69: BTS of Running a Virtual Summit
The Engaging Early Learning Summit is officially underway! Get behind-the-scenes insight as Heather shares her experiences of launching her very first virtual summit.
She discusses the challenges and triumphs of organizing the event, the strategies she used to attract speakers and attendees, and the benefits the summit brings to her business and community.
She also explains why hosting a summit can be an excellent strategy for growing an email list, especially for newer businesses, and highlights the value of offering a free ticket option.
Is a virtual summit right for your business? Tune in to learn more!
Key Takeaways:
- (03:15) Heather’s goals and strategies for this summit
- (06:20) Challenges of running a summit; lessons learned
- (11:50) Uncomfortable moments; cold email pitches
- (14:45) Networking and finding speakers
- (18:20) Who should host a virtual summit?
Listen to Episode 3: Turning a Hobby into a Helpful Online Business with Erin Leonard
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Key Takeaways From Running My First Live Virtual Summit
The Beginning of a Bold New Chapter
There’s an incredible energy that buzzes in the air when you venture into the unknown, especially in the world of online business. That was precisely the emotion I felt as my very first virtual summit went live – an event meticulously planned and anticipated for months. The excitement was palpable, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
In this blog post, I’d like to share the behind-the-scenes of this journey, the lessons learned, the uncomfortable moments, and why I believe a virtual summit could be a game-changer for those at the early stages of their teacher biz journey.
Summit Objectives: Diversifying and Scaling
When I decided to organize a virtual summit, the objectives were clear yet multifaceted.
The business end of my decision aimed at diversifying my lead generation sources. For a long time, my kindergarten readiness business heavily relied on Facebook ads for new leads.
By hosting a summit, I could attract new email subscribers through the collective effort of multiple speakers who also promoted the event to their respective audiences.
Further, my summit served as the perfect platform to launch my membership program, directly addressing my audience during the summit’s closing webinar.
This event was also a golden opportunity to collaborate with other business owners, enriching my professional network and future content for the podcast.
Most importantly, it allowed me to better serve my community with diverse presentations on subjects beyond my usual content scope.
Navigating Challenges and Uncomfortable Moments
Every new endeavor comes with its own set of challenges, and hosting a summit was no different.
From the technologies involved to the logistics of coordinating speakers and presentations, it was a steep learning curve.
Even with a solid team supporting me, including a designer and a business manager, there were times when the process felt overwhelming.
One unexpected difficulty was the level of vulnerability I experienced by reaching out to potential speakers. Cold-pitching to strangers, some of whom were notable names in the industry, felt daunting, and my follow-up efforts left much to be desired.
However, these challenges served as invaluable lessons, and I kept detailed notes along the way to inform future summit endeavors. The key takeaway? Give yourself ample time to plan and execute, and don’t hesitate to follow up persistently.
The Right Fit: Summits for Newer Businesses
Upon reflection, I believe that virtual summits are particularly advantageous for businesses in the early stages.
If the primary goal is to grow your email list, which is a crucial asset in the online business world, then hosting a summit offers an excellent way to attract a substantial number of new leads.
While paid ads and organic content creation are conventional methods for list growth, a summit provides a unique and powerful alternative by leveraging the audiences of multiple collaborators.
Moreover, a free summit, as opposed to a paid event, can attract a larger audience and subsequently provide ample opportunities for upgrades and conversions, thus balancing lead acquisition with revenue generation.
Looking Ahead: Future Plans and Takeaways
Given the success and positive reception of my first summit, I am committed to making it an annual event.
With the lessons learned and a clearer roadmap, future summits will be planned well in advance to reduce last-minute crunches and streamline the entire process.
For those contemplating whether a summit could be the right move for their teacher biz, consider the immense possibilities it holds for network-building and audience growth. It might just be the transformative tool you need to level up your business.