Hands down, one of the best ways to boost your credibility as a coach is to host your own live events. They’re a chance for you to show off your expertise, provide social proof (your guest speakers will do that for you), and get your name in front of more potential clients and customers.

So what’s holding you back?

Well, if you’re like most people, it’s fear. Fear of not being able to attract speakers. Fear of not being able to sell enough tickets. Fear of just putting yourself out there and saying, “I’m hosting an event.”

Here’s the secret though. Your event does not have to be a 300-person affair. Sure, you can have aspirations of that (and you really should), but that’s not where you begin. You begin with a small, intimate venue that holds less than 50 people.

Think about it. If you only have to sell 50 tickets, there’s a lot less pressure to perform. You’ll have lower out-of-pocket expenses, fewer people to please, and less equipment to worry about.

But you still have all the benefits of being able to say, “I’m hosting an event.”

Plus, this live event will lay the groundwork for future events. Because you’ve got the experience, it will be much easier to add live group coaching or mastermind components to your top-dollar coaching programs. You’ll have a lot less worry over managing all the pieces and parts, simply because you’ve “been there, done that” on more than one occasion.

Live events can take many forms, too, so don’t think you have to commit yourself to a multi-day, multi-speaker conference. Your first event might be a local Meetup, or a half-day workshop held at your favorite conference center, or even a free mastermind session tacked on to a larger event you’re attending. The point is to get your feet wet and pave the way for bigger and better events down the road.

So while you’re planning your event, keep these points in mind:

• Promote and talk up your event as if it’s the biggest thing in your industry. Don’t lie, of course, but do be energetic and positive about it.
• Get testimonials from attendees, and do it while you’re at the event. Don’t wait until they get home, because we are forgetful creatures.
• Take notes. What worked, what didn’t, what could have been improved?
• Keep it simple. Don’t try to host a multi-day, multi-room event for your first time out. Put that on your “someday” list instead.

But the most important point about your first live event? Just do it. Step outside your comfort zone and enter the world of event hosts. Once you’re there, you’ll find that your coaching credibility increases exponentially.

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When it comes to the most commonly heard business advice, “The money is in the list” ranks right up there in the number one spot.

Whether you’re a coach, an information product seller, a top-notch service provider, or you’re selling a line of skin-care products, growing your mailing list must be a priority.

There’s plenty of strategies to help you add a steady stream of emails to you list, too. A downloadable resource guide prominently offered in your blog sidebar is a proven tactic, as is a training webinar that potential clients can attend live (or even pre-recorded). You’ve likely heard of—and tried—other strategies as well.

And while all of these ideas will produce a trickle of new opt-ins, or maybe more depending on your website’s traffic numbers, they won’t bring in a tidal wave of sign ups. But there is one technique that will.

The Beauty of Massive Giveaway Events

Imagine what would happen to your mailing list if you suddenly had 40 or 50 or even more super successful business owners—all with big lists of their own—promoting YOUR opt-in gift? You’d open your autoresponder account in the morning and see hundreds of new email addresses each and every day. You could easily double or even triple your list in no time at all.

And you know what all those emails mean—more eyes on your products and services, and more money in your pocket.

Giveaway events like this work because a group of business owners in similar niches all work together to drive massive amounts of traffic to a single page. It’s a simple technique that’s worked time and again in nearly every niche, and it can just as easily work for you.

Organization is Key

Here’s the thing, though. In order to make this (or really, any list-building strategy) work for you, you have to get organized and make the process as smooth as possible for all involved. You’ll need an infrastructure in place that includes:

· A great looking landing page to collect email addresses

· A website server that can handle lots of traffic

· A hidden page where the offers can be presented, and participants can click each link to claim the freebies that appeal to them

· A mailing list provider to follow up with both participants and your fellow business owners

· A group of friends and colleagues who will commit to giving away some top-notch prizes and who will follow-through on mailings

It may seem like a lot of work, but when you consider what it could mean for your business growth, the benefits of hosting a large-scale giveaway are clear.

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Think the money is in the list? Think again.

The real money is in the follow-up. Without a great back end to support your list-building efforts, you’ll wind up with a huge list of names that do little but cost you money. And nowhere is that more true than with a big giveaway event.

Think about it. You’ll spend time and money—and lots of it—just organizing your event. Between the design work, recruiting guests, writing copy, and setting up the infrastructure, you’re going to spend dozens of hours.

The way to make up for that is with a solid back end that brings in sales each and every day.

Two Pages to Monetize

Want to know the most underutilized page on your site? It’s the confirmation page. You know, that page where new opt-ins land while they wait for your confirmation email to arrive? If yours says something like “Thanks, now go check your email” (or worse, it’s AWeber’s or Lead Page’s default page) then you’re missing a golden opportunity.

This is potentially the first exposure your new subscriber has to you, so it pays to make it a good one. This is the place where you should be offering a low-cost product that is a natural fit with your freebie. So in this case, your free offer is the giveaway event. Think about your products. Which one will help participants make the most of the event? That’s the one to offer on the confirmation or thank you page. And if you can offer a coupon, even better!

The download page is another often overlooked opportunity. Give your readers a relevant offer that ties in nicely with their download (or in this case, the gifts they’re receiving) and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the number of takers you get.

Email Still Works

Don’t forget the follow-up emails. Hopefully you’ve created a series of emails to go out after a subscriber joins your list. These are the perfect place to make offers of relevant products and services, either yours or those of your event guests. You don’t have to resort to hard sell tactics in every email though—and you probably shouldn’t.

Instead, send your subscribers valuable information they can use, so they learn to look forward to your emails. Save the selling for your P.S. or for the occasional (once per week or less) solo email.

Done right, these two techniques can ensure you not only earn back your investment in creating your giveaway event, but earn a tidy profit as well. Not only that, but these strategies work for every opt-in offer on your site, so be sure to take a look at your other funnels and patch up any leaks you might have.

To start – fill in the The Complete Assessment for a free assessment