Virtual Summit Secrets Podcast: Virtual Summit Planning, Marketing, and Monetization Strategies for Online Entrepreneurs

Jenny Suneson + Lindsey Aleson | Virtual Summit Strategist for Coaches, Course Creators, and Service Providers
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

The Virtual Summit Secrets Podcast is your guide for #allthethings when it comes to hosting a killer virtual summit. If you want to grow your income, impact, and influence, through virtual summits, grab your headphones! You will find episodes on everything from planning your first virtual summit to speaker outreach + coordination to promotion and everything in between!Your hosts, Jenny Suneson + Lindsey Aleson, are extremely passionate about virtual summits and owner the summit support agency Summit Success Squad. Between the two of then, they've hosted over 6 virtual summits and helped countless others do the same.

  1. 1d ago

    39. Do You Need to Hire Help to Host Your Summit? (Or Can You DIY Like a Pro)

    Do you really need a big team to host a successful virtual summit? If you've spent any time in the online business world, it can feel like every summit host has a summit manager, tech VA, copywriter, designer, launch strategist, and an entire production crew behind the scenes. But is all of that actually necessary? In this episode, we're breaking down the truth about DIY summits versus outsourcing and helping you determine what kind of support (if any) you really need. We share what tasks most hosts can successfully handle on their own, which areas tend to become overwhelming faster than expected, and how to decide what makes sense to delegate based on your time, budget, energy, and skill set. Whether you're planning your very first summit or looking for a more sustainable way to run your next event, this conversation will help you avoid common mistakes, simplify your processes, and build a summit strategy that works for your current season of business. In this episode, we discuss: Why you don't need a massive team to host a successful summitWhat summit tasks can realistically be DIYedThe most time-consuming parts of summit planning and executionWhen it makes sense to outsource speaker management and tech setupHow to decide what to delegate based on capacity, not just capabilityCommon outsourcing mistakes summit hosts makeWhy simple systems often outperform complicated workflowsHow to get support without blowing your budgetIf you've been wondering whether you need to hire help before hosting your summit, this episode will help you find the middle ground between doing everything yourself and outsourcing too much too soon. Resources Mentioned: Learn more about our Summit Strategy VIP Day: https://summitsuccesssquad.com/services/vip-days/

    17 min

  2. Jun 10

    38. Collaborating Without Losing Your Voice: How to Work With Speakers and Partners Strategically

    What if the wrong collaboration is hurting your summit more than helping it? When it comes to virtual summits, it's easy to get caught up in audience size, big-name speakers, and impressive reach. But the truth is, the most successful summit collaborations aren't always the loudest—they're the most aligned. In this episode of Virtual Summit Secrets, we're diving into how to collaborate strategically without losing your voice, your vision, or the integrity of your event. From choosing the right speakers and promotional partners to setting clear boundaries and navigating co-hosting relationships, we're sharing the lessons we've learned after years of hosting and producing virtual summits. You'll learn why alignment matters more than audience size, the red flags that signal a partnership may not be the right fit, and how strong leadership can help you create a summit experience that feels cohesive, professional, and genuinely valuable for your audience. Whether you're planning your first summit or refining your process for future events, this conversation will help you build stronger collaborations, protect your vision, and create partnerships that support—not sabotage—your event. In this episode, we cover: Why alignment matters more than audience sizeCommon collaboration mistakes summit hosts makeRed flags to watch for when selecting speakers and partnersHow to set boundaries that strengthen relationshipsWhat makes co-hosting successful (and what causes it to fall apart)Why leadership is essential when managing collaborationsHow to create long-term partnerships that extend beyond a single eventIf you've ever struggled with choosing speakers, managing partnerships, or balancing collaboration with staying true to your vision, this episode is for you.

    14 min

  3. Jun 3

    37. Pricing Your Summit Without Leaving Money on the Table

    Before you automatically make your summit free, you might want to listen to this episode. One of the biggest misconceptions in the virtual summit world is that free events are the only way to attract attendees and generate results. But the truth is, pricing your summit strategically can have a massive impact on your registrations, attendee engagement, revenue, and overall event success. In this episode, we're breaking down the differences between free and paid summit models, how to determine which approach aligns with your goals, and the pricing mistakes we see summit hosts make over and over again. We’re also pulling back the curtain on VIP pass pricing, what actually drives upgrades, and how to stop leaving money on the table with your event. Whether you're planning your first summit or looking to increase profitability from your next event, this conversation will help you create a pricing strategy that supports both your audience and your business goals. In this episode, we cover: The truth about free vs. paid virtual summitsWhen a free summit makes the most senseWhy paid summits often attract more committed attendeesCommon pricing mistakes summit hosts makeHow to price your VIP pass without undervaluing itWhat actually drives VIP upgrades and conversionsThe role of perceived value in summit salesWhy random bonuses can hurt your offerAdditional summit monetization strategies beyond VIP salesHow to create a pricing strategy that aligns with your goalsIf you've ever wondered whether your summit should be free, paid, or somewhere in between, this episode will help you make that decision with confidence. Loved this episode?  Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow entrepreneur who's planning a virtual summit.

    16 min

  4. May 27

    36. How to Validate Your Summit Idea Before You Launch

    Before you spend months planning pages, recruiting speakers, and building your summit, there’s one thing you need to do first: validate the idea. Because hosting a successful summit isn’t about guessing what people want — it’s about looking for the right signals before you dive in. In this episode, we’re breaking down how to validate your summit idea quickly and simply so you can stop overthinking, avoid wasting time, and move forward with confidence. Whether you're a first-time summit host or trying a brand-new topic, you'll walk away with practical ways to test demand without needing a massive audience. In this episode, we cover: Why you do not need a huge audience to validate your summit ideaWhat validation actually is (and what it isn't)Simple ways to gauge audience interest before you build anythingHow speaker interest can become powerful validationThe micro-tests you can run for quick feedbackCommon mistakes that keep summit hosts stuck in research modeThe difference between healthy validation and procrastinationHow to know when you've gathered enough signals to move forwardIf you've been sitting on a summit idea and waiting for the "perfect time" or more certainty, this episode is your reminder: you don't need endless research — you just need enough proof that people care. Tune in and start moving your summit idea from maybe someday to let's do this.

    16 min

  5. May 20

    35. Pivoting Mid-Summit: How to Adapt When Things Don’t Go as Planned

    This week on Virtual Summit Secrets, we’re diving into something every summit host will experience eventually: things not going according to plan. Because spoiler alert: a successful summit isn’t one where nothing goes wrong—it’s one where you know how to lead when it does. From tech hiccups and speaker no-shows to lower-than-expected engagement, we’re breaking down how to stay calm, pivot confidently, and protect the attendee experience without spiraling. Because your summit doesn’t need to be perfect—it needs to feel supported, valuable, and well-led. In this episode, we cover: What to do when tech issues happen mid-summitHow to handle speaker or panelist no-shows without panickingWhy low engagement doesn’t automatically mean failureOur summit pivot game plan and backup strategiesHow to communicate changes without creating chaosCommon mistakes hosts make that actually make problems feel biggerWhy your energy and leadership set the tone for your attendeesIf you've ever worried, “What if something goes wrong during my summit?” then this episode is your reminder that flexibility beats perfection every single time.

    20 min

  6. May 13

    34. The Engagement Gap: Why People Don’t Show Up & How to Fix It

    Your summit registrations look amazing… but where is everyone when the event actually starts? In this episode of the Virtual Summit Secrets podcast, we’re diving into the real reason so many virtual summits struggle with low attendance and engagement even when registration numbers are high. We’re unpacking the “engagement gap” and sharing what actually gets attendees to show up, stay engaged, and participate throughout your event. We’re talking about why registrations do not equal attendance, the biggest mistakes summit hosts make after someone signs up, and the simple experience-driven strategies that can dramatically improve engagement without adding more overwhelm. If you’ve ever felt discouraged by low live attendance or wondered how to create a summit people genuinely want to participate in, this episode is for you. In this episode, we cover: Why registrations and engagement are completely different metricsThe real reasons attendees don’t show up to virtual summitsCommon mistakes hosts make that quietly hurt attendanceHow better reminders and nurture emails increase engagementWhy gamification and scavenger hunts work so wellThe role community plays in attendee retentionHow to simplify your summit schedule to reduce overwhelmWhat to include in your welcome and reminder emailsThe attendee experience shifts that create stronger summit resultsWhy low attendance doesn’t mean your summit failedWhether you’re hosting your first summit or refining your next one, this episode will help you create a more connected, engaging, and impactful attendee experience.

    18 min

  7. May 6

    33. When Speakers Ghost: What to Do When a Speaker Bails or Underperforms

    If one of your biggest fears about hosting a summit is dealing with unreliable speakers… this episode is going to calm your nerves and give you a plan. Because let’s be real, speaker issues do happen. People miss deadlines. Submissions come in late (or not at all). Promotions don’t happen. And sometimes… they just disappear. But here’s the truth: this doesn’t mean your summit is failing. It means you’re  Inside this episode, we cover:

    20 min

  8. Apr 29

    32. The Pre-Summit Mindset Shift: From Overthinking to Action

    If you’ve had a summit idea sitting in your notes app, Google Doc, or the back of your mind… but you just can’t seem to move forward—this episode is your wake-up call. Because here’s the truth: it’s probably not your strategy, your tech, or your plan that’s keeping you stuck… it’s your mindset. In this episode, we’re breaking down the real reason so many aspiring summit hosts stay in the “thinking about it” phase and what it actually takes to move into action. From perfectionism to the “I’m not ready yet” trap to the fear of failure, we’re calling out the sneaky patterns that delay your progress and showing you how to shift out of them. We’re also walking you through the exact first steps to take so you can stop overthinking and finally start building momentum because confidence doesn’t come before action… it comes from it. If you’re ready to stop waiting, start leading, and actually bring your summit idea to life, this episode is for you. In This Episode: Why confidence doesn’t come before action (and what actually creates it)The 3 biggest mindset blocks holding summit hosts backHow perfectionism shows up (and why it’s slowing you down)The truth behind “I’m not ready yet” syndromeFear of failure vs. fear of being seen (and how to move through it)The real cost of not hosting your summit3 simple steps to start planning your summit todayHow to spot when you’re “researching” vs. actually avoiding actionThe mindset shift that turns ideas into real momentum

    11 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
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About

The Virtual Summit Secrets Podcast is your guide for #allthethings when it comes to hosting a killer virtual summit. If you want to grow your income, impact, and influence, through virtual summits, grab your headphones! You will find episodes on everything from planning your first virtual summit to speaker outreach + coordination to promotion and everything in between!Your hosts, Jenny Suneson + Lindsey Aleson, are extremely passionate about virtual summits and owner the summit support agency Summit Success Squad. Between the two of then, they've hosted over 6 virtual summits and helped countless others do the same.

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