Krista Mashore: 5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Run a Live Virtual Event
Have a team behind you — Hosting a virtual meeting by yourself is hard! Make sure you have a team to admit guests, answer chat questions, monitor chats, mute attendees, and to talk to you in your ear when the mic is not cooperating! Team work makes for a seamless event — just as you’d see in person!
As a part of our series about “5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Run a Live Virtual Event”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Krista Mashore.
Krista Mashore is the author of Four best-selling books focusing on her groundbreaking digital marketing strategy. She recently took her new business, from zero to 8 figures in just 35 short months utilizing her tactics. She is the recipient of FOUR prestigious Two Comma-Club Awards. Through her coaching, teaching, speaking and training Krista is revolutionizing the way professionals’ market themselves online. She offers an innovative step-by-step approach on how professionals can gain a massive digital footprint and become the authority in their industry. For more on Krista Mashore check out her podcast “FIRED Up with Krista Mashore and her latest book, “The Ultimate Digital Marketing Playbook”.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?
I had a tough start, to be quite honest. I got myself in a bit of trouble as a kid and unfortunately found myself in juvenile detention. After this I found myself in foster care for some of my teenage years. Many have called me “rags to riches”, because of my story to be quite honest.
Can you tell us the story of what led you to this particular career path?
As I got older, I worked my way through college and paid myself through a masters degree in teaching! I then set out to teach third grade, but I was barely making enough to take care of my family. One day at brunch with my closest friends I received a phone call … I learned my husband at the time was cheating on me. Before I knew it, I had two girls and no way to take care of them financially. But as I always say, mindset is key. I told myself I would provide my two daughter’s the best life I could. So, I got my real estate license and decided I would DOMINATE my market. How? I did everything bigger and better than my competitors. I chose innovation, as opposed to doing what everyone else was doing. I mailed large colored brochures, I took advantage of YouTube and Facebook ads. I decided I would not do and open house or participate in cold calling… and I became one of the top 1% of realtors in the nation. After this, I knew I had a groundbreaking approach to marketing for any profession, so I became a coach, and 4 time best selling author.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When the market crashed, I sold nearly all foreclosed homes… many in my industry started labeling me as the foreclosure queen… NOT a name I wanted at all! So, I rebranded who I worked with!
Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
“You are a badass” by Jen Sincere — this book as taught me the mindset is key! It has taught me no goal is too big if you plan the implementation behind it.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
it’s not the direction of the wind that determines where the boat ends up, it’s the set of the sail — Jim Rohn — this quote helped me learn that we cannot blame our past environments for our lack of success or happiness. We simply have to adjust and keep sailing.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. For the benefit of our readers, can you tell us a bit about your experience organizing events in general?
As a digital marketing and real estate coach, I organize virtual events weekly, monthly, and yearly.
Can you tell us a bit about your experience organizing live virtual events? Can you share any interesting stories about them?
I typically have my team organize these events with me — we create a landing page, copy, social media graphics, a specific zoom or webinar link, freebies, workbooks, and more!
In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job creating live virtual events? What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?
I truly think TED and TED X have amazing virtual events — I love that they can be listened to via podcast or watched via video (I do this as well) I love the professionalism, attention to attire and more. One should make sure they are always dressing to impress and feel confident. You should also create the environment around you to showcase this level of professionalism, along with create a podcast and YouTube video where these events can be watched later.
What are the common mistakes you have seen people make when they try to run a live virtual event? What can be done to avoid those errors?
Hosting without a team behind you, forgetting to mute everyone at first, forgetting to record (to email to participants later for a rewatch).
This can all be easily fixed by hiring someone on your team to admit new viewers, mute viewers, record the call, livestream it on Facebook, answer chat questions, and more, while you simply work on hosting!
Which virtual platform have you found to be most effective to be able to bring everyone together virtually?
Zoom 100% — only because it allows for interaction
However, I do love Facebook live and Webinar Jam
Are there any essential tools or software that you think an event organizer needs to know about?
Zoom & One stream (to stream already recorded events live on fb, YouTube, etc.)
Ok. Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our discussion. An in-person event can have a certain electric energy. How do you create an engaging and memorable event when everyone is separated and in their own homes? What are the “Five Things You Need to Know to Successfully Run a Live Virtual Event” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
- Have a team behind you — Hosting a virtual meeting by yourself is hard! Make sure you have a team to admit guests, answer chat questions, monitor chats, mute attendees, and to talk to you in your ear when the mic is not cooperating! Teamwork makes for a seamless event — just as you’d see in person!
- Engage Engage Engage! Utilize platforms like zoom, Facebook live, and webinar jam so you can engage with viewers throughout the entire event (something that may be difficult during a live event) viewers are able to give their direct input, bounce ideas off their peers, provide live testimonials for your company, and more!)
- Get out of the screen! Have viewers — grab a piece of paper and write what they hope to get out of this event — or have them read a personal team manifesto out loud (connecting it all in the end of your virtual event!
- Plan how you Sell! If you plan to sell during your event, make sure you plan ahead of time — do not wait until the very end to sell — provide some testimonials and ASK the audience if it is ok if you make them an offer? Then share with them a little about your product and service — next overshare on amazing content they can’t refuse and then sell again in the end.
- Finally utilize 90% of your presentation to SERVE instead of sell!!!! Provide viewers with useful, tactical, and interesting information. Help them understand you are the authority in your space.
Let’s imagine that someone reading this interview has an idea for a live virtual event that they would like to develop. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?
Create social media content to post — create an email list & blast it out daily! Before sending though, you should make sure you have a landing page (can be created on WIX or WordPress very easily) This way there will be a direct call to action that brings your users right to the registration link! Finally gather some friends or people from your team to help you monitor the audience during your virtual event!
Super. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Why every business should SERVE their customers instead of SELL. Develop trust, it will make all the difference in your company, lead generation, and sales!
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
Tony Robbins! He is the biggest name in my industry, and I would LOVE to bounce ideas around with him!
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Thank you Thank you Thank you!
