If you’ve created an online garden talk (or several!) — congratulations! While we’ve mostly focused on in-person garden presentations in the past, online talks are simply another way to connect with your audience and expand your business. (And, in the time of COVID, offering online talks is an essential part of any speaker’s business model.) But, aside from the revenue that you bring in from the talk itself, there are other ways to use that presentation to increase your income. And the best news? They’re easy! Here’s our top 5 revenue-generating tips to get the most out of your online talks!
Create an email list to promote
Email lists are vital for long-term revenue! Why? Because when people sign up, they are giving you permission to communicate with them long after your talk has ended. Set up an email list and share the sign-up link in the chat feature of your virtual platform (Zoom, for example), and create an email automation to welcome people when they sign up. With the use of automations, you can do things like:
- Send a link of marketing materials to your subscribers
- Tag people with any keyword
- Send a welcome email after signing up
And best of all, once the automation is set up, you don’t have to do anything manually again.
Offer a limited-time coupon code for future purchase
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is real. Nobody likes to think they’ve missed something amazing, so at the end of your presentation, give your attendees a coupon code that is valid for a short period of time and allows them to purchase your book, mini course, or ebook after your talk. Another example? “If you purchase by 4pm tomorrow, you’ll also receive a free download of XYZ!” And then make a downloadable PDF of something they want — a valuable checklist, cheat sheet, recipe, or resource guide.
Offer related services beyond online garden talks
Do you have a related service such as garden coaching or landscape design? Give your audience an easy way to book with you! Use a platform like Acuity scheduling that allows people to book a session or a consult with you — and that collects your payment for you upfront! Add your scheduling link to the chat feature during your presentation, in your welcome email after they sign up to your list, on your website, and after your email signature.
Need some inspiration for what this looks like? Check out Yard Doc — Carol does a great job at making it easy for future clients to book with her!
Audit your website
And speaking of websites, when was the last time you gave yours a good audit? And this is a no-judgment zone! We all have things that can be updated or improved on our websites, but letting people know how they can work with you is the #1 improvement to put on your to-do list. Take a look at your website and ask yourself these questions: Is it obvious who I am and what I offer potential customers/clients? Can people easily see how to contact me for services?
To see how some of your colleagues have successfully done this, hop over to AZ Plant Lady or The Hoosier Gardener — Noelle and Jo Ellen have made their websites into revenue-generating machines!
Pro Tip: Do this website audit before your presentation. You want to hit the ground running after you’ve gotten people fired up about you!
Put out a virtual tip jar
Tips aren’t only for bartenders and waitstaff! Lots of professionals have added virtual tip jars to their online presentations, and with fairly lucrative results.
You choose the virtual tip jar app that suits you (PayPal.me, AddThis, Buy Me a Coffee) and connect it with your payment gateway (PayPal, Stripe, Venmo, etc.). Virtual tip jars give people a way to donate — you can add the link to the chat feature after your presentation, or use it ahead of time to have audience members sign up.
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