The POWER of Events with Soul Media Global's Emily Ghosh

Passion, Curiosity, & Authenticity.

Emily Ghosh is a Business Coach and CEO of Soul Media Global.

Soul Media is a digital media and experiential marketing firm that inspires genuine, authentic connection and engagement. They work with brands who put people first and who want to connect with their target audience in a real and meaningful way. They help clients find creative ways to connect with target audiences, maximize digital opportunities, and inspire brand loyalty.

Learn more about how Soul Media Global can inspires genuine, authentic connection and engagement by listening to this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur above and don’t forget to subscribe on  Apple Podcasts – Stitcher – Spotify –Google Play –Castbox – TuneIn – RSS.

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0:00
Welcome to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Show. I'm Josh Elledge, founder and CEO of UpMyInfluence.com. We turn entrepreneurs into media celebrities, grow their authority, and help them build partnerships with top influencers. We believe that every person has a unique message that can positively impact the world. stick around to the end of the show, where I'll reveal how you can be our next guest on one of the fastest growing daily inspiration podcasts on the planet in 15 to 20 minutes. Let's go.

And with us right now, we've got Emily Ghosh from Tampa, Florida just down the road from me. Now Emily, you are the Founder and CEO of Soul Media. And what we're going to talk about in this conversation is the power of events, and just what that can do for your business. So first off, thank you so much for joining us.

0:59
Thank you For having having me It is my pleasure.

1:03
So Emily, what got you interested in in events?

1:06
You know, it goes way back. I've been involved with events for a really long time. I previously before I went back to get my MBA, I was working for one of the largest media companies in the world. And they developed a really unique strategy that which I have had the fortune to be a part of, and that was basically taking large events and festivals and creating a show around the event. And basically what they did was create whole kind of programming around the show that was already there around the event or the festival that was already in existence. And they would sell strap, spot sponsorships and tickets to the event and then create content and this content was live on, you know, a platform digitally and then also was a TV show and so what I witness firsthand was that Power of being able to bring people together for a wonderful cause and create meaningful content that would connect corporate partners and the community at large to the mission and really tell the story in a powerful way.

2:15
So you've been able to implement this for your clients and kind of talk about, like, who you serve. And then obviously, what we're going to get into is I'd love to hear some event stories. Now, if I recall correctly, some of your clients are in the legal profession, is that right?

2:33
Yeah, we work with all different kinds of brands. So we work with b2b companies. We work with nonprofits, we work with fortune 500 companies, and some startups as well. So we really run the gamut. And I think events can be a powerful tool for businesses really of any size. You know, I think we can all agree that digital is such a powerful tool tool. We're living in a world where we are so digitally connected. I think a lot of us are realizing that we can't do it digitally alone, there has to be some compliment or something unique that allows you to stand out from the noise because it is getting to be such a noisy climate out there. You know the cost cost per lead cost per conversion is going up. And so doing strictly digital and alone is not enough to stand out. You have to really be able to provide content that's valuable, and get in touch and connect with your target niche and I think combining events with digital is a really powerful way to be able to do this.

3:39
What is the magic that happens? Boy, my team you up with a softball right now. What is the magic that happens when you get people together at a live event like in person?

3:53
It's so different than I think across you know, a computer or a device. I I think we are craving human connection more than any other time in history. And to connect with a humaneness of a brands, I mean, that is really why we're called social media. It's really about understanding the heart and soul of business. And we can't get too far off from that, because that's what people really connect with. It's the humanists, if you look at any brand that has with stead withstood the test of time. It's because they've told the story and people connect with with that brand, and they want to be a part of it. And so, if you get people together, they can really see the essence of what makes your company truly unique. And I think it's important to really showcase that in a meaningful way.

4:46
Okay, so what are what are some ways that okay, say I own a company, but what I do is really boring. Like, I am like, how do I build an event around that? What do you do?

4:59
That's a great question. And we do work with companies that are in the b2b space. You know, they're selling a service and it's not necessarily that like sexy wow service that you get really, really, you know, hyped up about it. But I will tell you, there's absolutely a way to make it interesting. And make people connect with your brand. And I think a big part of it is just understanding what your audience is and what would be special for them, you know, is it you know, cigars is it mosquitoes is an outdoor environment. Does your audience Love Live music? Do they love to listen to amazing speakers, understanding who your audiences and what will get them to come out and have a really great time, it's not enough to just throw an event and, you know, put some marketing around it and people go and it's kind of lukewarm. Like that's actually going to have a counter productive effect. So the impact is really critical. It's about Wow experience from start to finish. It's a while from the branding, the digital marketing campaign leading up to the event. So people are already excited about it. They're excited to see influencers in the space that they can, you know, rub elbows with or hear them speak or you know, feel their energy. So it's a whole experience leading up to the event. And when they get to the event, you don't want that experience to disappoint. So it's planning the whole way through just like any, you know, event planner would do. But I think the key is really showcasing what makes the brand really unique in a way that is not overselling, I think it's good to have a combination of elements. So you have your entertainment, you make sure that you have a really versatile crowd. I think that's another dynamic that can be overlooked is like looking at who's attending. Do you have a good mixture of people that people want to go and meet and network with those people because that's a really big key about why people go to event to be on it. You know they're looking to network they're looking to really meet people of value and interesting

7:08
conversation. Emily, one of my biggest concerns or fears would be that I would put on an event and no one would show up. Maybe that's clearly see that fear is coming from my youth.

7:25
It's a really real fear and it's something good to get in touch with ahead of time because if you are aware of this, you can take steps to counteract and, you know, ensure that, that you have an event that's a huge success that your attend you supersede your attendance goal. I think the biggest thing is partnerships and collaboration. I wouldn't go into event you know, single handedly I think there's so many creative ways that you can work with other bit businesses. Other influences work with media to Really get the word out there. There's, we always take a digital and grassroots approach and that is combining traditional, you know, Facebook events, ads, newsletters, getting the word out from you know, social media getting their word out there from a digital perspective, but also kept coupling that with media earned media to tell the story and then a grassroots promotional approach and that really comes from, you know, boots on the ground, having a team that is going to distribute even doing some direct mail when it's appropriate if it's like a really high or end event and you are looking from again, that wow perspective for the from the very beginning. And then also, like I said, collaborations, collaborations is absolutely the key to making sure and then also, you know, I always look at another Attendance goal about 50% above what you actually want. So getting RSVP is way above what you actually want. Because you know, people are so busy that there, there's always inevitably going to be no shows.

9:14
Now, what platforms do you use to get people to RSVP?

9:19
event bright is a great one. I mean, always, you know, looking on, we'll do like some web based platforms as well. But event bright is is a great free platform to use.

9:30
Nice. Um, and then what is the business model behind doing an event? Like how how does a business owner make money with events?

9:39
That's such a great question. And I think it's very important to have a business strategy tied to it. I think, a lot of times with events, you have all the energy that goes into planning this wow effect and getting all the right people in the room. And then you kind of know, neglect the second half of that and the second half of that is having a very strong and clear call to action. And then having a follow up plan and engagement strategy, and a way that you're going to leverage the content that you create from the event, whether it's photos, whether it's videos, whether it's a webinar that you record, whether it's a, you know, a teaser reel, that content is key to promote your next event to promote what you're doing to keep your audience engaged. And I don't want to glaze over the previous stuff, which is like really having a strong call to action. I think that's where a lot of businesses Miss because they're scared to make it too salesy or they don't want to have you know, some type of strong sale and I'm not like the one to force that, you know, the event should happen organically and it should be a beautiful representation. But at the end, there has to be a showcase of what you have done in the past for other clients or what you're doing for your community and a strong call to action to get people involved. This is the biggest time where people have just made a connection. They've made a connection to your brand to you as a human, to the organization to everybody in the room. And this is the time where if it's a nonprofit, they are most inclined to open up their pocketbooks and give to write a check to become a volunteer to do business with your organization. You This is an a moment that you definitely don't want to miss. You want to really plan out and be strategic about how you close down the event. If you have collateral, what the follow up process is going to be. Yeah,

11:37
what does engagement look like? If If a client says okay, well, I'm only unconvinced. I'd love to do a local event. I don't want to screw it up. Where do you come in? And what work do you do? And is it is it is it super expensive? Or like what does it look like?

11:52
It really doesn't have to be I think it's custom. I mean, and we really do take a customized approach with every client and is understanding what the brand is who their audiences that they're trying to reach, and then creating a timeline around that. So put, you know, putting an event. I mean, it really is the visioning process. And that is a co creation process with the stakeholders to understand, okay, what is going to look and feel like and once we get that feeling, it's like all the rest of it. It's like a putting a puzzle together, all the rest of the pieces come together in a really beautiful way. But its first getting that that vision and a timeline that's realistic, and and putting an action plan together.

12:34
Terrific. So Emily, so talk about maybe where people can connect with you and you you podcast as well. Is that right?

12:42
I do. My podcast is called The Soul Collective. And our website for our company is socialmediaglobal.com. Nice. And what do you talk about on your podcast? Really, there's a lot that's focused around entrepreneurship, but I love hearing about people's journeys. So it is really mind boggling. Soul people's journeys and a good amount about entrepreneurship as well.

13:04
Wonderful, wonderful. Well, great. Well, Emily goes, thank you so much for joining us. Again, you're the Founder and CEO of Soul Media, and you are on the web at soulmediaglobal.com great tips for hosting an event. And so I think for the person listening to us, if you've been been inspired to host your own event, get in touch with Emily, or take what she's just laid out and and get to plan and I know you've got an event coming up the soul women's collective and that's happening in March 2020. Is that right? What happens? There

13:38
it is, yes. I'm so excited. It is all about helping women to overcome fear, limiting beliefs and really launch their dreams. So that's taking place March 21 in downtown Tampa.

13:51
Beautiful. Emily, thanks so much for joining us. Awesome. Thank you, Josh. Have a great day.

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