Live Event Sales Are Lost in the First 30 Minutes. Here’s the Fix

Let’s cut straight to it.

If your audience isn’t buying by the end of your live event, it’s not because your offer sucks.

It’s because you lost them in the first 30 minutes.

Yep—sales are won or lost before the pitch even starts. And yet, most event hosts spend all their energy on crafting the perfect sales pitch, while completely neglecting the part of the presentation that actually matters most: the beginning.

This post is your wake-up call—and your fix.

Pop in your email below, and we’ll zip it straight to your inbox so you never lose it!

The Silent Killer of Conversions: Flat Openings

Here’s what most sales presenters get wrong:

  • They dive into content too fast.

  • They treat the audience like passive spectators.

  • They skip the emotional priming that builds audience engagement and trust.


If your attendees aren’t emotionally open, ready to receive, and leaning in by minute 30… the rest of your sales presentation becomes background noise.

And no amount of bonuses or discounts will save it.

The Fix: What Your First 30 Minutes Actually Need to Do

To drive conversions, your opening needs to do three things—fast:

1. Create Connection (Before You Teach)

Your audience needs to feel seen before they’ll listen.

Open with a story that mirrors their journey. Use slides that show their current problem—not just charts and bullet points.

This emotional setup is what builds trust, rapport, and sales momentum.

2. Set the Frame

Let them know:

“This isn’t another boring PowerPoint presentation.”

You’re here to shift how they think. To give them something that could change their business or life.

And you do that by anchoring the value proposition early: “I’m going to show you a system that’s helped our clients generate $X in sales—and how you can use it today.”

That sentence alone primes their brain for action.

3. Stack Micro-Wins

Don’t wait until the end to deliver value.

Use the beginning to rack up tiny wins—aha moments, “lightbulb” insights, small shifts that help them believe:

“If I’m getting this much value in the first 30 minutes… I need to see what’s next.”

This is the secret sauce behind every high-converting live event I’ve ever run.

The Slide Strategy Most Presenters Get Wrong

Quick tip: If you’re using slides, each one should reinforce a key point—not distract or overwhelm.

Use one idea per slide, and keep your PowerPoint presentation clean and focused.

Remember: your slides should help the audience follow your message, not make them do mental gymnastics.

What About the Sales Pitch?

Once you’ve done the heavy lifting in the first 30 minutes, your sales pitch doesn’t feel like a pitch at all.

You’ve already:

  • Built belief

  • Created trust

  • Sparked desire

  • Shifted their thinking


Now the pitch becomes the natural next step.

That’s the difference between a high-pressure pitch and an invitation to transformation.

Want to Make Your Event Convert Like Crazy?

Here’s your new mantra: “Don’t sell. Build belief.”

If you want more “yes,” you need to stop focusing solely on your offer and start owning your first 30 minutes.

That’s where the real conversion happens.

So before your next virtual workshop, webinar, or in-person event, ask yourself:

“Am I opening strong enough to make the sale before the pitch?”


If the answer’s no, now you’ve got the fix.

Planning an event and want it to actually convert?

Whether it’s in-person or virtual, we help turn your event into a high-impact experience.

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Avoid the costly mistakes that ruin most events!

Live events are one of the most rewarding—and challenging—things you’ll do in your business. When done right, they can scale your business, impact thousands, and generate millions in a single day. But with so much at stake, from budgets to execution, a lot can go wrong.  Book a Call with me below, and let’s make sure you get it right.

Testimonials

"I thought our webinar was great... and then Steve showed me a few small tweaks that I had never seen before. His advice added several percentage points to our close rate instantly"
Alina Vincent
Founder of Business Success Edge
"Working with you gave me the confidence to show up and perform my webinar in a way that really connected with my audience... and raised my conversion dramatically"
Marley Jaxx
CEO of Jaxx Productions
“Steve' coaching just literally changed everything for my upcoming Live Event!! I was a little nervous about how to structure it and fill it... Yikes. But Steve took my topics, broke down how each session should flow, the best times to talk about my big offer, as well as gave the BEST tips on how I could show up and deliver maximum value to the attendees! And then he gave me a specific strategy on how to FILL it! like...what? Thank you Steve Werner I'm going in confident to my live event ready to rock it!"
Eileen Wilder
Author & Business Coach
"That guy just exposed me 😱 I hired Steve Werner to help us execute our live event properly and he hit me with so many questions and ideas that would have been humiliating to learn the hard way and leave 100k+ on the table.

If you are holding a live event it is a disservice to your audience and bad business to not have a call with Steve first."
Jimmy Coleman
Founder at LeadBaller
"Steve was able to help us with one of the most stressful things I’ve ever done! He helped us pick speakers and craft our talks.

As an MC he kept the energy up and helped maximize sales
."
Hunter Thompson
CEO at Raising Capital | Raise Masters
“I'm in a couple of masterminds with Steve and he has called me out on major mistakes I was making, helped me short cut processes, and give me advice on things none of my mentors saw. He is crazy talented!"
Carla White
Founder, Director, CEO at Hiro.fm
“Steve was a huge help in growing my business.

He helped me talk about my business in a way that attracted my ideal clients and allowed me to raise my prices...totally changing my business for the better.”
Carmen Gélinas
Spiritual Teacher and Energy Healer
"Steve was able to help me build a heart centered presentation that converts! His ability to help others build story based presentations is second to none"
Debbie Hoffman
CEO & Founder at Power-Up Your Follow-Up

Case Studies

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“You helped us make our language more natural and approachable—so it felt like a real conversation, not a script, and changed our conversion to over 50%.”

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I tried webinars 3 other times and never was successful. You showed me how to craft a webinar that was authentic and felt good, and consistently closed 13%+ leading to my best year in business.

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“You helped me structure my event for maximum impact, building momentum and aha moments that set the audience up for transformation, and ultimately led to much higher sales.

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“Steve gave us the step-by-step strategy to choreograph our event—from the experience to the upsell. I had no idea there was such a science to it, but it works, and led to drastically more sales.

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“I needed someone to pull me through this—and Steve did. He helped me structure the event in the right order and held me accountable to keep the event on track—leading to an over 35% close rate. His passion and authenticity made all the difference.”

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“Steve helped me refine my lead generation, event page, and sales strategy. His guidance on pricing alone brought in an extra $20K—game changer!”

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Steve showed me 2 secrets that worked and kept my audience engaged and eager for more. He also helped me refine my webinar flow—removing the pressure while keeping people watching till the end and closing more sales!”

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“Steve gave me clear frameworks that removed the guesswork. I thought I knew events, but running my own was different. He showed me the right levers to pull, leading to an 8x growth rate and millions in sales from our event.

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“Steve makes offers persuasive and undeniable to the right people. He helped me set boundaries, avoid low-commitment buyers, and focus on those who truly benefit. Now, I barely have to sell—people are eager to buy.

Reviews

Steve Knows His Stuff

"I've hired Steve to help us with our online presentations and have seen him teach this same content on stage at 2 conferences I was speaking at. He's very knowledgeable, practical and actionable to get people moving from passion to profits quickly - highly recommended!"
Michael D. Butler
CEO at Beyond Book Publishing
Top Notch!

"Steve Werner is one of the most brilliant marketers I know. If you want to master the game of selling, definitely work with Steve. Highly recommend!"
Mark Stern
CEO at Custom Box Agency
Steve Werner brings value!

"I have listened to Steve speak on a few occasions. I always look forward to his session because he brings immense value. He is a great storyteller too. So not only is he keeping our attention with stories, he ties that in with value where we can walk away with something that can benefit our business."
Harry Spaight
Founder at Selling With Dignity
Tons of Value!

"Working with Steve has been such a positive experience. Besides just being an all around good guy who is invested in helping you succeed, he brings wealth of research and experience to helping you shape your story and expand your sales. After being disappointed by many who promise value but don't quite deliver, working with Steve was such a breath of fresh air."
Erin Arnold
PT, MPT, LMT
All the right tools

"I recommend Steve because he has helped me with ideas to grow my brand. Steve adds value into our conversations all the time and I have learned to generate more income by using his tactics and tools as a monetization expert. My perspective with money has changed! Thank you so much for all of your help Steve!!"
Maria Rodriguez
Owner of Girl Code Fitness & Nutrition
Steve is brilliant!

"Have you ever met a person and think to yourself, "That man is doing EXACTLY what he was meant to do for this world!" When it comes to sharing of his gifts and helping others share theirs through the gift of story-telling, Steve is the best there is. Steve paid a visit to my Wealth Minded Mastermind and shared his brilliance. He enabled us all to serve our various tribes in even greater ways by finding OUR authentic story. We all have one right?! God bless you Steve and thanks again!"
Lisa Williams
Psychic Medium, Spiritual Teacher & Bestselling Author
Do whatever you can to get to Steve's events!

"Steve's events are like no other I've attended. They are personal, interactive and loaded with actual, behind the scenes stories combined with step-by-step instruction applied to attendee's business.

Somehow he manages to keep the details of each his attendee's businesses in his head and offers real-time examples of how to apply each concept... and his speakers! ... teach, so you come away feeling like you have something you can put into action right away. His care and integrity are apparent. If you are interested in reaching more people and accelerating the growth of your business... Do whatever you can to make it to one (or many) of his events. You will not regret!"
Barbera Aimes
Marketing Strategist, Business Coach
Amazing speaker

"Steve is powerful speaker. He will leave your audience inspired and ready to take action. The knowledge he brings to the stage is life changing. I highly recommend him for your next event!"
Jesse Cruz
CEO Merge Worldwide
Steve rocked his talk to my clients

"Hired Steve to talk to my clients at an online event and it was amazing. He consistently engaged the audience and delivered tons of value to my clients. Would definitely hire again."
Yigal Adato
Founder of Leaderato

Blog Posts

Live Event Sales Are Lost in the First 30 Minutes. Here’s the Fix

If your live event isn’t converting, the problem probably isn’t your pitch—it’s your opening. In this article, Steve reveals how the first 30 minutes of your sales presentation set the tone for the entire sales process. Learn how to hook your audience, build belief, and turn interest into income before you ever mention the offer.

Feel This First—Courtney Cote on the Shift That Changes Everything

What if the secret to more joy, peace, and connection wasn’t doing more—but feeling differently? In this episode, Courtney Cote shares how one conscious shift, felt deeply and daily, can rewire your brain, your energy, and your entire life. If you’ve been stuck in survival mode… this is where everything changes.

The Wrong Room Will Always Lead to the Wrong Results

If your sales are falling flat, it might not be your pitch—it might be your audience. In this post, Steve breaks down why the right room is the secret to high-converting events, and how to curate attendees who are primed to say “yes.”

Why Most Leaders Burn Out (And What Fighter Pilots Do Differently) with Christian ‘Boo’ Boucousis

What do fighter pilots know about leadership that most CEOs don’t? In this high-impact episode, Christian “Boo” Boucousis shares how the fighter pilot mindset—rooted in clarity, curiosity, and fast decision-making—can help leaders avoid burnout and drive high performance. Discover how the ORCA framework turns intention into action and why thinking two steps ahead might be the edge your leadership needs.

How to Read the Room (and Pivot Fast) When Energy Dips

The moment your audience’s energy dips, your sales are at risk. In this post, Steve shares how to read the room, pivot fast, and reignite engagement—whether you’re running a keynote, managing a virtual event, or planning your next in-person experience.

Greg & Antonia on the Hidden Energies Driving Your Decisions

What if your decisions aren’t just logical—but energetic?

In this episode, Greg Lee and Antonia Van Becker uncover the hidden emotional and energetic patterns that influence your choices, business growth, and relationships. Learn how to shift from stuck to aligned by recognizing what’s really driving you beneath the surface.

🎧 Tune in to unlock your next breakthrough.