The whitepaper, authored by Erica Pauly and Steven Morgeson and published by TrackThat Advisor in March 2026, examines the performance of Dinner Seminars as a client‑acquisition funnel for financial advisors. Using aggregated data from 109 offices across 35 states over four years (2022‑2025), the report presents a suite of funnel metrics—Stick Rate, Close Rate, Average Case Size, Cost per Client, Revenue per Client, and YTD ROI—showing how they have shifted over time. Key observations include a modest decline in Stick and Close rates, a substantial 81 % rise in Average Case Size, and a consistent increase in YTD ROI despite higher acquisition costs. The analysis also breaks out ROI by seminar topic, highlighting “Taxes” as the top‑performing topic and “Other” (custom‑named seminars) as the second‑highest, underscoring the value of tailoring content to an advisor’s brand. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for advisors: track core metrics, compare first‑year and YTD ROI, personalize seminar branding, and seek TrackThat support if ROI falls below $2‑$4. Overall, the document positions Dinner Seminars as a still‑robust funnel for high‑net‑worth prospects, while warning that declining close rates can erode profitability if not offset by larger case sizes.
Topics
Dinner Seminars as a Dominant High‑Net‑Worth Funnel (2022‑2025)
Overview of the Dinner Seminar funnel’s role in advisor marketing, its historical dominance, and its resilience through COVID and recent years.
Core Funnel Metrics and Their Four‑Year Trends
Presentation and interpretation of Stick Rate, Close Rate, Average Case Size, Cost per Client, Revenue per Client, and YTD ROI, highlighting declines in conversion rates and growth in case size and ROI.
ROI by Seminar Topic – What Content Wins
Breakdown of 2025 ROI by seminar topic, showing Taxes as the highest ROI and “Other” (custom‑branded seminars) as the second‑highest, with insights on the strategic value of personalized topics.
Key Insights Linking Metrics to Profitability
Synthesis of observations: decreasing close rates correlate with larger case sizes; higher case sizes offset rising acquisition costs; YTD ROI consistently improves.
Actionable Recommendations for Advisors
Practical steps: monitor core metrics, calculate GAP % between first‑year and YTD ROI, customize seminar branding, and engage TrackThat support when ROI falls below $2‑$4.
Methodology and Data Scope
Description of the data source (109 offices, 35 states, 2022‑2025 aggregate study), the metrics used, and the benchmarking approach.