Have you ever participated in an online course, a webinar, or a chat room meet-up? These types of events can provide profound benefits for your business. They help further enhance your credibility and authority as a leader in your industry. You earn the trust of your audience by providing substantial value to your prospects.
You also create a tremendous amount of content for such events and from events. This content can be used in a variety of ways to increase your content marketing reach and functionality. For example, let’s say you host a live event on how to improve cash flow. To prepare for the event you’ll create an outline and a speech for yourself.
You’ll probably create a few videos or slide shows to help attendees visualize the information you’re presenting. And you may create checklists, worksheets, and even downloadable reports for those who participate in the event. If you record the event then you’ll have the audio which can be transcribed to create print content.
You now have a wealth of content that can be tweaked and repurposed to support a multitude of other content marketing efforts. You can create social media posts, blog content, and newsletter content and even make the relevant downloads available on your website. Live events are a goldmine.
Preparation Is Key
Before you even begin planning a live event, the first step is to decide what you want to accomplish with it. What’s your goal? For example, will you use the live event to convert attendees into paying customers? If so, then the event will have to have a natural lead into your entry level product or service.
The second step, once you’ve identified a goal, is to create an event that your audience will find tremendously valuable. This requires a good degree of brainstorming and research. What topic would draw the most prospects and be an organic path to achieve your goal?
For example, if you are a realtor you might want to increase the number of people who list their homes with you. Your live event then would need to help potential sellers solve a problem and naturally motivate them to contact you for a listing.
Heavy Promotion
Give your live event every opportunity to reach as many prospective attendees as possible. Promote it using all of your existing marketing channels. Live events often require the time and dedication that goes into a product or service launch. You want to build buzz and get people excited for the occasion.
One last tidbit of information about live events: test everything beforehand. Make sure your content is well prepared, edited, and practiced. Make sure your links work and your technology is functioning. Finally, prepare a follow-up plan. What will your prospects do when the event is over? How will you follow up with them and help keep them engaged and active in your business community?
Next steps…
Begin formulating ideas for a live event.
- What type of event might work best for your audience?
- What topics would they be interested in and how can you best present the information?
- How will you market the event and how will you follow up?
- What are some possible goals for a live event?