What’s the point of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) presentations?

If you’ve not invested in specification marketing before, you may question the value of having CPD presentations in your arsenal. This post answers that question from the perspective of someone who has enjoyed the significant success CPDs can bring. However, I have tried to frame the article around the objection: 'What would a CPD achieve that a regular sales visit wouldn't?'

First of all, in case you aren’t familiar with the concept of specification marketing, take a read of this article which will explain the importance of specification marketing and how it works: https://www.paste.marketing/post/what-is-specification-marketing

On to the point of CPD presentations.

You have a semi-captive audience

Ok, so not everyone will want your CPD, but if it’s well created and well marketed, you’ll find a large number of architecture or engineering practices will want to hear what you have to say and their team members will give you the time of day to educate them. If you tried to offer the same approach with a sales presentation, you’d be unlikely to get the time of day.

CPD’s add value without a hard sell

One of the best bits about a CPD presentation is that they’re educational rather than sales-driven. They position your brand as a valuable knowledge source, allowing attendees to learn something directly applicable to their profession. By giving genuine, first-person insights, you build trust and credibility without the hard sell, making it more likely they’ll remember you when a related project arises.

Unlike a sales visit, a CPD presentations are specifically positioned as educational, meaning attendees are more receptive and engaged. As you may have found during sales calls attendees may feel pressured and tune out because they smell a pitch coming. CPDs, on the other hand, let you build trust organically as the audience learns something genuinely beneficial to their work.

CPDs help position you as an industry leader

Even the fact you’re offering CPDs demonstrates that you’re at the forefront of your industry - creating a CPD takes an investment of time and knowledge. It sets your brand apart as an authority, especially when delivering insights on new trends, materials, or regulations. For many specifiers, choosing a knowledgeable partner means risk reduction and confidence in project outcomes.

CPDs are structured to deliver insights on trends, best practices, and regulatory changes, framing your brand as an authority. Sales visits generally lack this depth and may not hold the same perceived value for attendees, making it harder to establish thought leadership. CPDs give you a clear platform to showcase expertise without the underlying perception that it’s “just another sales call.”

Creates Lasting Relationships with Decision-Makers

CPDs provide a great opportunity to build a relationship with key decision-makers and influencers within architectural and engineering practices. I’ve found this personally and still have great relationships with senior leaders from my CPDs. This level of engagement often leads to long-term relationships, as they come to rely on you as a trusted resource. Connecting with the right people at the right time can make all the difference when they're looking to specify products or services down the line.

In a CPD session, the audience is more likely to include senior or influential team members who might not attend a typical sales visit. Because CPDs are often group learning experiences, you can reach multiple decision-makers at once. By positioning yourself as an educator rather than just a salesperson, you're more likely to be invited back for future sessions, strengthening these relationships over time.

CPD Engagement Increases the Likelihood of Being Specified

The knowledge transfer that happens during CPDs often leads to a higher chance of your product being specified. Attendees gain a deeper understanding of how your solutions can be applied to their work, making it more likely they'll consider or recommend your offerings when making specification decisions.

Since CPDs focus on educating professionals about a topic, they empower attendees to make informed decisions based on genuine understanding. A sales visit might focus narrowly on the product itself, which can limit engagement and the depth of comprehension needed for a specification. CPDs build this understanding comprehensively, naturally driving specifications as a result.

Keeps Your Brand at the Forefront

In a competitive market, keeping your brand top of mind is crucial. By offering CPDs, you provide specifiers with a regular, structured opportunity to engage with your brand. Even if a project isn't immediately relevant, your presentation helps ensure that your company is remembered when an opportunity does arise.

Sales visits can feel fleeting, and unless there's an immediate need, your brand may not stick. CPDs, however, deliver structured content that's memorable, valuable, and often tied to ongoing professional development requirements. This means attendees are more likely to retain both the insights you've shared and your brand when specification opportunities come up.

I’ve definitely proved this personally, practices have kept my CPD on file on their intranet and people have come back to me at a later date saying they’ve watched the replay and were keen to specify us - I’ve never had this happen with a sales call!

CPDs Provide Valuable Feedback Opportunities

Presenting to professionals who regularly work on projects in your sector can offer invaluable feedback. Most of my understanding of an industry I’ve worked in has come from attendees raising questions or sharing insights that highlight areas for me to research, suggested changes to our product or service. CPDs act like an informal focus group, helping you refine your offerings based on real-world input - if saves you getting industry myopia: a narrow focus where you see things only from within your industry bubble, missing the broader market perspective. .

While sales visits might generate some feedback, CPDs provide a unique setting where attendees are encouraged to ask questions and openly discuss real-world applications. This leads to more meaningful feedback, as professionals are more engaged in a learning environment than during a sales pitch. Plus, the group dynamic in CPDs can spark a richer exchange of ideas, revealing perspectives you might miss in one-on-one meetings.

Offers Insights into Market Trends

Similarly to my point above, by running a CPD programme, you'll gain insights into the challenges and priorities currently driving the market. This understanding can inform your marketing strategy, ensuring that your products and messages resonate with what specifiers truly need and want. I’ve definitely proved this, particularly when I’ve been new to a market, you can have preconceived ideas, and spending time doing CPD in front of experts is one of the fastest ways to get you up to speed on what’s important right now.

CPDs let you hear directly from those who deal with practical challenges and emerging trends in their work. While you might gather some insights during a sales visit, CPDs provide a more interactive and structured environment that encourages attendees to discuss broader market needs and preferences. This fosters deeper conversations, uncovering insights that wouldn't typically surface in shorter, sales-focused meetings.

Wrapping up

I hope this has shown you just how worthwhile CPDs can be beyond regular sales visits. They’re a chance to connect, educate, and build genuine relationships with the people who matter. If you're curious to know more or want to chat about how CPDs could work for you, we’d love to jump on a call and talk it through.

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