Do bear in mind, although you can find paid speaking engagements, the effort to find these normally requires you to put in a fair bit of time and effort to contact hosts of conferences, industry association events, and more, before landing your first paid speaking gig.

Another avenue to explore is free speaking engagements. While these don’t provide an immediate paycheck, they do allow for self-promotion and the opportunity to provide ‘lead magnets.’ These free gifts incite individuals to ask for more information which may result in them eventually becoming paying clients. This tactic is all about playing the long game with an emphasis on delayed rather than immediate gratification.

At times as speakers, we may find ourselves in a position where we are asked to pay to speak on someone’s stage. It may seem counterintuitive; you might even question why someone would pay to do what they usually get paid for? The answer lies in exposure to a targeted audience. Speaking on someone else’s stage allows you to promote yourself and your services without having to invest time or effort in organizing an event. In essence, it’s a form of advertising where you’re paying for access to an audience. From the host’s perspective, their time, effort, and resources have been invested in creating the platform and thus it’s only fair for them to derive some reward.

The world of public speaking is diverse and can offer numerous avenues for profitability if navigated correctly. Understanding these different facets can help speakers, coaches, therapists, and solopreneurs make informed decisions about what kind of engagements they should seek out and accept. The goal is to find the balance that best suits your career objectives and maximizes your potential for profit.

Remember that every speaking opportunity presents a chance to promote your personal brand and increase visibility. When viewed from this perspective, all speaking stages, be it paid, free or paid-for, contribute in some way to the overall growth of your career. So remember, whether you get paid to speak before speaking, or after speaking, there’s still plenty of opportunities to get paid to speak on stages.

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Firstly, let’s discuss the “gift”.

A “gift” in a Virtual Summit context refers to a downloadable resource or “lead magnet” offered by a speaker during the event.

Lead magnets can range from informative eBooks or reports to video tutorials or cheat sheets. This resource doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical object, but something that provides value to your audience.

The key characteristic of such a gift is that it is offered for free to every participant who registers for the summit. They simply need to provide their email address to access the gift.

Offering a gift is a brilliant way for speakers to build their email list and create a connection with the audience. It’s a win-win for both parties: the speakers get potential client information while the audience receives valuable content for free in return.

Now, let’s talk a bit about the “VIP gift”.

Unlike the regular gift, the “VIP gift” is closely tied to a premium or upgraded experience within the virtual summit.

It is a product or service offered by the speaker which the participant typically has to pay to access outside of the summit. However, those audience members who choose to upgrade their summit experience (usually through purchasing a VIP ticket) can receive this offering as a part of their ticket price.

It’s crucial for this VIP gift to hold a significant value and exclusivity. It shouldn’t be something that can be accessed for free on the speaker’s website or given away freely in other circumstances without a form of payment. This exclusivity enhances the perceived value of the VIP ticket and provides a satisfactory return to the attendees for their investment.

The clear differentiation between a standard gift and a VIP gift is integral in a successful Virtual Summit. While every attendee should feel valued and gain something, those who invest more should derive an elevated benefit, enriching their overall experience.

Remember, it’s not just about offering gifts for the sake of it, but ensuring that as a coach or speaker your gift provides quality and value. This approach builds credibility and trust and lays down the foundation for future interactions with your audience.

As a coach, the benefit of providing a VIP Gift for a summit is that when someone opts in for it, you know they paid money. They are not tire kickers, unwilling to invest in themselves.

Understanding these two distinct components – the gift and the VIP gift – aids in leveraging your virtual summit experience to the fullest.

The strategic deployment of both Gifts and VIP Gifts can make a huge difference to building a quality list, deepen engagement, and drive audience satisfaction in the Virtual Summit.

Gift “Value”

A “gift” can be given a perceived value, or if you have sold it in the past, use that value. But attendees would expect you to be realistic. We recommend not saying “$10,000 of value”, for instance.

A “VIP Gift” – we recommend that you have sold it for a specific amount in the past, and use that value. Some might say “Book 45 minutes of my time – worth $1500” (actual example) – yet will take these meetings free of charge, or only charge $100 if you book from the website.

For both, the higher value you can use ethically, the better for you and the summit. It enables the host to say “buy the VIP ticket and get $x,xxx in value from the VIP gifts”.

We have seen speakers give away real value – courses they have charged $997 or $1,997 in the past, and have the sales page and receipts to prove it.

We have also seen speakers give away VIP gifts valued at $50 with tremendous value, both for the audience and for the speaker.

Gift Ideas:

1. Template or Worksheet: Practical tools like templates or worksheets related to your coaching area can be incredibly valuable, as they provide instant usability for your audience.
2. Checklist: A useful, targeted checklist can be a tremendous assistance to your audience. For example, if you’re coaching on productivity, a daily productivity schedule can be a neat gift.
3. Ebook Guide: An ebook that breaks down a complex subject within your field can serve as a fantastic gift. This can provide massive value to your audience and aids in establishing you as an authority in your field.
4. Webinar Recording: A recording of a webinar that relates to the topic of your talk can be a great gift. It gives attendees another chance to learn from you.
5. Exclusive Podcast Episode: Give your audience access to an unreleased or bonus podcast episode. They get exclusive content and a taste of your ongoing offerings, all in one.

VIP Gift Ideas:

1. One-On-One Coaching Session: A personal session with you could be an amazing VIP gift, offering deep value and creating a strong connection between you and the attendee.
2. Advanced Online Course: An online course that typically requires paid access is an excellent VIP gift. It offers attendees expanded learning opportunities from their summit experience.
3. Membership Access: If you run a paid membership site or community, giving free access for a month or two can be a lucrative VIP gift.
4. Premium Product or Services: If you offer products or services, such as exclusive tools or resources not easily available elsewhere, these can be included as VIP gifts offering tangible/additional value.
5. Event Tickets: If you are planning future summits, retreats, or workshops, offering a free ticket or a hefty discount could be an enticing VIP gift.

Remember, the key for both gifts and VIP gifts is to offer something of unique value that directly benefits your audience while highlighting your expertise as a coach or speaker.

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Zoom’s Native Client Advantage

One key feature that sets Zoom apart from other platforms is its native client. Unlike in-browser video platforms which may suffer from compatibility issues with different browsers or devices, Zoom’s native client boasts a seamless, intuitive user experience on any device. The application is simple to install and is consistent across operating systems, ensuring that all participants have a similar experience when using the platform.

This consistency in user experience is particularly critical when organizing a virtual summit with participants from around the world, using various devices and operating systems. Furthermore, the Zoom client is continuously updated and optimized, ensuring that you have access to the latest features, improvements, and bug fixes.

Overcoming Incompatibility in Browsers

While in-browser video platforms may offer the advantage of being accessible without the need to download a separate application, they may also suffer from browser incompatibilities. As there are numerous browser choices available, each with unique updates and settings, ensuring that your virtual summit runs smoothly across all browsers can be a daunting task.

Zoom eliminates this challenge by offering a native client that works consistently across all devices, regardless of browser choice. This approach reduces the likelihood of attendees experiencing technical difficulties and ensures that your virtual summit remains inclusive and accessible.

Easy Selection of Microphone and Camera

In virtual summits, it’s imperative to have proper audio and video quality to maintain engagement and present information effectively. One common challenge faced by users of in-browser video platforms is the difficulty in selecting the correct microphone and camera. Various devices come with multiple audio and camera input sources, and in-browser platforms may not always automatically detect the best option.

Zoom makes it easy for attendees to select the microphone and camera they wish to use, with clear settings available within the native client. The platform even includes a testing feature that allows users to check and adjust their audio and video before the virtual summit begins, ensuring that technical issues are dealt with beforehand.

Effortless Permissions Management

Another critical aspect of hosting a virtual summit is managing permissions for microphones and cameras for participants. In-browser video platforms often rely on the browser’s permission settings, which can be difficult to navigate and lead to complications for attendees who might accidentally block access.

The Zoom native client simplifies this process by presenting users with clear prompts when they need to grant access to their microphone or camera. This streamlined approach means organizers and attendees waste less time troubleshooting access issues, allowing them to stay focused on the content and conversations during the virtual summit.

Zoom Has the Features You Need

Now that we’ve addressed the advantages that Zoom’s native client offers over in-browser video platforms let’s dive into some of the specific features that make it the ideal choice for hosting a virtual summit:

1. High-Quality Video and Audio: Zoom consistently delivers crisp video and clear audio, which is essential for engaging your audience and keeping their attention during a virtual summit.
2. Breakout Rooms: This feature allows you to divide attendees into smaller, focused discussion groups easily. Breakout rooms enhance collaborative experience during virtual summits and make it simple to tackle multiple topics simultaneously.
3. Screen Sharing and Annotation: Zoom’s screen sharing feature allows presenters to share their screen with the attendees, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. Combined with annotation tools, it enables an interactive virtual summit experience, promoting engagement from the attendees.
4. Recording: With Zoom, event organizers can easily record sessions to be distributed later to attendees or used for promoting future events. This feature ensures that the value of your virtual summit extends beyond its scheduled time.
5. Integration: Zoom readily integrates with other important tools, such as calendar systems, email platforms, and CRM software. This integration ensures seamless organization and communication leading up to and throughout the virtual summit.

Final Thoughts

While in-browser video platforms do offer some advantages, such as accessibility without downloading a separate application, their inherent issues with compatibility, settings management, permissions, and ease-of-use make them less reliable for hosting a virtual summit. In contrast, Zoom’s native client provides a unified and seamless user experience across all devices, coupled with essential features to make your virtual summit a success.

As the world continues to embrace remote events and virtual conferences, the importance of a high-quality, reliable platform cannot be understated. Zoom’s native client, ease of use, and robust feature set make it the prime choice for coaches, speakers, course creators and event producers looking to host an engaging and efficient virtual summit.

The post Why Zoom is the Best Video Platform for Running a Virtual Summit appeared first on EventRaptor.

Skyrocket Your Email List

One primary objective for any coach is to build a robust email list. Having a list of potential clients is critical for generating leads and converting prospects into paying customers. A well-executed virtual event will attract a high number of registrants who have an interest in your niche — and are therefore more likely to engage with your business.

By offering a valuable experience to participants, such as insightful talks, workshops, and actionable strategies, you increase the chances of them opting-in to your email list. This not only helps grow your list exponentially, but it also means you’re establishing a relationship built on trust and credibility with your audience.

Establish Yourself as an Expert

Running a virtual summit is a strategic way to position yourself as an expert in your field. With each speaker and session you host, you share valuable knowledge and experience with your audience. This positions you as a thought-leader, someone who is well-connected and understanding of the niche you operate in.

As you gain recognition and further your expertise, your target audience will begin to associate your brand with success and authority. The higher your credibility, the more likely prospects are to become clients, which translates to business growth.

Building Authority, Know, Like, and Trust

A virtual summit is an ideal platform to create a strong brand presence and establish trust among your audience. By sharing valuable content, interacting with attendees, and engaging in conversations, you demonstrate your commitment to their growth and success. This sense of attentiveness and sincerity goes a long way in building the know, like, and trust factor, which is critical for converting prospects into paying clients.

Moreover, inviting influential speakers and thought leaders to your virtual summit not only adds value to your event but also elevates your standing in your niche. Associating with these experts lends credibility to your brand, making you seem more trustworthy and reliable.

Create a Community of Your Target Audience

A virtual summit can help you build a community of like-minded individuals who are interested in your specific niche. By hosting discussions, chatrooms, and Q&A sessions, you can foster meaningful connections, share experiences, and create learning opportunities for all attendees.

These interactions can lead to long-term relationships, opportunities for collaboration, and a loyal audience for your coaching services. Furthermore, being the architect behind such a thriving community will strengthen your overall reputation and help position your coaching business as one that provides value and support.

Most Cost-Effective Strategy for List Building

Unlike traditional methods of list-building, such as paid advertising or lead generation, a virtual summit can effectively grow your email list while also generating revenue. By offering premium content, such as recordings, exclusive bonuses, or networking opportunities, you can charge a fee for attendance or post-event access.

Such monetization helps offset the costs associated with running the event, making the entire summit a cost-effective list-building endeavor, and ensuring that you earn money while you grow your client base.

In Conclusion

Running a virtual summit is an ingenious way to promote your coaching business, establish yourself as an authority, and foster a community of like-minded individuals. By hosting a valuable and engaging event, you can grow your email list, position yourself as an expert, and create know, like, and trust with your audience, all while cutting costs on traditional list-building methods. Embracing virtual summits is crucial for allying with industry experts, acquiring new clients, and creating a thriving coaching business in the competitive market.

The post How Running a Virtual Summit can Skyrocket Your Coaching Business appeared first on EventRaptor.

Don’t worry!

We’re going to discuss various strategies to make yourself attractive to virtual summit hosts, and some of the benefits of listing yourself in our speaker directory at https://app.eventraptor.com/speakers.

1. Establish Your Expertise

First and foremost, you need to showcase your expertise in your field. Hosts want speakers who can share valuable, timely, and relevant insights. To demonstrate your credibility, take these steps:

• Develop and maintain a professional website, blog, or vlog with well-researched, informative content.
• Showcase your credentials: certifications, degrees, awards, recognitions, etc.
• Share case studies, testimonials, and success stories from your clients or students.
• Collaborate with other experts on joint ventures, podcasts, or guest blogging opportunities.

2. Hone Your Speaking Skills

Communication is key, and this couldn’t be more true when it comes to virtual summits. To ensure your message gets across effectively, follow these tips:

• Practice public speaking regularly: join a Toastmasters club or speak at local events, workshops, and conferences.
• Record and analyze your presentations to spot areas for improvement.
• Invest in professional training, coaching, or courses for public speaking and presentation skills.
• Experiment with different styles, formats, and storytelling techniques.

3. Network, Network, Network

The professional relationships you build in your industry can play a significant role in opening doors for speaking opportunities. To help you do this:

• Join industry-specific online communities, LinkedIn groups, or Facebook groups.
• Attend other virtual summits, workshops, or networking events to connect with peers and organizers.
• Reach out to summit organizers or past speakers to ask for advice or referrals.
• Offer to help event organizers proactively, which will help establish goodwill and increase the chances of being asked to speak at their event.

4. Create a Compelling Speaker Profile

Your speaker profile is like your resume. It should be engaging, up-to-date, and show your expertise concisely. When crafting your profile, follow these guidelines:

• Write a captivating bio that highlights your professional accomplishments, expertise, and personality.
• Include a high-quality, professional-looking photo that conveys your personality and energy.
• List your previous speaking engagements, titles of your presentations, and testimonials or feedback from attendees.
• Include links to samples of your presentations: slides, videos, podcasts, or relevant blog posts.

A great place to showcase your profile is the Eventraptor speaker directory. By signing up at https://app.eventraptor.com/speakers, you can make yourself visible to event organizers and increase your chances of getting discovered for their virtual summits.

5. Offer an Engaging Presentation

Virtual conferences are often content-rich events, and your presentation should aim to be one of the highlights. Keep the following tips in mind for a powerful presentation:

• Understand the audience and their needs: tailor your content to be relevant, useful, and actionable.
• Develop a compelling title and description that piques curiosity and sparks interest.
• Emphasize interactivity through Q&As, interactive polls, or group exercises.
• Use slides judiciously: keep them visually appealing, concise, and clutter-free.

6. Leverage Social Media

Grow your online presence and showcase your expertise through different social media channels:

• Share relevant content consistently: articles, infographics, short video snippets, etc.
• Engage with your followers by responding to comments, DMs, and participating in relevant conversations.
• Participate in Twitter Chats, LinkedIn groups, or organized hashtag discussions.
• Go live on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to share your expertise directly with your audience.

7. Embrace Rejection and Keep Trying

It’s important to remember that not every submission will result in an invitation to speak. Embrace the process, learn from the feedback, and continuously refine your approach. Keep looking for opportunities, submit multiple proposals, and stay resilient!

A great resource to find events to submit your proposal to is the Eventraptor event listing at https://app.eventraptor.com/events. Browse through our curated list of events, and you’re sure to find a virtual summit where your expertise will be a valuable addition.

In Conclusion

There you have it! A comprehensive guide to making you more attractive to virtual summit hosts and securing more speaking engagements. By establishing your expertise, honing your speaking skills, networking, creating a compelling speaker profile, offering engaging presentations, leveraging social media, and staying persistent, you’re well on your way to becoming a sought-after speaker on the virtual summit circuit.

Don’t forget to list yourself in our speaker directory at https://app.eventraptor.com/speakers and keep an eye on the latest events at https://app.eventraptor.com/events. Wishing you the best in your pursuit of virtual summit success!

The post The Ultimate Guide to Getting More Speaking Engagements at Virtual Summits appeared first on EventRaptor.

Understand Your Audience

First and foremost, we must emphasize the importance of understanding your audience! You must have a robust grasp of who you are trying to reach, as well as their pains, desires, and aspirations. The best practice is to create a detailed persona of your ideal attendee.

• What are their primary pain points?
• What are their personal or professional goals?
• How can you help them improve, grow or overcome their challenges?

Once you have this foundational knowledge, you can start crafting your event messaging strategy and content topics. By focusing on your audience’s needs, your virtual summit will be more impactful and engaging.

Choose Relevant Content Themes

The success of your virtual event relies heavily on the choice of relevant content themes. Focus on content that will bring fresh insights and solve critical problems faced by your audience.

Pro tips for choosing the right content themes:

• Connect with your audience using online surveys.
• Conduct one-on-one consultations or group discovery sessions.
• Analyze the most popular posts and interactions in your social media channels.
• Research trending topics in your niche, take note of recurring concerns, challenges, or struggles discussed by members of your target audience.

With this data, you can build attention-grabbing themes, topics, and speakers that keep your audience engaged.

Attract High-Value Speakers

A critical aspect of engaging content is securing excellent speakers. Top-notch speakers bring their expertise, charisma, and engaging presentation techniques to captivate the audience. Their presence adds credibility and boosts the appeal of your summit.

How to find and attract high-quality speakers:

• Make a list of your dream speakers.
• Consider their relevance, expertise, and connections in your industry.
• Draft a personalized outreach email, explaining the summit’s purpose, audience, and why they consider them the perfect fit.
• Offer them visibility, reciprocal promotion, or other forms of value in exchange for their participation.

Remember that by building relationships with recognizable speakers or experts, you increase the value of your summit content and pave the way for potential collaborations in the future.

Ensure Impactful Presentation Design

A good PowerPoint is the backbone of a successful, engaging presentation. Create visually appealing, well-designed slides that make complex information easy to consume and understand. Here are a few effective tips for creating impactful presentations:

• Choose a high-quality template to ensure a consistent and professional look.
• Avoid clutter and heavy text-laden slides. Summarize the main points and use images and icons to support your ideas.
• Choose easily readable text and a color scheme that makes your content pop.
• Embed videos, animations, and other interactive elements to make the content more engaging.

Ultimately, a well-designed presentation will enable speakers to better connect with the audience and boost the overall value of your event content.

Interactivity: Keep Your Virtual Summit Lively!

Part of being engaging is inviting audience interaction, and virtual summits are no exception. Encouraging real-time connections between presenters, attendees, and event organizers will keep your content engaging and help retain your audience’s interest throughout the event. Please think about:

• Implementing a chat functionality to enable discussion and feedback.
• Scheduling Q&A sessions during or after presentations.
• Utilizing live quizzes, polls, and audience-derived content to gamify the experience.
• Integrating social media sharing options to boost your event reach.

By allowing your audience to interact and feel seen in your virtual summit, you can achieve deeper engagement and make your content more memorable.

Create Diverse Content Formats

No two people learn or consume information the same way; what might be engaging for one individual might be a bore for another. It’s important to provide diverse content formats to cater to varying learning preferences.

Vary the medium:

• Use pre-recorded presentations or live-streaming.
• Create video interviews, panel discussions, and case studies.
• Offer downloadable resources, like eBooks, checklists, and templates.
• Consider supplementary podcasts or audio content.

Offering a mix of content types will enhance the attendee experience and allow you to cater to different preferences and learning styles, increasing audience engagement overall.

Deliver Value and Actionable Insights

Attendees join your virtual summit hoping to gain valuable knowledge they can apply to achieve their personal or professional goals. Ensure you deliver on this promise; incorporate actionable insights and next steps so that your audience feels inspired to take action immediately!

Focus on:

• Breaking complex concepts into smaller, digestible points.
• Offering real-life examples, case studies, or stories to showcase practical applications of the concepts presented.
• Providing actionable tips, quick fixes, or “low-hanging fruit” that participants can implement right away with minimal effort.
• Encouraging attendees to establish new habits, practices, or routines based on the information shared.

The more value you provide during your virtual event, the more likely your attendees are to engage with the content, recommend the summit to their peers, and return for future events.

Test and Iterate

Finally, always be prepared to learn from your experiences and adjust your content strategy. Use event analytics, survey feedback, or direct participant input to evaluate your summit’s success and identify areas needing improvement. This iterative process allows you to fine-tune your content strategy, ensuring your virtual summit remains engaging and relevant to your audience’s needs.

Ultimately, creating engaging content for your live virtual summit requires a mix of essential elements: understanding your audience, selecting the right themes and speakers, designing impactful presentations, encouraging interaction, and delivering valuable insights. By following these strategies, you’ll deliver a virtual event experience that resonates with your attendees and keeps them coming back for more! Remember, practice makes perfect. Keep testing, adjusting, and refining your content strategy for continuous success. Good luck!

The post How to Create Engaging Content for Your Live Virtual Summit appeared first on EventRaptor.