Tag Archives: speaking

How to Sell Out Your Next Event

Hosting a live event can be a daunting task. Planning the content, finding a venue and managing the logistics can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. And then you have to get people to register and attend – minor detail!

Whether you are hosting a retreat,  book signing, virtual teleseminar or conference, there are a few key marketing ingredients that will make your event a success.

Set up your sales page 

First things first. Begin by writing a description of the event that highlights the benefits of attending and what people will gain by attending. How will this event help them? What is the format? What is the agenda for the day? Who is the event designed for?

It’s also important to include basic information like the date, time and location for the event as well as the registration information so people can buy tickets!

In addition to your website or sales page, set up an event page on Facebook or Eventbrite so you can can reach a wider audience.

Create a marketing calendar

Depending on the size of the event, you should begin marketing 2-6 months in advance of the event. Creating a marketing calendar will keep you organized and on track with your initiatives as you move closer to the date.

Decide how often you will promote the event and through which channels. For example, will you send an email to your newsletter subscribers or post the information on social media? Write down each marketing piece on a calendar to indicate the date you plan to send it out.

Here are a few marketing channels to consider:

  • Newsletter list and subscribers
  • Client prospects
  • Colleagues and partners who serve similar audiences
  • Social media channels
  • Networking groups and associations
  • Online groups and communities such as Facebook, LinkedIn

Important note: Remember to also mark time on your calendar to write the promotional pieces whether it’s copy for an email or a tweet!

Engage partners to build the buzz

In addition to marketing to your own list and social media channels, enlisting the help of friends, colleagues and business partners will help spread the word to a wider audience.

This can include:

  • Speakers for the event
  • Referral partners
  • JV partners
  • Clients
  • Colleagues from networking or association groups

Provide sample email copy, blurbs for newsletters and social media posts to make it easy for people to share the event with their communities.

Build excitement ahead of the event

Once people begin registering for your event, it’s important to keep in touch with them before the event happens. Sending email updates or engaging with attendees on social media keeps it fresh in their minds and builds excitement. Get creative and start a social media promotion by asking attendees to post pictures on Facebook or Instagram.

Monitor your registration numbers throughout the process to make sure you’re meeting your goals.

Ready to sell out your next event? Begin by booking your complimentary 30-minute discovery call.

What Improv Taught Me About Business

“With improv, it’s a combination of listening and not trying to be funny.” – Kristen Wiig

I discovered how true that statement is when I took my first improv class recently. Improv has always been on my bucket list, but fear held me back. The inner critic was saying “you’re not funny, you don’t have any acting experience, you’re going to make a fool of yourself.”

The Power of “Yes, And”

Twitter’s CEO, Dick Costolo, credits his improv training with his ability to think big and make courageous choices.

What could be more important in business or in life?

I’ve been fascinated with improv for a long time, so I signed up for an intro class. I walked in with sweaty palms and walked out with tools that will serve me in every aspect of life including:

  • Listen – Improv is unscripted, so your next move depends on your scene partner’s action. If you try to plan your next line, the scene loses its natural flow. By being fully present and listening, your next move becomes natural and it eliminates the fear.
  • Trust – Improv teaches you to think on your feet. But there are moments your mind will be blank. Instead of panicking and thinking that you won’t know what to say or do, trust that the answer will come. It always does.
  • Let go of fear – This may be the hardest lesson to learn because fear is such a powerful force. In improv (and in life) you’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to have critics, but you have to go for it anyway. In order to move forward you have to let go and get over the fear. After all, that’s where the reward is.
  • Yes, And – Improv encourages you to say “yes, and…” in order to build a conversation or scene. The second you say “no,” the action stops. Where are you saying “No” or “Yes, but…”? Now, imagine what would happen if you shifted those answers to “Yes, and…”

Ready to give improv a try? Check out the Rock Your Story workshop and learn how improv can help you on stage and in life.

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.

4 Steps to Planning a “Must-Attend” Event

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 (virtual 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: Google+ Hangouts, Facebook, UStream 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!

If you want to host an event in 2015, let us show you the way! Begin by scheduling 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.