No.  Seminars are not becoming passe.  You should check out the independents' websites.  By that I don't mean independent stock brokerage firms, I mean insurance field marketing organizations (FMOs).  They provide support and insurance brokerage operations for brokerage general agencies (BGAs) and master general agencies (MGAs).  This is were you will find the best material.

Seminar presentations should be concept based and not product based.  FMOs do a good job at putting together high quality concept based pieces.  Unfortunately to have access to most of their presentations you have to join their organization and agree to put some production through their network.  This can be both good and bad because some are "captive" FMOs and require you to put all of your production through their agency.

If you are not willing to join a FMO you can always contact one to simply request free information.  A lot of their stuff gives some good ideas and sometimes they slip up and divulge "too much" of their system and if you are intelligent enough you can duplicate their system on your own without ever having to join their agency.  Also, some FMOs slip up and post their PowerPoint presentations, PDF documents, or seminar outlines on the internet.  If you know which companies you are searching for and can conduct a proper internet search you can obtain a great deal of information for free.

Thanks for the info, Dewey.

Coincidently, I received my issue of Registered Rep after I posted this subject. Included in the magazine was a piece, by Oechsli, on marketing by "Rainmakers" (brokers who bring in High Net Worth clients).

An interesting chart was provided in the article, showing the percent of "Rainmakers" who use a particular marketing method and its percentage of success in bringing in HNW clients. The basics of the chart is reproduced below:

Marketing Method % Using Method % Getting New HNW Clients

Direct Mail......................57%.............................27 %         &nbsp ;      

Cold Calling.....................46%............................. 27%

Seminars........................62%......................... ....40%

Networking.....................93%.......................... ...78%

Asking For Referrals..........97%.............................90%

Asking For Introductions....91%.............................72%

(My apologies for formating.)