1) Be the lowest cost provider

The largest retailer in the world, Walmart, uses this strategy very successfully. Their single-minded goal is to be the lowest price leader in every community they serve, negating the need for special sales…thus their tagline, “every day low prices”. Many businesses scoff at the competitor who consistently beats them on pricing. But please keep in mind that being the lowest cost provider is a solid strategy (just chew on this recent research published on Marketingprofs called ‘Consumer Frugality is Here to Stay‘) . If you are not the lowest priced in your category you only have one other choice…

2) Have a value differentiator

If you don’t have the lowest prices in your market, you better darn well have a really good reason why people should do business with you. Unfortunately, a lot of companies simply exist and don’t think through this challenge. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Why would they want to stop doing business with their incumbent and do business with you?

Value differentiation requires you to be unique in the marketplace and meaningful to your target. Just take a look at the values these infamous brands provide:

• Volvo is not simply a car. Volvo = safety.
• Disney is not simply a theme park. Disney = magical family entertainment.
• Harley Davidson is not simply a motorcycle. Harley Davidson = freedom & rebellion.

To define your value proposition, ask yourself:

• What are your target market’s drivers for purchase? We have many different reasons why we buy: convenience, trust, style, respect or reputation (just to name a few). Knowing the answer to this question can help you understand what you have to do to be relevant.
• What are your customers’ wants, needs and desires (and how will you deliver against them)? Many people buy a Harley when they hit middle age. A time when they have some disposable income. When their kids have likely grown up and moved out of the house. A time when these empty nesters have a newfound freedom and a desire to reconnect with their inner rebel. Harley Davidson gives these people a ’statement of freedom’ and a community of like-minded people to connect with.
• What do you do better than anyone else? Simply being meaningful is good, but being meaningful AND different is exceptional.

So which option did you choose?

Creating ice cream live on stage

In my last instalment of ‘Memories from Event Solutions Catersource 2010‘, I thought I’d share some pictures from the Anthology party. I’ve been to my fair share of industry parties, but this one was full of so many great ideas. Enjoy the pictures!

FOOD

Best New Food Concept by Vicky Crease from Vicky Crease Catering + Events

These glam salad dressings were created for an a-list bridal dress designer’s party. The high fashion & media guests were blown away for several reasons:

Guests had a myriad of choices and could pick any flavor or combination that they preferred…customizing their eating experience. The result was quick, effective and highly interactive. Everybody stood comparing their daring combinations and taking great pride in their custom creations. A great side benefit is that this brand new food concept is low on cost and high on impact. Given the fact that the dressings are mixed by the guests themselves, the perception is that it’s uber fresh – straight from the farm to the table.

To learn more and to get the recipes, visit the CATIE blog site.

DRINK

Innovative Mixology by Michael Ring from Jay’s Catering

Rolls-Royce, a company known for luxury, planned to launch their new luxury vehicle GHOST at a Halloween-themed event at the Newport European Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Showroom.

Jay’s Catering’s liquid answer was the ‘Black Vodka Ghost Martini’, made with Black Vodka, Chambord, Cranberry Cocktail Juice and a Blackberry garnish. The ‘WOW’ factor was the presentation…Stemless martini glasses were passed on silver platters covered with dry ice. The smoke provided a ‘ghostly’ affect throughout the evening. Boo!

Get the recipe here!

(from left to right) Myself, Tracey Kumar-Moore of LV Wedding Concierge, Debra Roth of PinkInc

A lot of people ask me, “What’s the deal with tweetups?”. First, let’s define what one is. A tweetup is basically a scheduled meetup between Twitter friends. Tweetups allow you to take the relationships you’ve built online and extend them in person. The beauty with tweetups, which is hard to describe to someone who doesn’t use social media, is that all of the awkward “um, hi, errr…I’m Lara” is replaced with “Oh my Gosh!!! You look nothing like your picture! How are your daughters? You mentioned they’re moving to California for University, right?…”. They’re fun, they’re unpretentious, they’re meaningful.

The Queen of tweetups (aka Debra Roth of PinkInc) planned this one at The Event Solutions / Catersource 2010 Conference. We met at Bally’s Indigo Lounge before the big Anthology party later that night. It saw a mix of girly drinks (yes, even the men had a few pink, fruity concoctions), a lot of smart phone comparisons and a tonne of business card trading. A perfect combination.

Next time you attend an event, follow the event’s hashtag on Twitter and you too may just be lucky enough to find yourself at a tweetup!

(left) Liese Gardner of Mecca Communications, (right) Debra Roth of PinkInc

Eddie Diaz (right) hams it up for the camera

What happens at a tweetup? Everyone compares smart phones. (middle) Eddie Diaz, (right) Alan Jones.

(left) Robert Sivek of The Meetinghouse, (right) Jeff Hurt of Velvet Chainsaw

(left) Laura Schwartz of White House Strategies, (right) Howard Givner of Heathcote Advisory Group

(left) Liese Gardner of Mecca Communications, (right - back to camera) Lindsay Fultz of Grosh Backdrops

(left) Liene Stevens of Think Splendid, (right) Carolyn Baragona

Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know corporate event producer, Ryan Hanson of BeEvents. Ryan is in 2 words an Event Provocateur. Convention irks him…instead, I do believe he spends his sleeping and waking hours trying to determine how to redefine events and our roles within them.

Last week I attended one of Ryan’s events in Las Vegas. He produced the Spotlight/CATIE Awards…and he lived up to his reputation. Gone was the stage – instead, the entertainers wove their way throughout the crowd and, as a result, we were intertwined in the entertainment. Gone were the table rounds – and the feelings of stodginess went with them. Gone was the traditional ‘In Memoriam‘ – it was replaced with all of the themes, trends and concepts that have died a horrible death over the years (i.e. client budgets).

I have a lot of respect for people who are not afraid to take calculated risks and are willing to wag their finger in the face of convention. This is why I asked Ryan Hanson if he’d be interested in a short interview…

Lara: Tell me how you wanted to make the Awards different from others?

Ryan: When we set out to create the 2010 Spotlight/CATIE awards, we set several specific goals in order to define the design. One of those objectives was to present something different with this show.  Now that can be terribly ambiguous: what event doesn’t try to be “different” from past projects. Everyone says it.  But we had to be specific:

1. We wanted to be true to the new normal of events.  There is much change happening in the world and we thought it important to recognize this change and the dialogue about events happening.  We wanted to present ideas attendees could take home and give a try.  We wanted to not be afraid to try.  There was nothing to prove to anyone, so we stuck a stake in the ground and said I would take risks some of which would work and some which wouldn’t, but it was important took that risk.  I said I was OK with breaking all the rules of an awards show.
2. From the start, it was important to try for an event with no stage. Authenticity is in, and I wanted an awards show which was about what it was suppose to be about: the work of the finalists.  That objective defined our direction with the video content and the scope of the show.  We wanted to create a platform which was about the audience gathered.  By striping out the stage, we attempted to strip out ego and make this a celebration of the collective group.  It was from the group that the presenters enters, the award recipients came to the stage and back to the audience did all return.
3. We wanted the night to be about the attendees.  Social media offered a great place for engagement – from driving buzz through four social media reporters to setting up crowdsourcing campaigns to allow the audience to vote on elements of décor, dessert and drinks – we gave the audience a voice in the event.

Lara: Were you successful?

Ryan: Yes we were.  We broke rules.  We had some fun.  We created a show that went on too long, but which did what it was suppose to do: celebrate the work of the finalists, the success of our industry in an intimate environment for that audience.  We gave the attendees a say and told them that we offered that vote.  we presented a beautiful environment which had no stage, which used entertainment effectively and uniquely.  We gave people their due on stage – which made the show go on too long – but remained respectful of the recipients. We presented ideas: table-side presentations, Social Media campaigns, new products. I think at the end of the day the design was very coherent and we were mostly successful in branding the experience more
cohesively than in the past.

Lara: What can other event planners learn from your successes (or failures)?

Ryan: This was predominantly a sponsored event – and especially this year you must be absolutely grateful for everything sponsors give you. (I wish it could be made public how much was spent on this event in comparison to what was donated).  But also, for a predominantly sponsored event, you have to learn to be happy with what you can live with.  There are several things in the show I would have done differently, but sponsors have the right to show what they want to show and to do what they want to do.  You have to be able to give overall guidance and live in the gentle chaos of many voices trying to make a project happen.  And at the end of the day, it is only you who know what you would have done – and that which is created in incredible and the guests are able to enjoy!

• You can not be afraid to take a risk and try things.  That is how you have ideas/share ideas/generate ideas.
• Cover your bases well (we mostly did this).  Ensuring the logistics, food, drink and flow of the event are strong gives you the opportunity to take risks.
• Don’t over promise – allowing surprises to be built into the show is valuable.  Also, if you do not oversell your experience, you allow room for people to leave the experience generally happy.
• You are only as good as your team.  I wish I would have had more time to engage a bigger team on the project – but I am so grateful to the team I had who made magic happen.  It is incredible to see how even at the 11th hour, people step up and make things just happen.  And to witness the sheer professionalism of folks is tremendous.
• You always need more time than you schedule and more volunteers than sign up.

Lara: Are there any technologies, ideas or concepts that have sparked you? How will you incorporate them into your future events?

Ryan: I have been impressed with the work of several of the vendors involved with the event – their ability to design and work with their teams have been an inspiration as I continue to define how I work with teams and develop my on-sight team.

I loved being able to work with the entertainers to craft some customized songs which we found relevant to the event.  Scripting and choreographing their performances with them was a blast – there is so much you can get working with professional local talent.

I want to continue to develop the Social Media engagement of an audience through an event – it is critical that you have someone focused and attentive on such a project.  We were good on the outset, but I think not as strong finishing up.  You have to be committed, strategic, and follow-through to keep the community building going and growing.

Thanks, Ryan!

David Merrell, Ruth Moyte, David Fischette

I was so close, I felt like I WAS the entertainment

If you’re looking to amp up your event’s Twitter feed and are bored with conventional aggregators, this event is a beautiful example of art, drama and technology combined.

With high-powered video projectors and their patented video mapping technology, Klip Collective transformed the Art Deco façade of the Edison Hotel in Miami Beach into an eye-catching 3D illusion for the Super Bowl in February 2010. Using light and shadows, the front wall flies away revealing the building’s interior where room-like vignettes transpire. Twitter feeds about fan excitement and Super Bowl predictions appear in word bubbles around the building occupants.

Hired by Anomaly in New York City, Klip shot all content, edited and site-mapped the video projections. Permitting, site selection and custom equipment installation was coordinated and executed by Klip Collective. The site-specific video installation was sponsored by Motorola and the NFL.

If you’ve never heard of Klip Collective or Anomaly NY, well I’m pleased to introduce you. Both agencies shake down the walls of convention. Check out their sites.

Video: Motoblur Hotel from klipcollective on Vimeo.

Now is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk from Carsonified on Vimeo.

As a side, I think it’s very funny how Gary goes on for 2 minutes about how most presenters are full of S%!t – all they want to do is talk about themselves and sell you things. At the end of the 10 minute talk, Gary then goes on to talk about what he’s doing in hopes you’ll buy some stuff. Oh well, good talk none the less. I hope you enjoy.

Guaranteed to be one of the most requested themes for 2010, and some might predict one of the most hated in 2011, Alice in Wonderland is pure whimsy and fantasy. These two words can make any event planner salivate – after all they suggest total creativity. This is exactly what Disney had when they presented a tea party themed design at Selfridge’s & Co in London to celebrate the launch of Tim Burton’s eagerly awaited film. Aptly named the Alice in the Wonder Room, it is an “inspiring curation of curious delights”.

If you’re planning an Alice In Wonderland-themed event, get inspired by this pop-up shop…

All images via Paperoddbird’s Blog

My name is Lara and I’m an SEO dummy. There…I said it. But I’ve found my saviour and I want to share it with you too.

First, for those of you not so familiar with what SEO means…it’s an abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the practice of constructing web pages and entire sites so that they can be discovered, analyzed, and then indexed by a wide variety of search engines (like Google and Bing). Good SEO, simply put, can help the right people discover your website. It’s an absolute necessity. If you’re not using SEO practices, you may just be your industry’s best kept secret (and that’s not a good thing).

But let’s face it – SEO is a science and the rules are changing all the time. It’s overwhelming and I don’t have time to stay on top of it. A little over a month ago I found Scribe: SEO Copywriting Made Simple for my Wordpress blog. It assesses every single blog post after you’ve written it for search engine optimization using analytics I don’t profess to understand. Most other SEO tools will ask for a keyword then have you build copy around it. The problem with this method is that you end up creating copy that concentrates more on keywords than good writing. Scribe doesn’t hinder the creative writing process. Also, In layman’s terms Scribe tells me specifically what to do to improve my SEO score. It also lets me know what keywords have the highest probability of being indexed (among many other great tools).

I signed up for the PRO account since I copywrite for a number of my social media clients, but for as little as $27 USD a month (no long-term contract) you can set up Scribe for your Wordpress blog and be well on your way to a higher ranked site.

I really like Scribe, so I decided to sign up for their affiliate program. If you’ve read my blog over the last 3 years you know that I’ve never endorsed any product before. This is how strongly I feel about it and I hope you enjoy it too. Please let me know what you think!

To find out more click here: Scribe: SEO Copywriting Made Simple

Unbeknownst to me, he’s got a killer story. One that should inspire. It shows us all that if you want something you have to climb, claw and sweat to get it. I hope you enjoy this presentation by Tony Robbins…