How to Use Virtual Events toBuild Brand Awareness and Create New Sales Opportunities

by Donna Maria Coles Johnson | Indie Business Network

Presented at 2x4 LIVE April 1 - 2, 2016: Nashville, Tennessee

Objectives• 1. You will embrace a new mindset and approach to

leveraging technology to build a branded community of people who buy your products repeatedly.

• 2. You will have specific virtual event models you can use to build brand awareness and increase sales.

• 3. You will be ready to Mastermind your particular business to at least one of these specific models tomorrow morning.

Benefits of Virtual Events• Build brand awareness: events help you build brand awareness

• Leverage technology: events allow you to leverage technology for the kind of speed and access that you cannot get elsewhere, ever.

• Build your list: events are experiences; experiences draw people; people become attendees; attendees become subscribers; subscribers become customers; customers become brand ambassadors …

• Blog and newsletter content: events always lead to content

• Social media proof: events put your time where your mouth is to build credibility and expand your sphere of influence; you are doing things

Benefits of Virtual Events• Referrals: events lead to experiences people want to tell their

friends about

• Testimonials: events make it easier for you to attract testimonials

• Community: events build community; grow your tribe

• Confidence: hosting events helps sharpen your leadership skills

• Relationship skills: hosting events helps you improve your people skills

• Lifestyle: events allow your business to help you enjoy freedom, flexibility, and fun

What’s Holding You Back?• I’m afraid that: _____________________________

• Fear that you won’t push the right technological buttons, or that technology will fail you

• Fear that you don’t have enough time

• Fear that you’ll have to keep doing it

• Fear that you don’t have enough to say

Get Over It!• People don’t buy your product because it’s good.

They buy your product because they expect to have a certain experience.

• Experiences are more fun when they are enjoyed with a friend, or through the lens of a friend.

• Bringing like-minded people together around life issues they care about create positive experiences that connect members of your target audience together in meaningful relationships — and all roads lead back to your shopping cart.

Virtual Event Model No. 1: Facebook Event

• Show and Tell

• Q+A

• Find products

• Home party-type

• Example: Scavenger Hunt

Facebook: Scavenger Hunt

Virtual Event Model No. 2: Blab

• How to

• Q+A

• Informational

• Example: Whole Health Dana

Blab: Informational

Virtual Event Model No. 3: Twitter Chat (Party)

• Engaging

• Conversational

• Tribe building

• Public

• Ideas: #craftchat, #beautychat, #soapchat, #veganchat #momchat, #handmadechat, etc.

Twitter Chat: #HandmadeChat

Virtual Event Model No. 4: Periscope

• Teaching

• Training

• Showcasing

• Example: #BlackBizScope

Periscope: #BlackBizScope (katch.me)

Summary• Facebook

• Blab

• Twitter

• Periscope

Thank You!1. Homework: select one of the models to discuss during tomorrow’s workshop

2. Join the Indie Business Network: http://www.IndieBusinessNetwork.com/join

3. Invite me to your virtual event: indiebusiness@gmail.com