Search this site

When speakers sell from the stage – incorrectly – it can come off as pushy or sleazy. I believe this is the primary reason so many speakers take their bow and exit the stage, without ever offering the opportunity for audiences to take the next step. However, leveraging audiences into back end products and programs can be an amazingly effective to build up additional revenue streams and profits, and – IMHO – is an essential skill for all speakers who want to grow and scale their business.  I know all the typical tips and tricks around selling – that you have to create scarcity and urgency, that you need to create an atmosphere of desire and FAST ACTION, that you must have an “OFFER STACK,” and that you should sell to EVERYONE that could POSSIBLY buy. And while these tactics may “work,” they often contribute to that “pushy/sleazy” vibe, which I know you don't want, and I know your audiences don't want either.  So how do you “sell from the stage” in a way that draws people in, rather than turns them off?  My approach to selling from the stage is different from most of what’s out there, and I think that’s exactly why it works. First off, I believe in relationship building for the long haul , rather than “maximizing conversion” in the short run.  My goal, and what I’ve built my business around, is for clients to always know they can trust me, and that we will truly serve them – not just SELL them. This creates the pathway for a lasting relationships and a “big back end” which is so much more sustainable than the one-and-done types of sales.  No matter how amazing your keynote or breakout session is, it will only ever be a small moment in an attendee's life. Simply put, a 90-minute program simply cannot deliver the transformation that a deeper, longer-term program can. That's why making some sort of offer from the stage is so important; it gives people the opportunity to have a much richer experience – while giving you the opportunity to grow your business.  The end of your 90-minute keynote, breakout, or whatever you deliver is the PERFECT time to invite those who feel called to take the NEXT step. Once you’ve invested time and energy into an audience, and delivered at the highest level, your audience is fully engaged, and there will never be a better time to make an offer.   However, because we only have a limited amount of time to connect with an audience, convey value, AND make an offer, offers can sometimes feel like pressure (for us and for them) – which is a HUGE turnoff. So the first thing to do when making offers from the stage, is to get into the right state of MIND. You can do this by remembering that you don’t need to “close” everyone one in the room – if you’re using a “boutique” business model (check out my other videos on that topic), then you only need to enroll the right people who are a perfect fit. Remember: you don’t need or want everyone to buy what you’re offering, just a handful of the right people.  Keep the long game in mind, rather than looking to make the quick, easy sale. This can be the beginning of a lasting and beautiful relationship with your clients. Secondly, you want to deliver a juicy offer!! I personally recommend something that's a “no brainer,” that inspires an easy yes. Crafting an irresistible offer is an entire topic unto itself, so instead of trying to shoehorn it into this post, instead I'll direct you the best resource I've got: a podcast interview I did on Irresistible Offers with my brilliant and talented superstar marketing friend: Dustin Mathews. Click here to listen to that interview . Something I’ve found works well is to offer everyone in the room something desirable and valuable for free – and then to offer a “VIP version” of that free thing as the sale. This way EVERYONE feels served, and then the people who are REALLY the right fit, self-select up into the higher level offer, and everyone is happy.  For example, you could offer everyone a free pass to your webinar, and then share that you have a VIP version of that for those who want to also enter a private mastermind or hot seat. This way the more committed and engaged clients “self-select” UP.  One thing I’ve done successfully is give everyone a free tool kit to further apply what they’ve learned, and then I offer a private session with me “for those who are ultra committed to going further, faster.” If anyone is interested in that, I invite them to meet me in the back of the room, or I give a link to do that (if it’s a virtual event). This way I get to have a more personal conversation with JUST the people who are the most interested.  ***  If my approach to business and sales resonates with you and you're looking to create more big back end revenue opportunities from your speaking, let’s connect. Visit superstartactivator.com/go and sign up for a discovery call with me.

Your retreat theme (or topic, or promise) is the basis for your entire retreat strategy, so nailing it down early on is essential. In today's blog post and video, I share my 5 favorite ways of finding a theme that feels exciting for you, appeals to your ideal clients, delivers big value to the attendees, and sets you up for a successful and profitable retreat. Keep reading, or watch the video! #1 People Before you can decide on a theme, it's helpful to know WHO the retreat is for. Who do you love to work with, and who would be PERFECT for your retreat? Once you have that in mind, now ask yourself: "what do they need and want?" Think about what their pain points and problems could be. Once you know those, you can design a retreat that provides some sort of solution, AKA: your retreat PROMISE. For example, when I used to host the Women's Success Summit, I chose themes that would resonate with women entrepreneurs, and one of the most successful themes I event chose was: "It's Time To Shine!" which perfectly captured the essence of what these women were looking for: permission to dream and express themselves more boldly than ever before. # 2 Purpose What kind of contribution do you want to leave people with? What is the HIGHER level reason for wanting to do this retreat? How does it fit into your industry, your community, or something greater than just you, or your attendees? A retreat is a great way to make a massive impact on people, consider the ripple effect of that impact out in the broader world. By incorporating your purpose into your retreat theme, it becomes more inspiring – both to you and to your participants. For example, one of my WSS themes was: "Show Me The Money," which I chose because I knew that if our attendees were able to make more money, then their families, communities and our whole planet would benefit. #3 Passion Whether your passion is fitness, food, business, or lifestyle, you have the opportunity to share what you LOVE and that provides a very solid foundation for a retreat theme. When you love it, when you have EMBODIED it, it's much easier to convey it, and for others to receive it. And when you are truly passionate about something, it's also much easier to promote, market, and sell it. #4 Plan The plan is your bigger vision. Make sure your retreat theme fits into the bigger picture of your business or your life, that there's somewhere for this to GO. I generally wouldn't recommend building an entire retreat around something you're passionate about, but don't have any strategic plans to continue. You want to have something for these participants to move into from the retreat (the Big Back End offer, coming up next). So choose a theme that aligns with that longer-term vision. #5 Pitch Your Pitch is the offering you make at the retreat, for what comes after your retreat, AKA: the “Big Back End”. If you've watched any of my videos about how to have a retreat business, then you may be sick of hearing me talk about this. The Big Back End is that ongoing program that your retreat participants sign up for after the event. This program creates a revenue stream that lasts long after your retreat and kicks off a long-term client relationship. In my personal opinion, it is not worthwhile to invest the time and energy into creating a retreat without a Big Back End. So during your retreat, part of your theme should support leading into the Big Back End. For example, my retreat theme is Business Breakthrough, and during the retreat, I make the distinction between BREAKTHROUGH and MASTERY -- which is where the long-lasting transformation happens, in the Big Back End. *** Those are the 5 things to consider and look at in deciding your retreat theme, and, of course, you can combine these ideas too, which actually is probably the best possible retreat theme. One that appeals to your people, aligns with your purpose, fuels your passion, serves your plan, and supports your pitch. *** If you love the idea of leading retreats and creating a whole entire business around uplifting and transforming people through small events, then let's connect!  Visit superstaractivator.com/ go and set up a time to talk to see if and how I can support you in growing your retreat-driven lifestyle business. P.S. I am announcing something BIG very soon! If you are a former Women's Success Summit fan, this is especially – but not only – for you. Stay tuned and look out for my special invitation next week 😉 See you soon!!! Michelle

Your business model impacts almost everything about your business.  What is a business model, exactly? By my definition, your business model is the mechanism by which you turn your magic into money. (Watch this video for the more detailed content, or keep reading for the abridged version). When I say your “magic,” I don't mean your time and energy. This is where I see a lot of businesses (including my own 14 years ago) limit their full true potential (and crash and burn). When your business model is structured around selling your time and energy, you are not only limiting your growth and your impact, it's also a recipe for burnout.  Of course, it can be a fine way to get started, to learn the ropes, and to make some money quickly, but in the long run, there is always a limit on how much of your time you can actually sell and there's a point beyond which it becomes exhausting . Here are some questions to help you as you evaluate your current model – or consider a new one. 1. Understand the relationship between your business model and your joy and fulfillment . No other decision you make will impact your lifestyle more than your model. Your model determines how many hours you work, who you work with, what you're doing when you work, and how much of an impact you can make. If you dislike what you're doing, and/or if you have to do too much of it, eventually you will grow to resent your business, and even sabotage it subconsciously! When I was at the point when I needed a new model, 8 years ago, I realized that much of the work I was doing I hated — I was behind a computer, sitting at a desk, working by myself or perhaps with one client at a time. This made me resist sales and marketing, and was keeping my business small. What I wanted was to be with PEOPLE, lots of people, and that spurred me to create an event-centric group coaching model, which completely transformed my life and my business. I not only enjoyed what I did (SO MUCH) more, I also made a lot more money. A new model can breathe new life into your business. You can shift what you're actually working on and create more alignment between what you LOVE to do and what feeds your business. 2. Scaling by leveraging time, empowering others to replace you, or by using technology to replace yourself.  If you have a business model where you're selling time for money, then you've probably figured out a system to generate results. That means you can SYSTEMIZE and SCALE! Here are 3 common ways to scale: Go from delivering 1:1 services to delivering your services in a group model, for example using seminars, retreats, or group coaching programs (that's the avenue I took).  Teach other people to execute what you do. Many experts and superstars have scaled BIG using various “train the trainer” models.  Create do-it-yourself info products like digital courses which are almost infinitely scalable – you create something one time and then you can sell it forever. All of the above have their challenges, though!! Some require lots of traffic and new marketing strategies, and others may require entirely new skill sets. 3. Support can help you grow and scale.  As long as you are the person delivering all the work yourself, you can only get so big. I've observed that most 1-person “expert” operations can get to about $300,000 revenues before they plateau and require support.  To get past whatever your limit is, consider where support would add the most “bang for the buck.” I've found that it's wisest to invest in someone else doing the things you hate, or things that are “above your pay grade” so you can focus on high-value activities (like sales.) By the way, Sales is often an area people want to outsource early on, and it usually doesn't go very well. IMHO: if ever there was a business skill worth mastering and getting good at yourself , it's sales! Just sayin'. *** I hope this was helpful for you to spark some ideas for your growth. If you'd like to work with me personally to create a more aligned, joyful, and scalable business model, let's connect! Book some time on my calendar at www.SuperstarDiscoveryCall.com .  Ciao for now!!

Are you an ENFP – often considered the world's most “charismatic” personality? There are 5 major signs that can help you know… but before I get to those, a little bit of background about the ENFP type and about my own ENFP discovery experience.  First, a bit about the 4 letters that make up a person’s Myers-Briggs type:  The first letter is either an “E” or an “I.” This first position refers to whether you get your energy primarily from the outer world (“Extraversion” – yes, spelled with an “a”) or from your inner world (Introversion).  The second letter is an “N” or an “S.” The “N”’s refers to iNtuition and “S” to Sensing. These reference how we gather data about our world. Some of us gather data by looking at patterns, themes, and the big picture. Others gather data primarily through sensory input, i.e., our 5 senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.  The third letter, “T” or “F,” refers to how we make decisions or judgments about the data we’ve gathered, either by evaluating it logically, rationally, and based on a set of standard rules that we stick to (Thinking), or by evaluating it more qualitatively, intuitively, or based on feelings, unique circumstances, or how the decision will impact people (Feeling).  The fourth and final letter is a “P” or a “J.” “P” is for Perceiving, and means the person prefers the SENSING function (position 2), AKA: gathering information; “J” stands for Judging, which simply means that the person prefers the decision-making function (position 3), AKA: drawing conclusions about the information they've gathered. Now, keep in mind that ALL of these are simply PREFERENCES and they are totally neutral – there’s no better or worse way to be. And sometimes we can get surprised by our results, which is what happened to me. Years ago, I attended a Myers Briggs certification course in Florida led by Charles Martin, the author of the foremost Myers Briggs textbook. Halfway through the course, Dr. Martin himself called me to the front of the class and shared that he thought my instrument results (ENTP) were incorrect and that I was an ENFP (watch the video to hear the whole story) instead.  At first I resisted (“are you SURE, Dr. Martin? I mean, I was a MATH minor in college, you know – I love thinking!!”), but eventually I came to realize Dr. Martin had seen me more clearly than I had ever seen myself.  This discovery – and my own blindness to my own true nature – rocked my WORLD, and explained a LOT about the challenges I’d been facing in my business. It was such a powerful revelation that I decided I wanted to focus my gifts on helping OTHERS gain similar insights.  Thus began the mentoring career I continue to this day.  Once I embraced my TRUE nature, instead of pushing it away, I started to really appreciate it. And now here are the 5 signs YOU’RE an ENFP like me!  #1 – We are often “the life of the party.”  You might be an ENFP if… If you find yourself often as the center of attention and LOVE to have a good time If people are drawn to you – and you are drawn right back If you like events and gatherings and social situations If you're loud – though rarely in an aggressive way and more often in a raucous, fun-loving way. If you have lots of friends and acquaintances and make new friends wherever you go. #2 – ENFPs are future-focused lovers of humanity.  We see the world as an abundance of possibilities, and we tend to like ALL of the possibilities… more than we could ever pursue in one lifetime – though we often TRY anyway.  In particular, we love to look at possibilities and ideas and ways in which people can be served, helped, and uplifted.  #3 – We are rebellious. We prefer to create our own rules. People might say we “color outside the lines” and “think outside the box.” #4 – We’re messy, distractible and sometimes (oftentimes) indecisive.  We can be disorganized and disheveled. We tend to lose things and are often late to appointments and meetings – probably because we're so busy focusing on all those amazing  ideas and possibilities that we want to pursue! This means it can be hard for us to choose – because we see the amazing possibilities in everything (see #1).  #5 – We get bored easily.  We like new people, new places, and new experiences. Which means we can often move from one thing to the next pretty quickly.  So while we LOVE people, we can sometimes lose touch and form superficial relationships, rather than deep ones. This is more likely to happen when we’re stressed, anxious, or worried. At our best, however, we are loyal and loving friends.   ***  If this intrigued you or interests you or you see yourself in this description, check out the Monetize Your Magic Playbook . A free guide for how you can align what you do with who you really are  especially if you're an ENFP like I am!  Enjoy. Michelle

For many years, I founded and ran a successful women's conference called The Women’s Success Summit in Miami. To this day I still come across people who fondly remember the event, and derived value from that event, and I often get asked about how to plan, market, fill, and especially, MONETIZE women’s empowerment events. So I put together this video and blog post with my top 10 things to consider when organizing a women’s empowerment event – or any kind of event, really.  #1 Purpose & People. The WHY and the WHO comprise your event foundation. Your purpose is the guiding light of your event, and having a clear vision of WHICH women you want in attendance will help you with the rest of the elements.  I’ve found that narrow is better than a broad focus when it comes to choosing your audience. So instead of a generic “women’s empowerment” event, consider: is this for entrepreneurial women? Or even more specifically, for self-employed women coaches? The narrower you get, the easier it will be to do #2.  #2 Pain Points and Problems. Once you know WHO your event is for, think about the challenges they are facing that you might be able to address. Consider 3 key pain points:  The problem they KNOW they have, and ADMIT (the obvious problem — the problem they’re actively looking to solve) The problem they know they have, and DON’T admit (the emotional problem as a result) The problem they DON’T EVEN KNOW they have (the blind spot)  (For more details on these 3 pain points, watch the video!) #3 Promise & Premise . Your event Promise is the FUTURE outcome that your participants will take away from their time with you. The Premise is why this event is important right now, or why it needs to be solved FIRST. Your promise and premise will come in handy in your event marketing because they speak to your core value proposition.  So, for example, a women’s empowerment event around “Career Advancement” could be: “By the time you leave this event, you’ll discover and let go of the ineffective strategies and habits that have sabotaged your career success in the past.” And the premise could be: “Because you can’t move forward until you let go of the baggage that holds you back.”  #4 Profit . Most of us want to both contribute to making the world a better place, AND make money from our events. Below are a few revenue streams that could help make your event more profitable.  Ticket sales (consider multiple tiers and options) Sponsorships  Stage time (careful you don’t create a “pitch fest” — no one likes those) Exhibitor tables Back end sales of product and/or services, i.e., membership, subscription, etc. (Watch my MANY videos on YouTube on this topic here: https://www.youtube.com/c/MichelleVillalobosTheSuperstarActivator   #5 Program. This is the actual event content and how you deliver it. Speeches, panels, breakout sessions, guest speakers, etc. This will be a big part of why people sign up for your event, so the juicier it looks, the more likely people are to sign up. Remember: “success models success,” so for an empowering women’s event, bring in powerhouse women to lead the way!  Remember to also build in “down time” and integration time, which not only helps people to integrate what you’re presenting, but also provides buffers in case you’re running late!! #6 Packages & Prices. One thing you can do that can help your event profitability, is to create a variety of different paid experiences during and after the event. I love to utilize meet and greet tables and special exhibitor tables for those who opted in that specific ticket level. Consider what if any bonuses you can give people to add more value and make it easier for them to say “YES!!” to sign up for your event.  #7 Plan . Planning is essential. At the very least you’ll want to have a city and dates to get your earliest marketing underway and to secure speakers and sponsors. Note that (in my world) you don’t have to plan your entire event from start to finish before you start to sell — you just need ENOUGH planned to market and sell your event, and then once you have money flowing in from ticket sales and registrations, use some of that revenue to invest in the event logistics (including hiring someone ELSE to plan for you!) #8 Promote. There are many strategies for promoting your event, and I’ve found that the BEST way is to enroll ambassadors to go out and promote it for you. For a women’s event, there are SO many women who care about and want to support women’s empowerment. My advice is to find that handful of 10-12 women, and invite them to be on your “Board of Advisors,” the role of which is to get the word out.  You’ll also need a website or Eventbrite page for registration. One of my favorite strategies is a “Bring A Friend” offer, whereby everyone who registers receives an email with a special discount to bring a friend. I love this strategy and I've found it very successful.  #9 Production. Okay, now this is the nitty gritty. You need to decide on venue, food & beverage, production, decor, etc. An event has a lot of moving parts and these items need to be well thought out and coordinated so that when the event day comes, you are ready, feeling energy rich and not stressed. If YOU’RE not empowered, how will your guests be? That’s why I HIGHLY recommend #10.  #10 Planner. An event can be stressful, especially if YOU’RE trying to do everything. You’d be surprised how much goes into planning an event. An event planner will save time so you can focus on the content, marketing and SELLING of your event, which is where I recommend your focus to be.  ***  If you are thinking of hosting a women’s empowerment event and would like to chat more about my experience and strategies for a successful event, visit superstaractivator.com/go and schedule a time to chat! Michelle

Coaching is a great way for experts, speakers, consultants, and other "Superstars" to monetize their expertise. However, when you’re in demand, one-on-one coaching just isn’t very sustainable or scalable. There's only so much YOU to go around. Enter group coaching. Group coaching can not only maximize your time and help you grow your business, but it can also be even MORE effective for your clients.  But there’s one BIG problem that can get in the way of implementing a group model successfully…  The problem starts with MINDSET.  As experts, we can easily fall into the trap of believing that we are the source of all the magic that our clients need and want, and as a result, we can mistakenly believe one-on-one coaching is more valuable than group coaching.  And while that may be true in some cases, (IMHO) it’s the exception, not the rule.  What I've discovered (that surprised me!) is there’s a special kind of magic that arises in a group, that you simply can’t tap into one on one. In fact, I’ll assert there’s MORE value in a group model, for a variety of reasons.  The most obvious is that a well-facilitated group generates a “synergistic” effect. When you bring different minds together, all supporting each other and working towards common goals, new ideas, solutions, and strategies evolve and emerge – that simply wouldn’t with just 2 people. So how do you tap into that magic and cultivate it, to be sure it happens?  The first thing that really makes a difference is WHO is in the group.  When you're doing one-on-one coaching, working with people you enjoy is important because it determines how energy-rich your business is for you – but in a one-on-one model, one client doesn't affect another client; they are completely separate. Once you start a group model, your clients influence each other ; that’s why it’s crucial to define a standard for who is a “right fit.”  The second element to consider is the FORMAT of your group coaching program. There are many different group formats to choose from:  “Fishbowl:” This is what I call a group format in which you individually coach clients in a group setting, so clients can witness each other and learn from each other’s sessions.  “Mastermind:” In this format you (or someone else) facilitates a conversation among your clients and they support each other, perhaps with interjections by you.  A mix of both of the above – this is what I like to do. This has become a really great approach because it allows me to bring my magic, while also enabling others to practice their leadership skills, and to bring their unique perspectives.  “Office Hours:” A format where you set a specific time period that you are available to meet individually, first come first served. Or you can even turn this into a fishbowl, by making it an OPEN office hours environment. This is an easy way for people to get 1:1 with you, while limiting the time frame.  Once you've zeroed in on your ideal audience and have a format, you need to enroll people into your coaching group. Here are 2 enrollment strategies to consider:  Open Enrollment, where people sign up any time they wish Closed Enrollment, where you set an enrollment period that opens and closes on specific dates. Open enrollment is great if you want to have ongoing sales, whereas closed enrollment, because there are deadlines, offers the benefit of natural urgency, which I've found creates better sales outcomes over time. Another thing I like about closed enrollment is that you're focused on marketing during the enrollment period, and then you can focus more on your group when it's closed – rather than feeling like you have to always be marketing / selling, which for me, feels stressful. To each her own 😉  I'm a big believer in closed enrollment. This is what I have done with my Influencers Circle – I have four retreats a year which are the only times people can enroll in my 1 year program.   The last thing I want to share is something I believe will make your coaching program more sustainable over the long haul.  One of the biggest issues I faced when I first started doing a group coaching program was retention beyond the first year. I had more to offer after that first year, but I needed to structure a program that would be more geared to 2nd year clients and differentiate it from the first year.  Naturally, I created a new program called Leadership Cabinet. This program differentiated itself from the Year One program as it involved a deeper level of relationship with and greater support from me. Furthermore, it offered them opportunities to be featured in a leadership role, which allowed them to develop their skills, and stretch themselves even more.  Adding this 2nd year component made the 1st year clients want to stay. It also made new people want to join, because when people came in and saw this bustling, culture brimming with experts and people sharing and contributing and giving. It was something that they wanted to be a part of.  So, I invite you to consider creating a structure with the bigger picture in mind, rather than just looking at it as selling a “group coaching program.” Instead, what is the VISION, what is the CULTURE, what is the COMMUNITY you're building? This creates SO many more opportunities for scalability.  *** If this resonated with you and you want to create a group coaching program that's joyful, sustainable, and scalable, let's connect!  Book a free discovery call with me at superstaractivator.com/go .  I look forward to meeting you.

For most entrepreneurs, 2020 was a challenging year – to put it mildly. Many of us, myself included, had to make tough decisions and difficult changes to navigate our way. In my case, my entire business model for almost 13 years had been built on hosting live events and retreats. That model was my bread and butter and – as you can imagine – I was kind of “attached” to it. In March 2020, everything feel apart. I had a retreat coming up that I either needed to cancel, or take virtual. But how was I going to transform my incredibly effective and lucrative, LIVE event to a virtual experience and provide the same value , if not more? Watch the video below, or keep reading, to learn how we transformed into a virtual business – almost overnight – without dropping prices. Fast forward to the end of the story, and then I’ll tell you the 4 virtual event strategies I discovered along the way:  As of April 2021, we've done FIVE virtual retreats, each one so successful, that we’ve decided to continue offering virtual retreats (as well as live ones) for the foreseeable future. The virtual experience inspired several new adaptations to our signature event, which we love so much, they’re here to stay. I now believe that you can maintain and even increase the value of your events by going virtual, and charge just as much or even more than for a live event.   Through this experience, I've found 4 major strategies, to help you make this transition from live events to virtual events and do it without compromising price or profits .  #1 : Sell the Promise not the Production.  When hosting a live event, it's so easy to get caught up in the event details. The big production, the beautiful location, the venue, the food & beverage and all of the elements that go along with planning a live event.  While a necessity for a live event, amenities can become a distraction from the actual value proposition. When you strip away all of the live event details, you are left with something really powerful. The outcome, or the Promise; AKA: that THING you are committed to delivering to our clients.  The promise is what they walk away with. Nail down your event promise, and strip away the “fluff,” and you may even be able to RAISE your price.  #2. Reimagine Your Event With a virtual format come new ways to deliver value, that you could never do live.  If you're not investing all that money in the production of the event (and we all know how live event expenses add up) you have a bigger budget to invest in the actual content and value proposition of the event.  Maybe you want to revamp your speakers and now many speakers are actually charging less for virtual events because they don't have to travel. Better speakers at a lower cost, total win, win!  #3 Consider Raising the Price. Yup. You heard that right! I know that sounds pretty crazy because most people initially think of lowering the cost when transiting from a live event to a virtual one. But bigger is not always better. It's exactly the opposite, really. Think deeper and more profound. You now have the opportunity here to create a more intimate event. Something really transformative where you can be fully engaged with each attendee on new levels.  This is the model that has been a game changer for me. I used to do events for up to 600 people and it became exhausting ! When I made the decision to switch to a small event model my business blew up. It went so much better, generated so much more money and it was so much more joyful and energy-rich for me.  So, instead of having a virtual conference at $100 a ticket for 200 people,  what if you did a virtual conference that was $2,000 a ticket for 10 people? Same revenue, WAY easier to manage. And then at the event offer a “Big Back End…” More on that next.  So, think about things in a new way and challenge your own beliefs about what's possible.  #4th:  The Real Money Is In The Big Back End.  The “Big Back End” is what comes after your virtual event. There's only so much you can accomplish in 1, 2 or 3 days, during which you can have a really important breakthrough , but you can't fully master anything.  Mastery takes time.  That means that you can use your virtual event to generate enrollments into a longer-term, mastery level program that drives monthly recurring revenue (which leads to a more stable, sustainable business).  *** If you're excited about the opportunity to create virtual events and retreats, and use them to drive Big Back End revenues, let’s connect! Perhaps my team and I could support you in building and growing this model.  You can set up a time at superstaractivator.com/go .   See you soon!!

Turning your podcast into a business is all about finding new ways to monetize your podcast. #1 Sponsorship & Advertising Revenues This is usually what people think of first when it comes to monetizing podcasts. That stems from the fact that people see podcasts as newer versions of radio and TV, and advertisements are a staple of these mediums. And because TV and Radio ad spends and sponsorship are generally all about reach, this means advertisers and sponsors will usually be focused on your audience size and demographics. If you have a large and compelling audience then advertising and sponsorship revenues will be easier to generate. If your audience is small, it's probably going to be more difficult.  If you have a small podcast and it's very targeted, especially if you have a very loyal and engaged audience,  you can advertise higher price point products because the advertiser might only need to sell 1 or 2 of these products or services in order to justify their advertising investment.  One warning about this particular model: if you are going to take advertising or sponsorship revenues, then be sure to choose products that align with your values. Remember: you're developing a relationship with your listeners; if you endorse a product that disappoints them, they may associate you with that breach of trust, which could hurt your listenership in the long haul.   #2 Charging For Episodes If you have a podcast that you make available to everybody, which I highly recommend, you can also introduce special episodes with certain masters or certain elite guests that you charge for.  For example, you can have a “regular” episode every week and then once a month or so, you can release a special episode just for people who buy it or for members who subscribe to your VIP podcast.   #3 Directly Selling Products & Services  Another great strategy to make money on your podcast is to sell your own products or services directly.  One great example of this is JP Sears who has the “Awaken With JP” podcast, and who promotes his funny, tongue-in-cheek t-shirts on the podcast. Taking that same idea, you could potentially sell books or programs or mugs or any number of products that align with your podcast directly from your videos.    #4 Driving Leads into other products and services that are indirectly related to the podcast.  This last strategy is my favorite. Using your podcast to drive leads to other programs and services is by far one of the best strategies, in my experience, to monetize your podcasts So, rather than in the last example where we would directly market or sell certain products or services, in this case, you can use your podcast to drive opportunities.  Think of it this way – instead of directly having a call to action to buy something,  the call to action would be to connect. To have a  meaningful conversation and connect with you to discuss opportunities for ways that you can help these people.  One particular strategy I learned from my friend and colleague, Doug Sandler, of the “ Nice Guys On Business ” podcast, is worth mentioning here. Quick story: I was doing my podcast for months and was getting tired of it. We were trying to make business by turning listeners into clients. Doug listened to me complain and said: “Michelle, you're doing it the hard way. The best way to drive leads is to turn your guests into clients.”  To learn about his strategy you can go to turnkeypodcast.com/superstar , which will take you to a program that'll teach you how to launch or relaunch a podcast that actually drives leads and turns guests into clients.  *** You can find me at   superstaractivator.com/go and set up a discovery call with me for free.  Ciao for now!

Having the right business coach can be a pivotal element in the structuring of your business, and ultimately its success. “The 5 D’s”, will guide you through the process of finding the right coach and get the most out of your coaching experience.  #1 – Define The first strategy to finding the right coach is to Define exactly what it is you are looking for.  Business coaching is a very broad industry with many different niches. There is business coaching, money coaching, mindset coaching, personal development coaching, branding and marketing coaching… and the list goes on.  Ask yourself “What type of coach will serve me and my business best?” Consider what areas of expertise your ideal coach must have, what skills would be helpful, and whether there is a specific industry in which they might specialize to best serve you.  Another question might be: “What works best for me and my personality?” Some people do best when someone challenges them and pushes them to take action. Some do better with a more nurturing and gentle approach.  Another area to define is the structure within which you wish to be coached. Some coaching formats are: One-on-one coaching – just you and your coach, no one else. Group coaching – my favorite, not just from a practitioner perspective but from a client results perspective. This is what I deliver, and what I participate in myself.  Now, many people will initially go for one on one coaching with the premise that you are receiving more from your coach. Whereas, in my experience, group coaching is actually more beneficial, because in group coaching you have a whole community of people that are helping you stay on track.  So, defining your ideal coach and coaching situation is the first strategy you want to pin down on your way to finding the best coach for you. #2 – Discover Do your homework! Research, set up interviews, and start narrowing down your coach search. This might mean going online and letting your fingers do the walking, and it also might look like asking other people. Consider connecting with successful people who have the kind of businesses that you want, to see if they have a coach or can recommend one.  Here are some great places to start your search: YouTube: This is a place where you can discover if somebody has the expertise you're looking for.  LinkedIn:  Most coaches have the word “coach” in their professional headline and so you can do a search for coaches and you can even narrow that search down to certain industries, certain markets, and certain geographical areas as well.  Google: Just do a good ol’ google search. Search the keywords you are looking for (Example; “ Business Strategy Coaches”) and see what you find. #3 – Discuss  Have a conversation. Once you have narrowed down your search, reach out to the coach themselves and maybe even with their clients. Use this time to get your questions answered and really get into the details of what you need.  Some great example questions can be: “What  kind of expertise do you have in this industry?” “What kind of success rate do your clients have?” “Can  I talk to some of your clients?” “Can you share with me some of their stories?”  “Do you  have something that I can test out to get started?” #4 – Delve Delve is where you dive into this coach's services to get a firsthand experience. I recommend starting with a small commitment like a do-it-yourself course or a workshop or a seminar, or something that can help you get a deeper experience of that coach, without hiring them for their full package. Most coaches have some sort of jump start or “dip your toe in the water” way to start to get to know them. That's what I do, and what I recommend my clients who are coaches do, and hopefully the ones you're interviewing do that too.   #5   Decision   Now you're ready to make a commitment.  This is the culmination of all the discovering, defining, discussing, and delving. Once you've discovered the right coach for you and your business, the one who has the right skills, the right expertise, and has case studies and success stories of people like you. you go ALL IN. Once you decide, I recommend “going for it” and making a real commitment.  When we make a true commitment, when we have skin in the game, and we invest at a high level, my experience is that we tend to show up at a higher level, ready to really grow.  Consider maybe even investing a little more than you might think you need to, just to make sure that you are all in and you are really going to show up fully for this coaching relationship. Stretch yourself.   No matter how good a coach is and how much homework you do, if you don't show up  100%, you're not going to get the real results.  *** If you're looking for a business coach, and you think maybe I am that person, then let's connect! Go ahead and book a discovery call on my calendar so we can get to know each other. Just go to superstaractivator.com/go   and I'll see you there!

We mentors, coaches, and “experts” do what we do because we want to help people. In this post, I share several strategies to help you better serve your clients so they can have better results! Keep reading or watch the video below for more detailed content. The overarching theme here is to empower your clients – helping them lift themselves up and find their own answers, rather than always looking to you to provide the solutions.  A quick story to explain what I mean… When I first started consulting and coaching, almost 15 years ago, I didn’t just want to help people, I wanted to (and thought I could) be the “hero,” which meant giving clients what they wanted, when they wanted it, and – of course – having all of the answers all of the time. Perhaps you can already see – this was a recipe for disaster .  Aside from the fact that this was coming from a place of ego, lack of self-worth, and seeking external validation, it also felt stressful – because, of course, I didn’t have all of the answers, all of the time.  Furthermore, this dynamic disempowered them. Instead of teaching my clients to fish, I was teaching them to call me every time they were hungry – which also led to me resenting their “neediness” (and projecting the idea of “neediness” onto them – when I was the one who created the dynamic!!)   Since then, I have spent the last 7 years studying and learning how to lead and empower clients to create sustainable success.  Here are a few of the key concepts and strategies I learned and developed along the way.   #1. Everyone Is Already Okay  In the beginning, when I was struggling, the problem was that I was seeing my clients as fundamentally broken – and needing me to “fix” them.  By shifting my perspective to one in which my clients are already whole, complete and perfect, and simply seeking a guide , a helper , a or a mentor – not a hero or a savior – I was able to support them more powerfully, and they were able to relate to themselves more powerfully too. Incidentally, the work also became a lot more enjoyable. When you start from the premise that your clients (indeed, everyone) is already okay, and don’t need you to save them, your client relationships will be more effective, and also more fun!   #2 The Upward Spiral   The upward spiral is a symbol to show a constant unfolding of who your client is becoming and that in every scenario where they're struggling, they have the opportunity to pull themselves up higher.  Each challenge they face is not a problem, or a breakdown, or something to fix, but rather an opportunity for them to move up and up and up towards their highest self. When we do the “thing,” whatever it is, for them, we take away their opportunity to evolve and grow.  #3 Feel All The Feelings When I started out, and clients were feeling “badly,” then that reflected poorly on me, and, of course, I wanted to overcome these feelings and help them get to “good” feelings instead.  What I've learned, however, is that these  “bad feelings” are valuable indicators and an important part of the transformation process.  Discomfort is a source of opportunity, possibility, and empowerment. When we feel discomfort, and we don't run away from it or try to “quick fix” it, there is always an opportunity for growth, expansion, and new awareness.  #4 Ask Great Questions  It can be tempting to provide quick answers to clients. But I’ve found – again and again – that it’s way more effective and empowering to ask really great questions. Probing, thoughtful questions help people dig deeper into their own truth, self-awareness, and self-reliance.  I once heard Tony Robbins say “The quality of your life is determined by the quality of the questions you are asking yourself.”  Powerful questions lead to powerful insights and solutions.  #5 Raise The Bar Instead of dropping to the current level of consciousness of a client – especially one who is struggling – I invite you to instead call them to a higher standard.  One of my mentors did this with me, as I was trying to transform my life – but not showing up fully to the process. He finally told me that until and unless I committed to meditating every day, he was no longer interested in getting on calls and strategizing with me. He said “The strategy is nothing. Your mindset is everything. When you’re ready to show up for that, we can talk.”  So I did. And he was right.  When people have an incentive to show up in a bigger way for themselves, everything transforms, naturally. By raising the bar and requiring higher standards, we can further help our clients elevate, evolve and become more empowered.  #6 Watch Your Language “Words create world.” When we say things like “I can't,” “I'm not good enough,” or “I can't afford this,” we are creating that reality. We are not just speaking words but also listening to them and being further programmed by them.  In essence, we’re hypnotizing ourselves through our own language. So, one of the most valuable things we can do as a coach is to listen deeply to the words someone is using and help them to become aware of the beliefs underneath their language.  We can challenge their assumptions and beliefs, and invite them to create new, more empowering ones, and – in turn – a new reality. “Perhaps it really IS possible to do what I love AND make money doing it!” That belief must be installed before their reality can easily and consistently reflect it.  Mindful, intentional language is one way to cultivate and support new beliefs.  **** I hope these strategies were helpful for you!!  If you're looking to build or grow your expert business, let's connect! Book a free chat with me to discover more at www.SuperstarDiscoveryCall.com .

Hosting a Facebook event can be a fantastic way to reach your audience – if you know a few tricks to turn a regular Facebook Live into a top-notch virtual experience . Keep reading for the "Cliff's Notes" or watch the video below for the whole thing. The issue we face when hosting an event via Facebook Live is that the Platform feels very basic when it comes to virtual events. The solution? Host the event on Facebook but with a much better interface somewhere else! The interface makes a huge difference not only for just the event but the way that you run and control all areas of the interaction during the event. There are a few different platforms that you can use that I think are more effective and more beneficial than hosting live into Facebook. Here are my favorites: Be.Live – This is as easy as pressing “Start Broadcast”! You just follow the instructions to connect your camera and connect your Be.Live to Facebook and your all set. StreamYard – This one of my new favorites. Just visit the website, click “Get Started' follow the instructions. One of the coolest things about StreamYard is you can see comments from Facebook right in StreamYard in real time (rather than having to click back and forth to monitor both). Zoom – By now everyone is using Zoom all the time, so it's an easy option. On the bottom right of your Zoom screen, click “More” and select "Live On Facebook." You have the option to share to personal, group, business page etc. Choose which one you prefer, then click "Next." Once you're connected, the beauty of this platform is that you have the options now to bring on guests, have panel discussions, do screen shares, and more! Promote Your Event The promotion of your event will all depend on the type of event you will be hosting. If you will be selling tickets then you might want to consider using a tool like Eventbrite to get people to register in advance. Eventbrite has great integrations with FB so it's useful for helping to spread the word via your attendees to their friends and contacts. If you're doing a free event, consider doing Facebook live announcements and going live weekly or more to build up your presence and the momentum around your live events there. Post-Production  Once your event has concluded, an important element that can sometimes be overlooked is post-production. You can go back and edit the video to cut out anything superfluous or irrelevant after-the-fact. Editing the recording gives you the opportunity to create a cleaner version that you can repurpose for YouTube, your Podcast, or even your website. You can also use the recording to run FB ads! *** I hope this was helpful for you and look forward to connecting. If you want to learn more about my programs and products, visit www.SuperstarActivator.com.

Over the 15+ years of my speaking career, I put together an easy 5-part formula for crafting an effective inspirational speech – or any kind of speech, really – that will help your message be engaging and effective.  This is not the ONLY way to write an effective and inspiring speech, but it's a way that seems to always work, and I use it every time I'm going to present content. In a nutshell, the formula is: Why, What, Who, How, Now .  #1 The “Why” – Painting the Big Picture & The Problem The “why” is painting the reason that your speech is important to the people in the room.  It's laying out the problem that they might be facing or the pain that they might be feeling or the challenge that they might be encountering.  One way to do that is to ask questions at the beginning of your speech. And to start your speech with ways to get the audience engaged and nodding and saying “yes, tell me more!”  One great way to open any speech in this way to get people to lean in is to say “what if?”  “What would it be like if?” By asking a question like that, you'd do something very powerful. You get the audience into their imagination, and perhaps even into a place of desire. For example, in this blog post I shared: “ Think about your audience, what is it that they want? What do they desire? What is something that would get them excited and interested in what you have to share? That's the “why”.  #2 The “What” – The Solution Once you've laid out the “why” and the problem, it's time to share the solution, AKA: the “What.” In this step we do not touch on the details of the solution but rather the bigger picture. What are the basic steps needed to take to get to the solution? For example, in this blog post, the “What” is when I laid out my “Why / What / Who / How / Now formula overview – without all the details (yet).  #3 The “Who” – Is You! By now you've laid out something to pique the audience's interest, to get them engaged and excited. You've shared the problem or the challenge. So you've connected with them on that level and you've shared that you have a solution.  But you haven't gone deep into it yet. The next thing you want to share is why should the audience listen to you?  Why do you know about this topic? What makes you a credible expert? I break this is into two parts: What makes you a credible expert, what's your experience or your background?   What's your story?  And this is where you can get into more of an emotional connection. TIP:  You don't want the story portion of your speech to be too long or too short- it's about balance. The last thing you want is your audience to “check out” during a long story. My rule of thumb is taking about 5-10 minutes (of a 60-90 minute speech) in my story. #4 The “How” – It's in the details.  This is where you really get into the solution. What are you offering them? What is the solution you are providing them with?  You go beyond just the solution here, you show them how they can put it into practice.  Here you can outline the steps and go into more detail about the solution. #5 The “Now” – Taking action. Now it's time for your audience to take action! Here is where you give them something that they can use or do right away to start working on the solution and generate results right away. You don't want to leave your audience hanging!  Whether it's a product, service or even an exercise or new practice, you should be giving them a takeaway that allows them to take immediate action, while they are excited and motivated to do so.    *** If you're someone who wants to not only write an inspirational speech but perhaps turn it into a business or make it a part of your marketing strategy, then I would love help. Click here to schedule some time with me to see how I can help you build and launch your speaking career or your speaking business.