Figuring out workshops

[Andy Black]

I'm working up to giving some local workshops. Thought I'd start a progress thread, but please feel free to chip in if you're already doing this or thinking of doing it.

Why?

• I enjoy it.
• I'll see what resonates with the attendees.
• I'll get to hone the workshop down and maybe create an online version.
• I'll get to know local business owners.
• I'll start to get known locally (I'm known more online in forums and Facebook groups).

Step 1: Last week I mentioned on Facebook and LinkedIn that I was thinking of giving a 1 day Google Ads workshop for €350. I've 550+ connections on Facebook and 11,000+ on LinkedIn. I had someone mention they were interested on Facebook, and someone on LinkedIn. They're people I've been on (paid) business courses I also attended, so already know me in person.

Step 2: Realise I'm not well known enough locally for folks to just drop €350 on a Google Ads workshop. Go to my original plan which is to do a FREE (or €20) workshop for a couple of hours. I don't know whether to do it in the day or the evening.

Step 3: Suddenly a free 2 hour workshop pops up in front of me in a Facebook group of Irish business owners. It runs tomorrow evening, is an hour away from me, and is for "Facebook and Instagram for Business". I'll take my stepson and get to learn that stuff, and see how a free workshop is run. I booked via an event platform here in Ireland called EventBrite.ie. Nice... I don't even need to have a website or landing page to do this.

 

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[Siddhartha]

Giving workshops and teaching opportunities always seem so dope.
You get to hone what you know, look like a pro, and make friends while potentially even getting paid for it.

Watching this thread.

 

[NewbieBrit]

I guess you gotta look at the long game - if you can add value up front and covey you’re bloody good at what you do then cost is outweighed by value and it’ll be a no brainer for them to engage with you!
Just my view but has worked a few times in the past for me...
Look forward to hearing how it goes
Best
Cam

 

[Jeff Noel]

About that Step #2, I can relate: My girlfriend is offering consulting services for web marketing and whenever she does a "Free advice" day, she's getting flooded.

Gotta remember free leeches don't always become customers though.

 

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[NewbieBrit]

About that Step #2, I can relate: My girlfriend is offering consulting services for web marketing and whenever she does a "Free advice" day, she's getting flooded.

Gotta remember free leeches don't always become customers though.

Agreed! That’s on you though to be able to sort the wheat from the chaff! I’ve fallen foul a few times!

 

[reedracer]

Give great value in your free workshop... well worth their time. Offer a limited Master mind group to hold their hand as they implement your teaching.

 

[Suzanne Bazemore]

Your workshop could be free, or cost just enough to cover the venue, and, if you have any pamphlets or guidebooks, sell those.

 

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[Andy Black]

Thanks everyone.

Yes, screening for the people in motion could be important.

I’m tempted to put a small fee on it to deter the freebie seekers.

If I hold it during work hours then I think it will be more likely to get business owners attending too. Not sure. I gave a course during office hours one time and it was full of *employees* who had no interest in being there. That was hard work.

I’ll see what tomorrow’s workshop is like and report back.

 

[Matt Hunt]

Following! I agree, think a small fee may deter the leeches.
But even if you do it for free, it'd be great PR, and I'm sure you'll still have several attendees who decide it's too much work for them to do themselves, and guess who will be top-of-mind for them to hire to do it?

 

[Andy Black]

Following! I agree, think a small fee may deter the leeches.
But even if you do it for free, it'd be great PR, and I'm sure you'll still have several attendees who decide it's too much work for them to do themselves, and guess who will be top-of-mind for them to hire to do it?

Good point about free being great PR. I’ll bear that in mind!

 

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[Bertram]

I'm working up to giving some local workshops. Thought I'd start a progress thread, but please feel free to chip in if you're already doing this or thinking of doing it.

Why?

• I enjoy it.
• I'll see what resonates with the attendees.
• I'll get to hone the workshop down and maybe create an online version.
• I'll get to know local business owners.
• I'll start to get known locally (I'm known more online in forums and Facebook groups).

Step 1: Last week I mentioned on Facebook and LinkedIn that I was thinking of giving a 1 day Google Ads workshop for €350. I've 550+ connections on Facebook and 11,000+ on LinkedIn. I had someone mention they were interested on Facebook, and someone on LinkedIn. They're people I've been on (paid) business courses I also attended, so already know me in person.

Step 2: Realise I'm not well known enough locally for folks to just drop €350 on a Google Ads workshop. Go to my original plan which is to do a FREE (or €20) workshop for a couple of hours. I don't know whether to do it in the day or the evening.

Step 3: Suddenly a free 2 hour workshop pops up in front of me in a Facebook group of Irish business owners. It runs tomorrow evening, is an hour away from me, and is for "Facebook and Instagram for Business". I'll take my stepson and get to learn that stuff, and see how a free workshop is run. I booked via an event platform here in Ireland called EventBrite.ie. Nice... I don't even need to have a website or landing page to do this.

Could you offer an online live seminar please?

 

[Andy Black]

Could you offer an online live seminar please?

Well now. That jammed my brakes on.

Thanks for the “shut up and take my money” moment.

Let me figure that out.

 

[Lee H]

Good luck with this @Andy Black

I'm following with interest as it could be an approach I can adopt for my business...

 

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[Andy Black]

I’m helping to give a half day Google Ads workshop this April in Dublin.

This really tickles me.

I subcontract to a PR Agency and one of their end-clients is a charity. I’ve been running their Google Ads campaigns for a while now and they’ve been impressed with the knowledge they’ve gained from the work done as well as the monthly calls.

The end-client charity’s mission is to helps other charities, and they’ve announced to their members that they’re running this half-day workshop to help charities with Google Ads.

Why does this tickle me?

The end-client charity proposed the workshop.

The end-client will fill the room.

The Marketing Director in the PR Agency is creating the presentation, and I’ll provide feedback and assist in the technical part of the presentation.

Some of the charities at the workshop may well become clients of either the end-client charity or the PR Agency.

Either way I could end up with more charity clients.

AND I’ve build Google Ads campaigns to promote the workshop, with the ad spend covered by the Google Grant - meaning Google is paying for it! (It may well be that we can’t bid enough for this to work though, as Google has a $2.00 max bid price for charities availing of the Google Grant.)

And finally, the end-client is super interested in having an online version of the workshop that they can sell to charities worldwide. I may end up creating a version of my Google Ads course specifically for charities and licensing it to them (or the PR Agency).

Oh, and because I’ve got a course that’s sold a few times online I was able to advise the end-client and the PR Agency on some of the online course platform options available to them (Kajabi, Thinkific, Teachable, etc).

Good things happen when you create win-wins.

 

[Andy Black]

In the same vein, I’m to speak to the owner of a business directory in Ireland. There’s over 130k members in the directory.

She’s interested in me giving a free, in-person, Google Ads workshop to directory members.

 

[Andy Black]

This morning I’m joint hosting a 3 hour Digital Marketing workshop for 25 charities here in Ireland. I’d have preferred it to be in-person but we’re doing it online because of C0VlD-19.

 

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[Andy Black]

This morning I’m joint hosting a 3 hour Digital Marketing workshop for 25 charities here in Ireland. I’d have preferred it to be in-person but we’re doing it online because of C0VlD-19.

It went well but it was odd talking to 25 people and not knowing if they’re even paying attention. I’d have preferred it in-person or to have recorded a video and let people watch it at their leisure. Meh to webinars.

Another learning is to NOT do one-off pieces of work like this. It screwed up the start of my week and I’m now chasing it. It’s also unlikely to turn into any monthly recurring revenue. It’s good to help charities of course, but I’m not a charity myself.

 

[ApparentHorizon]

Look at some of those facebook groups that have free courses. Not webinars, but full blown, 20 module 10-20 minute videos. They build their funnel that way and upsell to coaching and in person training. And they're making BANK. (Ecomm empires is the one I'm referencing. If you want a link DM me, I don't want to spam it here.)

a) you upsell to live training/handholding
b) you allow sponsors to come in and pitch their funnels

I've been sitting on this idea for a while, but haven't pulled the trigger. Personally, I can't yet talk to a camera unless I see people's faces. I'd rather do it in person, with at least 20 people. And have it be a conversation, not a presentation.

I was going to partner with a CPA in my area, who is also a client. Because she's connected to local businesses. It would be a co-op, where I would tell them how to make money, and she would tell them how to keep it. But COVID hit, and everything is on hold.

Honestly, none of those people would even be clients. If the owner has the time to sit down for a couple of hours for a DIY course, then he's not far enough in his business for me to take him on. However, they would speak my name. And that's all that's important.

 

[Andy Black]

Look at some of those facebook groups that have free courses. Not webinars, but full blown, 20 module 10-20 minute videos. They build their funnel that way and upsell to coaching and in person training. And they're making BANK. (Ecomm empires is the one I'm referencing. If you want a link DM me, I don't want to spam it here.)

a) you upsell to live training/handholding
b) you allow sponsors to come in and pitch their funnels

I've been sitting on this idea for a while, but haven't pulled the trigger. Personally, I can't yet talk to a camera unless I see people's faces. I'd rather do it in person, with at least 20 people. And have it be a conversation, not a presentation.

I was going to partner with a CPA in my area, who is also a client. Because she's connected to local businesses. It would be a co-op, where I would tell them how to make money, and she would tell them how to keep it. But COVID hit, and everything is on hold.

Honestly, none of those people would even be clients. If the owner has the time to sit down for a couple of hours for a DIY course, then he's not far enough in his business for me to take him on. However, they would speak my name. And that's all that's important.

I enjoy giving live workshops. It gives me the chance to get excited and help people in a meaningful way.

As you say though, attendees aren’t likely to become clients. It does help me hone my material into what could become free evergreen content that DIY folks would consume and maybe then buy my course.

 

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[Suzanne Bazemore]

It went well but it was odd talking to 25 people and not knowing if they’re even paying attention. I’d have preferred it in-person or to have recorded a video and let people watch it at their leisure. Meh to webinars.

I'm tired of Zoom meetings, myself. Also, I can tell by the Brady Bunch pics that some people just turn it on. I'm not even sure they're engaged.

I enjoy giving live workshops. It gives me the chance to get excited and help people in a meaningful way.

As you say though, attendees aren’t likely to become clients. It does help me hone my material into what could become free evergreen content that DIY folks would consume and maybe then buy my course.

Could you compile your work into a nonfiction book that you could sell at the workshop?

 

[Andy Black]

I'm tired of Zoom meetings, myself. Also, I can tell by the Brady Bunch pics that some people just turn it on. I'm not even sure they're engaged.


Could you compile your work into a nonfiction book that you could sell at the workshop?

Sorry I missed this. I suppose I could compile my work into a book. More likely I’d just link them to my course(s).

 

[Suzanne Bazemore]

Sorry I missed this. I suppose I could compile my work into a book. More likely I’d just link them to my course(s).

Actually, if you are training people through zoom, then a link to your training is the natural answer. It parallels the books people sell at in-person trainings. Either way, you have an audience in front of you who would be a natural consumer of your work, and you can take advantage of the moment.

 

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[Andy Black]

Actually, if you are training people through zoom, then a link to your training is the natural answer. It parallels the books people sell at in-person trainings. Either way, you have an audience in front of you who would be a natural consumer of your work, and you can take advantage of the moment.

Good thinking. You’re right, it’s probably more natural to buy a video course if you’ve just sat through a video workshop. (Just don’t call it a webinar, or pretend it’s live when it’s not!)

 

[Andy Black]

I've been invited to do an online workshop next month for a Facebook group of 2.5k businesses in Ireland. It's the Facebook group for a directory listing 130k businesses. It's not that busy a group for the size of it, which is kinda normal for groups of business owners.

I've written notes so they can put up the event on Eventbrite and then promote it.

The beauty of this is that it's a win-win-win.

1. It will help the group members.
2. It will help the group owner to get more people into the group and/or get the group more active.
3. It will help me in numerous ways, not least that I'll be able to create a version of the workshop to put onto YouTube.

Here's the notes I've sent them so far. We'll be bashing it into shape today.


Google Ads Workshop

Goal:
Help business owners understand how Google Ads can help them find out what their market wants to buy, and how to sell it to them - profitably.


Topics:

1. An overview of all the different types of Google Ads (ads on the Google search engine, search partners, the Google Display Network, YouTube, gmail).
   
   
2. Why we should start with ads on the Google search engine.
   
   
3. How to use the Google Keyword Planner to find estimated monthly search volumes and hundreds of suggested search terms.
   
   
4. Separating search terms into BUYER and INFO-SEEKER search terms.
   
   
5. A simple trick to finding the BUYER search terms for local service businesses.
   
   
6. How to review competitor ads and landing pages.
   
   
7. Understanding click-through-rate and why it’s so important.
   
   
8. How to get a better click-through-rate.
   
   
9. Why your landing pages don’t convert (and how to improve your conversion rates).
   
   
10. A framework for getting started quickly and cheaply, and how to scale or fail fast.

My Background
Fell into Google Ads in 2009 helping an electrician friend keep a roof over his head after the economy collapsed.

Lead a team of 35 Google Ads specialists spending €120k/day, after being their analyst and trainer.

Worked for a startup building 120 million keywords and ads to acquire 15,000 signups a day.

Worked in the Google Ads team in Groupon, and built and managed the Google Ads campaigns for the largest insurance broker in Ireland.

Helped thousands of entrepreneurs and marketers with hundreds of articles, videos, and podcasts.


My Mission
I started in Google Ads in 2009 when I helped an electrician friend get more work. The economy was tanking back then and all his work dried up. He had a wife and two kids and another baby on the way. It got so bad he had to hand his van back.

I knew this was the beginning of the end for him and tried to help. We built a website and nothing happened. He had no phone calls.

Then one day a Google Ads voucher fell out of a book. We setup a Google Ads account and loaded the voucher.

I can still remember his voice when he rang to say “Andy, it works! I’ve had a call.”

His excitement told me I’d thrown him a lifeline – I’d given him hope.

He went on to buy a van and build a workshop out the back. His dad quietly bought me a drink at a family gathering. That’s when I realised I’d not only helped my friend keep a roof over his head, but I’d helped the rest of his family who were worried for him.

That's when I realised I was doing more than just "Google Ads".

I’m on a mission to demystify paid search, and to help the smaller business owner get found by the people already searching for them.

The smaller guys are under-served. Agencies won’t touch them as they’re after bigger fish, and most information out there isn’t actionable, or is smothered in confusing geek speak.

I love hearing the excitement and hope in someone’s voice when they tell me “Andy, it works!”

My mission is to pass on that excitement and hope to more people.

 

[Andy Black]

I really enjoyed doing that online workshop last week.

It was via Zoom, and someone else MC'd it so I could focus on the presentation while they monitored questions and ensured I was in the spotlight.

Here's the recording of the workshop:

• Google Ads for Business Owners (Workshop Replay)

What has it lead to?

1. I had a blast and finally got all my wee nuggets organised into one video.
2. I now have an asset I can put behind some squeeze page so business owners can access it in exchange for their email address.
3. Workshop attendees have already reached out asking for a bit of help.
4. The Facebook group owner has suggested doing paid online workshops with maybe 10 people each paying €150 and where we split it 50/50.
5. The Facebook group owner wants to talk about growing her business directory (currently containing 130k registered businesses).
6. The Facebook group owner trusts me to post in her Facebook group without being a spammer.

 

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[Andy Black]

Personally, I can't yet talk to a camera unless I see people's faces. I'd rather do it in person, with at least 20 people. And have it be a conversation, not a presentation.

The difference between the Zoom I did last week and the one I did for 25 charities previously is that last week I could see about 5 of the people watching. I saw myself on camera which was handy with my clipboard, but I could see people watching me and if they were paying attention, nodding, etc. The whole dynamic was much better than me doing a voiceover of some Powerpoint slides and not even knowing if the 25 attendees were still there.

Some feedback from the MC of last week's presentation was that the clipboard was REALLY good. He was watching people when I was drawing the cup of coffee (complete with steam coming off it) and he said he could see them all nodding when they got their AHA moment. I'm sold on clipboards as a presentation tool. Much better than whiteboards. Also... have Zoom setup so you can see the attendees.

 

[Kid]

I'm like:

I really enjoyed doing that online workshop last week.

Yay! Group selfies!!

It was via Zoom

It was online


P.S. Andy, happy for You and thanks for posting the vid thread.

 

[Andy Black]

I’ve not updated this in 10 months.

I’ve done a monthly 90 minute workshop/clinic for the paid members of that large directory of business owners in Ireland. All by Zoom.

The directory owner uses the monthly clinic to help sign up more paid directory members, which is great. Because we’ve consistently done one a month she can confidently cite the clinic as a benefit of paid directory membership.

I've really enjoyed doing each clinic. Not only has it led to new business, but I’ve recorded a few and added them to my own courses membership.

I skimmed this thread to catch up on what had been said.

A recurring concern was that people who attend courses/workshops want to DIY it and would never become clients.

Attendees paid a nominal annual fee to be a paid member of the directory. I think that’s helped. There’s been 5-10 attendees each month, and I’ve had a handful turn into clients. One could become a very interesting national lead gen project too.

Doing it on Zoom has worked great actually. It’s so easy from the comfort of our own homes. It’s quite intimate as I share my screen or scribble in my notebook and show it to the camera.

Doing workshops in other people’s groups creates that win-win-win. They can record them and leave them in their membership area for years if it’s evergreen. That’s amazing when you think about it.

I started doing weekly workshops in my own paid membership. A handful turn up and that’s enough for me to have the energy that comes from doing it live.

I added some as replays in my membership so a vault is growing. This makes my membership more valuable, and the live weekly workshops are an opportunity for me to help people more and find out what might be needed in the courses.

 

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