share some of our tricks of the trade on becoming a more skilled programmer. But if you attend this session, we also want to hear from you! What are your top programming tips? Let’s see how many ideas that we can come up with together!

30 websites and blogs you ignore at your peril, as selected by the presenters.

Email marketing is a dialogue. Email marketing is a broadcast channel. Email marketing is about response. It’s also about branding. Tuesday is the best day to send – no, wait! Wednesday! Don’t use “free” in the subject line. Feel free to sell, sell sell in your subject lines. Social media will kill email. Email marketing is here to stay and stronger than ever. Yikes! What do you believe? How can you optimize your program so that it speaks to your customers, when the “best practices” seem to contradict each other? Well regarded email pro Stephanie Miller will shatter the myths about what works and what doesn’t in email marketing. You’ll leave with checklists on how to re-energize your program, and nurture your subscribers for higher response and revenue.

Law practice has been presented over the last few years with some of the most profound challenges that lawyers have ever confronted. The deep recession has led to unprecedented layoffs; adjustments in compensation systems; changes in recruiting, hiring, and training practices; and reconsideration of some of the basic elements of the conventional law firm business model. Even more challenging is the fact that the fundamental trends that have prompted these responses predate the recession and will continue after it ends. This panel will discuss some of these trends and the ways in which lawyer training and education can respond to their potentially profound implications.

Excellent written materials are a staple of all quality CLE programs. For many years, written materials meant a hard-bound book. The tough questions CLE providers faced were: Should we print course books in-house or use an outside vendor? Do we do GBC binding, perfect binding, velo binding, tape binding or spiral binding? Do we print one-sided or two-sided? Do we use three-ring binders so late course materials can be inserted and copies easily made? Do we have the books delivered to the office or directly to the hotel? How much time do we need to get the course materials printed and delivered on registration morning? Now, as we move from the information age to the digital age, we are grappling with a new set of questions surrounding course materials. How can we satisfy all our customers, our speakers, and our course material purchasers, while reducing costs, going green, saving time, minimizing inventory space, eliminating unauthorized copying, and promoting good will? Do we offer attendees a myriad of choices and try to be all things to all people? Do we do our course materials in book form and on CD? Do we put them on a USB key? Do we provide kiosks at the program for printing materials? Do we e-mail all materials to attendees in advance and let them print out what they wish to bring to the program? Each of these approaches have advantages and disadvantages. In the age of electronic course materials, we need to know what our customers want. Do you know? Join us for a lively discussion of the new era of course materials for CLE programs.

Technology and the Internet have dramatically changed both the practice and business of law. Little wonder it is also changing what our customers expect in the marketing and delivery of CLE. In an age of social media, markets are conversations, and consumers demand to be heard. Noted legal technology expert Bob Ambrogi will discuss how advances in technology are driving changes in the legal profession -- and how CLE providers can stay ahead of the curve.

You are responsible for: designing the program, inviting the faculty, getting them to hand in their materials on time, reproducing the materials, booking the space, writing the brochure copy, marketing the program, registering the attendees, applying for CLE accreditation, making sure that the coffee’s hot and doing a hundred other tasks all on a limited budget. Attend this session and you will learn strategies for prioritizing your work, creative ways to supplement your staff; grow your department, make the most of your volunteers and tips for maintaining your cool under demanding and often stressful conditions.

Limited personnel, time and budgets make marketing a challenge for small shops. At this session we will provide tips that help you maximize your time, resources and dollars. We will explore: how to evaluate your resources, contacts and options; developing a plan to maximize marketing budget/resources; email versus direct mail; the use of brochures, flyers and e-newsletters; multiple communications versus single communications; reaching out to your customers in multiple mediums; attracting new customers; making the most of your lists and developing new ones, leveraging the networks of your speakers; designing and printing your own pieces; how to attract attention to your programs; and much, much more. You’ll leave this session with takeaways that you will be able to implement when you return home.

Generating revenue is a challenge in the current economic environment. This session helps you explore techniques that you can employ to keep the dollars rolling in. Among the items to be discussed are: when to raise prices, strategies for using discounts, reaching out to related professionals, financial sponsorships and exhibitors, co-sponsorships, creative email marketing, and cutting-edge program topics and features.

The practice of law has changed more in the past ten years than in the previous fifty. Clients are forcing lawyers to change the ways legal services are marketed, priced and delivered. And as lawyers make sweeping changes in the ways they practice, they’re demanding the same innovative changes from their CLE providers. Are you ready for them? In this fast-paced session, “Innovational Speaker” (and ACLEA member) Matthew Homann will share ten bold, out-of-the-box ways to remain relevant by delivering innovative CLEs to an ever-demanding audience.

People will tell you there is only one way to the CLE Future - only one way to do distance learning. You'll hear them say "Video webcasts are the only way to go because it's TV on the Internet!" "Webinars are where's it's at because they blend 'old' and 'new' technology!" "Teleseminars are easy and convenient, why do anything else?" Still others will talk of a random mix of "podcasts," downloadable MP3s and online virtual realities. Don't listen to them! There is no one answer that is universally true. Depending on the goals of your organization, the demographics of your target market, the nature of the content you are distributing and your own technological state, any or all of those methods could be the answer. This presentation will provide you a practical roadmap to the pluses and minuses of each technology and how you can use a blend of them to meet your CLE goals.