Is it live or is it Memorex?
OK…I dated myself…but I couldn’t resist.
Some of you might remember before there was real digital technology—and most music lived on 8-track/cassette tapes or vinyl—there was a series of demonstrative commercials for Memorex recording tape.
They answered the question above in classic ads like this featuring the legendary Ella Fitzgerald.
Today we can do the same thing…well, sort of.
My story today begins way back in December of 2019…a time when live events ruled the day and Zoom was only a rarely used icon on most home screens.
Skype ruled the online meeting world at that time…but not for long…
Regardless, I had an idea to reach more people with my mastermind model.
That is, in late 2019, I had been running my Titans Mastermind for four years, three spectacular live events a year, limited to 30 direct response marketing companies–all giants–at an annual rate of $20,000 to $25,000.
30 large direct response companies defined the “reach” of this mastermind …through their tentacles…but I wanted to reach (and teach) a new generation more directly…individual marketing entrepreneurs…globally…virtually …and at an affordable price.
The stars aligned…my idea and Zoom being the alignment…and Titans Xcelerator, the virtual version of Titans Mastermind, was born.
At less than 10% of the price…with 10 times more members.
I was focused on the reach rather than the math so the numbers also aligned…and it worked…and we entered our 7th year in 2026.
What happened to Titans Mastermind?
It survived the pandemic and went back to three live events per year…but I folded it in 2023, after 8 years in existence…so I could concentrate on more reaching and teaching inside of Titans Xcelerator…while never forgetting my roots.
More on that part of the story in the P.S.
But note the date again when Titans Xcelerator was launched:
December 2019.
Before the pandemic.
That’s where my subject line came from (“I predicted the pandemic”) …which is obviously not true.
Or is it?
But I beat the “Zoom rush” by a few months at least. 🙂
By March of 2020, the Titans Xcelerator “offer” went from one monthly live Zoom call to 4 or 5 weekly calls (hey, we were all stuck at home anyway).
Which led to a huge renewal rate in the first year with no promise of weekly calls post-pandemic…although currently we have up to three calls a month.
This was also a good marketing lesson, where circumstances reshaped an offer on the fly, and always keeping your head up…and never being dug into any idea (no matter how brilliant you think it is).
My “pandemic promise” (i.e. weekly calls) was not permanent…but still led to an ovderdelivery of riches.
With lucky breaks all around.
My luck was also a by-product of an entire industry moving from live to virtual…by necessity.
And the remnants of that sea change are still evident over 6 years later.
But…in the words of one of my marketing heroes, Ryan Levesque, there is now a “return to real.”
Digital AND analog.
Video AND human-to-human.
Virtual hugs AND real hugs.
The question now:
Is it live or is it Zoom?
Obviously, it’s both.
But exploring the advantages of each for a mastermind or event is still worth the effort.
In September of 2020—during the pandemic—I held a Titans Mastermind meeting (on Zoom in this case) …which coincided with the middle of year one of Titans Xcelerator (which is exclusively on Zoom).
Two virtual masterminds—one unintended and one intended.
And one that costs 10X the price of the other.
This set of circumstances gave me the perfect laboratory to explore the advantages and disadvantages of virtual vs. live.
Here are some things you can do at a virtual mastermind that you can’t do (or do as easily) at a live mastermind:
- You can send a box of spectacular and appropriate SWAG, in advance, related to the event, so that no one needs to worry about finding space in their luggage to lug it all home. And with a benefit of health/wellness: They won’t dislocate their shoulders in the process.
- You can keep your members engaged longer on the final day since they don’t need to catch a flight home.
- You can use various features such as “breakout rooms” where members can randomly be put together to create new friendships, rekindle existing ones and more intimate sharing–among folks who might not even meet (or speak to each other) if the event was live.
- You don’t have to worry about having AV staff (or even an “AV monitor”) on call. Speakers (and anyone who wants to speak by “going to the tape”) can simply share their screen at any time. I will attest that any Luddite can do it.
- Lunch breaks are breakfast breaks for some…dinner breaks for others…and bedtime snacks for those on the other side of the world. Therefore, you don’t have to waste too much time eating.
- Furthermore, shorter time for meals makes for more efficiency with the agenda; and it also means it’s far cheaper for the host (i.e. no killer charges for minimums on food and beverage).
- However, that doesn’t mean you can be a cheapskate! That’s why we sent every member of Titans Mastermind, whether they attended or not, a $100 UberEATS gift card in that swell SWAG Box mentioned above…and some healthy snacks as well.
- You can corral many more high-profile guests and speakers without paying travel expenses. Sounds like I AM being a cheapskate now…but it’s a fact. Getting Russell Brunson, Ryan Deiss, Dan Sullivan, Steven Pressfield et al. when Titans Mastermind went virtual for a few meetings was a huge bonus.
But for every positive of a virtual mastermind there is also a positive of doing it live:
- Giving out items such as books from the speakers, personalized snacks and other appropriate goodies at a live event, is often much more meaningful when they are presented in person. Everyone can compare their goodies with others, talk about them in real time, and the speakers can also easily sign their books.
- Encouraging members to stay over an extra night and leave the following morning also encourages more impromptu cocktails and meals– “post-event meets and greets.” Some of the best deals and partnerships are forged in these after-hours sessions.
- Although breakout rooms are an excellent way to meet more people, they are usually randomly organized; when you’re doing your mastermind live you can be more intentional by seating people next to certain other people at meals or at tables (strategically). Read the section about “Intentional Dinners” in chapter 10 of Overdeliver.
- Sharing your screen on Zoom vs. more complex AV might be good enough for many…and there is technology online for everything…but live and in person with the perfect AV is usually better in terms of getting real time reactions from everyone in the room. And no one is muted or has their video off when you are speaking to them. Well…there are those who may just want to ignore you. 🙂
- Extending the time for meals and breaks at a live event is a plus…it’s where the magic happens, where people come for the information and stay for the inspiration…and you may even have a productive “meeting” during a bio break or snack break as well.
- And…there is nothing that can replace a non-socially distanced hug.
So now that we’ve experienced so many more virtual masterminds over the past 6 years, are they better than being live?
It depends on the mastermind group…how connected they already are, how long members have known each other, and the goals for the group.
And of course, the agenda.
In my case, Titans Xcelerator is the perfect virtual mastermind…partially because it was intentionally virtual…and the timing helped too.
However not having a live component was a missing element just the same…something I have remedied…see the P.S.
Bottom line: There is room for both types of masterminds in this “next normal” world, COVID or no COVID.
The last 6 years have made virtual events an “and” for most (rather than an “or”)—and I believe there are situations where virtual will totally replace live as well.
But overall, there will be, net-net, more opportunities for virtual AND live as we move into the future.
Zoom fatigue is a thing…as is talking about AI and being less human too often for my taste.
Monumental online events will be even more monumental–with still lots of opportunities to hug each other in person at live events.
Note that I have been talking about “masterminds” so far in this discussion, which are generally from 20 to 50 people.
There are also full-fledged “enrollment events” (i.e. not masterminds but events with the purpose of selling related products and services to a distinct, targeted audience, anywhere from 500 to 2,500 to 25,000 participants).
That area exploded during the pandemic…and there’s no turning back.
In fact, many have been far superior to their previous live versions in both impact and profit.
Most have been at least equally good.
The additional “capacity” of virtual (e.g. more international attendees, holding them multiple times a year instead of once a year etc.) is making up for any shortfall.
As well as the huge decrease in cost (whether you are a cheapskate or not).
I’m sure you all have your own views about meeting virtually vs. in-person, based on your travel (non-travel?) habits; your budget; where you land on the introvert/extrovert scale; or dozens of other reasons.
I maintain that nothing can replace human-to-human interaction; but practicality, cost and/or inconvenience often gets in the way.
But don’t be a stranger/hermit, always looking for ways to hide from others.
Getting out of the house will do you good. 🙂
Warmly,
Brian
P.S. I mentioned that Titans Mastermind folded its tent in 2023 after an eight-year run…24 exquisite live events…with legends galore as speakers and members.
It was time to grow Titans Xcelerator (TXL)…which I have…from zero to 250 members…with a renewal rate over 70% after folks have been with us for two years.
Both were awesome rides.
But TXL was missing something.
That is, connecting beyond squares on a screen.
Something IRL was needed.
So, before I folded Titans Mastermind, I opened up the last two meetings (at a fee) to TXL members…which was a revelation.
Not simply because it forced the Xcelerator members to wear pants (a negative of a live event vs. Zoom I didn’t mention earlier 🙂 ) …but it emphasized why a “return to real” is…well…real.
Those who experienced the live events became anchors and leaders within Titans Xcelerator…and those live events encouraged me to do one-day events and dinners for TXL (in Connecticut, Florida and Arizona) over the past two years.
Which has now led to a two-day event this October…on the 22nd and 23rd…in Greenwich, Connecticut (near New York City)…which you can attend whether you are a Titans Xcelerator member or not.
All the details are here.
Note that your registration fee and attendance include a one-year membership to Titans Xcelerator…because while you will come for the information, you will stay for the inspiration (i.e. connections, resources, lifetime friendships).
You can’t do all of that in two days…stuff like that takes a lifetime…and at a minimum, two days plus a year. 🙂
While you are hanging out with the most giving marketing entrepreneurs on the planet.
Along with legends of direct response…world class copywriters…launch experts…multi-channel media savants…with decades upon decades of experience.
And the best-of-the-best of the new generation too.
Being able to hug as many members of my online family as possible at this event is the goal…I hope you will be one of them.
It will be intimate (under 50 people in the room) …full of 12-minute Spotlights, guest speaker presentations, mini-hot seats, discussions about direct response marketing and personal development (aren’t they the same thing?) …and contribution at the highest-level yielding connections for a lifetime.
No hyperbole. That’s why there’s no fancy sales page.
My record of bringing together the best minds in direct response marketing speaks for itself…or not if you haven’t been paying attention. 🙁
Just passion, heart and smarts.
Click here and plan to join us.
Or email me if you have any questions.
I may even give you a spoiler alert (or two) on who is coming. 🙂