MV TRAFFIC SUMMIT: Amy Dangerfield - The Key to Driving New Traffic Through In-Person Workshops

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Key Topics & Highlights:

Introduction to In-Person Workshops

• - Engaging in real-life experiences and fostering connections
• - Challenges of relying solely on social media for marketing
• - Shift to in-person workshops for a more rewarding approach

Benefits and Purpose of In-Person Workshops

• - Capturing undivided attention and deeper understanding of offers
• - Empowerment to make real-time adjustments based on feedback
• - Enriched learning experiences and tailored teachings
• - Effective marketing research tool for experimenting with new concepts

Steps to Start In-Person Workshops

• - Step 1: Define the content for the workshops
• - Teaching the "whys" and "what" to instill a sense of purpose
• - Step 2: Create opt-in pages for attendees and non-attendees
• - Digital sign-in for a class workbook and capturing email addresses
• - Nurturing email sequence to guide participants to explore more offerings

Leveraging Local Platforms

• - Choosing a robust local platform for hosting workshops
• - Utilizing local public libraries for workshop hosting
• - Collaboration with the library's marketing team for promotion

Pitching In-Person Workshops

• - Being prepared with portfolio, credentials, and mission statement
• - Building relationships with local library organizations
• - Specificity of class topics and the importance of creating a specific focus
• - Consideration of the frequency of offering classes to drive traffic effectively

Conclusion and Call to Action

• - Encouraging listeners to consider offering workshops at their local libraries
• - Sharing contact information for further inquiries and discussions

Connect with Amy:

www.amydangerfield.com
www.instagram.com/amydangerfieldphotography
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-dangerfield/
https://lnk.bio/amydangerfield

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Full Transcript:

Hi, I'm Amy Dangerfield, a documentary family and commercial photographer, as well as an educator.

My collaborative work centers around guiding small business owners with a particular emphasis on female photographers, inspiring them to remain firmly grounded in real-life experiences and fostering deeper connections. This intentional approach not only enriches their personal lives but also strategically positions them to attract high-quality clients through genuine and meaningful interactions. Today, I am thrilled to share with you the traffic strategy that's currently proving to be a game changer for me in driving new traffic to my MemberVault.

The crux of this strategy lies in offering in-person group workshops through carefully chosen organizations that share a resonance with my ideal client base. One such avenue is leveraging public libraries.

Reflecting on my journey into offering in-person library classes, it began about five years ago. Before this, I, like many others was immersed in the relentless pursuit of playing the social media game. However, the inherent challenges of maintaining a successful social media account as a standalone marketing tool became abundantly clear. The dynamic nature of ever-changing algorithms presented a formidable obstacle in capturing people's attention amid all the noise on those platforms.

As someone deeply committed to intentional living and creativity, I want to slow down and engage in the creation of meaningful art of fostering authentic connections. This shift served as a necessary mental break from the relentless pace of social media, ultimately proving to be an immensely rewarding approach.

And the realm of in-person workshops, I've discovered a unique space where I can capture the undivided attention of participants. This setting has proven to be a catalyst for a deeper understanding of the underlying purpose behind the offers I create. The interactive nature of these events empowers me to make real-time adjustments based on both spoken feedback and the feel of the room. The results is then enrich learning experiences for my students, one that is tailored to their individual needs, subsequently increasing the probability of them making additional purchases down the road.

Beyond being a powerful learning platform, this approach doubles as an effective marketing research tool for me, it allows me to experiment with new concepts and validate the core content of my upcoming courses without being trapped in the social media trends. If you are as excited about this approach as I am, let's delve into the steps you can take to start this journey.

Step one, define your content. The initial step involves a thought for consideration of the content you intend to teach. The primary objective of offering impersonal workshops or classes is to position yourself directly in front of your hot leads, quite literally. The aim is to provide them with a taste of what it is like to work with you. Given the time and schedule constraints of the in-person classes, it's always a logical progression to eventually promote the sessions you have online or services you host on MemberVault. This enables participants to delve deeper into your offerings at their own pace and convenience.

If you've dabbled in the online class before or are thinking about launching one you're probably familiar with the strategy of conducting a free webinar or online pre-launch, the concept remains the same but in this case, It is in-person. Aim for a class duration of around an hour, incorporating some extra time for hands-on activities and a Q&A to extend the engagement. While crafting the course outline, I always emphasize teaching the whys and what to instill a sense of purpose and rally people behind my mission. This approach strikes a balance providing actionable steps for students to take away still, without divulging the entirety of your course content.

Step two, create opt-in pages. Following the class, the next step involves creating two opt-in pages to kickstart your funnels. The first page I create caters to attendees, offering a digital sign-in for a class workbook. This workbook is designed for students who follow along and take notes during the session. Rather than relying on handwritten email addresses during check-in streamline the process by creating a landing page where students can sign in digitally. The workbook is then delivered to their email automatically, and I capture their email addresses.

The second opt-in page I created targets individuals who couldn't attend the class. Encourage them to sign up for your email newsletter, keeping them in the loop about future classes and granting access to both free and paid resources. And think about these opt-in pages. Craft a nurturing email sequence as well to guide your participant in exploring more of the offerings that you have listed in your marketplace on MemberVault.

Step three, leverage local platforms. In my experience, a pivotal factor in the success of these classes has been the choice of a robust local platform host for hosting them. As a small business owner with limited marketing resources and time, tapping into a larger marketing team proves to be invaluable.

For me, the local public library has been a goldmine residing in the metro Phoenix area of Arizona, providing access to a substantial public library system with multiple branches within one city. The library I've been teaching boasts a remarkable professional marketing team. Given that libraries thrive on program attendance and patronage numbers, it is in their vested interest to ensure the success of my class. Consequently, the library's marketing team takes the lead in promoting my class, aligning with my ideal clients who frequent the library. Despite offering these classes for free, and caution, typically associated with working for exposure, the potential exposure to all residents in the area justifies the investment. Moreover, by offering the class repeatedly, the upfront prep work diminishes significantly over time.

Step four is pitch time. With the groundwork laid, it's now time for the pitch. Being prepared is key. As a photographer, I make sure my portfolio is readily accessible, accompanied by all my credentials, awards, and publications on my website. When engaging with library staff, I articulate not only why I want to offer the class but also emphasize my mission statement. Crucially, I highlight how the class will contribute to the library, emphasizing the quality of community service of brains. It's essential not to be shy and to refrain from taking objections personally. Libraries often consider numerous factors in program design, as the rejection isn't necessarily a reflection on you. Always seek feedback on any potential concerns. And more often than not, libraries express genuine interest. Of course, you want to build a relationship with your local library organization before the hard pitch.

Over the years, I've attended library storytime so my kids actively participated in classes they offered me and volunteered occasionally, these genuine connections laid a foundation for trust and a much more open line of communication, creating a conducive environment for collaboration.

While this approach has proven effective, there are a couple of nuances to consider. One, you want your class topics to be very specific. Ensure that the class topic you offer is highly specific rather than targeting a broader audience. From my own experience, I eventually want to sell a photography class geared towards helping busy moms better document their lives while being present. An example illustrates the importance of specificity. When I use the title like how to better document the perfectly imperfect life versus perfectly imperfect childhood. Intending to be more inclusive, I ended up attracting students with no kids interested in travel and landscape photography. While they enjoy the class, they're less likely to become buying clients down the road.

Despite the potential for slower audience growth with a narrow focus, the quality of leads is significantly higher. As a result, even with a not-so-big email list, I've maintained an email open rate averaging 51% and a click rate at 2.1%. Both surpass the industry averages.

Then the next thing to consider is the frequency of your class. The frequency at which you offer these classes is a crucial consideration. The ultimate goal is to drive traffic to your main offer. So I limit my library classes to no more than twice a year. This strategic approach allows me to consistently appear in front of potential clients without creating the perception of consistently offering free classes or cheap deals.

Well, I hope this was very helpful and insightful. Hopefully, you can be inspired to take action and maybe reach out to your local library and offer a class there. Share your takeaways and join a conversation in MemberVault Collaborative at membervault.co/collab. If you're considering trying this approach, I'd love to hear about it.

For more information, you can find me at amydangerfield.com or connect with me on Instagram @amydangerfieldphotography. Feel free to reach out with any follow-up questions or insights.

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