Grow Your Business Through Events

Most people don’t do business with people we don’t trust; this is especially true for small businesses. Even if you have the lowest prices, if your prospects don’t trust you, it will be difficult to close the sale. So how do you build trust with people you’ve never met?

1. Company Website: Your website is one of the initial points of contact you have with a prospect and goes a long way in establishing trust. Is your contact information listed prominently on the site? Does your bio or about us page give good insight into you, your company, and what your company stands for? Do you have testimonials available from past clients? Do you have photos or samples of your work posted or available? Does your website give insight into the human behind the company? If you answered no to more than one of these questions your website may be failing to build the trust that prospects need in order to make the initial contact.
2. Knowledge Sharing: The fastest way to build trust with your prospects is to show them you are knowledgeable in your field, articulate, professional, and capable. Writing articles, blogs, conducting teleseminars, write product/article reviews and speaking at industry events are all great ways to demonstrate and share knowledge. If I’m seeing a small business accountant and I see that you have written volumes of articles on small business tax and accounting tips I don’t have to wonder if you are knowledgeable and capable of servicing my business I have proof that you are. Or if you are a consultant and I hear you speak at an industry event about the results you have achieved for other clients I have concrete examples of what you can do for my business.
3. Business Events: Planning an event puts you face-to-face with your prospects. You are able to build report and establish relationships as well as answer your prospects questions and overcome concerns face-to-face. Business events are low pressure encounters for your prospects so they are more likely to let their guard down and get to know more about you.

Build your business and improve your reputation by building trust using these three techniques and watch your business grow. What are you doing to ensure your clients trust you?

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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).

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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.

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What is Wall Street Wednesday? The Wall Street Journal Digital Network has a section specifically for small businesses. They address business related topics such as Financing & Investing, Building your Business, Technology, Franchising and more. Every Wednesday we will share a relevant small business article from the Wall Street Journal and provide our take on what WSJ has to say.

When Business Owners Are Control Freaks – January 24, 2010

In the start-up years, the necessity of dictating how everything around you is done can serve you well. Hyperattention to detail, intimate knowledge of your company’s operations and the lessons you learn by doing it all yourself are invaluable.

Unfortunately, many business owners become control freaks. When the business finally grows enough to hire staff, these control-freak business owners aren’t willing to let workers do their jobs. Instead, they watch over employees’ shoulders, trying to make sure everything is done exactly the way they would do it themselves. They become maddening, arrogant and overbearing, and they pretty much refuse to leave the building. And they’re generally miserable.

What’s important to remember is that while you must be hands-on in the early days of running a company, you also must step back to allow it to grow.

Click here to read the full article.

As a small business owner, even the most uncontrolling person can become a control freak when it comes to their business. We all want our business to be successful and often have the mentality “no one can do things like we do”. However, there are several reasons why it is important for small business owners to try not to do it all. Here are three key reasons not to become a control freak in your business:

1. There are only so many hours in the day, time is one of our most precious resources and we all have the same 24-hours in each day. In order to grow your business your time should be spent on revenue generating tasks such as sales and marketing, product development, networking and relationship building to name a few. Tasks that are essential but not revenue generating need to be delegated to an employee or outsourced to a virtual assistant or other entity. Read the rest of this entry »

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Shawn, Financial Freedom Tax Group asked the following:

Although the growth in my business can be looked at as a success, I have yet to word it that way. I have never met my numeric goals as far as how many clients I get in one season.

Every year the number increases, but I am still reaching to obtain 300 clients…and I’m still a ways off. I just seem to get mental blocks when I attempt to look at various ways to market myself and get the word out.

I just have no idea where to start (To view his full comment click here)

Shawn – One way to start building your client base is decreasing the seasonality of your marketing efforts. Tax season is January through April, but how much communication do you do in the remaining months? I noticed on your website that you now have a blog, which is a great way to reach out to existing and prospective clients. Offer tax tips throughout the year via your blog. People are always wondering what is tax deductible, how they should be preparing during the year to make tax time easier. When I talk to brides one of their tax related questions centers around how they file as a couple. Questions like is it better to file together or separate, do they have to be married a full year to file together etc. If you also open up your blog to people who want to ask questions, you create an ongoing dialogue. Your blog will also help you to drive more search engine traffic, which gives you exposure to prospects who otherwise may not have found you.

Also, because taxes are such a confusing subject for many you may want to consider doing a workshop or online teleseminar to help people through the process. This is another way to establish yourself as an expert and drive more business.

Finally, don’t discredit the success of your business. If you are growing at a steady pace and learning in the process, your business is successful. Having that goal of 300 clients is a great goal, but don’t feel you are failing because you haven’t reached it yet. Take a look at your annual growth percentage and set your goals on that. If in past years you grew by 10% each year set your goal to grow by 12 or 15%; you will hit that 300-client mark before you know it.

I hope this helps to give you a starting point in marketing your business. Also, I extend an invitation to your to write a guest post (or 2) related to small business taxes.

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Hi, I’m Brandi Starr the owner of Starr Studded Weddings & Events. As a small business owner, I understand the importance of an effective marketing strategy and as a marketing professional; I am experienced in developing a brand image and strategically marketing to a specific target market. Couple these experiences with creative and professional event planning and management skills and you have the perfect planner to help you grow your business through business events.

I have a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Phoenix and a Masters of Education in Adult Education from The Pennsylvania State University. I am an innovative marketing professional with seven years marketing experience focused around the development & execution of marketing strategies & campaigns, marketing data collection & analysis, basic web & graphic design, and customer relationship management. I am skilled in product positioning based on value and relationship rather than being the low-cost option.

As an event planner, I focus not just on planning the logistical aspects of events but creating a experience allowing every guest to feel like a STARR. Business events come and go, but an “experience” can last a lifetime. 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.

I look forward to learning more about you, your business, and your growth goals. This blog is intended to be a two-way dialog; I encourage (and welcome) your comments and feedback. I want to hear about both your challenges and successes. Feel free to ask me questions, I don’t claim to know it all but will provide feedback and other resources to the best of my ability.

Happy marketing & have a STARR STUDDED day,

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Welcome to Starr Studded Small Biz! An effective marketing strategy can mean the difference between your businesses success and its failure. Marketing should project your brand image, prove to the client that they have a need for your product or your service, and display the passion you bring to your business. So what does small business marketing have to do with event planning?

We believe that small business events are an essential element to a solid marketing plan. Everyone loves a celebration! Planning an event to promote and celebrate your small business goes a long way in establishing your brand and generating leads. Events that allow face-to-face interaction can be 100 more times effective than less personal marketing initiatives. By marketing your business through small business events, you can:

1. Build Brand Awareness
2. Attract New Clients
3. Generate Positive Publicity
4. Establish Yourself as an Expert
5. Increase Community Involvement

The Starr Studded Small Biz blog will not only share tips on growing your business through business events but we will also share tips and best practices to help you to understand how to market your small business properly.

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