Getting Started Module: First Impressions Matter
When someone logs into your summit hub for the first time, their experience starts immediately. Before they watch a session or click a single button, they're already forming opinions about how organized, valuable, and user-friendly your event will be.
That’s why I put a lot of thought into the Getting Started module inside my ThriveCart Learn setup for Teach Me How To Summit.
This section is all about orientation.
It’s the place where attendees land first—and my goal was to make sure they could get their bearings, feel supported, and know exactly what to do next.
What’s Inside the Getting Started Module
The Getting Started module includes several short lessons, each focused on one specific topic to help new attendees feel confident and ready to dive in.
Here’s what we included:
Welcome + About the Event
This is the first lesson attendees see. It includes a quick intro and an overview of the summit—what it is, who it’s for, and how to best use their time to soak up the content.
We also included a short video walkthrough to give attendees a more visual and personal welcome. This helps set the tone for the event and gives people an immediate connection to the experience.
Our Schedule
A clear breakdown of what’s happening each day, when new sessions drop, and how to join any scheduled live elements. The goal was to eliminate guesswork and help attendees plan ahead.
How to Upgrade
This page explains the benefits of the VIP Pass and how to get it.
It also reinforces what’s included, who it’s for, and how it enhances the event experience for those who want extra time or bonuses.
Scavenger Hunt
One of our favorite engagement features.
This page explains how the scavenger hunt works, what missions attendees need to complete, how to submit their card, and what they can win. It also includes a downloadable card and step-by-step instructions.
Free Swag Bag
This page showcases the free attendee swag bag. We used an embedded Airtable gallery to make it easy to scroll through, preview offers, and click directly into each one.
This was available to all attendees—not just VIPs—and gave them something valuable right from the start.
Why It Matters
Most virtual summits lose engagement in the first few hours, not because of bad content, but because people don’t know where to start or how to navigate the experience.
By creating a clear and welcoming Getting Started module, we were able to:
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Answer questions before they came up
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Reduce support requests (which is soooo important, and can really suck the life out of your hosting experience if not addressed correctly)
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Set the tone for a smooth, professional experience
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Make a great first impression that encourages attendees to explore further
This was especially helpful for attendees who had never joined one of our events before.
Even without a formal onboarding sequence, this module served as a self-paced orientation that welcomed them in and made it easy to keep going.
Coming Up Next
In the next post, I’ll take you behind the scenes of the Meet Our Team module. I’ll share why we included it, how it helps build trust and connection, and what small details made it feel more personal.
This post is part of my Behind-the-Scenes ThriveCart Summit Series.
Want to see how I used ThriveCart to run my entire summit—from dashboard design to speaker sessions and attendee engagement?
Catch up on the full series below:
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Why I Decided to Use ThriveCart & What I’m Loving
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ThriveCart Summit Attendee Dashboard
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Organizing the Summit Content in ThriveCart
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Getting Started Module: First Impressions Matter (you are here)
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Meet Our Team Module: Building Connection Early
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Day 1 & Day 2 Modules: Strategy, Layout and Flow
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Day 3 Module: Closing Strong and Re-Engaging Viewers
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After the Event Module: Extending the Experience
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What Worked Well and What I’d Do Differently Next Time
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Final Thoughts: Reflections on Running a Summit with ThriveCart
- BONUS: Tools I'm Using To Run My ThriveCart Virtual Summit
