Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by
Melissa Bingham, president
Bingham Marketing & Events
mcbingham@binghammarketingevents.com
www.binghammarketingevents.com
847-716-0673
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
Bingham Marketing & Events offers full-service event and meeting planning for businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals. I also work with many smaller businesses on their marketing needs which includes developing and implementing their marketing plans.
MY UNIQUENESS
Unlike most event planners, I bring the marketing experience to everything that I do. I really look at everything from a marketing prospective. Every event, every promotion, and every social event is all about marketing no matter how obvious or subtle. I always start out with asking what is the client’s goal, what are we trying to achieve?
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
My Ideal client is someone who wants to make a mark or establish a presence and enhance their brand. They know they want to make a great impression and difference in their business, but don’t exactly know how.
UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
My family relocated here two and a half years ago, so my initial challenge was to re-establish myself in the Chicagoland marketplace. I’ve had my company since 1997 in both Indianapolis and Detroit, and when we moved here in the summer of 2008, I had a grand plan of what I was going to do and how I was going to market the business. Then the market turned. Consequently, the Detroit business that I thought was going to continue was cancelled. At that point, I had to step back and re-evaluate not only how I was going to establish whole new client and vendor bases, but also how I was going to do that on no marketing budget.
EFFECTIVE RESOLUTION
Because the Chicagoland market is so diverse, I made the decision to initially focus in a microcosm and then slowly expand my base outward. I began networking like crazy. I looked at what organizations I wanted to join, what types of events I needed to attend, what kinds of things could I volunteer for to get myself known. I have been fortunate that most of my business over the years has come by way of referrals. I have been working harder than I ever have to gain new clients. As a result, 2010 has developed into a good year. Now, my plan is to move out of this microcosm and widen the scope of my business by attending more diverse events and making more connections.
Editor's question: What case studies of entrepreneurs successfully starting or rebuilding a business during a down economy can you share?
Showing posts with label recession. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recession. Show all posts
Monday, December 6, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Despite recession analytics consultant sets up niche business in 24 hours
Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by
Alex Caffarini, president
Analysights, LLC
www.analysights.com
acaffarini@analysights.com
blog: http://analysights.wordpress.com
847-895-2565
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
We’re a market research and analytics firm that helps companies make better marketing decisions based on analytics. In other words, imagine having a magic wand that would tell you which non-customers would have the best chance of becoming customers, or which current customers are at risk of leaving you and going to a competitor. We’re able to do this by comparing a customer’s purchasing history, demographics, and psychographics to those former clients who have left your company. We can also come up with a score for your current customers using similar data to better know on which ones you should be spending your marketing dollars. In addition, we’re able to provide information through surveys on how much the market is willing to pay for a new product concept as well as the size of the market.
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
My ideal client would typically include banks, credit card companies with $500 million to $2 billion in assets. Or associations with large memberships wanting to determine which non-members are likely to become members and which current members are at risk of leaving. Typically, any data-rich industry whose companies collect a lot of statistics on their customers for marketing effectiveness would be a perfect client – mobile broadband firms, retail catalog companies, direct marketers, credit unions, credit card companies.
MY UNIQUENESS
We’re strong in discussing complex analytical concepts in layman terms so that anyone not familiar with statistics or analytics in market research will gain a simplified understanding of everything they need to know. We don’t use any heavy technical jargon to which most clients can’t relate. And, our size allows us to offer a great deal of personal interaction between us and the client.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
My primary challenge was to get this business flying in the midst of a recession. The company will be two years old this November. I had been working for the American Medical Association at the time doctors began dropping their memberships. I saw the writing on the wall and decided to start my business in 2008.
EFFECTIVE SOLUTION
I wasted no time in getting things moving. I got my tax papers in order, created my business plan, got my LLC designation, and set up my website all in the span of a single day. Obtaining that first client became my focus. I participated in countless networking events because demonstrating your abilities and capabilities is key to selling any consulting service, especially analytics. I worked on getting myself known as an expert in the field – “You’ve got to circulate in order to percolate.” There were no quick fixes. I called family members and sent relatives letters telling them I was in business. I soon realized that I was focusing on too broad a range of clients. I was looking at both small and large companies which would be impossible to manage. So, I honed in on what became my niche – financial companies and tech companies. In addition, I started a blog to build a following and I created a Facebook™ page. As a result of these efforts, things are beginning to move along steadily for Analysights LLC.
Alex Caffarini, president
Analysights, LLC
www.analysights.com
acaffarini@analysights.com
blog: http://analysights.wordpress.com
847-895-2565
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
We’re a market research and analytics firm that helps companies make better marketing decisions based on analytics. In other words, imagine having a magic wand that would tell you which non-customers would have the best chance of becoming customers, or which current customers are at risk of leaving you and going to a competitor. We’re able to do this by comparing a customer’s purchasing history, demographics, and psychographics to those former clients who have left your company. We can also come up with a score for your current customers using similar data to better know on which ones you should be spending your marketing dollars. In addition, we’re able to provide information through surveys on how much the market is willing to pay for a new product concept as well as the size of the market.
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
My ideal client would typically include banks, credit card companies with $500 million to $2 billion in assets. Or associations with large memberships wanting to determine which non-members are likely to become members and which current members are at risk of leaving. Typically, any data-rich industry whose companies collect a lot of statistics on their customers for marketing effectiveness would be a perfect client – mobile broadband firms, retail catalog companies, direct marketers, credit unions, credit card companies.
MY UNIQUENESS
We’re strong in discussing complex analytical concepts in layman terms so that anyone not familiar with statistics or analytics in market research will gain a simplified understanding of everything they need to know. We don’t use any heavy technical jargon to which most clients can’t relate. And, our size allows us to offer a great deal of personal interaction between us and the client.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
My primary challenge was to get this business flying in the midst of a recession. The company will be two years old this November. I had been working for the American Medical Association at the time doctors began dropping their memberships. I saw the writing on the wall and decided to start my business in 2008.
EFFECTIVE SOLUTION
I wasted no time in getting things moving. I got my tax papers in order, created my business plan, got my LLC designation, and set up my website all in the span of a single day. Obtaining that first client became my focus. I participated in countless networking events because demonstrating your abilities and capabilities is key to selling any consulting service, especially analytics. I worked on getting myself known as an expert in the field – “You’ve got to circulate in order to percolate.” There were no quick fixes. I called family members and sent relatives letters telling them I was in business. I soon realized that I was focusing on too broad a range of clients. I was looking at both small and large companies which would be impossible to manage. So, I honed in on what became my niche – financial companies and tech companies. In addition, I started a blog to build a following and I created a Facebook™ page. As a result of these efforts, things are beginning to move along steadily for Analysights LLC.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Social media certification results in new business for VA
Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by
Jackie de Boer, founder
Accredited Virtual Assistance
www.accreditedva.com
accreditedva@comcast.net
www.linkedin.com/in/jackiedeboer
www.facebook.com/jackie.deboer1
www.Twitter.com/JackiedeBoerVA
847-358-5688
MY BUSINESS
I provide administration, executive and social media virtual assistance support. Unlike a traditional administrative or executive assistant, a virtual assistant works from an off-site or remote location on client projects on an as-needed basis – short or long-term. The major benefit of using a VA is that we don’t require any benefits paid to us by the client as do the hired employees of a company. I began Accredited Virtual Assistance five years ago. At that time, I strictly offered administrative and executive support. However, last year I introduced the social media services.
UNIQUENESS
The added bonus of social media support skills sets me apart from other VAs. With technology changing all the time and with clients needing to keep up with those changes, my ability to support them in these new areas is rather unique. I am continually re-educating myself and keeping up with the latest advancements in social media platforms such as Facebook™, LinkedIn™, and Twitter™ along with virtual assistance advancements, in general.
IDEAL CLIENT
For the administrative and executive support sides, my ideal client would be the small business owner who is a home-based entrepreneur needing to be more focused on growing his or her business and not tied up with routine administrative responsibilities. Many of them aren’t necessarily skilled at handling certain tasks and spend too much time unsuccessfully trying to manage them. Those with this profile would be perfect candidates for my services.
CHALLENGE
Like many businesses during this recession, I lost a few clients. My challenge was to figure out how to replace them as well as how to retain my current client base. Coincidentally, many clients began asking about social media. Apparently, keeping up with this new communications technology had become a serious issue for many of them. I quickly saw this as an opportunity to possibly generate new business and to offer a new value-added service to existing clients.
RESOLUTION
I immediately began taking a 2-month online social media specialist course through VAClassroom. I learned, and continue to learn, more about the three most popular social media platforms as well as blogging. Once I became certified in the field, I began giving presentations to networking groups on social media. As a result, I actually have gained new clients, and am now able to help my existing clients keep pace with this new social networking technology. I would have to say that, today, nearly 70 percent of my new business is made up of social media clients. I help them develop strategies regarding how social media will benefit their business and assist in setting up the various platforms. For those clients who already have a social media presence, we work together to see how they can best use it moving forward. Recognizing the importance of social media and capitalizing on its popularity became a great client acquisition and retention solution for Accredited Virtual Assistance.
Jackie de Boer, founder
Accredited Virtual Assistance
www.accreditedva.com
accreditedva@comcast.net
www.linkedin.com/in/jackiedeboer
www.facebook.com/jackie.deboer1
www.Twitter.com/JackiedeBoerVA
847-358-5688
MY BUSINESS
I provide administration, executive and social media virtual assistance support. Unlike a traditional administrative or executive assistant, a virtual assistant works from an off-site or remote location on client projects on an as-needed basis – short or long-term. The major benefit of using a VA is that we don’t require any benefits paid to us by the client as do the hired employees of a company. I began Accredited Virtual Assistance five years ago. At that time, I strictly offered administrative and executive support. However, last year I introduced the social media services.
UNIQUENESS
The added bonus of social media support skills sets me apart from other VAs. With technology changing all the time and with clients needing to keep up with those changes, my ability to support them in these new areas is rather unique. I am continually re-educating myself and keeping up with the latest advancements in social media platforms such as Facebook™, LinkedIn™, and Twitter™ along with virtual assistance advancements, in general.
IDEAL CLIENT
For the administrative and executive support sides, my ideal client would be the small business owner who is a home-based entrepreneur needing to be more focused on growing his or her business and not tied up with routine administrative responsibilities. Many of them aren’t necessarily skilled at handling certain tasks and spend too much time unsuccessfully trying to manage them. Those with this profile would be perfect candidates for my services.
CHALLENGE
Like many businesses during this recession, I lost a few clients. My challenge was to figure out how to replace them as well as how to retain my current client base. Coincidentally, many clients began asking about social media. Apparently, keeping up with this new communications technology had become a serious issue for many of them. I quickly saw this as an opportunity to possibly generate new business and to offer a new value-added service to existing clients.
RESOLUTION
I immediately began taking a 2-month online social media specialist course through VAClassroom. I learned, and continue to learn, more about the three most popular social media platforms as well as blogging. Once I became certified in the field, I began giving presentations to networking groups on social media. As a result, I actually have gained new clients, and am now able to help my existing clients keep pace with this new social networking technology. I would have to say that, today, nearly 70 percent of my new business is made up of social media clients. I help them develop strategies regarding how social media will benefit their business and assist in setting up the various platforms. For those clients who already have a social media presence, we work together to see how they can best use it moving forward. Recognizing the importance of social media and capitalizing on its popularity became a great client acquisition and retention solution for Accredited Virtual Assistance.
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