The 9 Psychological Triggers That Built My $250M Webinar Empire
For nearly two decades, I’ve lived and breathed webinars.
From my first in 2008 to now, they’ve generated over a quarter billion dollars in sales - for myself and my clients.
But it’s not because I’m flashy, charismatic, or some traffic-generating genius. I’ve just obsessed over one thing:
Conversion.
Webinars have been my dojo. And through thousands of hours of experimentation, split tests, and audience deep-dives, I’ve discovered a set of psychological triggers that consistently move people to take action.
Here are the 9 psychological triggers that I rely on nearly every time I build a webinar - and why they work.
1. Make It a Conversation, Not a Presentation
If you sound like you’re giving a TED talk you’re doing it wrong.
A webinar is not a digital stage where you stand in front of a virtual podium and talk at the audience.
Webinars thrive because of interactivity.
Even if it’s automated, your language and structure should feel like a two-way conversation.
So ask them questions.
Get them thinking.
Make them feel like they're part of the process.
"How's that landing for you?"
"What would YOU do with this strategy first?"
"Anyone else getting excited about this, or am I just a nerd?"
People are more likely to buy when they’ve participated in the solution.
Webinars give us the power of one-to-one sales…
Just scaled to one-to-many.
2. Sell from the Start (and Be Transparent About It)
Too many marketers still believe in the “sneak attack” sale…
Hide your agenda until the end, then drop the pitch like a surprise party.
That can work… but if you’re just starting you should lean directly into the fact you’re going to pitch.
Start like this:
"Look, I got two goals today. First, I'm gonna show you exactly how to solve [their problem]. Second, if I actually deliver on that promise... I'm gonna ask you to check out the offer I’ll make at the end."
Simple. Direct. Honest.
And you know what happens when you do this?
People actually start TRUSTING YOU… because you’re the only person who has the guts to be straight with them.
Their defenses DROP… because they’re not sitting there wondering: “Am I going to be sold something?” That tension is gone.
The pressure shifts to YOU… because you have to actually deliver the value.
Earn the right to pitch. Which now becomes easier because you made it a target.
And when you execute this correctly?
Your conversion rates are gonna shoot through the roof.
Because people appreciate when you treat them like adults.
Not marks in some sleazy shell game.
3. Don’t Go for the “Yes” - Eliminate the “No”
Traditional sales says “build desire.” I say, “eliminate excuses.”
Most people aren’t lacking desire… they’re full of fear, doubt, and limiting beliefs.
So I surface every possible objection early. I literally say things like:
“Here are the main reasons you think this won’t work.”
And then bring up the 5, 7, or 12 different excuses that the audience clings to.
Think about it. People aren’t sitting there going...
"Hmm... do I actually WANT to make more money?"
"Do I REALLY want to lose this gut?"
"Should I ACTUALLY try to save my marriage?"
The problem isn't DESIRE.
The problem is all the fears running wild in their head:
"But what if it doesn't work for ME?"
"What if I waste my money?"
"What if I look stupid?"
"What if my spouse thinks I'm crazy?"
Once you remove all the reasons to say NO...
YES becomes the natural conclusion. You don't have to "convince" anyone. They convince themselves.
Because deep down...
They WANTED to say yes the whole time.
Your job was just to make it safe for them to do so.
4. Create a Behavioral Shift (Not Just an Aha Moment)
Your prospects don't want MORE information.
They want to FEEL different. They want to DO something different. They want to BE someone different.
And if you can give them even a TINY taste of that transformation DURING your webinar...
They'll throw money at you.
Here's what I mean:
Instead of just TEACHING them about email marketing...
Get them to write their first high-converting email RIGHT THERE.
Instead of explaining why their limiting beliefs are holding them back...
Help them BREAK one of those beliefs during the presentation.
Instead of telling them about the power of cold outreach...
Have them send their first message while you're still talking.
Give them that little hit of dopamine...
That "wow, I can actually do this" feeling...
And watch what happens next.
Because now they're thinking:
"If I got THIS kind of transformation from the free training... What would happen if I actually invested in the full program?"
Your job isn’t to make people smarter, it’s to make them feel different. Even if it’s just a small shift… that matters more than all the “valuable content” in the world.
Even tiny wins count.
Because that's what people really want.
They want to feel like they're making progress.
Like they're actually MOVING towards their goals.
Not just learning about them.
Give them that feeling...
And they'll give you their credit card.
5. Get lots of Micro-Commitments
Before I show anything important in my webinars...
I ask people to make a commitment.
Something simple like:
"If I show you a method that actually makes sense... will you at least TRY it?"
Sounds pretty basic, right?
But there's some crazy psychology happening under the surface.
See, when someone agrees to that small request...
(Even if they just nod their head...)
Their brain gets CHEMICALLY rewired.
I'm not even being dramatic.
Because now they're not just passively watching...
They're emotionally ENROLLED in what happens next.
It's like getting them to sign an invisible contract with themselves. And our brains HATE breaking these contracts.
Think about it. Have you ever told yourself you were gonna do something...
Then felt guilty as hell when you didn't follow through?
That's your brain trying to maintain consistency. We can use that same psychology to boost our sales. Because when someone agrees to "try it if it makes sense..."
They've already pre-committed to taking action.
So when you show them your method...
And it DOES make sense...
(Which it better!)
They're basically FORCED to follow through.
All because you got them to make a tiny commitment FIRST.
So use it.
Before your next big reveal...
Before you make your offer...
Before you teach anything important...
Get that small commitment first.
6. Start Where They Are - Not Where You Want Them to Be
Once upon a time I was running a webinar about how to sell on Amazon…
And I committed what most "gurus" consider a cardinal sin:
I spent 7 whole minutes explaining basic-ass profit margins.
The "experts" lost their damn minds.
"That's too boring!"
"Everyone already knows that!"
"You're insulting their intelligence!"
Meanwhile...
That webinar became one of the highest converting EVER.
Want to know why?
Because I actually did something crazy...
I READ THE DAMN COMMENTS during the prelaunch. About 6,000 of them.
And you know what I discovered?
Nobody understood how Amazon's fees actually worked back them. Sure, they knew Amazon "took a cut..."
But they couldn't tell you what their profit would be on a $29 product. They were basically trying to build a business while playing "pin the tail on the profit margin."
Here's the thing most "experts" forget:
Just because YOU'RE a black belt...
Doesn't mean your audience isn't showing up barefoot on day one.
You live it. You breathe it. The basic stuff is so natural to you...
You forgot what it was like to NOT know it. But your prospects?
They're still trying to figure out which foot goes where.
And if you start teaching them spinning roundhouse kicks...
Before they know how to stand properly...
You're just gonna watch them fall on their face.
(And not buy your stuff.)
You want to know the REAL secret to converting like crazy?
Meet. People. Where. They. Are.
Step into THEIR world. Figure out what they ACTUALLY know...
(Not what you ASSUME they know...)
And start there. Even if it feels "too basic" to you. ESPECIALLY if it feels too basic to you.
Because that basic stuff?
That's usually the missing piece they need...
To trust that you actually understand them.
Remember: nobody ever complained that something was "too easy to understand." But plenty of people have bounced because things got too complex.
Once you meet them where THEY are at… then they will more likely follow you to where you want them to go.
But if you force them to meet you where YOU are at… they’ll just leave instead.
7. Use Metaphors to Make the Unknown Feel Familiar
Let’s say you’re 9 year old nephew asked you about how clouds work.
So you go full Bill Nye on him using terms like “condensation” and “water vapor”.
His eyes glaze over faster than a Krispy Kreme donut.
Then your friend walks in and says:
"You know how when you take a hot shower, and the mirror gets foggy? That's basically what clouds are.”
Most of what we sell is pretty damn complicated.
New concepts...
Complex strategies...
Weird terminology...
To US, this all makes perfect sense.
(We've been swimming in it for years.)
But to our prospects? It might as well be quantum physics explained in Sanskrit.
This is why most webinars lose people in the first 10 minutes.
Because we're out here talking about "condensation..."
When we should be talking about foggy mirrors.
Let me give you a real example:
I was helping people get over their fear of reaching out to suppliers to land wholesale deals to sell product on Amazon...
And I could've gone the "professional" route:
"Learning to overcome communication anxiety is essential for business networking and supply chain management..."
snore
Instead, I said this:
"Your parents told you not to talk to strangers... but they forgot to put an expiration date on that rule. Now here you are as a full grown adult still afraid to talk to strangers."
Boom.
Instantly resonated.
Why?
Because I took something UNFAMILIAR (contacting supplier)...
And connected it to something EVERYONE understands (childhood rules).
We understand new things by connecting them to stuff we already know. It's like your brain has all these little hooks...
And metaphors help you hang new information on familiar hooks.
This is why Jesus taught in parables...
Why Aesop used talking animals...
And why your grandma had all those weird sayings that actually made sense.
So here's what I want you to do:
Next time you're explaining something complicated...
Ask yourself:
"What's this LIKE?"
8. The State Before the Pitch > The Pitch Itself
The best sales pitch won’t matter if your prospects are freaking out internally.
Have you ever tried to sell to someone who was:
Nervous as hell
Completely overwhelmed
Confused about what's what
Doubting everything
How'd that work out for ya?
But flip that around...
Get someone feeling:
Safe and comfortable
Hopeful about their future
Confident in their abilities
Clear on what needs to happen next
And the momentum just makes the deal close so much smoother and easier.
It's all about STATE.
Not the state you live in...
The emotional state your prospect is IN.
This is why I structure all my webinars differently than most people.
Instead of rushing to pitch...
I use the content portion to get people feeling good.
To get them believing in themselves.
To show them what's possible.
(Without overwhelming them with too many steps...)
So by the time I present my offer...
It feels like the most natural thing in the world.
The obvious next step.
Like ordering dessert after a perfect meal.
9. Frameworks Are Just Tools - Not Gospel
There's no such thing as a "perfect" webinar template.
gasp
I know.
Blasphemy.
Anyone selling you a one-size-fits-all webinar template...
Is basically trying to sell you pants without asking your size.
I've got 9 different webinar frameworks I use.
NINE.
And I switch between them constantly.
Why?
Because selling to a grizzled entrepreneur who's been in the trenches for 20 years...
Is completely different than selling to someone fresh out of rehab trying to rebuild their life.
Different triggers.
Different fears.
Different bullshit meters.
Different EVERYTHING.
Yet most "gurus" will tell you:
Start with your origin story
Share 3 secrets
Stack your bonuses
Close with scarcity
Like it's some magic formula.
It's not.
This is why most copied webinars fail.
Because you're copying the STRUCTURE...
Without understanding the PRINCIPLES.
It's like trying to cook by copying someone's movements exactly...
Without understanding why they're doing what they're doing.
You might get lucky sometimes...
But you'll never truly master it.
Instead, here's what you should focus on:
Understanding WHY certain elements work.
Like:
Why do stories create connection?
Why do certain markets need more proof than others?
Why do some audiences respond to challenge... while others need nurturing?
Once you understand the principles...
You can shape your presentation around what your specific market needs.
Sometimes that means going heavy on data.
Sometimes it means focusing on emotional transformation.
Sometimes it means spending 30 minutes on mindset.
There is no "perfect" template.
There's only "perfect for THIS audience... selling THIS offer... in THIS context."
Start with principles, not templates. Learn the why, and then shape the how around it.
The Real Secret? Your Offer Still Matters More Than Anything
The best webinar in the world can’t save a mediocre offer. That’s why we always start here.
This would be like an actually exchange- you give them value and because of that you get recompensed because of that