Tag Archives: small business

4 Steps to Planning a “Must Attend” Event

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If you’re like many entrepreneurs, hosting an event is probably on your calendar this year. If not, it should be!

What better way to establish yourself as a thought leader while gathering a room (online or in-person) full of prospects and giving them a taste of your magic?

Events offer a number of opportunities to promote a new offering, get publicity for a book or simply make new connections.

Here’s a step by step guide to get you started:

Select the Topic

Got an idea for a program you’d like to host? Great. Before you start planning the logistics, your first step is to do some research with your target audience. Events require time and money, so it’s important to gauge the interest and need for the topic before booking a venue. Asking a few clients for their feedback on the idea or post a question to your community on Facebook or Twitter will help determine the interest and also give you insight into the questions or hot topics you should address during the event.

The Format

Now that you have the topic narrowed down, your next step is to determine the best format to deliver the content. Virtual webinar? Small group workshop? Large scale conference?

The content and subject matter often dictates the format. For an introduction or overview of a topic, a virtual webinar may be the best fit. If your topic is more in-depth and requires more training, an in-person workshop works best.

Choose a Date

Selecting the date seems simple, but is often the most difficult part of the process. There are a few things to consider when picking a date including the prime day and time for your target market. For example, hosting an event for corporate executives in the evening is ideal, since they may not be able to leave work during the day.

Also, beware of any holidays that may coincide with the dates as that will impact attendance.

Finally, remember to leave enough time to market the event. It takes anywhere from two weeks to six months to market an event properly. Make sure you have enough lead-time to promote the event so you can fill those seats!.

Select a Venue

If you’re hosting a virtual event, you still need to pick a “venue.” Think about where will you host the event online: Facebook or Zoom or will use an teleconference service like Free Conference Call or Instant Teleseminar?

For in-person events, the size and format of your event will determine which venue you select. For smaller events, you can rent a space at locations ranging from the public library to a local cafe to a yoga studio. If you’re looking for a more professional setting, a co-working space or conference room could provide the perfect location.

Now that you’ve got the basics nailed down, it’s time to promote the event!

Host an event in 2018? Let us show you the way! Begin by scheduling a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

Are you hitting an upper limit?

Have you ever lost your voice on the morning of a speaking engagement?

Or missed a flight and had to cancel an important meeting?

Perhaps you are getting ready to go to concert only to realize the show was the night before?

Some would say it’s an accident. Others call it bad luck.

While on the surface, it can seem like a coincidence, on a deeper level these incidents are a sign of hitting an upper limit.

As Gay Hendricks describes in The Big Leap, we typically hit an upper limit when we’re trying to move to the next level. Whether it’s a promotion at work, expanding a business or taking the next step in a relationship, navigating this new territory stirs up our underlying fears. That in turn causes us to self-sabotage.

Have you ever noticed when things are going well – you’re in a great relationship, clients are flowing in, your eating well and exercising – and then, BAM! You get in an accident, get sick or it seems as though “the other shoe” drops. That’s the upper limit.

There are four main reasons that cause an upper limit problem:

Feeling like you’re not good enough – New opportunities can bring up thoughts such as What if I can’t do it?; What if I can’t deliver what I’ve promised?; What if I don’t meet the expectations?

Fear of leaving your tribe behind – When you’re taking a big leap into new territory, you may meet resistance from friends or family. Perhaps they tell you you’re changing or no longer what to spend time with you. When this happens, naturally we want to stay where we are. You hit an upper limit and hold yourself back.

New level, new devil – Have you ever turned down a job because it seems like it will be too much work?

Fear of outshining others – Perhaps you turn down an opportunity because you don’t want to outshine a sibling, parent or friend.

How to break through the upper limit

So what can you do to prevent hitting an upper limit?

1. Raise your awareness – Make a commitment to become aware of patterns that lead to upper limits. Behaviors like worrying, getting sick, breaking agreements or deflecting compliments are good indicators that you’re approaching an upper limit.

2. Shift old patterns – By raising your awareness of upper limit behaviors, you can identify the pattern and change course before you sabotage yourself.

3. Write a new story – When old patterns and fears creep up it’s time to flip the script. Instead of spiraling out of control, adopt a playful attitude towards yourself. Embrace a sense of wonder about what’s causing you to hit your upper limit.

Have you hit an upper limit? How did you handle it? Share your story over on Facebook or Twitter.

The One Tool You Need for Networking, Client Meetings and Speaking Engagements

BlakeMykoskieMany entrepreneurs and small business owners don’t see the value of storytelling because they’ve been trained to focus on sales and marketing. However, storytelling is a vital piece of sales and marketing. In fact, it makes interacting with clients easier and takes away the “ick” factor so many entrepreneurs experience when trying to close a sale.

Here are a few reasons why sharing your story can boost your business:

Establish credibility –By having a powerful story to tell and speaking at events, you become a thought leader in your industry. You’ve received an endorsement from the organization you are speaking to, giving you a competitive edge.

Create connection – Sharing a powerful story gives your brand a human element. People know that you’ve been in their shoes, which creates authenticity and makes you relatable.

Stand out from the crowd – A powerful story makes you memorable. Which has a greater impact: A photographer? or Someone who captures life’s important memories?

Increase visibility – Speaking at events exposes you to new groups of people, thereby expanding your reach.

Are you ready to embrace the power of storytelling? Sign up for a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

How to Get Visibility Like a Rock Star

As a lifelong music fan, I believe there are many lessons entrepreneurs can learn from rock stars. It’s easy to look at famous musicians like Justin Timberlake or Beyonce and think they became successful overnight.

The business world is no different. Scroll through social media and you’ll entrepreneurs posting about a successful product launch, high-profile media coverage or a record month in sales.

Meanwhile, you put in the hard work daily, but wonder what you’re doing wrong and why your don’t get the same visibility in your business.

Here’s the good news:  it takes time to “make it” to the big time – in business or in music.

Before he achieved worldwide success, Justin Timberlake lost on Star Search. So did Beyonce.

They didn’t let those small defeats keep them from their rock star dreams. Here are a few actions you can take to get rock star visibility:

1. Play small venues – When starting a business you have to play the tiny clubs before you can sell out Madison Square Garden. Many entrepreneurs have dreams of delivering a TED talk. Speaking at smaller events or at local networking meetings is a great training ground to hone your message and perfect your presentation.

2. Build the buzz – Can you remember a time when a friend said “you’ve got to hear this song” or introduced you to a new band? Word of mouth referrals are one of the best sources to build buzz for you business. Take a cue from rock stars by engaging your “fans” on social media or ask former clients to write testimonials about your work.

3. Push through the fear – Barbra Streisand’s stage fright kept her from performing in public for decades. Adele, Eddie Vedder and Bob Dylan also shy away from the spotlight. However, these artists haven’t let fear prevent them from sharing their work with the world. Just imagine if Bob Dylan never released “Blowin’ in the Wind” or Adele kept “Someone Like You” in her journal?

Those songs are powerful and so is your message. There is a fan (or customer) who needs your services and is anxiously awaiting your next blog post, video, email or event.

So, put yourself out there.

GO FOR IT!

Share your words and message. You never know, you could be the next overnight success.

If you want to get more visibility for your business, schedule a 30-minute complimentary strategy session.