Labels: fishbowl3, january, owain, sales, update

Just before promo event held in The Innovation Centre

Labels: fishbowl3, networking events, owain, promotion, video

Labels: 2010, fishbowl3, launch party planning, owain, priorities

• Getting investment
• Setting solid foundations for the company
• Being involved with many networks in Leicester
• Having at least 50 company contacts
• Website set up running and ready for orders
• Testing our sale system and suppliers
• Having a clear 6 month plan for 2010
• Made some money!

• Test suppliers thoroughly
• Have clear plans from the beginning to keep focused
• Have clear financial plans to be clear on required amounts of investment
• Be more clear with developers and set financial and time targets
• Search around for best service and best value in all suppliers
• Set ourselves sales targets with bonuses and reviews

Labels: 2009, achievements, fishbowl3, owain, plan and review, review

Its comes to a time in all young businesses where you want to get onto rooftops and tell everyone you've finally arrived. I think the best way is to throw a launch party but where to get started?

The idea came to me when I was chatting to a business advisor about the next steps for Head & Griffiths. We discussed why it would be beneficial and what I should hope to gain from it so this is what I did to plan it:

1) I wrote a plan including possible times and dates, venues and preferred entertainment. We also gave ourself s a budget so we didn't spend a fortune but came across in a way that suited us.
2) We spoke to our mentor to make sure we had the right plan of action.
3) We then chose a suitable venue our thinking was close to where most our guests work and with the right sort of feel for the company. As soon as we decided we got in touch to book it and sort out nibbles and drinks for our guests.
4) We thought about 'what's in it for us' from the perspective of the guest and when getting invitations printed off we also printed some vouchers for discounts for all who are invited.
5) We booked the entertainment that we thought would best fit the venue and guests invited.
6) We sent out invites and gave out as many as we could personally as we thought that would give us an edge over other invitations. It also meant people have a chance to put a face to the name, as some of the people were recommended for us to invite.
7) We made sure we chased up the vip's who we wanted to come, to ensure that they were.

That's where we are right now. The part is tonight and everything seems to be going relatively smoothly!

So next time I blog it will be about the success or not. Optimist to the end!

Owain

Labels: fishbowl3, launch party planning, owain

After many months of planning it is now time to actually start selling. This critical stage has been delayed due to a lengthy wait for our website which we wanted done correctly. It started to dawn on me the other day that all the planning, preparation and procrastinating was coming to the end and the days of “we are just in the process of setting up” were over.

I think it’s fair to say that it came as a bit of daunting realization that my main job is now to be selling and working on new avenues to market and strategies that increase sales. I have always enjoyed making sales and the ‘test sales’ have been great but the general public are not as forgiving or as understanding of a startup.

We have decided on five ways to begin the process of selling:

• A launch party – to get the word out there to people locally who can give feedback and pass on the company to potential customers
• A social media publicity push – this is a very cheap way of increasing people viewing the website and hopefully making sales
• Joining networking groups – This is a great way to meet lots of people and specifically for my company its likely to be my target market. Its also a great way to get people putting your name around
• Publicity stunts – Low cost stunts like standing in the city centre with a roller banner is usually free and gets people knowing we’re out there and hopefully checking us out! Just need to make sure we get the go ahead from the right people.
• Use our connections – Ask all the contacts we have accumulated over the planning process to put the word out.

Owain.

Labels: fishbowl3, owain

If you have ever heard the phrase “you’re a walking advert” well this is sooo relevant as a start up business as I found out the hard way today! I would have to say that I like to think I am a pretty good face of Head & Griffiths I go to lots of networking events and speak to as many people as possible about what’s going on, always wearing one of my suits.

So why did I let my guard down today when meeting a well dressed and respected business man! I found out we were meeting early this morning while in the office but instead of rushing home to get a suit and shirt on I thought “naaa it will be fine”.

 I met the extremely well dressed entrepreneur at their workplace and immediately felt out of place dressed in polo shirt and jeans (which very soon after leaving did I realise has a split in, yup crotch). Never do I meet new contacts without a suit on and in future I will make sure that I am going to be wearing suits or at least a shirt of mine every day just in case! Gutted!

Labels: fishbowl3, owain