Top 3 Mistakes with Live Events (and One Bonus That Could Save Your Sales)

You’ve rented the ballroom. The chairs are set. The projector’s humming. You’ve got people flying in, and you’re ready to deliver the event of a lifetime…

But if you’re like most coaches, experts, or entrepreneurs running a live event for high-ticket sales—you might be making the exact same mistakes that tank conversions and leave money on the table.

After running 100+ high-converting events and helping clients sell $25K coaching programs right from the stage, I’ve seen the same patterns again and again. And I want to save you from them.

Here are the top three live event mistakes that crush conversions—and the one bonus tip that can immediately raise your energy and your revenue.

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

Make sure to watch the video, honestly, I’m much better on video than writing and there’s great info on event conversion strategies in the video that we could not fit into the blog.

❌ Mistake #1: Too Many Outside Speakers

This one’s brutal.

You’re the expert. People are coming to buy from you. But then you load up your event with four, five, even six outside speakers—trying to deliver more “value.”

Here’s the truth: every extra speaker dilutes your authority. When too many voices hit the stage, your offer gets lost. One, maybe two additional speakers max. And never let someone else pitch a high-ticket offer at your event—unless it’s deeply aligned and significantly lower in price.

Want to create a heart-centered moment that builds goodwill and subtly warms up the wallet? Consider adding a nonprofit spotlight at the end of Day 1. Let attendees donate, match contributions, and collect credit card info for future use. This “wallet opener” warms the room without feeling salesy—and builds momentum for Day 2.

❌ Mistake #2: No Clear Story Arc

This one kills momentum before you even make the offer.

Too many event hosts show up last minute, working on slides on the plane, scrambling backstage. What happens next? They “teach everything they know” without guiding attendees through a strategic story arc that builds belief, breaks false assumptions, and leads them to a clear decision.

Here’s the right sequence:

  1. Meet them where they are. Speak directly to their current pain.

  2. Break a false belief. Reframe how they see the problem.

  3. Give them momentum. Show how the solution could work for them.

  4. Make the offer. Do this when belief is high—not after they’re overwhelmed.


This is how you take attendees from “curious” to “committed.”

No story arc = no conversion.

❌ Mistake #3: Pitching at the Wrong Time

This might be the biggest mistake killing your sales:

Delivering your pitch right after lunch.

Post-lunch energy is rock bottom. People are full, tired, maybe checking flights. And yet, so many event hosts think “this is the moment” to ask for $25K.

Wrong.

The highest energy window is right before lunch on Day 2. That’s your prime time. That’s when people are most alert, most emotionally open, and most likely to say yes.

End-of-day pitches can work—but your conversion rate will drop. People leave early. They’re decision-fatigued. You’ve lost your edge.

Make the offer before lunch on Day 2. Period.

⚠️ Bonus Mistake: Over-Teaching and Overwhelming

This one’s subtle—but deadly.

Most experts think, “If I just teach enough, they’ll trust me and buy.” But here’s what really happens: you overwhelm their brain, they shut down, and they walk away without buying.

People don’t need everything you know.

They need to believe that transformation is possible—and that you’re the person to help them do it.

Instead of taking someone from a Level 1 to a Level 10, focus on getting them from a Level 1 to a Level 3. That’s enough for them to future pace their success with you.

Final Thought: Live Events Are for Buyers—If You Let Them Buy

Here’s what my mentor Dan Kennedy told me early on:

“You had a room full of people who paid to get on a plane, booked a hotel, and sat through your entire event… and you didn’t sell them anything? That’s not a win. That’s a missed opportunity.”

People who come to your live event are your 1000 true fans. They’re self-selecting, action-taking, emotionally invested buyers. All you have to do is make the right offer, at the right time, with the right energy.

And speaking of energy—keep it up. Get them out of their seats, high-five their neighbors, dance, clap, laugh. Think Tony Robbins-style engagement. Because when energy rises, so do conversions.

Want to run a live event that doesn’t just inspire… but sells?

Avoid these mistakes. Master the flow. And I promise—you’ll never look at events the same way again.

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.

Click below to get started — just fill this out and we’ll take it from there.

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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

Most Event Emails Are Killing Your Conversions—Here’s Why (And How to Fix It)

Are your event emails actually turning buyers away?

Most event hosts unknowingly sabotage their ticket sales with emails packed full of speaker lists and agendas. The truth is, your audience doesn’t want information—they want transformation. In this blog, you’ll discover why traditional event emails fall flat and the simple shifts that can help you attract more attendees and convert them into buyers.

If your event is packed but your sales aren’t, this is where you fix it.

From Boring to Breakthrough: Jase Souder’s Event Formula

What if your next event didn’t just inform—but transformed?
In this episode of Grow Your Impact, Income & Influence From The Stage, Jase Souder breaks down how events that center on emotional breakthroughs and state management lead to more action, more clients, and more income. Discover how to shift from information dumps to identity-altering moments that stick—and sell.