The Girl Cave, known mostly for out-of-the-ordinary boutique classes that give women the opportunity to meet others with similar interests, is expanding their offerings to include the hosting of corporate meetings for women and men. This unique venue, aside from its amazing ability to morph into any setting you can dream up, is conveniently located on Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach close to the 405 fwy.
Hosting events can be tedious, but Georgette Sleeth who opened The Girl Cave just 6 short months ago, has helped countless people execute amazing parties that delighted guests and hosts alike! It was clear to her that the community was in dire need of a refreshing location to meet. Thus, the idea was born to open the doors to local corporations to hold their meetings in this exceptional space.
Armed with tables, chairs, DVD player and flat screen mounted on the wall in addition to a kitchen and bathroom, The Girl Cave is a great setting for a meeting. With the additional perks of fantastic local catering and distinctive ideas and offerings exclusive to The Girl Cave, you won't find a better location for people to gather.
It took me a while, but I finally discovered how to offer my clients exactly what they need to generate more business. If it weren't for networking, this solution may have never come across my desk.
Networking is one of the best ways to develop relationships with key partners and prospects. That is, if you know how to do it right. There are a lot of "hunters" out there who march in room wondering "what can these people do for me". Being a networking entrepreneur for a few years now, I've learned that this type of approach is short-lived and scares away any prospects you might have been able to do business with. Coming in with an attitude of "how can I help you" goes much farther in terms of building a relationship. You may not be able to assist them personally, but maybe you know someone who can. This way, you can earn a person's trust and respect which may cause them to return the favor.
Even though networking is a powerful ingredient to your marketing mix, it is also limiting you to how often you can make meetings and how far you are willing to drive. That's why online marketing is essential in today's economy for businesses to survive. Try this: Google some key words that may describe your business services and see what the web-bots find. If you're not listed on the first page, chances are you won't be getting any business from the Internet and you are missing out on an incredible opportunity!
This is where Wicked Marketing can help. We now provide services that will get you the exposure you need when someone is searching for your services.
Search Engine Marketing
Campaign Tracking
Social Media Management
These things tend to soak up a lot of your time as a business owner. We can automate this process and manage it for you so that your online campaigns will run at optimum functionality. This isn't exactly as "set it and forget it" solution. You will be provided with a dashboard that allows you to track your campaign results and we will provide you with expert advice on how we can tweek your campaigns to bring you more business.
If you're like me, you're always checking out videos from the TED Conference to gain inspiration. The ideas presented at these conferences tend to be extraordinary in that they are unique. What makes marketing extraordinary is in the execution of not-so-unique ideas.
There is nothing wrong with taking a common idea and making it yours - fine tune an idea into something that works for your business. In my career, I had no problem discussing ideas with other marketers in my industry. We all had different ways of executing our marketing plans and THAT'S what made it unique.
Don't spend all your time trying to come up with something that you think no one else has thought of yet. You'll drive yourself crazy and waste a plethora of valuable time. Here is a link to a comprehensive list of business building ideas that you can execute with your own style and flair.
Everything I learned that was of any value, I learned from Prince... back in the '80's. I didn't think that his wisdom would be as profound now that I'm climbing up through my 40's, but I was wrong.
As luck would have it, I was blessed with a VIP ticket to Prince's concert at The Forum this week. I call it an early birthday present. It was my first time at this venue and I walked in on purple carpet into the VIP Lounge. Upon entering the stadium, the nice lady in a yellow jacket pointed to where I was to view the show - at a table right next to the stage.
I was a fan once, never seeing Prince in concert but loving his funky, danceable music since I was a teen. Now, as I watched him on stage from 12 feet away, I fell in love with him all over again. He is truly an amazing artist and performer. I'm not telling you this to make you jealous. I have a point, really!
As Prince walked around the stage, he left my line of sight for a moment - and I heard his melodic voice say...
"If you don't love what you do, you have no business doing it."
(pausing for dramatic affect here)
How many times have you heard that it's important to love what you do? Many times, right? But have you heard anyone say that you have NO BUSINESS doing something you DON'T love?
I know many people who are doing something they don't love... and they are miserable. They complain constantly, have little to no energy, kinda depressed and aren't all that fun to be around. Bottom line: they aren't happy. Plus, when you're doing something you're not passionate about, you don't put all your effort into it. How can you be proud of something you didn't pour all of your heart into?
Prince took something we all "know" and made it profound. It was like a declaration. So, I challenge you with this: Take a look at your life and ask yourself if what your you're doing today is worth it. Because life is too short to be held back by fear. Take a chance. Make a change. Be happy.
You may have asked yourself, "How can I implement social media into my marketing mix?" Many business owners like yourself are considering social media as a marketing strategy for their business. However, they wonder if it is worth their time and how much time will it take.
Here is a model marketing mix that may help you put social media in perspective:
While social media helps to brand you and your business and generate interest, it should only be a small part of the marketing pie. The key is to experiment in various types of media. Try posting a banner ad on an industry website. Spend the time to update your website regularly with promotions and new offerings. Dedicate time to creating a monthly newsletter for your clients.
It is important to leverage all of your marketing efforts by tying them all together. For example, if you have a current promotion going on, make sure it's on your website, social media sites, in your newsletter and your online banner ad. If you have a Facebook business page and/or Twitter profile, make sure you have that link posted on your website, banner ad and your newsletter as well.
How much time does social media devour? Think of it this way: It's free - you're spending time instead of money. You should be promoting competitive offers on your products and/or services weekly. You should be posting mentions of you and your company on a daily basis.
Social media makes promoting offers, events and your brand very quick and easy while reaching people that want to receive your information. Therefore, it should be a part of your marketing plan.
Many people have asked me if I think creating a blog for their business is a good thing to do. In order to answer that question, it's important to understand what a blog is.
If you look it up on Wikipedia, you will find this definition: "A blog is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video."
To help you better understand how to leverage this medium, you need to also understand Social Media. Online presence is critical for your business and blogs can help you to establish your credibility. By creating and posting content that is beneficial to your clients and prospects, you are effectively generating awareness and building relationships with your target audience.
When people need something, they search the Internet for similar information. What a great opportunity for you to connect with them when they need something that you can provide! Think of your blog as making a first impression to your prospects and building/maintaining credibility with your clients. In addition, it's one more way for you to bring awareness to your community about your business and/or services!
People can also search for your blog by looking for specific content through the following sites:
There are many blog hosting sites, but I recommend Blogger.com if you're just getting started as the interface is very intuitive. Make sure your content is helpful and don't forget to include a link to recent posts on your Facebook business page, Twitter and Linkedin profiles. The more places people see you, the more awareness you generate! Happy blogging!
Sometimes technology impresses me. Sometimes service impresses me. This time, I found something that impresses me on both counts and I just had to share it with you.
I just discovered a device called Square. This device plugs into the audio port of your iPhone or Android and, with a downloaded app, you can swipe and process credit cards.
Which credit cards? Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover - all at the same flat rate.
What are the processing rates? 2.75% per swiped transaction. 3.5% + .15 for keyed-in transactions.
The benefits go on and on, so I encourage you to check it out at www.squareup.com.
If you're like me, you're always checking out videos from the TED Conference to gain inspiration. The ideas presented at these conferences tend to be extraordinary in that they are unique. What makes marketing extraordinary is in the execution of not-so-unique ideas.
Everything I learned that was of any value, I learned from Prince... back in the '80's. I didn't think that his wisdom would be as profound now that I'm climbing up through my 40's, but I was wrong.
You may have asked yourself, "How can I implement social media into my marketing mix?" Many business owners like yourself are considering social media as a marketing strategy for their business. However, they wonder if it is worth their time and how much time will it take.
Many people have asked me if I think creating a blog for their business is a good thing to do. In order to answer that question, it's important to understand what a blog is.
Sometimes technology impresses me. Sometimes service impresses me. This time, I found something that impresses me on both counts and I just had to share it with you.
