How exactly does the fishbowl technique work for collecting emails at shows?

The fishbowl technique is your core lead-capture method at shows. Offer something free that people can win—a print, merch item, or anything. To enter, they give their email address. Let them know the winner will be announced after the show, which increases scarcity and FOMO, getting more people to enter. Have the prize item on display where they enter so they know exactly what they might win. Use whatever method works: a clipboard for them to fill out right there, small pieces of paper they can write on and drop in an actual fishbowl, or business cards if people still carry them. You can get creative—like having two prize options and letting people vote with their entry, which gamifies the process. The mandatory rule is that you do it at every single in-person event. Aside from actual revenue, these leads are the most important part of doing the show.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2022-07-28