In this episode of Waking Up With Melissa Ruiz, I share why live events are one of the most powerful tools at your disposal if you want to create an iconic brand and a loyal community. If you’re somebody who wants to dominate and be known as the go-to authority for your specific niche, you do not want to miss this episode!
A BREAKDOWN OF THIS EPISODE
[04:54] Positioning yourself in the market
[09:48] Using your live event for lead generation
[12:28] Creating multiple streams of revenue with a live event
[16:08] Action steps to create a live event in 2023
[20:28] Raising awareness for your live event
How Live Events Can Help You Position Yourself in the Market
Almost every industry leader today is setting up live events in order to establish their unique place in the market.
If you were to create a live event, what will you do to make it exclusively yours? In other words, why would someone come to your event and not another?
More importantly, what’s your why in creating your live event? What impact do you want to leave with the people who attend?
To make the process simpler, think of your live event as just another offer. What experience will you walk attendants through and what’s the expected transformation?
The common fear of planning out a live event loses that intimidating factor once you are able to look at it objectively, as a product separate from you that is powerful enough to solidify your brand and take your business to the next level.
I designed The Quantum You Experience as the first BIPOC and LGBTQ-friendly event for entrepreneurs. I wanted that Burning Man Vibe, inviting guests to dress up in the way their highest selves would approve. I had dancers, drag queens, and voguers. And I wanted somatic healing and words of affirmation to anchor the experience from beginning to end.
In other words, The Quantum You was no cookie-cutter event. And yours shouldn’t be, either!
Using Your Live Event for Lead Generation
Our audience converts when we spend intimate time with them.
Your live event is an amazing opportunity to cross-pollinate audiences with speakers, or even to collaborate with individuals you’ve only ever dreamed about working with. It’s an opportunity for you to get in front of new audiences through the exponential power of word-of-mouth.
By associating your brand with these well-known personalities, especially if your vision is in alignment with theirs, you set your brand up for long-term success!
Creating Multiple Revenue Streams with Your Live Event
One of the biggest stumbling blocks for those who dream of putting together a live event, apart from the overwhelm of getting clear on the many details and organizing it all, is the financial side of things.
I found that it’s actually possible to quickly break even, and make a profit if you plan well. It’s easier than you think to attract sponsors who will give you money in exchange for being featured at your event if you have that irresistible brand message that they can’t help but want to be associated with.
In fact, the top three ways to create revenue with live events are ticket sales, sponsors & brand collaborations, and selling your own offers. Obviously, how well you benefit from these three streams of income depends entirely on your particular event, goals, and vision—and the sky really is the limit!
And let’s not forget what is actually the most powerful reward of a well-executed live event: the ability to deepen your relationships with your existing community, newcomers to your community, and other influential brands.
So many opportunities are waiting for you down the road, but they won’t come your way unless you plant the seed today in the form of your live event!
Action Steps to Design Your First Live Event
Start by creating an inspiration board and get all your ideas out of your head and into something you can see with your own eyes. Write down a list of your dream sponsors and brand collabs, and don’t hesitate to put down a name just because you think they’re “too big” a brand to reach out to.
After all, you’ll never achieve those partnerships without reaching out to them first!
Get clear on your why for the event and what you want your attendees and sponsors to walk away with that is of lasting value to them (and you!).
Brain dump all of your ideas into a Word document and start laying out a timeline. I recommend planning out the particulars at the very least five months in advance. Nine is ideal.
Once you’ve gotten your concept organized, create a sales page. Presell the offer—your live event. Announce the presale around four months in advance to maximize the momentum of anticipation, excitement, and buzz.
Finally, reach out to each and every one of your dream sponsors and brands on your list. Remember that big players literally have it in their budget to partner up with the right people. If you present your value proposition effectively, and get them to share in your vision for the simple fact that they share the same values you do, you’ll be surprised who ends up saying “yes”!
Focus on the end-game, which is to host a live event that ticks off multiple boxes at once, making it so much easier to manage all the different moving parts!
A live event well-designed and well-executed can bring us sales, lead generation, and position our brand all at the same time—which ultimately results in a thriving soul business!
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