Can a favor for a customer grow into a thriving side business? It
did for 4CTechnologies, a Pittsburghbased IBM Premier Partner founded
in 1986. 4CTechnologies would often get requests to help out with
customers' web sites, says Kathy Olek, director of strategic planning
and development for 4CDesign- Works, a division of 4CTechnologies.
We added a person to do that, and it snowballed into branding, flash
design, e-newsletters, and then into other types of traditional marketing.
Thanks to word of mouth from happy clients, the requests increased
until in 2005, the company created 4CDesignWorks to focus on marketing,
both for 4C itself and on behalf of its customers.
In addition to web design, traditional marketing and branding, one
of 4C's specialties is event planning, an area in which the company
has enjoyed a great deal of success. If you've ever thought of holding
your own event, but weren't sure where to start, check out some of
4C's proven tips for making the process go smoothly.
- Consider your audience: 4C
always looks for ways to tailor each event to the attendees' needs
and interests right down to how invitations are delivered. In Pittsburgh,
end users like receiving traditionally mailed invitations; but when
managing events for clients in other cities, 4C will send e-mail
blasts to cater to those markets preferences. They've learned to
always route R.S.V.P.s through a web site either their own or their
client's which allows for data-gathering as well as convenience.
By requesting information such as title, company size and purchasing
budget during the registration process, Olek says, it's easier to
tailor and target the event's content to attendees' interests.
- Ask for help: Co-op funding
from partners can help push your event to the next level, so Olek
recommends expanding your search beyond manufacturers to include
partners in industry and public-interest groups. (Note: Ingram Micro
customers can apply for manufacturer co-op funds at ingrammicro.com/agencyexpress.)
And be sure to start seeking funds well in advance of your event
because, according to Olek, When you bring partners in late, you
just don't get the bang for your buck.
- Make it memorable: If you're
holding your event at a location other than your company's headquarters,
consider choosing an unexpected venue over a bland hotel conference
room. For example, 4C once hosted an e-mail archiving seminar at
a local museum affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. In addition,
Olek recommends adding impact by creating a strong theme and carrying
it throughout the event. For the e-mail archiving seminar, 4C's
team came up with a pirate theme, which was reflected in everything
from the treasure map on the invitation to the venue decorations
and giveaways.
- Be prepared: Over the past
few years, Olek has encountered and overcome every challenge from
missing projector light bulbs to a keynote speaker who was delayed
overnight by a canceled flight and arrived 10 minutes before his
presentation was due to start.
Although some glitches are unavoidable, Olek heads many of them off
by visiting the venue several times to scope out its layout and sound
system, and to look for any potential obstructions that might prevent
attendees from seeing the presentation. On the day before the event,
the entire team holds a rehearsal when show time arrives. They try
to be ready 30 minutes before the official start time to greet early
arrivals. And at all times, they follow Olek's most important advice:
Always make your clients and potential clients feel like they are
guests in your own home.
