The reason I jumped on the $10 class mentioned in the last post was that comparable classes were at least $50 so $10 was a smoking hot deal to me. And charging that very low fee ensured people would attend for the organizer.
Another strategy I have seen recently (but have not tried) is an upfront ticket charge that is refunded upon attendance. This is most useful for a workshop that leads into a more-expensive offer that converts well. For example, I have a Stress-free Social Media Management workshop in which I teach you how to create an easy-to-follow plan and which tools to use to save you time. Some people who take that class would rather pay me than do it themselves even after I show them how to simplify it. If I refunded ten $50 tickets and one person signed up for an $1800-per-year service I would still be ahead $1300.
Now you may think no one would pay for what you are offering and you may be right. Maybe you need to change the way you are presenting your offer. Suppose you are in direct sales and you are hosting a business opportunity meeting and looking to attract people to your house to convince them to start selling the products as part of your downline. Most people are not willing to pay for a sales pitch (or even come for free) so you need to repackage it.
Gather several people from other direct sales companies (even competing companies) and create a Home-based Business Workshop. Check with your library or other organizations from which you can reserve a large room for a low cost and charge for tickets. Each participating business will bring a table to display their offer, make a 15-minute presentation and be required to sell at least 20 tickets that are priced to cover the facility fee. It will have more perceived value because attendees have one-stop access to get information on many options and they had to pay to attend.
What if your event is focusing on your current customers, perhaps an educational meeting that may lead into an offer for a specific product or service? A hybrid offer may be a good choice. Set a ticket price for your event such as $25 and collect that fee from people who are not currently your customer. Email your current clients and let them know you would like to offer them a free ticket as a thank you if they would like to come. Be sure to let them know space is limited and ask them not to sign up if they are unable to attend.
A quick post script thanks to a great comment on my last post from Scott D Lewis: If you have decided free is the only way to go, create a fairly comprehensive questionnaire that helps you decide if the potential attendee is serious or a lookie-Lou. The mere act of answering 10-15 questions will discourage most people who are not really interested and the people who complete the questionnaire now have some skin (time) in the game and are more likely to show up.
Until next time…
Have a great day,
Susanne
Check out my upcoming workshops here!