Experiential Marketing
Carolyn Coyne, Founder of Tadpole Event Marketing
Experiential Marketing: Help Your Clients Help Themselves
What is Experiential Marketing?
It’s simple, get your product or service in the hands (or maybe even face) of your consumer (the person or company who’s going to buy your product or service), so that they walk away talking about their EXPERIENCE, promoting you to their influential friends and colleagues.
How do you know what type of experience will reach your audience the most effectively?
Figure out what they like, where they hang out, what inspires them and do something for them that they like, where they hang out and that inspires them.
So how do you even do this?
Join me for a short informative 2 hour Peer to Peer Workshop on October 12, 2011 in Venice and I’ll show you the ropes of figuring out what you need to do for your own company or your client’s products so that people walk away talking, sharing and ultimately BUYING.
You will leave the workshop with:
1. An understanding of your product or company’s core values
2. How to determine what “consumer experience” is best for you or your client
3. An overview of what sponsors look for when sponsoring a marketing initiative
4. A template for bringing your marketing initiative to life
Learn more and register here
SMARTY Member Monday Featuring: Michelle Carrillo
Michelle Carrillo of The Suitcase Studio
1. What is your business?
I am the owner and photographer for The Suitcase Studio, offering a different take on the typical portrait session. I specialize in using interactive techniques to capture the unique personalities of the people involved. Think of my sessions as the experience, with the resulting photographs being the ultimate souvenir.
Over the years, I have found that the images people generally love of themselves are the ones where they are being 100% genuine. I create a comfortable space for this to happen, offering a more in-depth, emotional portrait experience where the focus is on capturing the real moments and connections between the people involved. Play is definitely a BIG part of my sessions, and very little posing is involved.
2. Why did you launch this business?
One of my main mantras in life is “I choose joy,” and my current job, though stable, certainly wasn’t joyful. Nearing thirty years old and bored out of my mind with my current position, I decided to take a leap of faith and follow my passion. Deciding to launch my own photography business was sort of a “lightbulb over the head” moment. I have always felt like I’ve seen things a bit differently than others, and have always kept my camera close at hand to capture those moments as they happen. My motto: It’s real life; it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.
3. What gives you your greatest pleasure in your business?
I love being able to witness a seemingly shy or hesitant person come to life during their portrait session, and revel in the joy in getting to see the REAL them. One of my favorite moments so far has been during a recent session; the husband had told me at the beginning that he was only there for his wife but by the end of the session he was the one who was tearfully thanking me for giving them this gift of time together. I know I’ve done my job well when I am in the middle of the editing process, and seeing one of the images brings happy tears to my eyes.
4. Where have you run into challenges in your business?
Here in sunny southern California, there are a LOT of photographers. It’s been (and still is) a struggle at times to differentiate myself from the others, create my niche and stick to it. When I first started, I was far too willing to take on any job that was remotely related to what I wanted to do. It took me a long time to learn the strength in saying “no” at times, so I am able to stay true to myself and my brand.
5. What is a key resource that has helped you and might also help other business owners?
SMARTY has been an invaluable resource to me, not only for the incredible networking possibilities, but also in helping me work on my confidence in speaking to strangers and selling them on my ideas. Another big help for me has been Facebook, as most of my clients turn into friends, and my biggest source of new clients has been from word of mouth and social interaction.
Key Takeaways From Accessory Business 101
Christine Syquia of Accessory Business 101
Key Takeaways from Accessory Business 101, The SMARTY Peer to Peer Workshop with Christine Syquia
Facebook e-commerce:
Are you a small- to medium-sized retailer that wants to set up shop on Facebook on a shoestring budget? Well, San Francisco based Payvment has created a solution for you — and it’s free. The company’s software allows retailers to create Facebook storefronts that accept payments via credit cards and PayPal. Payvment’s ecommerce Facebook app allows anyone with a retail store to set up shop on Facebook and create a compelling storefront, complete with discount offers, incentive programs, and the ability for customers to complete their purchases within Facebook. The app even prompts buyers to become a fan of a store in order to receive exclusive deals. The app offers unique features for shoppers as well, allowing them to carry their goods with them across thousands of Payvment-powered storefronts on Facebook.
According to Payvment’s CEO Christian Taylor, the company was setting up 250 new Facebook retailers each day as of last December, and hosts more than 40,000 with 750,000 items for sale. Notable shops include Grayce By Molly Sims, Yes To Carrots and Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim UK.
Packaging in the USA:
Try RTR Bag. Their minimums are high, but they put out a great quality product.
Defining Success:
An article I wrote about how I define success. Click here to read it.
About the Peer to Peer Program:
The SMARTY Peer to Peer program gives experts within the SMARTY community opportunities to present content-rich information on topics ranging from social media, finance, accounting, branding, marketing, public relations and other areas of entrepreneurial interest. Attendees get the benefit of the presenter’s authority and experience in a field, while the presenter enjoys a visible platform from which to share her products or services. To attend a workshop visit our calendar
Member Monday Featuring: Carina Lindgren
Carina Lindgren of Flawless Faces
1. What is your business?
I own a makeup & skincare lounge in Costa Mesa called Flawless Faces. We offer Private Makeup Lessons, Special Occasion Makeup & Hair, Facials, Microdermabrasion, Brow Shaping, and Spray Tanning. We also offer medical services such as Botox/Restylane, Laser Hair Removal, Photo Genesis, Laser Genesis, and Cosmelan. Our main business is weddings. We travel on-location or in studio every weekend!
2. Why did you launch this business?
I launched this business because I love everything about the beauty
industry! Especially makeup, and have an obsession with perfect skin, hence
the skincare side of the business. I worked for other companies in the
past, but always knew deep down I was going to own my own business, I hated
making money for someone else when I was doing all the work!
3. What gives you your greatest pleasure in your business?
Receiving praise and thank you messages/cards from clients letting us know
how happy they are with the services they have received @ Flawless Faces and
getting referrals from past clients is such a rewarding feeling!
4. Where have you run into challenges in your business?
Managing other people has been my biggest challenge in business. When I
first opened Flawless Faces, it was just me and 2 girls that I rented out
spa rooms to. Quickly I became booked up and realized that I needed to hire
more people to handle the work load. In the last 3 years, I have hired 14
Makeup Artists & Hair Stylists that I book on weddings every weekend. I
have never been in a management position in past jobs, so this has all been
a learning process for me. I have high expectations as I am very detail
oriented, and have great work ethic and expect the same from everyone that
works on our team. There is a very fine line from being “friends” with your
employees and being a “boss.” This is something I’m still working out.
5. What is a key resource that has helped you and might also help other businesses?
I think that being good at what you do, delivering good product/service, and
reliability is key elements in a successful business. Networking and
passing out my card to anyone who will take it, I always let them know to
take a look at our website. Your website needs to really represent your
brand, this is all people have to judge you and your company before they
ever even pick up the phone to consider your business. For me, the blog has
been a great tool in show-casing our work and getting people involved and
familiar with what we do. I blog several times a week with tons of photos
of new work and any specials we are offering. On top of that, Social Media
is FREE such as Facebook which has definitely been HUGE in the success of my
business. Twitter is still new to me, but I’m having fun tweeting and
getting responses from that now as well. Also, getting connected to someone
in your field that can refer you to their clients is a big one too.
12 Steps to Creating Your One Page Business Plan
Stephanie Barrymore
Business Growth Strategist Stephanie Barrymore’s
12 Steps to Creating Your One Page Business Plan
1. Identify your Ideal Client Profile or your Ideal Company Profile
2. Prioritize your top 3 revenue buckets
3. Pull a list of 200-300 companies you want to target and blueprint them
4. Create your approach and anticipate any objections you may receive
5. Sign up for a low cost online CRM (customer relationship management) tool
6. Create a time management system that allows for “prospecting” time that is focused and uninterrupted
7. Create goals and metrics that will help you measure your success
8. Hold yourself and your team ACCOUNTABLE
9. Lead a one on one with each business development focused employee (it may just be you!) to review results and make any changes to the overall and weekly goals
10. Make sure any employees are aligned to the process
11. SEE YOUR BUSINESS GROW!!
12. Then, think about your social media strategy… It will compliment your business and position you as an expert in your field, not necessarily bring you sales
Tuesday, July 26th join us and learn how to implement these steps to create a one-page working tactical plan that will hold you and your team accountable to direct the growth of your business and more in Stephanie’s Peer to Peer Workshop: The One Page Business Plan
