As most CPAs and other financial professionals know, group presentations can be extremely effective for acquiring new clients and retaining existing clients, especially when you deliver a compelling topic to the right audience. Here's how to deliver a winning presentation and then follow through in order to capture qualified prospects.

Practice Your Delivery

After practicing on your own, put together a test audience (colleagues, friends, family) and record your performance on video.

Review the recorded presentation at least three times. First, turn off the sound and watch yourself in fast-forward mode. Immediately, you'll notice any annoying physical quirks or habits you may have. Second, turn away from the picture and listen to the presentation to desensitize yourself to the sound of your own voice.

Third, watch the entire presentation — both the audio and video portions. Note any mistakes, evaluate your voice quality and delivery and be aware of how well you make (or don't make) eye contact with your audience. Watch out for presenting too much detail: You're there to motivate attendees to take the next step, not to give a detailed education. Avoid jargon, acronyms and other technical terms. You're addressing a group of potential clients, not investment professionals.

A thorough diagnostic session can take up to two hours. When you're done, record yourself again (ideally in front of another test audience) and re-review. Speakers become great by practicing, honestly evaluating themselves and receiving coaching. The more you practice, the better you'll get.

Follow Through Effectively

As your presentation ends, repeat your firm's unique value proposition, make available a highly credible leave-behind piece (ideally a white paper or other article that you've authored) and pass out evaluation cards. The evaluation card will ask attendees to rate the presentation and inquire as to any unanswered questions. It should ask about the attendee's interest in the free portfolio diagnostic offer and include space for contact information.

Respond quickly to everyone who accepts the free diagnostic offer — and also contact everyone who was unable to attend. Follow up with those who chose not to accept the free diagnostic offer. See if anything on the evaluation card gives you a conversation starting point, or just thank them for attending and let them know that you're always available.

Did your presentation succeed? If only a dozen people show up, and one or two qualified prospects in your niche agree to a meeting, this is certainly a success.

John Bowen writes and speaks frequently about fee-based asset management topics. He is the founder and CEO of CEG Worldwide, LLC, a leading research, publishing and consulting firm serving independent financial advisors, CPAs, insurance representatives and registered investment advisors.  Download the latest research from CEG Worldwide or learn more about our coaching programs for financial advisors.