Grow Your Business Through Events

For those of you following our blog, you are already aware of the small business services we offer. We are pleased to announce we are running an introductory special. Save 30% when you book your event between 2/14/2010 and 3/14/2010. Promotion valid for “Mixing Business with Pleasure – Full Service Business Event Planning” only. Date of the event must occur between 6/1/2010 – 10/21/2010. Subject to date availability. Not valid with any other promotion.

SPECIAL EVENTS COMPANY UNVEILS NEW INITIATIVE

SSWE Announces New Services For Small Businesses

(ATLANTA) – Starr Studded Weddings and Events is eager to announce its stunning new addition to the array of services they currently provide, adding small business events to the many types of events they coordinate.

Since April 2009, SSWE has created memories for a variety of social events, nights out on the town; weddings, home events and now they look forward to making small business events just as memorable.

“Business events come and go, but an experience can last a lifetime,” says Brandi Starr, owner and CEO of SSWE. “I will work with you to identify the type of events that will help you to reach your business goals. Together we will turn prospects into leads, clients into referrals, and businesses into partners by impressing them with a truly Starr Studded event.”

SSWE provide different services for planning small business events, which include full service business event planning, event marketing services and obtaining financial support.

Being a small business owner, in addition to nine years of marketing experience focused around the development and execution of marketing strategies and campaigns, marketing data collection and analysis, basic web and graphic design, and customer relationship management, Starr believes that she can offer small businesses a way to allow every guest to feel like a Starr.

Starr Studded Weddings and Events is a social events planning company that offers a host of products and services specifically tailored to meet the needs of each client. Starr Studded Events specializes in infusing the clients personality into the event to create an environment that is uniquely them. For more information please visit Starr Studded online at www.yourstarrstuddedevents.com or call 678-58-STARR (78277).

Popularity: 3% [?]

How I…Grew by Ditching My Only Client, JANUARY 28, 2010

[Summary] To say it was a rough time to start up a tech company after the dot-com bubble of the late ’90s burst would be an understatement. For digital agency Rokkan, which was started in 2000 by two twenty-somethings out of a Jersey City, N.J., living room with limited resources, it was sink or swim. Things looked promising when Rokkan landed their first and only client, a major rock musician who was launching a new clothing line, but it wasn’t long before the project hit a wall. After ditching his only client, Mr. Noe knew he had an uphill battle ahead of him. He sat down with his two partners and they had a long discussion about what to do next. Read the Full Article

The article talks about finding success after ditching a bad client and the struggle the company went through in deciding to sever ties with a longstanding client. Choosing to end a bad business relationship is difficult for any business to do. What many small business owners fail to acknowledge is that as the owner you have the right to choose whom you work with. Whether this means ending a bad business-client relationship or choosing not to enter into one in the first place.

This principle applies primarily to businesses selling a service but in some cases can apply to products as well. Far too often small business owners, especially those just starting out, feel compelled to say “yes” to every deal that lay before them. They believe that declining a potential client is a recipe for failure when in fact the opposite can be true. Ask yourself these 3 questions before accepting a new client:

1. Is it a good fit for your target market? A business should not feel confined or restricted by their defined target market. However, if a client’s needs lie outside of the target market it is important to evaluate whether or not you want to take on this client and the impact that doing so can have on your business. For example, as an event planner I do not plan children’s events. Just a few months after launching Starr Studded, I was contacted by a prospect that needed a planner to plan his son’s 5th birthday party; he had dropped the ball and the party was only a few weeks away so he was ready to sign on the dotted line. Although I already had a couple of contracts this event would have been the first to take place. As I evaluated the opportunity, I realized this could take my new business down a path I didn’t want to go. Once I planned that event and the client was pleased, he would likely refer me to others and I would have photos posted from the event. The next time a prospect calls requesting a children’s party it would be difficult to say “I’m sorry I don’t handle children’s parties”; one referral leads to another and I have a blackberry full of clowns, face painters, and petting zoo’s.
2. Are your personalities a good fit? The type of service you provide dictates the length of a client relationship and how much time you will have to spend with them. Taking into account personalities and work habits are important. As an event planner I spend anywhere from 3 to 12 months with a client; if our personalities don’t mesh that could be detrimental for my company. When I meet with a prospect I am not only trying to sell myself and my business but I am evaluating the client to determine if we are a good fit.
3. Is the potential revenue worth the investment in times and resources? Service oriented businesses have the most flexibility in price. It is therefore easy to adjust pricing in order to land a client. However, in determining if a client is right for you consider the potential revenue compared to the investment you have to make to uphold your end of the relationship. For example, if I have to clients who are requesting services for the exact same events except one lives within 5 miles of my home and the other lives 45 miles from my home. The client that lives further away requires a greater time investment because I have to travel further for site visits, client appointments, etc. If I’m not able to increase my price to cover this investment it is (likely) in my best interest to refer them to someone who lives closer.

If you determine that a client isn’t right for you, don’t hesitate to refer them to someone else. It shows you are connected in your industry and have their best interest in mind. They will thank you for it and likely will still refer business to you.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The purpose of a business launch party is to introduce your business (and yourself) to your industry and prospective clients. Introducing your business in a way that is both beneficial and memorable for your guests can help to ensure your business gets off to a solid start.

So when should you have a launch party? Contrary to what seems natural, a business’ launch party should not take place immediately following the “opening” or establishment of the business. On day one of your business no one knows who your business is, what they do, or how well. In addition, on day one you haven’t fully figured out your businesses identity, or worked out all of the kinks that come along with starting a business. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 2% [?]

Your website is often the first contact a prospect has with your business. A well-designed and informative website is essential for any small business owner. As a marketing professional and web designer, I inherently evaluate every website that I visit. Because small business owners are my target market, I’m constantly looking at websites. It is very clear that many of these businesses either do not have the available resources or do not have a good understanding of the importance of a well build website. Either way, many have dropped the ball regarding their web presence. Here are the top fivemistakes I see small business owners make that can cause visitors to abandon the site.

1. No Contact Information – When a visitor comes to your site they should be able to locate your contact information within 3 seconds. The most consistent (and obvious) place to display your contact information is in the footer of your website. In addition, having a contact, us page or about us page placed prominently in your navigation will allow visitors to easily reach you. It is also advantageous to place your contact information directly on the pages where visitors are most likely to be moved to make a purchase. These include your services and testimonials pages. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 3% [?]