As the Cross Border Summit event is fast approaching (actually post-editing it was last Friday!) I’m getting super busy – and of course many people are just hearing about it for the first time.
I am a creator, more than a sales person. Many of my friends have identified my strength as a marketer – someone who can build awareness – mainly through content.
This is why I enjoy online marketing and online business – because it is all done online. But when an event is fast approaching, this creates more “offline, and real interactions”. This is definitely a weakness of mine, as people want to bargain and ask for specials. I wish I could give everyone everything in life. Free houses, free cars, free trips around the world. Free food, and no need to work for the rest of their life.
I wish life could be like that. And hey, maybe when robots and AI do all the work, it can be like that.
But for now, its not.
And this event is my main event of the whole year and it is an event where people who support and enjoy the content I am creating and the things that Global From Asia stand for can opt in to contribute their hard earned dollars for. Its a vote to support the cause, and at the same time, get value back from the amazing speakers we have, the amazing networking, matchmaking, after parties, buffet lunch, afternoon tea, high end coffee brewed on site, and so much more.
Cross Border Summit is a product, and we are working as hard as possible to make it a valuable one.
Yes I don’t like to ask people. I’ve learned that I don’t like to ask for anything – ask for money, ask for help, ask for suggestions. This is just something I need to fix in myself – but that is why I enjoy creating content, creating products, and letting the work sell itself. To reduce the human to human friction of needing to reach out to people and ask them to pay. So many times they think I am – not sure – doing this as a charity? No, this event is a for profit, and it is supporting our cause of making amazing content and community of cross-border business executives.
Then again, it also helps to filter out those who are serious and those who are not. I shouldn’t let the negative feedback I get from people who say I should have a cheaper ticket fee bother me. This event is not a 1,000 person massive event where you can’t find anyone and everyone is just paying a small fee. This is a premium, B2B business conference.
##My Solution – Pour My Energy To Helping Those Who Attend and Support
I think instead of taking some of the negative feedback I get from those who can’t attend (I’m really sorry if you can’t afford it) – and re-investing that energy into POSITIVE energy giving back to those who are able to come.
Taking a stand on something means you will upset some people. If you please everyone, you please no one – there is a saying like that. So I should be expecting to have something like this happening.
##Separating My Personal Brand From The Business Brand
It just further forces me to separate my personal branding from the business side of things. It is growing very nicely and we have a great turnout – from people who I don’t know – and people who I am excited to get to know and build a business relationship with. I think the hardest of any event or any business is that first one or two. This is our second annual Cross Border Summit and the team has done an amazing job. There are attendees who have no idea who I am – which is the goal, right? As the summit grows year on year, I hope that it is a standalone event that doesn’t require my personal expertise. Claire is a great event manager, my wife is pouring day and night into the preparation of the event, a great organizing team to help on site (thanks Angie and everyone) and we are growing the event.
Considering even to do it in Beijing or other parts of the world in the future. Maybe even South America- there is a great turnout of attendees from South America as the market there is booming!
##So, Sorry To My Friends This Year For The Conference
So, I feel better just getting these thoughts out of my head. I appreciate all of my friends and I hope they are not upset that I didn’t specifically invite them or hook them up or something like this. It is a business event, its expensive to run this – we are paying for the venue, paying for the food, so much travel and misc expenses for the event the fees keep growing.
Last year’s was just 1 day, day time only. This year we have grown it to 2 days, full days, as well as after parties on each day. Just step up the level.
I still want to be your friend, even if you are upset at me about the conference. We can catch up somewhere else.
##Thank You To The Friends Who Have Paid
And thank you to my friends, who have paid for the event. I’m glad you aren’t taking it personal that I can’t hook you up. And these funds we receive go back to pay for the event, as well as re-investing for future events and more amazing podcasts, video blogs, text blogs, and growing this community of cross-border business executives.
##How Do You Deal With Friends And Events?
I would love any feedback from others who do events, or any business for that matter, and deal with friends who are pushing you for hook ups? Maybe there is the saying that you see who your true friends are when you are in need. But I mean, I want to buy products and services from my friends to support them. Isn’t that the goal, to support each other’s businesses instead of being a cost and burden?
Maybe I am not seeing it the same way. I think the other problem is a lot of people don’t value an event? They think there is no cost to doing an event (even though, there is event location fee, food fee, people fee, time fee, travel and all kinds of misc fee). I think its another thing about in China – the value of IP. It is getting better slowly with Chinese community paying for online movies and content (a ton of the online video sites now charge a fee or monthly fee to access movies) – but seems there is still a ways to go.
Anyway, this event is lining up to be amazing and I feel better getting these thoughts out of my head and onto paper. While I could just keep this in my private journal, may as well share online and get some feedback or troll comments of hate! Letting it all out there.