We are talking all about how to set up a revenue-generating event for your business.
This is going to be a two-part episode, and today, we're kicking things off by taking you behind the scenes of an event very close to my heart – The Planathon.
For the past decade (yes, this marks our 11th year), we've been hosting an annual planning event for entrepreneurs known as The Planathon. Maybe you've been part of it; maybe you haven't. If you haven't, now's your chance – head over to theplanathon.com to RSVP; it's just around the corner.
I'm thrilled to have you here with me as we chat about the ins and outs of this event. Whether you're thinking about hosting your own event or simply curious about what goes on behind the scenes, this conversation is for you.
In this episode, I'll give you a sneak peek into the backstory and behind-the-scenes details of The Planathon. And in our next episode, I'll reveal where we're headed in the future.
In This Episode:
- Have a clear purpose for your revenue-generating event.
- Don't be afraid to start small; everyone has to begin somewhere.
- Choosing tech tools that are simple and user-friendly for you and your team.
- Craft an experience that allows you to generate revenue immediately.
- Give people advanced notice – it's a game-changer.
Every year, as we approach the end of the year, we come together to help you get strategic, focused, and intentional about setting yourself up for success in the year ahead. This event, in and of itself, has generated millions in revenue and allowed us to serve thousands of business owners. The feedback we receive about this event is nothing short of incredible, and the sense of community that blossoms during this once-a-year gathering is truly remarkable.
This is our 11th Planathon, and it all started over a year ago. I found myself in circles where people were asking if I planned for the coming year if I paused to reflect. Though I was relatively new to the entrepreneurial world at that time, I took notes and knew I wanted to offer something special the following year. I'd already been planning, reflecting, and strategizing – I had a framework in place.
So, I spent the year refining and working on this. The process I developed eventually became a workbook, which you can check out at freshstartworkbook.com. We'll be updating it soon for the 2024 edition.
With the workbook in hand, we created an event. I wanted this event to feel like a challenge – a structured opportunity for us to work together and make tangible progress toward specific goals. When we started The Planathon, we had a few key ideas. I knew it would run for five days, guiding participants through strategic planning elements. While we couldn't cover everything in just five days, we could certainly make significant headway. Additionally, I wanted to bring in experts to share their insights – many of whom were my colleagues and clients at the time.
The first Planathon was nothing short of incredible. I encouraged the experts to get creative and infuse entertainment into their videos. For instance, I kicked off a presentation in my car, emphasizing the importance of having a roadmap to reach your dream destination. I even started one video in a yoga pose. And right now, there's a video in our group where my young daughters composed a song and performed it – I highly recommend checking it out!
Now, here's the kicker – those videos weren't live. Why? Because I was still working a full-time job, and I didn't want to be on call 24/7. Hosting an event involves juggling many moving parts, so I needed to choose where to focus my energy. I didn't want a corporate or family emergency to derail the entire event. Being a solopreneur meant I had to do it all. Having pre-recorded videos allowed me to engage live in the comments and make a bigger impact throughout the event.
Since I was flying solo, I kept the tech super simple. We ran the event in a Facebook group and built our opt-in pages on Leadpages – a straightforward platform that I highly recommend checking out if you need easy and effective landing pages.
In the first year, I didn't run any ads; it was all organic. Despite the simplicity, we had 300 participants. I gave myself a few weeks to invite people in. It's crucial to remember that folks are busy, and they appreciate having plenty of advance notice about events. This is a practice we've stuck to over the years, ensuring that we have ample time to invite people, gather RSVPs, and get everyone prepared to dive into the event with us.
This strategy is one of the reasons our engagement is consistently high in the event group. We love getting to know everyone inside The Planathon and fostering a sense of community.
This is where it all started, and I’ve loved every minute!
Stay tuned for the next episode, where we'll dive even deeper into The Planathon journey. Thanks for joining me today, and I can't wait to continue this conversation with you soon!
If you haven’t already head over to theplanathon.com to RSVP for this event. We can’t wait to get started on October 30th.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
For simple opt-in pages!
Lead Pages
For building an email list
FloDesk
HIGHLIGHTS:
02:55 The Planathon – How It Started
06:43 Example of challenges in The Planathon
12:25 Why did Amber pre-record the videos instead of doing it live
14:53 Why Amber hosted The Planathon in a Facebook Group
16:10 What happened after the first year of The Planathon
19:12 Key points
