When I planned my very first summit,
I had the vision.
I knew what I wanted to do, but I had no idea how to actually get it done.
Luckily, I didn't have an option to fail, so I powered through and made it up as I went along, pulling from my experience with project management and event planning to help me along on the way.
I had a working title, "Make Money & RV", which ultimately became the final title because I was so overwhelmed and thought, why not make at least one thing simple- and just called it good enough!
I even had a few people in mind to invite as speakers, although I have to admit I was so scared to reach out to them that I could literally feel the tension in my chest before hitting the send button!
Sound familiar?
If so, I want you to know this is totally normal.
Launching a virtual event is a big deal, but it's not impossible!
And with the right amount of tools, templates, and training, it can actually be an enjoyable, repeatable process that you'll enjoy producing!
Starting To Plan A Virtual Summit
Once I knew what I wanted to plan and produce, I sat down to a blank legal pad and tried to map it out. Back then, I had no idea where to start, and to be honest, I just ended up taking on every topic that came up.
The only reason this worked out was because I knew the audience needed choices.
They were RVers, looking for options to work while they traveled. So really the more ways I could show them how to work and make money would actually be a positive thing.
This isn't usually the case, though.
People attend virtual events for a solution to a problem. And they expect you to provide it.
Keeping that in mind, you really need a gameplan for most events to be successful, so let's talk about it.
Planning your summit content...
Planning your summit content is less about cramming in as many sessions as possible and more about curating a journey. So let me walk you through how I now plan out my summit content so it's less overwhelming, focused on the event goals for our attendees,
This is how I go from big-picture idea to a mapped-out event agenda that makes total sense (and converts!).
1. Start With the End in Mind
Before you even start brainstorming speaker names or filling out a spreadsheet, take a step back and ask:
- What’s the goal of this summit?
- What do I want attendees to walk away with?
- What transformation do I want to guide them through?
Your summit should be the bridge between where your audience is now and where they want to be. And that transformation?
That’s your content North Star.
If your summit is leading into a course, service, or offer, keep that in mind, too. You’re not just filling time. You’re creating alignment.
2. Brainstorm Your Big Content Buckets
Once you’ve got the overall transformation nailed down, it’s time to chunk it into content pillars — 3-5 big themes that support your goal. Let’s say you’re hosting a summit on growing an email list.
Your buckets might look like this:
- Mindset and motivation around list-building
- Creating lead magnets that actually convert
- Email marketing tools + tech
- Promoting your list + getting traffic
These big ideas become the organizing foundation for everything else — speaker selection, day-by-day breakdown, bonus content, and beyond.
3. Map the Attendee Journey Day by Day
Now, we zoom into the actual event structure.
A 3–5 day summit works beautifully for most virtual events, and you can assign each day a theme based on your content buckets.
Here’s a simple example:
- Day 1 – Start Strong: Mindset + Foundations
- Day 2 – Build It: Strategy + Tools
- Day 3 – Grow It: Promotion + Visibility
- Day 4 – Monetize It: Offers + Sales
- Day 5 – Wrap-Up + Live Bonuses or Panels
Keeping each day focused helps avoid content overload and keeps attendees engaged all the way through. Once you know what each day will focus on, you can detail out specific topics on each day that they'll need to achieve their transformation at the end of the event.
4. Fill in the Speaker Gaps Strategically
Now that you have a content map, it’s way easier to decide whom you need to bring in.
Instead of “Who do I know that could speak at a summit?” the question becomes: “Who would be the perfect person to teach this one thing my audience needs?” You’ll avoid duplicate topics, be able to offer your speakers more guidance, and ensure your agenda flows beautifully from session to session.
This is also the point where I create my Speaker Braindump:
a list of specific types of expertise I want to feature. From there, I either pitch directly or invite open applications and plug speakers into the spots they best fit.
Speaker win-win: Give specific topic suggestions in your pitches — most speakers will LOVE the direction and that you put in the extra thought.
5. Build In Engagement Points
A solid event agenda goes beyond speaker sessions.
You also want to support the journey through
- Daily emails that reflect the theme of the day
- Live touchpoints like Q&As, coworking, or watch parties, after parties, any kind of party... lol
- Recaps or worksheets that tie the learning together
- Bonus workshops or VIP-only coaching sessions
Think of your summit as a pop-up classroom. What would help your attendees actually take action on what they’re learning?
Here's the thing...
Summits are not just a random collection of awesome people giving presentations.
They’re an opportunity to guide your audience through a powerful, curated transformation — one session at a time. By starting with your end goal, building out clear content buckets, and choosing speakers who fit your vision, you’ll create an event that doesn’t just fill inboxes… it delivers results.
