You must resist the urge to pitch your attendees. Let me let you in on a little secret, no one is attending your event so that you can pitch your products or services. You’ve created and marketed some draw that will bring the prospects to you so give prospective customers what they want, information and advice and remove what they don’t want, a sales pitch.

I recommend approaching your event with the mentality of building relationships and not selling products and services. If you listen to your attendees, talk about their needs, and solutions to their problems and skip the features and benefits talks you will actually land more clients in the end.

Get to know prospects as individuals and not revenue streams and share a bit of yourself with them. Attendees will depart feeling they have created a genuine connection with you making them more likely to do business with you or refer you to others.

Let me start by saying that I am not at all against bartering services, sponsorship, or selling vendor/ad space. In fact, I have used each of these funding approaches successfully multiple times and will continue to do so in the future. However, I seek to give small businesses an understanding of how and went these tactics should be used and not abused.

Bartering: Bartering products and services is simply trading one thing for another. If you give me X I will give you Y. No money changes hands and the items or services exchanged should be considered equal. For example, if you are an attorney and wish to barter legal services for event planning the amount of service you offer to provide should be equal or greater than the cost of me planning your event. Businesses barter either because they need the product or service or to gain exposure for their business. If I lived in an apartment offering one year free lawn care service in exchange for planning your event isn’t an appealing trade.

Sponsorship: When a company sponsors an event they do so because the target market for the event is in line with their own and the anticipated return is greater than the requested investment. If these conditions don’t exist it is counterproductive for a company to sponsor an event. When approaching a business you need to be sure that the marketing exposure you are offering is valued higher than the amount you are requesting.

Selling Vendor/Ad Space: Some events are held in large enough venues’s that the host business can sell vendor tables (or booths) to related (non-competing) businesses. Larger events often have a printed program in which ad space can be sold. These funds can be used to help pay for the event or event marketing. The host business needs to be very conscious about the type and number of businesses they allow to set up at their event. If these businesses contradict your brand or there are too many it could detract from your event.

These tactics should be used to ASSIST in planning your event and not as the sole sources of funding. The host business should be prepared to at minimum pay initial deposits and a portion of the cost to host the event. Decisions regarding alternate funding sources should be made carefully and the fact that every company is in business to generate revenue should be taken into account.

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?

Whether you’re planning an event for 100 or 10,000, wristbands are an invaluable tool in making sure your event runs smoothly. In fact, whether you choose Tyvek wristbands, paper wristbands, custom wristbands, plastic wristbands, or vinyl wristbands, simply using these simple identifiers can alleviate a number of potential problems during your event. The versatility of wristbands means that you can use them anytime you need a visual identifier. Here are some examples of the myriad of ways you can use wristbands:

Age or height identifier: Wristbands can be used at venues to identify minors in order to prevent them from purchasing alcoholic beverages. They can also be used in amusement parks when there are height restrictions to certain rides. Tyvek wristbands have the advantage of being waterproof, and so can be used for water parks.

Admissions: When you use wristbands, you can sell day passes for events or amusements. Guests will appreciate not having to fumble for tickets, and workers will save time by easily identifying those who have paid for a pass. If you are holding a conference that spans several days, you can use wristbands of a different color each day so that registrars can tell at a glance whether the attendee is registered for a given day’s events.

Child-Parent Protection: Twin wristbands are ideal for situations where it’s necessary to identify parents of children. Daycare centers, preschools, and amusement venues for small children all need to ensure that a child is leaving with an adult who is his or her parent or guardian.

Group Day Trips: Whether it’s a school field trip or a day trip to a casino, it’s important to be able to identify those with your group. Being able to check wristbands ensure that the proper individuals are boarding the proper busses, and allow for an easy head count to make sure no one is left behind.

Commemoration: If you’re planning Red Ribbon Week at a school, you can issue wristbands to those students who pledge to participate. Likewise, you can use wristbands as a way for people who have committed to a cause or an ideal to self-identify.

Wristbands are made from a number of different materials, such as Tyvek wristbands, paper wristbands, plastic wristbands, and vinyl wristbands. Which material you choose depends upon your budget and the type of event you’re planning.

Best of all, wristbands can be easily customized. Although there are a number of preprinted wristbands on the market, you can order custom wristbands with the name of your company or event. Custom wristbands can also include bar codes, logos, and other special text.

In addition the BBB Network is running a contest to develop the logo/banners for the network. If you are interested here are the basics:

1. You must use the Blue and Orange colors from the layout in your banners/logo.
2. You must submit a header-sized banner (like up top), a 125 x 125 button, a 125 x 125 BBB Ambassador Badge, and a logo only file.
3. You can not use images that are copyrighted/trademarked or being used in other logos.

Click Here for full Details

Visit the Become Better Brands Network to Join: http://becomebetterbrands.ning.com/ and don’t forget to add me as a friend http://becomebetterbrands.ning.com/profile/BrandiStarr

“Scammers set up a Web site advertising a fake bridal show billed as the “biggest and most extravagant” and used it to steal from thousands of brides-to-be and their vendors, who were lured by chances to win “fabulous gifts and prizes,” police and FBI experts said Monday.” Click Here to Read the Full Article

Vendors for this event paid up to $4,000 for a booth and the show sold thousands of couples pre-registering to attend the show spending $10 to $15 per ticket. As an event professional I am saddened by the scammers who have left a scarlet letter on the industry and can empathize with the thousands who have been screwed over, especially the vendors.

While I am outraged by this situation, I want to put an optimistic spin on it and use this occurrence as a prime example of a key principle when planning a business event. In order for an event to be successful, you have to have a solid event-marketing plan! These scammers in Boston have proven that the event-marketing plan is more important than the event-plan itself. Thousands of tickets were sold and there was no actual event.

Now I am not encouraging (or suggesting) anyone to plan fake events. However, I am encouraging (and STRONGLY suggesting) that you spend as much time planning your event-marketing efforts as you do planning the event itself. Here are 5 tips to having an effective event-marketing plan:

1. Set SMART Goals: Almost every business owner has heard of the “SMART” method of goal setting. Your goals for your event should be Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic and Timely. The first step in planning an event is determining what you want to achieve by planning the event.
2. Clearly Define Your Target Market: The target market for your event should be specific and well segmented. Selecting your target market requires that you take a close look at who you want to attend your event and how to appeal to them. What demographics will allow you to achieve your results? What mix of each demographic do you need to attend?
3. WIFM Approach: As an event-marketer you have to understand that your “guest” are going to have a “What’s In It For Me” mentality. In order for your event to be a success you have to create a draw for your invited guests. In the case of our scammers they promised attendees that they would “receive a welcome bag of goodies and will be entered for a chance to win fabulous gifts and prizes!” and that is was to be “New England’s biggest and most extravagant Bridal Show!” So what reason do your invited guests have to attend?
4. Timing is Everything: An event marketer walks a thin line between promoting too soon and not soon enough. How early you should start promoting your event will depend on the event itself. For example, and event that requires travel, or carries a high price tag may need more promotion time than a free, local event. You should carefully consider how early to begin promoting your event to maximize attendance.
5. Hindsight is 20/20: Even if this is the first time you are holding this event, it is important to look at past experience as a guide on how to market your event. What have your competitors done, and how successful was it? What marketing tactics have you seen used that produced the desired results? What market research can you find about your intended target market? This questions and others like them will allow you to develop a sound marketing plan for your event.

As you are planning your next event allow ample time to plan and execute your event-marketing plan. You could plan the most elaborate and fabulous event but if no one attends it is all for not; that is time, money, and resources wasted.

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).

[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.

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.

It is in your best interest to treat day one as your “soft launch” with plans for a launch party/grand opening in the future. The amount of time between day one and the business’ grand opening will vary by business. For one business it may be measured in weeks, another months, and others maybe even years.

A great example of this approach is the restaurant industry. Most restaurants will open their doors semi-quietly in order to allow staff to be fully trained, menus and recipes to be refined, business practices to be tested ensuring that the operation runs smoothly. In addition, this allows time for customer feedback and reviews. Generally, within a few months of opening the restaurant will have a grand opening celebration with specials, promotions and on-site events to really begin to drive business.

Launch parties are a great way to introduce your business to others in the industry, the media, and prospective clients. Have you held a launch party for your business? If not, why?

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.
2. Unnecessary Landing Page – Many business owners opt to have a splash introduction page before visitors are taken directly to the site. Although I personally dislike them, a splash page that has purpose can be beneficial and entice the visitor to look further. However, when the splash page has no purpose, (i.e. it just says “Click here to enter the site”); plain and simple, it should not exist. So if you just to use a splash or intro page use it to display a photo slideshow, compelling facts or statistics, testimonials, or other key content that will make your visitors eager to enter your site.
3. Music with No “Off” Button – Music on a website can be a pleasurable enhancement on some websites; far too often business owners overuse music, select the wrong playlist, or set the volume too loudly. But beyond these melodic mistakes the biggest is hiding or not giving visitors the option to disable the music. The disable or “off” button should be easy to find and should disable the sound for the duration of the visit to your site. If a visitor does not wish to hear the audio on your site and is unable to disable it they are likely to abandon the site and look elsewhere.
4. Incomplete Information – I recently visited a website that had a 6-tab navigation, of those six tabs three of them took me to “Coming Soon” pages. If your website is incomplete, your business appears to be disorganized and unprofessional. It is ok to use coming soon pages sparingly when you want to let visitors know that new information is on the way but too many blank or coming soon pages is a poor reflection on your business.
5. Flash Websites – Not all flash websites are bad; in fact, flash used properly can create a very professional and lively website. The problem is many small business owners get carried away with the flash features and animations. As site with multiple things moving, bouncing, and flashing is extremely distracting and prohibits a site visitor from really focusing on the content. In addition, a full flash site puts you at a disadvantage regarding Search Engine Optimization because flash is not indexed by search spiders like traditional HTML websites. If, you choose to use a full flash site here are 5 Steps for Building a SEO-Friendly Flash Site from TheCosmonaut that will help to improve SEO results.