One of the biggest fears of many business owners is the fear of being too salesy. People often have the misconception that marketing and sales means being pushy. And it makes sense if you believe this to want to avoid it. You want your prospects and customers feel welcomed and appreciated, not pressured or attacked.
Let’s be clear that marketing and sales is not a full contact sport. Marketing is about sharing your passion for your business with others. It’s about talking about your prospect’s problems and helping solve them in the best way you know how.
Be Clear on Your Intentions
Just as it is with marketing, if you approach monetizing your event with the intention of helping others and providing them with the best solutions for their challenges, you won’t turn them off. The first step is to make sure that every single monetization tactic benefits your prospects and event attendees. Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Will my prospects appreciate products or services from this sponsor?
2. Does this bonus report provide valuable information?
3. Will this product or service help my attendees and improve their lives?
4. How does this link provide value?
If you can answer the questions confidently and positively, then you’re on the right path to making money and creating a powerful live event. The next consideration is how you’re going to monetize. Just like with real estate, the phrase to remember is “location, location, location.”
Positioning Your Monetization Tactics
Don’t you just love it when you walk through the entrance of a store and the sales people pounce on you like hungry sharks? Probably not. It’s much more enjoyable to be in the store, to look around and to be gently guided to products that benefit you.
The same is true for the people who attend your event. They want to have time to settle in, to see the value, and to be guided toward products and services that fit their needs. That means positioning your monetization links and calls to action in strategic positions, at points where they’re ready for the next step and where products and services fit naturally.
This often happens within the body of add-on content like reports and downloads. However, you can also position links to products and services within the body of your content wherever relevant. A list of resources at the end of the event is also helpful.
Will you turn off prospects if you monetize your event? No. Not if you keep your prospects and audience in mind. Create a monetization strategy that provides them with the most value and opportunity to succeed.