Fill Your Workshop Seats

Key Points:

0:00 – Workshop Focus
Zoe opens the call by explaining that the workshop will focus on chambers, local events, and how to secure, market, and run a workshop.

0:29 – Workshop Tools in FBS
Zoe asks John to help show the FBS workshop tools later in the call so coaches can see the resources available to them.

1:15 – Securing Speaking Opportunities
The agenda includes securing speaking opportunities, marketing the workshop, and using a practical chamber-based approach.

1:48 – Common Networking Mistake
Zoe explains that many people attend networking events but end up with no appointments, no assessments, no clients, and no growth.

2:26 – Speak Like a Human
Coaches are encouraged to stop just handing out cards and instead have natural conversations that build relationships.

3:23 – Educate the Community
The best way to create trust is to become a helpful educator in the local business community.

3:39 – Giving Spirit, Not Sales Mentality
Zoe stresses that coaches should show up with a giving spirit instead of a salesman mentality.

4:09 – Breadcrumbs Build Trust
Each helpful conversation or interaction is a breadcrumb that builds familiarity and trust over time.

4:55 – Face-to-Face Is Low-Hanging Fruit
Zoe says local, face-to-face community networking is one of the lowest-hanging fruit strategies for getting a first client.

5:45 – Start by Being Visible
Before asking to speak, coaches should attend events, participate, volunteer, and become known.

6:06 – Become the Go-To Resource
The goal is to become the person people refer to when someone needs help with business growth.

7:39 – Workshops as Distribution
Workshops allow coaches to distribute their message to a wider audience instead of relying only on one-to-one conversations.

8:39 – Choose the Right Chamber
Zoe explains that some chambers are more like social clubs, while others are better for serious business education and lead generation.

9:22 – What to Look For in a Chamber
Look for active membership, event participation, monthly programs, educational opportunities, email newsletters, and marketing support.

10:14 – Chamber Marketing Support
A strong chamber can help market your workshop through its email list, website, calendar, and social media.

10:52 – Leon’s Chamber Question
Leon asks about a chamber that does not currently check all the boxes but is willing to grow into a better business-building community.

11:06 – Helping the Chamber Improve
Zoe explains that if the chamber has willingness, it can become an opportunity to help optimize the chamber and become more visible.

12:39 – Chamber Questions to Ask
Ask whether the chamber provides email blasts, event calendars, social media promotion, member directories, speaking opportunities, and introductions.

13:08 – Member Directory Strategy
Coaches can use the member directory to reach out to other members for coffee or one-to-one conversations.

14:28 – Use More Than 20% of the Membership
Most members do not use the full value of their chamber membership, so coaches should ask what is included and use the available tools.

15:18 – Attend Events This Week
Zoe challenges coaches to join an event, attend at least two events, and get out into the community.

16:16 – Volunteer First
Volunteering helps coaches meet more people, increase visibility, and build credibility before asking to promote themselves.

17:00 – Meet the Chamber President
The first key person to meet is the chamber president because they influence the chamber’s strategy and direction.

17:16 – Meet the Event Coordinator
The event coordinator often controls the calendar, workshops, meeting rooms, and speaking opportunities.

17:39 – Identify Power Connectors
Every group has someone who knows everyone. Coaches should identify and build relationships with those people.

18:07 – Board Members Matter
Board members are usually active in the community and can become useful relationships and referral sources.

18:37 – Relationships, Know, Like, Trust
The core theme is conversation, relationships, and building know, like, and trust over time.

19:42 – Secure the Workshop
After choosing the chamber, meeting people, and creating credibility, the next goal is securing a workshop.

20:00 – Fill Seats First
Zoe explains that coaches often focus too much on the PowerPoint and forget that the real first job is filling seats.

20:36 – Use Multi-Channel Promotion
Use email blasts, chamber social media, member directories, personal social channels, newsletters, and chamber calendars.

21:02 – Reach Out One by One
Coaches can reach out to chamber members directly and invite them to the workshop.

22:15 – One Email Is Not Enough
A single announcement is rarely enough. Coaches need multiple touches and reminders.

23:09 – Give Yourself Three Weeks
Zoe recommends starting promotion at least three weeks before the event so there is time to create enough touchpoints.

23:53 – Breadcrumbs Across Channels
Promotional breadcrumbs include chamber emails, website listings, social posts, personal outreach, and phone calls.

24:03 – Email Timing
Zoe recommends Tuesday or Wednesday between 9 and 11 a.m. as a stronger email window, based on her testing.

25:38 – Presentation Backup Moment
Zoe’s PowerPoint glitches, and the group jokes that she is demonstrating why not to rely only on the slide deck.

26:34 – Social Engines Fill Seats
Zoe shifts back to promotion and emphasizes using LinkedIn, Facebook, chamber communities, personal social channels, and strategic partners.

28:11 – Strategic Partner Promotion
Strategic partners can include local businesses, coffee shops, hotels, chambers, or others who can help spread the word.

28:44 – Seven to Ten Touches
Zoe recommends thinking in terms of seven to ten touches before the workshop.

29:28 – Registration Formula
If 20 people register and 10 show up, the coach may get five strong conversations, which can lead to assessments and clients.

30:47 – Workshop Structure
A strong 60-minute workshop can include five minutes of who you are, clear expectations, and a preview of what will be covered.

31:13 – Teach Three Ideas
Zoe recommends teaching three clear ideas rather than trying to cover too many slides or too many concepts.

31:45 – Use the Profit Simulator
The Profit Acceleration Simulator is a strong tool to show value quickly and open the door to deeper conversations.

32:11 – Do Not Sell Anything
The workshop should show value, build relationships, and create trust rather than push a hard sale.

32:33 – Use Stories and Case Studies
Coaches can use client stories, advisor examples, or shared case studies to build credibility and help people understand the journey.

33:44 – Call to Action
The workshop should end with a clear next step, such as a one-to-one, QR code, simulator link, or assessment invitation.

34:22 – Reduce Friction
The easier the next step is, the more likely people are to take it.

34:50 – Leon’s JV Presentation Question
Leon asks how long a joint presentation should be if partnering with a business broker.

35:31 – Positioning a Longer JV Event
Zoe explains that a longer session can work if positioned as a lunch-and-learn, broken into segments, and kept engaging.

36:53 – Problem, Mistake, Solution
The workshop should help attendees understand the problem, recognize the mistake, and see the solution.

37:13 – Talk Like a Human
Zoe encourages coaches to tell stories, engage people, focus on takeaways, and keep the workshop conversational.

37:45 – Assessment Bridge
The simulator becomes the bridge from workshop to assessment because it is simple, visual, value-packed, and easy to access.

38:45 – Follow-Up Is Critical
Coaches should not let the event end without a follow-up plan. Follow up with thank-you emails, LinkedIn, phone calls, and one-to-one invitations.

39:39 – Drip Campaigns and Reconnection
FBS can help coaches add attendees into funnels and drip campaigns for continued follow-up.

40:36 – Workshop Tools in FBS
Zoe asks whether coaches know about the workshop tools inside FBS and begins transitioning into where the tools live.

41:34 – Live Event Mastery Resources
John shows where to find Live Event Mastery resources inside PAS under Training and Lead Generation Training.

42:30 – Event Setup in FBS
John shows the Event Setup section inside FBS where coaches can fill in event details and create a registration page.

43:26 – Fill in the Blanks
The event setup walks coaches through dates, times, venue, registration video, presentation details, and sponsor logos if needed.

44:33 – PAS Live Event Resources
John shows resources such as SOPs, videos, room layout, budget, promotional resources, invite tracker, registration scripts, slides, workbook templates, and logistics.

45:53 – Will’s Event Page Example
Will shows that he created an event page inside FBS and customized it with the workshop title, logo, and registration details.

47:29 – Viewing the Live Event Page
Will demonstrates how the page looks once the workshop information is entered.

48:23 – QR Code for Workshop Registration
Will shows the QR code he created for the workshop registration page.

49:06 – Easy Customization
Will explains that the setup was easy and that he used AI to clean up the language and customize the page.

50:31 – John’s Workshop Planning Lesson
John shares that he initially got stuck trying to trim a 160-slide presentation and that Zoe helped him simplify it for a 60-minute workshop.

52:28 – Attendance Is the Work
John reinforces that filling the room is the real work of a workshop.

53:28 – Simulator Question
A coach asks whether the simulator should be shown to the entire room or only to individuals after the workshop.

53:53 – Use the Simulator Live
Zoe suggests showing it to the room, using a slide or two, or asking a volunteer business owner to do it live.

54:59 – Choosing Chambers That Produce Results
A coach asks how to separate chamber members who generate clients and referrals from those who simply join.

55:47 – Choose a Better Chamber if Needed
Zoe recommends finding another chamber if the current one is not producing business activity.

57:30 – Work With Active Members
Even if only 100 to 150 of 2,000 members attend events regularly, those active members are the ones to meet.

58:19 – Finding Revenue Data
A coach asks how to identify businesses over $500,000 in revenue. Zoe recommends AI tools, local research, and asking for available data.

59:07 – Revenue Data Is Usually Estimated
John explains that unless a company is public, revenue data is often only an estimate.

59:38 – Reference USA and Library Tools
John mentions Reference USA through the library as a resource for company data.

1:00:01 – Look for Ad Spend
Zoe suggests checking Google ads and Meta Ads Library to see which local businesses are spending money on marketing.

1:00:45 – Closing
Zoe wraps the workshop and wishes everyone a happy Fourth of July.

Five Key Takeaways

• The workshop strategy starts before the presentation. Choosing the right chamber, meeting key people, and building trust come first.
• Filling seats is the real work. Use chamber email blasts, social media, member directories, personal outreach, partners, QR codes, and multiple reminders.
• A strong workshop does not need 160 slides. Teach three clear ideas, use stories, show the simulator, and create a simple next step.
• The Profit Acceleration Simulator is the bridge from education to assessment because it gives attendees a quick, visual way to see opportunity.
• Follow-up matters as much as the event. Use email, LinkedIn, phone calls, drip campaigns, and one-to-one invitations after the workshop.

Notable Quotes

“Speak like a human.”

“I never sell anything. I always talk to people.”

“Every breadcrumb you leave with someone really leaves a lasting impact.”

“Face to face is the number one thing you can do.”

“Use somebody else’s audience.”

“Get the most bang for your buck.”

“Serve first, always, then promote yourself.”

“The first thing I’m thinking about is, I need to fill seats.”

“One email is never enough.”

“The PowerPoint is probably the easiest thing you can do.”

“Teach three ideas.”

“Do not sell anything.”

“The less friction somebody has to a call to action, the more likely they are to sign up.”

“Follow up, follow up, follow up.”

“Attendance is the work.”

Action Steps from the Call

1. Identify chambers or networking groups in your local area.
2. Review each chamber’s website, events, membership, and educational programming.
3. Ask whether the chamber offers email blasts, event calendars, social promotion, member directories, and speaking opportunities.
4. Attend at least two local events.
5. Introduce yourself to the chamber president.
6. Meet the event coordinator.
7. Identify the power connectors in the group.
8. Build relationships with board members and active members.
9. Volunteer before asking for a workshop opportunity.
10. Secure a workshop date before obsessing over the slide deck.
11. Start promoting at least three weeks before the event.
12. Use chamber email blasts and newsletters when available.
13. Ask the chamber to post the event on its calendar and social media.
14. Reach out directly to members from the directory.
15. Use LinkedIn, Facebook, personal social channels, and strategic partners to promote the event.
16. Plan for seven to ten promotional touches.
17. Use Tuesday or Wednesday morning for email promotion when possible.
18. Teach three clear ideas during the workshop.
19. Use stories, examples, and case studies.
20. Show the Profit Acceleration Simulator during the workshop.
21. Use a QR code for easy registration or next-step access.
22. Invite attendees to a one-to-one assessment.
23. Send a thank-you email after the event.
24. Follow up through LinkedIn, phone calls, and email.
25. Add attendees to an FBS follow-up funnel or drip campaign.
26. Use the Live Event Mastery resources inside PAS.
27. Use the Event Setup section inside FBS.
28. Create a registration page and QR code.
29. Consider doing a live simulator example with a volunteer.
30. Research local businesses through AI tools, library databases, Google ads, and Meta Ads Library.

Resources & Tools Mentioned

• Workshop Wednesday
• Chamber of Commerce
• Networking Events
• Member Directory
• Chamber Email Blasts
• Chamber Newsletter
• Chamber Website Calendar
• Chamber Social Media
• Chamber President
• Event Coordinator
• Board Members
• Power Connectors
• Strategic Partners
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Coffee Shops
• Hotels
• Marriott
• Hilton
• Profit Acceleration Simulator
• PAS / Profit Acceleration Software
• FBS / Focus Business Suite
• Event Setup
• Live Event Mastery
• Lead Generation Training
• Workshop SOP
• Room Layout
• Budget
• Promotional Resources
• Invite Tracker
• Registration Script
• Workshop Slides
• Workbook Templates
• Canva Templates
• Landing Page
• QR Code
• Drip Campaigns
• Google Drive
• AI Tools
• ChatGPT
• Reference USA
• Library Digital Resources
• Google Ads
• Meta Ads Library
• Get Your First Three Clients Calculator