One of the pivotal benefits of hosting virtual summits are that you'll build your authority and credibility within your niche. No matter what your main goal is for hosting a virtual summit, it is a chance to establish yourself as an expert. Here are some ways you can build authority through your summit.
Offer Great Value
How do you best utilize this excellent opportunity to build your expertise? The way to do this is to offer the most value possible through your virtual summit. Focus on problems your target audience faces and offer effective solutions.
Find Great Speakers
The speakers you choose to present at your virtual summit will also contribute to your reputation. Create a great lineup of reputable experts, and you will leverage their audience to help build your expert status. Their audience will learn about you by attending your event and may start following you too.
Seek Social Proof
A key element of building expertise is social proof. Social proof is a term that describes the influence the expert has in marketing. To put it in simple terms, you look credible when people tell others about you (as opposed to when you talk about yourself).
After your virtual summit:
- Reach out to your participants and ask them to leave a testimonial.
- Encourage them to leave reviews or blog about the event.
- Do the same for your guest speakers.
- Try to get as many people as possible besides yourself talking about the event.
You can put social proof into high gear by reaching out to influencers. Identify people with a large following in your niche and get them to join your summit and talk about it to their audience.
Focus on a Specific Area of Expertise
You can't be an authority on everything in your niche because a jack of all trades is a master of none. There are too many others competing for that distinction, and it won't make you memorable or stand out from others. However, you can choose a particular area of your niche that has yet to be saturated, and you can dominate this area, becoming the go-to source of information.
Brainstorm your unique strengths and areas of expertise within your niche. Try to identify what areas you are most knowledgeable about. Is there a market for these areas? If so, these are great micro-niches that you can make your own.
Using Virtual Summits for Marketing
As you go about planning and running your virtual summit, look for every possible opportunity to create content that can be used to cement you as an authority. Record and document everything and turn it into marketing content.
For example, you can take presentation clips and make short YouTube videos. Put virtual summit content on your website and social media profiles. This can make a great impression when people see that you've hosted your own successful event.
Make Guest Appearances
Make guest appearances in other people's content where you discuss your topic area and mention your virtual summit. This is a great way to reach other people's audiences beyond your own and show people what you do. Get interviewed on podcasts, appear in videos, and contribute guest blog posts where you share your expertise.
Building your authority may not be your main objective in running virtual summits, but this is a golden opportunity to do so, so don't waste it.
Curious to dive deeper? Explore the “Virtual Summits Blueprint” course. It meticulously guides you through the process of planning and organizing successful virtual summits. Dive deep into strategies that not only expand your audience and establish your authority but also enhance your credibility and expertise. This is an invaluable resource that helps you reach all of your business goals. Available in the Thriving Coaches Club, or get the Virtual Summits Blueprint here.
