Surprising benefits of hosting an online event
If you've been toying with the idea of hosting an online event, but you're not sure if it's worth all the work, this blog post is for you.
I'm going to share some of the surprising benefits that I've discovered from hosting my own events - benefits that I really didn't consider when I was weighing up the decision to put in all the effort.
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Increased Visibility and Speaking Opportunities
One of the most surprising benefits I've experienced from hosting my own online event is the increase in visibility and speaking opportunities that have come my way. Prior to hosting my event, I had participated in around 50 other events. But since putting together my own event and starting to promote it, I've seen a significant influx of invitations to be a part of other events.
I think that by putting something out there, by creating and promoting my own event, I've essentially waved a flag and said, "Hey, this is the kind of thing I do, this is something I'm interested in and qualified to speak on." Other business owners have taken notice, and they've started to see me as a potential speaker or participant for their events. They know exactly what to pitch me because I've clearly defined the topics and areas I'm passionate about.
This increased visibility and the opportunities to collaborate with other event organizers have been incredibly valuable for my business. Not only does it help me reach new audiences, but it also positions me as an authority in my field. When people see me speaking at or participating in multiple events, it reinforces the credibility of my brand and the expertise I bring to the table.
Gaining Clarity on Your Brand and Offerings
Another surprising benefit of hosting an online event is the clarity it has brought to my brand and the services I offer. As someone who's been in business for around five years, I've had a pretty good idea of who I want to serve and what I do. But as we all know, that can evolve constantly, and for me, the "what I want to do" piece has been more of a question in the last six months or so.
Having to really articulate my business, my offerings, and my value proposition to other people as I've been pitching and promoting my event has been incredibly helpful. It's forced me to synthesize my business into something short, concise, and easy to communicate. And in the process, I've gained a deeper understanding and clarity around my brand, my messaging, and the unique value I bring to my clients.
I think this is a really valuable exercise for any business owner, whether you're hosting an event or not. Taking the time to clearly define and communicate what you do, why you do it, and who you serve can be transformative for your business. And hosting an event can be a great catalyst for that process.
Building Confidence and Overcoming Fears
Hosting an event has also been a huge confidence booster for me. As a participant in other events, you always hope that people will pick you, that your pitch will resonate, and that you'll be a good fit. But by taking on the role of the host, I've had to step into a whole new level of confidence in what I'm doing and what I have to offer.
Interestingly, by shifting the focus away from just pitching myself and instead pitching an event that I'm putting together, it's actually made it a lot easier to reach out to people who might have felt a bit "out of reach" before. When I'm pitching the event, I'm not just asking for something from them - I'm offering them a valuable experience in exchange. This has helped me overcome some of the fear and anxiety that can come with outreach and networking.
It's also been incredibly validating to get great feedback from people about the value of the event, how I've put it together, and the topics I've chosen to focus on. Hearing that people are genuinely interested in the things I'm passionate about and that they have questions or problems they want to dive into has been really affirming. No matter what topic you choose to focus on, by staking your claim and saying, "This is something I'm behind," you'll get valuable feedback from your audience that can help guide your business decisions going forward.
Inspiring New Offers and Opportunities
Perhaps one of the most exciting benefits of hosting an event is that it has inspired me to create a brand new offer for my business. As I was going through the process of putting together my latest event, the Energy Savers event, I realized just how much I loved the experience. The process of ideating, planning, and executing the event was incredibly fulfilling, and I found myself wanting to do more of it.
So, I've decided to launch a brand new Online Event Planning Intensive, where I'll be working one-on-one with clients to help them create their own events from start to finish. This is something that I'm uniquely positioned to do, and it's an offering that isn't being done all that much in the online space. A lot of people tend to overcomplicate the event planning process, adding too many "cherries on top," which can make it overwhelming and daunting.
My goal with the Event Planning Intensive is to help my clients pull off their big, ambitious event ideas in the most realistic and feasible way possible. I want to work with them to create a tailored plan that fits their unique working style and keeps the project as low-lift as can be. And I'm really excited to be able to offer this new service to my audience.
In the meantime, I'd love to invite you to join me for the debrief of my latest low-lift collaborative event, the Energy Savers event. This is a great way to get a feel for what it's like to put on an event like this, as I'll be diving into all the behind-the-scenes details, the numbers, the feelings, and the lessons learned along the way.
