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Leveraging Summit Host Testimonials with Jordan Aspen
Episode 43 • 3rd May 2022 • Virtual Summit Success • Jenn
00:00:00 00:16:49

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Don't just say bye to a host after speaking at their summit! Jordan is sharing her revolutionary method for getting stand-out testimonials from the summit hosts you work with so you can book even more amazing summit speaking opportunities. This could help you get in-person speaking engagements, too, so don't miss this one!

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Boost your summit speaking strategy even more with all the other amazing Sell With a Summit: Speaker Edition presentations! Go to sellwithasummit.com/speakeredition to get access to all of the sessions

Learn more about Jordan at https://civanpro.com

Transcripts

Jenn:

Welcome to Virtual Summit Success.

Jenn:

I'm Jenn, founder of Virtual Summit Search, and you're in the right place

Jenn:

if you want to make the most of your virtual summit experience, whether

Jenn:

you're a host or virtual summit speaker.

Jenn:

Let's get going with your next step to virtual summit success.

Jenn:

You're listening to another fantastic session from Sell

With a Summit:

Speaker Edition.

With a Summit:

In this episode, Jordan is sharing her revolutionary method for getting stand-out

With a Summit:

testimonials from the summit hosts you work with so you can book even more

With a Summit:

amazing summit speaking opportunities.

With a Summit:

And without further ado, I'm going to let Jordan take it away!

Jordan Aspen:

I'm Jordan Aspen, summit speaker and three-times summit host.

Jordan Aspen:

I put together our first summit in 2020 to help parents

Jordan Aspen:

navigate the crazy school year.

Jordan Aspen:

No one knew whether schools would even open and, well...

Jordan Aspen:

we all know 2020 was crazy.

Jordan Aspen:

I pulled together friends that I knew had encouragement to offer

Jordan Aspen:

those panicking parents, and the summit was a huge success.

Jordan Aspen:

The second summit, I took a different approach to finding speakers.

Jordan Aspen:

Instead of simply bringing together people I already knew and telling

Jordan Aspen:

them simply encourage these parents, I started with a list of topics that I

Jordan Aspen:

wanted to be sure to cover at our event.

Jordan Aspen:

And because of this, I ended up inviting a decent number of speakers

Jordan Aspen:

that were new acquaintances.

Jordan Aspen:

I found them through Jenn's Virtual Summit Search, recommendations, putting

Jordan Aspen:

out invitations to pitch me in Facebook groups - with permission, of course.

Jordan Aspen:

And honestly, whether those people were actually quality speakers was hit or miss.

Jordan Aspen:

Based on that experience, I'm going to share some general tips for getting

Jordan Aspen:

summit hosts to notice and remember you, but I'm also going to reveal the

Jordan Aspen:

number one most effective - yet most forgotten - way to make summit hosts like

Jordan Aspen:

me want you to speak at their summit.

Jordan Aspen:

Seriously.

Jordan Aspen:

I wish that speakers would do this when they pitch me.

Jordan Aspen:

It would make me so much more confident that they will be standout

Jordan Aspen:

speakers that I can count on.

Jordan Aspen:

As a host myself, my favorite way to find people to speak at my events is

Jordan Aspen:

definitely through my personal network.

Jordan Aspen:

Thatis, I generally invite people I already know and love.

Jordan Aspen:

I guess that means that your first takeaway is always

Jordan Aspen:

be building relationships.

Jordan Aspen:

But sometimes, no one I know personally is available to fill a particular gap,

Jordan Aspen:

and a lot of summit hosts are eager to have speakers pitch or submit applications

Jordan Aspen:

to speak, especially summit hosts who are repeat summit hosts and want to

Jordan Aspen:

expand and have people speak who have never spoken before at their summits.

Jordan Aspen:

So how can you stand out and make summit hosts want you to speak?

Hint:

it has nothing to do with the size of your email

Hint:

list or social media following.

Hint:

Start with making sure that you aren't making any of these mistakes.

Hint:

The first mistake keeping you from speaking opportunities

Hint:

is waiting for invitations.

I get it:

it's hard to talk about yourself.

I get it:

Pitching is uncomfortable, but the reality is that summit hosts are eager to have

I get it:

experienced speakers in their lineup.

I get it:

We summit hosts are so much more likely to invite you if we know you are a speaker.

I get it:

I get so excited when I find out that someone I already have a friendship

I get it:

with is also a summit speaker.

I get it:

It makes my job so much easier.

I get it:

I'm also always looking for new speaker friends to add to my network.

I get it:

Even if I never invite you to speak, knowing that you are a reliable speaker

I get it:

makes me 100% more likely to recommend you to my friends who are also summit

I get it:

hosts when I think your expertise is going to be a good fit for their summit.

I get it:

So ready for the easy solution to this mistake?

I get it:

Show your work!

I get it:

Post about summits on social media, not just to fulfill your contractual

I get it:

obligation, but to create social proof that will let summit hosts

I get it:

know that you have experience.

I get it:

Post during the summit and the promotional period, but also after the event is

I get it:

over, especially if you can highlight ways that you helped the attendees.

I get it:

What do I mean by highlight ways that you help the attendees?

I get it:

Okay, here's just one example.

I get it:

Many summits have pop-up Facebook groups with designated posts

I get it:

for each presentation, right?

I get it:

Check that post for comments that you can interact with, but also watch for

I get it:

attendees to leave comments that talk about how grateful they are for what

I get it:

they learned, takeaways from your presentation, that they took note of, etc.

I get it:

Screenshot those and share them on social media.

I get it:

Don't include their names unless you have permission, but you can

I get it:

screenshot the comments, at least.

I get it:

This shows that what you have to offer as a summit speaker is valuable.

I get it:

Do you actually bring value to the table?

I get it:

But this brings me to my next mistake: not collecting social proof.

I get it:

Those Facebook posts can be a goldmine of social proof for you.

I get it:

Don't make the mistake of ignoring them.

I get it:

Instead, save those screenshots, because the reality is a file full of

I get it:

testimonials, screenshots, voice memos.

I get it:

This isn't just social proof for prospects, this isn't just

I get it:

to use in your marketing to put out there for other people.

I get it:

This file is a mine of encouragement for you.

I get it:

Our second summit kind of bombed.

I get it:

We had a fraction of the attendees that we expected and I got really discouraged.

I get it:

But the small number of people who did attend were super engaged.

I get it:

And because I chose to notice that, the comments they left publicly

I get it:

and the feedback that I got in my email inbox kept me going.

I get it:

So when I was planning my third summit, I had discouragement over and over.

I get it:

I was afraid that this third summit was going to bomb like my second summit did...

I get it:

until I opened that testimonial for.

I get it:

Reading the screenshots and saved emails reminded me that even if the

I get it:

numbers weren't as high as I'd have liked at the second summit, the people

I get it:

who did show up were super impressed with the events that I put on.

I get it:

I was able to read about how I benefited them, the action steps

I get it:

that they took that they wouldn't have taken otherwise, the tools that

I get it:

they were starting to implement.

I get it:

That encouragement made it so much easier to dive back into planning again.

I get it:

It made me enthusiastic instead of apologetic about pitching speakers.

So here's your solution:

start a file today to collect social proof.

So here's your solution:

Take screenshots every time someone leaves a comment or sends you a message sharing a

So here's your solution:

takeaway or win from something you shared, whether a summit presentation, a coaching

So here's your solution:

session, paid class, social media post.

So here's your solution:

With their permission, you can share these as a part of your marketing, but you don't

So here's your solution:

need their permission to add it to that personal encouragement file, saved for

So here's your solution:

those down days when you need a reminder of how awesome people think you are.

So here's your solution:

'Cause they do, they think you're awesome.

So here's your solution:

This is proof - social proof.

So here's your solution:

Once again, not just for the people you're marketing to the

So here's your solution:

people you want to sell to.

So here's your solution:

This is social proof for you that you put value out into the world.

So here's your solution:

Imagine having a whole file of testimonials that you can read through

So here's your solution:

right before you pitch a summit host or fill out an application to speak.

So here's your solution:

How much more enthusiastic are you going to be?

So here's your solution:

Well, if you're thinking, "well, the comments people have left me

So here's your solution:

just aren't really that great."

So here's your solution:

Then you're probably making this third mistake.

So here's your solution:

The third mistake is waiting for people to send awesome testimonials

So here's your solution:

without prompting or help.

Here's the thing:

even the most well-meaning people can provide

Here's the thing:

the most lackluster testimonials.

Here's the thing:

They need help knowing how to say something more useful than,

Here's the thing:

"she was a great speaker" or "he was really great to work with."

Here's the thing:

I want to jump straight to the solution on this one: have a process in place

Here's the thing:

that makes submitting testimonials easy and painless, both for you and

Here's the thing:

the person submitting the testimonial.

Here's the thing:

Provide a questionnaire with prompts that inspire detailed stories instead of

Here's the thing:

shallow praise, and then ask people to use the questionnaire that you've created.

Here's the thing:

The number one question that you can ask in order to gather the best testimonials

Here's the thing:

super painlessly it was based off one that I got from Sean McCabe of Seanwes Media.

Here's the thing:

Ready to write this down?

Here's the thing:

"What would you say to a summit host who is on the fence about

Here's the thing:

having me speak at their summit?"

Let me say that again for you:

:

"what would you say to a summit

Let me say that again for you:

:

host who's on the fence about having me speak at their summit?"

Let me say that again for you:

:

You can ask this question casually over Messenger, or by sending

Let me say that again for you:

:

an email to a summit host after you've spoken at their summit.

Let me say that again for you:

:

You can also ask summit attendees this question if you build a

Let me say that again for you:

:

relationship with them first.

Let me say that again for you:

:

Say someone comments, a whole list of takeaways from your presentation.

Let me say that again for you:

:

Reach out to them, get to know them a bit.

Let me say that again for you:

:

If you click and a relationship grows, ask them this question:" what would you

Let me say that again for you:

:

say to a summit host who's on the fence about having me speak at their summit?"

Let me say that again for you:

:

And ask if you can use their answer as a testimonial when you're looking

Let me say that again for you:

:

for more speaking opportunities.

Let me say that again for you:

:

Now, messenger and email can be okay ways to gather text testimonials and even

Let me say that again for you:

:

audiograms, but don't forget about video.

Let me say that again for you:

:

That's the fourth mistake, is shying away from asking for video testimonials.

Let me say that again for you:

:

The reality is that certain kinds of social proof are

Let me say that again for you:

:

more provable than others.

Let me say that again for you:

:

A typed in quote with a picture could be a stock photo and words you made up

Let me say that again for you:

:

for all I know, but a video testimonial?

Let me say that again for you:

:

That's harder to fake.

So here's what I recommend:

get VideoAsk - it the free tool created

So here's what I recommend:

by Typeform - get VideoAsk and start collecting video testimonials.

So here's what I recommend:

Include them when you pitch summit hosts, share them on social media

So here's what I recommend:

when promoting yourself as a speaker.

So here's what I recommend:

You can use VideoAsk to collect text testimonials, audiograms, and

So here's what I recommend:

video messages, but keep in mind that video is the most powerful.

So here's what I recommend:

I recommend VideoAsk so highly because it automates this process for you.

So here's what I recommend:

Plus, it's free.

So here's what I recommend:

Instead of you juggling messages on multiple social media platforms, plus your

So here's what I recommend:

email, and trying to keep track of who you've asked and what you've said to whom

So here's what I recommend:

and where the testimonials are, you can set up a single place for summit hosts and

So here's what I recommend:

attendees to easily submit testimonials to one place that you can always find them.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

if you start with a video testimonial,

Here's a bonus tip, too:

you can create just about every other kind of testimonial with it.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

For example, pull a short written quote from the longer video response

Here's a bonus tip, too:

and include the video or a link to the video right alongside it.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

The typed up quote is for skimmers and the video serves as an

Here's a bonus tip, too:

opportunity to read more or hear more.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

Plus, it provides the proof that you didn't just make up this quote.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

Alright, let's recap what I've gone over here.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

First, be proactive about landing these speaking opportunities,

Here's a bonus tip, too:

build relationships - always be building relationships - watch

Here's a bonus tip, too:

for connections that you can make.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

If you're self-conscious about pitching yourself, let others

Here's a bonus tip, too:

speak for you through testimonials.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

Use those testimonials to encourage yourself with reminders of what people

Here's a bonus tip, too:

think of you they think you're awesome and include them wherever summit hosts

Here's a bonus tip, too:

will stumble across them, like on social media or directly in pitches.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

Ask for these testimonials and have an easy way for people to submit

Here's a bonus tip, too:

them, whether they're summit hosts you've worked with before or people

Here's a bonus tip, too:

who've heard you speak, aim to get video testimonials whenever possible.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

They're the most versatile and the most believable and therefore the

Here's a bonus tip, too:

most powerful kind of social proof.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

Now, the catch is getting a collection of video testimonials together, right?

Here's a bonus tip, too:

We've got you covered.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

Inside the Summit Speaker Launch Kit is a workshop showing you the

Here's a bonus tip, too:

exact steps that we use at Civilized Animal Productions to create a

Here's a bonus tip, too:

testimonial harvester in VideoAsk.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

Remember, this is a free app that makes this sort of thing super

Here's a bonus tip, too:

easy for both you and the people providing you with testimonials.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

If you don't have the Launch Kit, you can still check out VideoAsk.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

In fact, there's a link in the free download that goes along with this

Here's a bonus tip, too:

presentation, and there's a coupon in there in case you decide you want

Here's a bonus tip, too:

to try the paid features in VideoAsk.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

But I want to emphasize you do not need a paid plan to start collecting

Here's a bonus tip, too:

basic testimonials using VideoAsk.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

It's an incredible app you can do so, so much with it for free.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

It's only if you want to use that to really, really scale and do some fancy

Here's a bonus tip, too:

things that you need the paid features.

Here's a bonus tip, too:

So if you do nothing else after walking away from this presentation, do this:

Here's a bonus tip, too:

set up a free VideoAsk account, create a video questionnaire asking just one

question:

"what would you say to a summit host who is on the fence about

question:

having me speak at their summit?"

question:

and then send that questionnaire to summit hosts you've worked with before.

question:

Having even one video testimonial from a summit host saying what an amazing

question:

speaker you are will make you stand head and shoulders above other applicants.

question:

I say this to you as a summit host.

question:

If someone were to pitch me and say, "here's what the last summit host

question:

I worked with had to say about the experience," that it's just going to

question:

set you way far beyond in my mind than the handful of people that I've gotten

question:

before, who just show up in my DMs and say, "Hey, you're running a summit.

question:

Can I speak?

question:

Here's my website."

question:

Just think about the difference there.

question:

I don't know what that second person is actually going to provide,

question:

but if I hear another summit host saying, "oh yeah, she was amazing.

question:

She did a bunch of promotion" or "she got her presentations all in on time"

question:

or "his value that he brought to the summit and the presentation just blew

question:

me away," I don't care what they say.

question:

If it's a positive testimonial, it is going to stick with me and really

question:

make you come to the top of my list.

Jenn:

Hopefully this sparks some ideas for you on how you can leverage testimonials

Jenn:

from the summit hosts you work with.

Jenn:

If you want even more strategies for upping your summit speaking game, go

Jenn:

to sellwithasummit.com/speakeredition to get access to all of the sessions,

Jenn:

and let me and Jordan know your biggest takeaway by leaving a review too!

Jenn:

We'd love to hear how you're going to use summit testimonials

Jenn:

in your speaking strategy.

Jenn:

Thanks for listening to Virtual Summit Success.

Jenn:

Don't forget to leave a review and let others know your biggest

Jenn:

takeaways from this episode.

Jenn:

Every review helps others find us, and the more successful virtual

Jenn:

summits there are, the more tips we'll have to share with you.

Jenn:

For show notes, links, and other resources, go to virtualsummitsuccess.live

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