Is it live or is it Memorex?
OK…I dated myself…but I can’t resist.
Some of you might remember before there was real digital technology—and most music lived on cassette tapes or vinyl—there was a series of famous commercials for Memorex recording tape.
They answered the question above by playing a recording on a Memorex tape that was able to break a glass the same way that a singer would break it while singing live.
My favorite was this one, sung by the legendary Ella Fitzgerald.
Today we can do the same thing…well, sort of.
The question now:
Is it live or is it Zoom?
And in addition, what are the advantages of each for a mastermind?
We held the latest edition of Titans Mastermind last week (virtually on Zoom of course).
Here are some things you can do at a virtual mastermind that you can’t do (or do as easily) at a live mastermind. At the virtual version, “Memorex rules”:
- You can send a box of spectacular and appropriate SWAG, in advance, related to the event, so that no one has to worry about finding space in their luggage and lug it all home. And 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. I know you have all left early from the masterminds you attend, right? 🙂
- 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.
But for every positive of a virtual mastermind there is also a positive of doing it live. At the live version, “Ella can never be replaced”:
- 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 on mute when you are speaking to them (unless they want to be).
- 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 months, are they better or not as good as live ones?
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 particular agenda.
Bottom line: There is room for both types of masterminds in this “next normal” world, COVID or no COVID. The last 6 months 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 in a post-COVID world.
That is, 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 am 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 has exploded over the past 6 months…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.
And if not better, 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.
One of our speakers at the recent Titans Mastermind shared his experience being one of the first to do this kind of event online with dynamic (and very profitable) results.
I will discuss his presentation with you next week along with the presentations from four more of the six speakers who spoke at Titans Mastermind on September 10th and 11th:
- What the top SEO marketer in the world wants you to know about the tools that will enable you to mine this lucrative area…and strike gold that is unknown to most.
- How a magician and mentalist used his skills for good (rather than evil?) by becoming one of the best one-to-many salespeople in direct response marketing today.
- What one of the leading digital marketers in the world wants you to know about buying companies…and it’s not what you think.
- How an assuming guy from Kentucky became a serial entrepreneur, and marketing marvel (and he is a quiet and humble genius too) in areas as diverse as real estate, virtual events and selling millions of dollars of merchandise on Amazon.
- Why a branding expert needed to share his wisdom with the direct response marketers in Titans…and why branding is not bullsh&t.
And now please read the P.S. for a portrait of one of the greatest humanitarians in the world (who was our 6th speaker at Titans Mastermind).
You will enjoy his story along with an ethical bribe which I am offering to you (which is pretty amazing).
All you need to do to receive it free is to become a hero to thousands of impoverished people who need the most basic help around the world.
Yes…it’s as simple as that.
It’s really an offer you can’t refuse.
And stay tuned next week for the “full monty” on the rest of the recent Titans Mastermind event.
Warmly,
Brian
P.S. Scott Harrison, our 6th speaker, told his riveting story at Titans Mastermind.
He went from New York promoter (and partier) making lots of money (with little or no direction and many hardships); to becoming a volunteer on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia, West Africa; which eventually led him to creating a life’s mission like no other:
“Bring clean water to everyone on the planet”
So much for a complicated mission…this one is so simple…and it’s 100% solvable
If you want to watch his story unfold in a 20 minute video, go here.
But I suggest you read on first for more about the history of his organization (plus my special offer for you)…
Whether it’s building wells or creating water sources in other ways, bringing clean water to everyone in the world doesn’t require a miracle cure or a vaccine.
Only the resolve of Scott Harrison and his wonderful organization, charity:water.
He’s well on his way to fulfilling on his mission:
- In 14 years of existence, with the help of more than 1 million donors worldwide, they have raised close to $785 million.
- They have funded well over 60,000 water projects.
- Every one of these projects uses 100% of the donations that were collected.
- In the meantime, Scott went out and solicited millionaires and billionaires (people in the arts, sports etc.) to “fund the overhead” separate from personal donations so every donation went directly to “clean water for everyone.” (I love this model.)
- They have done these projects in 29 different countries (and growing).
- He and the organization have provided more than 12 million people with clean, safe drinking water to date (and growing).
I believe charity:water is an “uber charity”—that is, without clean water we can’t do anything.
It is a starting point for all civilization to move forward.
Without clean water, in the countries charity:water serves, something as common as dysentery becomes a fatal disease.
Not to mention cholera and many more devastating diseases which are at best totally debilitating–and at worst, deadly in the young and old alike.
Now my ethical bribe:
If you donate to “The Spring,” Scott’s “subscription based donation program,” and give a minimum of $40/month (which brings clean water to someone in the world for a year), I will send you:
“Titans Digital,” a $1,000 product which encompasses all of the video (over 12 hours) from the legendary Titans of Direct Responseevent and more.
If you give $120/month or more, which is what I donate (which brings clean water to 3 people a year every month), I will not only send you the digital version of the event but the physical product as well, which includes some of the best swipe files from Dan Kennedy and Boardroom Inc.
Combined this is a $3,000 value.
Who spoke at “The Titans Event,” billed as the “event of the decade” by Dan Kennedy?
In order of appearance:
Dan Kennedy (of course!), Gary Bencivenga (the final presentation of his career before he retired), Eric Betuel, David Deutsch, Arthur Johnson, Parris Lampropoulos, Ken McCarthy, Perry Marshall, Jay Abraham, Joe Sugarman, Greg Renker, Fred Catona (the last public presentation before his untimely passing), Michael Fishman, Jim Kwik, Ryan Lee…plus an extended Q & A panel with many of those mentioned above…and yours truly.
Also included in the digital and physical package is a collector’s item: “The Bencivenga Interviews.”
The physical version includes many other interviews and transcripts, an audio disc of the entire event and much more. You can see everything in that package here.
Is that a killer offer or what for a $40/month (or a $120/month) donation to one of the most worthy causes imaginable?
All you need to do is go to my donation page here:
https://www.charitywater.org/brian-kurtz-1
You can watch the video from Scott on that page as well.
And after you donate, send an email to my wonderful assistant Carla, using the email you would like your “Titans Digital” package sent to, at:
We will then send you a link to the entire digital product.
And we expect you will stay on subscription for a full year minimum (if not forever), and you will be on the honor system.
If you donate $120/month, please send your physical mailing address along with your email for the full Titans package, digital and physical.
You also must give $120/month for a full year at a minimum. Honor system will be adhered to here as well.
So here’s the deal:
You get to be a hero to people without clean water…and I will send you a priceless set of videos from all of your direct marketing heroes.
How wonderful is that?
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