The Most Underrated Sales Conversion Event in Online Business and Why They Work [Ep. 188]

Why Activation Events Are Your Secret Weapon for Converting Clients in 2025 The Workshop Strategy That Generated $8K in Recurring Revenue in 48 Hours You've been told you need a fancy sales funnel, a massive email list, and endless content to make sales online. But what if I told you that a single workshop could collapse months of nurturing into one powerful hour? I'm Kristin Dronchi, founder of the Kingdom Business Revolution, and I recently hosted what I call an activation event that sold out a one-on-one advisory spot, opened multiple sales conversations, and secured $8K in recurring revenue for January 2026. No paid ads. No huge audience. No aggressive pitching. Here's exactly how activation events work and why they need to be part of your 2025 marketing strategy. What Are Activation Events and Why Do They Convert So Well? Activation events are live workshops or masterclasses designed to activate conversations, not just deliver content. They're conversion events that bridge the gap between stranger and paying client faster than almost any other marketing strategy. While you're trying to close that gap with countless social media posts and email sequences, a well-executed workshop can accomplish the same thing in 60 minutes or less. The Power of Small Numbers: My Recent Workshop Results Let me share the real numbers from my recent activation event: 25 people registered (promoted for only 48-72 hours)5 attendees showed up live (20% show-up rate)1 person purchased my one-on-one coaching immediately (20% attendee-to-buyer conversion)Multiple sales conversations opened with customizable offers$8K in recurring revenue secured for the following year You don't need 100 or 200 registrants. You need 10-25 people actively struggling with the specific problem you solve. Why Workshops Outperform Traditional Marketing Funnels 1. They Create Instant Relevance A workshop forces you to choose one specific topic and go deep rather than wide. When your ideal client registers, they're essentially saying "Yes, that's me. I need this." Clarity creates connection, and specificity converts. 2. They Position You as a Guide, Not a Guru People don't want lectures anymore. Activation events let people experience your coaching style, your thinking, and your discernment firsthand. They get to experience you, not just hear about you. 3. They Build Trust in Real Time During a live workshop, you can answer questions, read the room, and respond to what people actually need in the moment. Trust built in one hour can outperform months of email nurturing. 4. They Attract Aligned People Even with a small audience, activation events go deep instead of wide. They're not designed to go viral—they're designed to attract your perfect-fit clients who are ready to take action. The Biggest Mistake: Treating Workshops as the Finish Line Here's what most entrepreneurs get wrong: they think the workshop is the end of their sales process when it's actually the beginning. You host the event, deliver value, make an offer, and then… nothing. But the workshop was never meant to be where the sale happens. It's where the sales conversation begins. The Workshop Is Step One in Your Sales Conversion System When someone shows up to your activation event, they're saying "I'm curious. I'm interested." But that doesn't mean they're ready to buy on the spot. Most people need time to process, think, and have a safe conversation to establish a relationship. The activation event creates trust and clarity in under an hour. The sale happens in the days after—in the follow-up emails, in the one-on-one conversations, in the quiet moments when they realize "this is exactly what I need." How to Sell After Your Workshop Without Feeling Pushy The real momentum kicks in after your activation event ends. Here's the exact follow-up sequence that converts: Step 1: Send a Replay Email with a Clear Next Step Don't just send the replay link. Include: What you covered in the workshopWhy it matters to them specificallyTheir clear next move Give them momentum and start conversations without adding pressure. Step 2: Send a Personalized Follow-Up Email This is where you flip the power dynamic. Instead of saying "buy this thing," you say "here's what I noticed during the workshop that tells me what you need next." Try something like: "If you were nodding along during the last part of the workshop, there's a good chance you need [specific solution]." This email almost always triggers replies and, most importantly, conversations. (Want my exact follow-up email templates? They're inside The Activation Room along with the Steward Well Power Hour training on turning conversations into clients.) Step 3: Drop a Value-Heavy Bridge Email Connect the dots between the problem they have and your paid offer. Something like: "Here's the problem we addressed. The workshop was just the beginning. Here's how we fix it for real." This is teaching while selling—reminding them what you offer and ...