Monday, August 1, 2011

Fresh Air....and deathly mosquitoes!

Life in general seems so stressful; I think we can all agree on this statement. Either we are stressed because we are too busy or stressed that we are not enjoying life to its fullest (or at least what the media portrays as it’s fullest) either way it leaves us with stress!
Crazy how emotions can literally control your body’s health, from migraines to stomach issues to weight gain and the list goes on. Recently, my own stress has dictated how I feel when I wake up until I go to sleep. Of course medicines can solve almost any problem but for lack of wanting to be a puppet on meds I decided to simply take a walk.
The simple stroll around my block gave me a solid ten minutes (it's a large block) to be alone; just me and my thoughts. The birds chirping, bunnies hopping (seriously I have never seen so many bunnies in such a short period of time) It was the best 10 minutes of my day and the least stressful period all week.
After my nice stroll I felt rejuvenated and ready to write- hence my blog! Pour myself a tall glass of wine, light a citronella candle and park my bum on my front porch. I lasted about 90 seconds exactly until I was attacked by an army of mosquitoes. Note to self, never purchase a citronella candle from Ocean State Job Lot! It is false advertising. Quickly grabbing my things and taking refuge in my living room my feet and calves began to burn and itch as if I overdosed on Perks (it makes me itchy)
2 minutes later I continue writing with an even taller glass of wine and ice packs on my legs to numb the itching.
Lesson of the day: Mosquitoes suck!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Been a while!

My apologies for not consistently blogging the past couple of days- I was proving a point actually! The purpose of the little study was to see if anyone forgot me or more importantly remembered my blog if I stopped doing it every day. Well, the answer is..........forgotten! Regardless if you are creating a blog, social media campaign, personal events, networking etc. if you are not consistent you will be forgotten. You cannot blame clients, customers and prospects for not having you on their mind every day all day, we are inundated with so many advertisements and stress that many times thoughts of your business do not exist. Creating events repeatedly result in consistency which results in higher response which results in brand recognition which ultimately results in higher PROFITS!!!

Homework: Do something to stay in your clients minds right now!

Monday, September 20, 2010

BY DEFINITION!!

According to www.businessdictionary.com/definition/event=marketing.html

Event Marketing

Is Designing or developing a 'live' themed activity, occasion, display, or exhibit (such as a sporting event, music festival, fair, or concert) to promote a product, cause, or organization. Also called event creation.

Read more: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/event-marketing.html#ixzz104yM8ksu

So why is this relevant? It proves that I did not make up the idea or term 'event marketing' it is a business term that many industries rely on in order to launch new products, promote their services and bring awareness to their target audience. Join the crowd and challenge me to create an event for your specific business!

Homework: Think of a really hard question regarding your marketing plan and then ask me!

Friday, September 17, 2010

MORE BILLABLE HOURS!

We are revisiting an amazing article that I posted two blogs ago and explaining it in further detail to the average business professional!

Article states: In any marketing strategy the objective is to change consumer behavior in a way that benefits your bottom line. Event marketing is one of many tools for doing that. If planned right, event marketing can give you many of the benefits of door to door/word of mouth sales, at a fraction of the cost per exposure – and uncertainty – of these familiar standby methods. However, since it is usually a fairly expensive and little-understood venture, event marketing deserves to be explained in some depth here


Alistè states: How many hours do you spend a day working? How many on your own business vs. client projects and product manufacturing? Let's take myself as an example. I usually wake up fairly early and begin my morning with a networking event to get my business juices flowing, meet some great prospects and peers and kick start the work day! Around 9am I start answering all my many e-mails and then create my projects for the day ahead. I break my client projects into hourly chunks so that I can focus on one project at a time and not be lured to working on another. With this organization I can finish my work day satisfied with what I accomplished around 5pm leaving a half hour open for happy hour!
Now, out of that long work day from 7am to 5pm I did not personally have the time to go meet every prospect I met that week or client that I am working with to build a personal relationship. Many times that is an afterthought to the time spent on what is billable. However, including an event in your marketing plan even if it is quarterly, annually or monthly events will get your face in front your ideal audience which will lead to soooo many more billable hours!!! So think about that next time you feel that events will not work for your specific business, it can and should be on you’re To Do list!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

EVENTS AS AN INVESTMENT?!?!?

Since my post yesterday, which was a link to an AMAZING EVENT MARKETING ARTICLE!!! Proving how important including events in any marketing plan truly is! For the next couple of posts I will be going through that article and dissecting it to every day terms and making you true believers that events are the way to go!
Article states:
A jazzy display at a popular event is not enough, in itself, to give you noticeable results. Too often businesses invest a goodly chunk of change in a booth or a sponsorship and are disappointed when their passive purchase brings them few – if any - new customers. No matter what form it takes, follow-up is essential to building lasting relationships with the leads generated at your event.

Alistè Comments:
This is very important what the article is stating. Anyone can construct an event and slap their logo on it, however will it be worth the money? When you take the leap and bring events into your marketing plan you are making an investment!!! Designing an event to either educate clients or bring new prospects into your office should not be a onetime deal and then that's it. It is a process, just like planning the event. You need to make a list of the tasks at hand for the before, during and post event. By doing this you not only include your clients in a face to face event but continue the relationship long after the 'last call'. Use your networking skills to follow up with every attendee and continue building those relationships so that when you are ready for the next event those relationships that you built will bring in new prospects that you can then FOLLOW UP WITH!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

MUST SEE ARTICLE!

Check this out!

http://www.hrsbdc.org/marketing/eventmarketing/

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

NO BRAINER!

I am going to ask everyone a no brainer question, ready?!?!?
If I asked you what would be your ideal audience, where would you like to meet them and what main point would you talk to them about?!?!

This should be on the tip of your tongue if you are a true entrepreneur and business professional- always think of the ideal situation and then CREATE IT!

Events can accomplish your ideal situation. If you are a financial advisor and you would like to try a different audience- for example new mom's, wouldn't it be in your best interest to research and connect with mompreneur groups, pto groups etc. and then begin a relationship with these individuals? Of course it makes sense but do you have the time to call, connect, meet for coffee and then follow up weekly to maintain that relationship with the hundreds of new mom's that you just researched?

NO! If you have that type of time call me because I have tons of work that I can use an extra hand on! This is why incorporating events into your marketing/business plan accomplishes your goals with half the time that cold calling and 1-1's take up.

Solution: Research new mom groups and obtain an e-mail list, from the e-mail list break it into groups of 25. Each month e-mail/call 1 group and invite them to an open house that will benefit THEM not about YOU! The following month do the same for a different group and so on. See what I am trying to paint for you?!?!

Monthly Events that keep on giving!

Homework: Create your problem and brainstorm a solution- if you need teachers assistance contact me at 508-596-9081 for hourly consulting- your business could be the highlight of 2010!!!!