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Julie
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Julie
Welcome to the Virtual Summit Show, where we ditch the surface level and get real about what it actually takes to grow your list and income through powerful virtual events. I'm your host, Julie C. Butler, AKA the Summit Queen, and this is where
the real talk happens.
You'll hear behind the scenes insight from my own summit strategies client wins, and honest lessons learned. Plus candid conversations with guest experts who are in the trenches creating events that actually convert. Whether you're just starting out or scaling your summit success, you're in the right place. Let's dive in.
Julie
Hey there, welcome back to another episode of the Virtual Summit Show. So this episode, I'm so excited about this because I stumbled on this by accident, and I'll tell you a little bit about how that happened with me and my own journey into theming my last bundle that I hosted. But I just want to start by asking you this: if your summit or bundle or giveaway or anything— your virtual event— feels a little I don't know, flat or boring, it's probably missing one thing.
And no, it's not more speakers, it's not more ads, it's not like a bigger list. It's a theme. It's a theme. And then when I accidentally added a theme to my first bundle, 1500 people signed up in 5 days for my bundle, and 1150 were brand new to my list.
And the collaborations— the collaborators were so excited to promote.
How cool is that, right? The magic behind hosting a virtual event and putting a theme on it. How cool, right? So cool. And, and here's like— I actually didn't like going into my bundle, I actually didn't know I was going to do this until I started playing around with the images. And I'm more of a person that wants to create her own images now because I can never find the images that I envision through stock photo memberships or any of that stuff, or even Canva.
I just kind of like, I, I know what I kind of want and I can't find it. So I've started creating images in Canva using Canva AI because, well, I'm already paying for Canva, so why not use Canva AI, right? And so I talk to ChatGPT, we come up with these prompts, and then we create the images. Now let me tell you, it's quite a journey from where we start to where we end up.
Right? Like, getting the right prompt from the get-go is not a sure thing.
Um, and you definitely— I feel like you definitely have to, um, you know, set aside, uh, a certain amount of time for you to be, you know, in the creation zone of stock images. But anyway, when I started creating images for my bundle, which was called the Evergreen Expert bundle at first.
I started playing with imagery, and then I had a vision. I wanted to look like Bridgerton theme, you know, like the, the, um, estates and the gardens and the umbrellas and like that kind of thing that I was going for, that vibe. And then I was like, okay, well, I'm gonna add people.
And I mean, the story is longer than that, but I, I started playing around with people, but then I wanted I, I wanted my people to have a certain look, and it wasn't until Canva AI gave me a, you know, like the cartoon with the big eyes and the, you know, once it gave me that, I was like, that's it, this is it, this is the— I want my people to look like this.
And of course I didn't use the Bridgerton word because we're not allowed, it's copyright, right? Um, just when you're looking for a theme, just remember that, you know, all like, just remember copyright. So, um, but also we are allowed to go in the public domain and see what's in there, and then we can use those, those as themes, right? So you're, you're thinking like, um, Jane— anything Jane Austen, for example, or even Anne of Green Gables or that kind of stuff.
So Bridgerton was definitely off the table. However, I did such a good job at creating imagery and bringing in that storyline into my bundle that people knew exactly what I was trying to go for, what I was going for, which— how cool is that, right? Like, without even saying Bridgerton, people just knew that that's the vibe I was going for. So that's really cool. I created the bundle first and I didn't have a theme, it was just a bundle.
So when I started looking for speakers also, there was no theme attached to it. So the speakers— not the speakers, sorry, the collaborators had no idea this was going to be themed. They just all thought it was going to be your other— your everyday, you know, bundle without a theme. I did not have a, a visual concept, honestly.
Like, when I was looking for collaborators, it was a Google Form, and the text, the copy was written on the Google Form. They had no idea, like, that it was going to be themed. They, they probably— if anybody knows me, they knew probably it was going to be beautiful because that's how I roll, um, but the theme came after, and actually, like, they didn't even know until I started sending them the promo materials, which was like at another level of excitement.
During that process of coming up with the theme for my bundle, um, it occurred to me that I also changed the title just a little bit so that it felt more like the theme that I was going to, and so it turned into the Evergreen Expert Society. But then in the tagline, I had that it was a bundle just to make it really clear, right? Like, this is not like a membership or anything like that.
It's— it, it is a bundle. So just so that we're clear on that, right? Okay, so let's talk about what a theme actually does when you tag it onto an event.
So a theme creates cohesion, it makes your event feel intentional, it gives collaborators something fun to promote— and fun is actually an understatement— it makes the audience feel like they're stepping into something, and it differentiates you from the 700 other generic events that are happening at the same time or in around your own, right? So without a theme, it can be content.
With a theme, it's an experience. And that's what we're creating for the collaborators, the speakers, and also for the attendees, right? But not just that. The thing that I noticed, the— like, the thing that stood out to me the most about having a theme as part of my event was that the participants were even more excited to share it. Like, how cool is that, right? They were more excited to share it, they shared it more, and to be honest, I— like, out of 80 collaborators, only 2 people did not share it because, you know, whatever, life.
But that's unheard of. Like, the statistics are way much, like, lower in terms of, like, the, the percentage of people who promote your event, which they're supposed to, by the way. If you're listening to this and you're part of it, like, when you sign up to be part of an event, it's because you're going to do your part in promotion, right? But yeah, but that's like— I'm— I swear to you that the reason why I got 1,500 people to register for my bundle and 1,150 brand new people onto my email list.
The feedback was insanity.
It was so good. Like, I was getting feedback without even asking for it. The, the speakers were— not the speakers, but the collaborators were excited. And even the people joining the bundle, they were also equally excited. Like, some people were like, this is the best bundle I've ever been in, this is so much fun, like, and I noticed a huge difference in terms of like the collaborators and the participation level, which was all around so exciting, right?
But I mean, here's the thing, right? Like I'm a super organized and the communication that I have with my collaborators and my speakers during my event. And this, these are some of the things that I teach inside the Bundle Brilliance and the Virtual Lab, right? But It was all around, like, so awesome. The theme didn't just make it pretty, it made it magnetic. And that's what I want for you and your events, right?
Like, we want them all to be magnetic because it equals high converting, and also it can equal profitable, right? Because think about it, if you're joining the event and you're like, well, if it's this fun on the outside, how much fun can it be on the inside if you've got like a VIP upgrade, for example, right?
Okay, so how to know if you should add a theme? Well, I say almost always yes.
But here's a little bit of clarity if we want to go down that road. You want people to remember your event. People are still talking about that bundle that I hosted, and people are probably going to talk about it for a long time, right? That's what you want. You don't want like a unmemorable event, right?
Also, win-win— this is also puts you a little bit more on that pedestal, right? Like, oh my God, like, Julie, she's the one that hosted that awesome bundle, right? With the theme, it was so awesome. And I actually was part of a, a summit that was an AI-driven summit, and it didn't have a theme per se, but kind of. And then I participated in another Black Friday bundle that had a theme, but they're memorable.
Like, they're the ones that stand out on top when I think about bundles I've been in or summits that I've been in, right? If you want promotion— if you want higher promotion energy, put a theme on your event. Like, legit.
If you want stronger branding, also really cool. And here's the thing, like, the theme does not necessarily have to go and match your brand, right? But it can be an extension of who you are. For example, when I decided to add the, you know, quote-unquote Bridgerton theme to my event, it's because I'm a fan. I love Bridgerton, and a lot of people know that about me.
You want it to feel elevated, right? Like, obviously you want to put a theme on your event, but you don't want it to be like, like, you know, cheesy, or, you know, having themed image, but the theme is not incorporated in the copy or any of that stuff, right? Like, you're creating a full experience. You want it to feel elevated. You want buzz. You want also word of mouth.
And that is what is happening with the bundle that I hosted. It was honestly word of mouth. And because I did such a good job at launching my bundle and theming it, when I was launching my program Bundle Brilliance following the bundle that I hosted, people were joining that had never even heard of me. They— it was word of mouth. Like, when I say to you word of mouth, it is a true thing.
Like, this person, someone told her about Bundle Brilliance and She came, she saw, she joined without even knowing who I was. That's powerful because the person that talked to her about me must have done a really good job. And if you're sitting here wondering, like, Julie, what's Bundle Brilliance? Just go juliecbutler.com— slash— bb.
That is my little program, Bundle Brilliance, and it's really awesome. I put a lot of love and thought into this program, and it teaches you how to create a bundle A to Z. And also, guess what? Event Alchemy is included as a bonus, and Event Alchemy is actually the program— or the masterclass, sorry, it's a masterclass— that I created on doing exactly this, adding a theme to your event, the A to the Z.
So, but hey, you can skip a theme if it's extremely micro and internal. Like, you don't have to have a theme on your event, like, it's— it can— yes, it can, like, make it more successful. But also, if you're doing a really good job at, you know, already— if you're doing a good job already at, you know, hosting your event and it's, like, on point and on niche, like, you know, obviously you don't have to have a theme.
Um, and if your summit or your event is, like, purely functional, right, like, there are— there's, like, I think there's places where you're like, yeah, it doesn't feel like I need to do a theme on this. Like, also go with your gut feeling, like what feels aligned here, right? You know I'm a huge fan of like, do what feels aligned.
You truly don't care about the experience, which I don't think anybody does. Like, I don't even know, like, that shouldn't even be on the list, but like, because every one of us, no matter what, we care about user experience, we care about customer journey. We care, we care about them, right? We care about— because it's a reflection of who we are as people and our business. How to choose a theme. This is the fun— this is the fun part of the episode.
Themes, they can come from seasons, they can come from a feeling. Like, honestly, like, when I was creating the theme for my own bundle, it was a feeling. It was also a transformation.
And then— or it could be a metaphor, it could be a story, it could be a cultural reference, it could be a mood. Like, honestly, you can really go down a rabbit hole with these things. And this is how you can now begin the process. You can start with the visuals. And honestly, that's what I started with. I started with the imagery, the visuals, what were gonna be the photos that I was gonna have everywhere.
Now, you don't have to start with that. That's what I started with.
And then you let the imagery inspire the message. And so I knew that with the Bridgerton theme, it was also gonna have something to do with like maybe a masquerade ball or like something like that, right? A walk in the park on a Sunday afternoon, tea time, high tea, those kinds of things, right?
And then you build copy around the vibe. And honestly, like, I did not do that by myself. ChatGPT and me, we were like best friends for that duration and bringing in the copy to create that experience throughout the whole event. And then you extend the theme into your email subject lines, into your emails, extended into speaker graphics, extended into landing page sections, extended onto onboarding experience, right? Like, it was everywhere, the whole experience of the vibe.
Was everywhere, and it was just like honestly like so, so fun and so cool. I used Canva AI for my images. I already said that, right? And, um, I also, you know, me and ChatGPT were best friends.
We created all of the copy, the registration page, the emails, you know. I kept it super simple when it came to promo graphics for the contributors, because I know, like, you can go again— like, you don't need to create 10 graphics for them. Like, you know, they just need the one. So my graphics were super simple. I kept it like, you know, just the name of the bundle and the— it was like the whole feeling of the, the theme that was part of the graphics.
I did not go and make individual graphics for each contributor. And their offer. Now, if it was a summit, maybe I would do individual graphics for each speaker, but I had 80 people contributing to my bundle, so that's a little bit kind of like a— not, not impossible, but you know, you know, I didn't want to spend, you know, a month creating graphics for all the collaborators.
Um, so I kept it really simple, and they loved it. They loved it. They were— they stopped to scroll. They were memorable. It was honestly just really awesome.
So here's the thing, the real secrets, the real magic isn't just pretty graphic, but it's coherence, right? When your visuals match your message, when your message matches your promise, cuz that's important too, right? Like, if you're adding a theme to your event You know, I know that it's not always possible to match the theme exactly to the event. Like, I was hosting a bundle that had a bunch of different things in it, so they weren't going to be Bridgerton related, if you know what I mean, right?
However, if you're hosting a summit about, I don't know, AI, and all of your visuals and your, your copy and everything extends into the world of AI, That makes sense, right?
Um, that your promise matches the transformation. Your collaborators feel part of something big, which was really key for me and important.
And I actually didn't even know that I was doing this until I was doing it. So this is me like sharing my point of view from a learn experience, like I did it and I learned from it and now I know. Like, I— there's no way I would have been able to record this podcast episode before I did it myself, you know what I mean?
Okay, so, and honestly, I became obsessed with the process, and that's why I created the masterclass called Event Alchemy, because I, like, to this day, I'm like, I've created amazing programs But this masterclass is probably one of my favorites. And if you're like, oh my God, Julie, you got me, I so am in, I want to add a theme to my bundle or my giveaway or my summit, but I have no idea where to start, um, you know, obviously these, these links will be in the show notes.
But if you're like, ah, show notes, I'm just going to type it in now, juliecbutler.com/event-alchemy. And you'll see this amazing masterclass that I've created with such joy and passion. And honestly, like, I think it was my most fun— most fun that I've created.
Um, so a little bit like, you know, without going into too much detail, I will go over the whole process of how to choose the right theme, how to avoid gimmicky themes, how to weave the theme into your copy, how to use the visuals strategically, how to elevate perceived value, how to create buzz.
So I like— I highly recommend you add a theme to your bundle. It's honestly so magical and it becomes magnetic. I hope this episode I don't want to use the word resonated, but I thought it gave you food for thought. I know— it's like, not I thought, I hope that it gave you food for thought, because honestly, like, adding a theme to your event makes it so much more fun.
Um, so that's all I got for you today. I hope this was insightful. I hope that, you know, I— you know, I want to hear from you. Let's like send me a message, reply to my email, let me know if you will be adding a theme to your next event.
I wanna know. Um, okay, cool. So I'll leave you with this and I will chat with you on the next episode.
Julie
Thanks so much for listening to the Virtual Summit Show. I'm so glad you're here. If you're ready to grow your email list or build a real community through a virtual event, but you're not quite sure where to start or even what kind of event would work best for you, I've got something to help. Head on over to juliecbutler.com/gpt and try my free event idea generator. It'll guide you through choosing the right format, finding your theme, and even naming your summit or bundle.
Julie
If this episode gave you a spark
Julie
or some clarity, I'd love it if you followed the show and left a quick review. It helps more entrepreneurs like you find us. Can't wait to see what you dream up.
Julie
Talk soon!
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