Photography and your Business

IMAGE CREDIT: LIMELIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

So one of the most frequent questions I get asked is “how did I start out with great photos on our site?”

Photoshoots: Now this can be a beast in itself. I’ll be honest, had no idea what a photoshoot or what was expected from my end. Luckily the very first shoot I did was partnered up with MMD Events and Limelight, two partners that were able to tell me exactly what the feel for the shoot was–color palette, overall style, design, etc. From there I realized that photoshoots were a great tool for me to decide the type of shots I wanted.

What to do once you have pictures: Besides jumping up and down because you can FINALLY see your work through a professional photographer’s lens, is decide how the pictures are going to be used. Is the intend of the photoshoot to submit to a great, wedding or entertainment blog, promote a venue or product, or was the photoshoot simply a tool to build the photographer’s portfolio and of course, your own? There can be a multitude of reasons, but either way, just make sure that you are on the same page as everyone else on the team.

The shot (above) was submitted to a great entertainment blog, called The Cake Blog. Got me some great buzz off the feature and right from the start. Of course, the pictures were submitted only after getting the “okay” from the other photoshoot partners (Limelight/MMD Events) and in the end, they were thankful since everyone involved, recieves credit (no questions asked). Again, this goes back to building on those relationships!! If a photographer or other industry partner, sees the value in partnering up with your business, you’ll find that the opportunities will start coming.

Other ways to use photography (with photographer’s permission and credit): I created great photobooks that I take to all of my personal consultations and bridal shows. The books are my voice and I go to them constantly as a point of discussion, for inspiration, ideas, etc.

Investment:Every vendor’s investment in the time, work, products/services put into a photoshoot are different.  In my case, my investment was not only time, but an actual product (candy/desserts). This forced me to evaluate my marketing costs and what photoshoots meant to my work. What is more valuable to me right now? Spending money on ad space in a magazine, or getting involved in a few photoshoots where I could build what, at the time was a weak portfolio. In my case, the answer was clear.

Trade-outs: Sometimes I was able to build on my portfolio without having to do a staged shoot. Whether it be agreeing to do a dessert table for a photographer’s grand opening or a Holiday party for a networking group, I always ensured I would be able to recieve the images afterwards. Again, just simple ways vendors can create opportunites for eachother.

IMAGE CREDIT: CARRIE WILDES PHOTOGRAPHY/STUDIO LAUNCH

Finally….it’s okay to be picky: Now that I’ve been in business a few years, I have adjusted a bit, but overall, I continue to wholeheartedly believe in the value of photography and what great shots have meant for my work. Are there times I say, “No?” Of course. Everything has be a great fit–is this the type of photoshoot you want to participate in? Is the timing right? Can you afford to do a shoot at this time? Is the ultimate purpose of the shoot in line with what you are looking to build on? Don’t be afraid to ask yourself these questions (everytime).

Well, I hope I was able to provide a bit more insight into my relationship with photography and it’s value to my work. Will touch on advertising in a few weeks…

Natalie PLUS Baby Preston (37 weeks and counting)

Marketing–In the VERY Beginning

So every now and then, I receive a few emails from other designers wanting to know how I got started in the VERY beginning, how I started up my site with amazing shots and styled photoshoots of my work, referrals to great partners in the industry, and typically I hold off on responding because the truth is, there were quite a few steps in the journey so I thought I would share a bit of personal insight from when I started.

1. Research…Research….Research (FREE): This is a big, okay huge, one for me. I knew from the moment I decided to become a business owner, that I wasn’t going to rush the process. As much as I wanted “the now,” I was going to take my time. This led me to the big question, of “how the heck do I get myself out there?” I spent hours scouring different businesses in the industry: florists, photographers, planners, wedding blogs, event designers, venues, etc. High-end, low-end, I wanted to soak it all in. I made a spreadsheet with every site I had been to, along with all of their contact information. I also got in touch with NACE, a great organization (along with a few others) that seemed to cater to the businesses I had been researching.

2. Your Visual Brand ($50+): I did spend some time on this, even it wasn’t pretty at first. And if you can invest in this step, I say go for it.  A few weeks ago, I dove much deeper in the topic of  visual branding here. I purchased my domain through Go Daddy and got going through Fat Cow, and had a friend help me with a template (my current site) which had basic functionality, to upload my content and my photos. I designed my current logo using Microsoft Publisher and clip art (if you can believe that). Using my logo, I also created my business cards ($50.00 to $250.00). In the beginning, yes it can be hard, but I told myself that it was more important to just get out there and when I could elevate the look of my product, I would.

3. The Big Plunge, Making Contact ($150.00 to $200.00): I knew off the bat that whatever came out of my hands had to beautiful. At this point, I had done less than a handful of dessert tables with some “okay” pictures but I had to make it work. I went to Staples and got white, glossy laminated folders, clear labels and photo paper. On one side of the folder, I made a personalized letter (not dear Vendor, Dear XX Events) and on the other side, I did a one page collage of the work, along with a mini-bag of jelly beans. I took my Excel spreadsheet of contacts and just went at it. Was this time consuming? Yes! Halfway through, did I want to give up? Um, yes, but then I figured if I stopped then I probably wasn’t built to be a business owner in the first place.

4. Follow Up, Follow Up, Follow Up (FREE): Two weeks after my mailers went out, I went back to my list and followed up with EVERY one of my conatcts via email. And it just wasn’t any email. Every email was extremely personalized. After my “research phase” I would regularly visit my contacts websites so it was easy for me to say “Hello Amanda, my name is Natalie from Chic Sweets. Hopefully by now you’ve recieved a packet of information. Can I just say, that I love your latest blog entry from the wedding you did at XXX. Fantastic!…..” Or something along those lines. And you know what? I was getting responses back! Once they responded, I went onto the next (scary) step which was scheduling meetings.

5. Face to Face Follow Ups ($20 to $25): Again, kind of nervewracking if you’ve done anything like this before, but as I mentioned before, I was determined to make things happen. Although there were a few that did not have the time to meet, for the most part I was able to catch up with quite a few. Before I went into each meeting, I always had a plan/agenda in mind:

•  Introduce YOU: Be honest. Be yourself. Be Authentic. I made a point from the very beginning to put it out there. I was new; still working full time; still trying to make connections; still working on my (weak) portfolio. And you know what? As humbling as it was to be so honest, there wasn’t a vendor I spoke with that couldn’t relate at some level, which in return always made for good conversation and more importantly, great advice and further connections.
• Get to know the VENDOR: Not everything can be about you, right? Just like a job interview, I went into each meeting, knowing as much as I could about that vendor. Visited their website, their blog, facebook page, other vendors they had worked with in the past. At times if I felt nervous or that there was a lull in the conversation, I would go back to what I knew about the vendor and take it from there.
• Marketing Materials: Although I was working full time, I didn’t want to spend a fortune on creating materials for each visit, so I kept it somewhat simple. Since I’m a “sweets girl” I created a small favor package full of sweets, with not my logo but THEIR  logo on the package. I just assumed that I was one of many “newbies” reaching out to these industry vendors on a weekly basis, so why not give them something that was personlized for them? Great response from this AND many times the vendor would go back (after our meeting) take a picture of what I had created for them and post it on facebook or twitter….with something along the lines of “chic sweets visited us today! Yummy sweets” Again, just another small tool that created a buzz.

Okay, so I’m sure there are a few things that I’m missing, but hopefully this gives you a general idea of where I took my buisness for the first few months. Will aim to touch on my experiences with photography, press and advertising in future posts.

Natalie

Meet the Team: Chic Sweets’ Attendant/Designer/Stylist…the list goes on.

Very excited to (finally) have a moment to shed a little bit of light into those that help make Chic Sweets happen. People sometimes give me far too much credit for the work we do  and don’t get me wrong, I’m always so flattered by the love but it would be dishonest if I ever gave anyone the idea that I do it on my own. And trust me, I’m still there at times, and there are quite a few days (I call them “the black-hole days”) where we do everything out of our home and I look like a crazy-mess.  But as Chic Sweets starts to evolve I’m forever reminded of the constant help that we have and in trying to keep it real, I’d be nothing without them.

So let’s start with Vanessa. I met Vanessa when I made the decision to collaborate with my dear friends over at MMD Events on a Style Me Pretty photoshoot with Limelight. It’s funny, there she was…looking absolutely gorgeous and little did I know that months later, that we would connect again. And I’m not going to lie, I was nervous since up until that point, I had been at every wedding, every event, but  Vanessa managed right from the start (well, the first 5 mintues) to ease any fear that I have.

In addition to being a Chic Sweets’ “Candy Girl/Attendant,” Vanessa is also helping out on the creative side as well. She has set up tablescapes entirely by herself and her sense of design and style are just plain impeccable. Not to mention her personality makes for great company and well, let’s face it y’all, dealing with a 3rd Trimester mommy and “the boss man” hubby is not easy. 

Lookin’ forward to working with Vanessa for a long long time and am excited to share more about her, starting with a few questions…

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT CHIC SWEETS? “Candy Girl” 😉 I wear a lot of different aprons at Chic Sweets; I am an attendant, assistant, candy taster, roadie, expert bow tier, and table designer/stylist.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SWEET? Chocolate!

CHILDHOOD CAREER DREAM? As long as I can remember I have wanted to be an event planner! For about 5 minutes in high school I thought I wanted to be in politics. I enjoy the discussion, but don’t have it in me to go that route…parties are much more fun!

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE? In life: Working and being a full-time student for four years was one of the most challenging things that I have done, but I was determined to graduate on time and with no debt! SUCCESS!   With Chic Sweets: Neiman Marcus’ Fashion’s Night Out event, adults attack candy tables in a way that children never do…so incredibly CRAZY busy that night!!! Out of tons of candy in only an hour and a half!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST PART OF BEING PART OF THE CHIC SWEETS TEAM? This probably sounds cheesy, but honestly I have made two AMAZING friends! Natalie and Steve are awesome and have instilled so much faith in me. They have given me such a wonderful opportunity to learn about the industry and to have a REALLY YUMMY creative outlet!

WHAT TWO ADJECTIVES THAT BEST DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Thoughtful and Energetic

Rebranding and Lessons Learned

Hello everyone! Hope all of you are having a great week! I’ve been a bit scattered lately–you would think that having a slow week or two would be a much needed rest, but ironically it just reminds me of how much I need to catch up on….which in turn, makes me want to hide my 7-month pregnant butt under the covers!

In any case, some good news, website and blog are coming along wonderfully. Karrie Pyke has been ever so patient with me and it’s just great to work with someone that just gets it. It also has involved a lot of homework on my end–what do I want the site to look like? Feel like? Ummmm….

To begin with, I was very cautious about entering the “rebranding” territory because I don’t take that term lightly. It seems like everyday I’m hearing about a new site relaunching, but I’m a firm believer in that your logo, the colors, symbols, and tagline do not alone make up your brand. Honestly I wish it was that easy.  For me, a brand is the collection of everything you say and everything you do, all rolled up into what defines your brand. Changes in your approach, redefinition of core values–all of this happens below a level that your client would even notice. So bottom line? A name and a logo are key to getting recognized, but despite what many would think, they aren’t the be all and end all, not by a long shot. And that my friends, has given me plenty to think about.

So on that note, above is a little glimpse into the site…just a glimpse. Still a long way to go but we are getting there. I just can’t imagine how I’m gonna feel when this all comes together–to be honest I have so many feelings at this point, it’s still hard to process. What else is there–let’s see…updating marketing materials, continuously working on inspiration boards, narrowing down photos that will make the site and oh yeah and working on some different concepts that will be included as an add-on to our services. The ideas are there, just can’t wait to see it all come together.

Natalie

Branding and Growth

Hey Everyone! Wow, cannot believe it’s a long weekend and we have no wedding–sooo looking forward to a much needed breather. So although I have a lot of blog goodness stored up in my head, one of the things I wanted to talk was branding. Now that I’ve been delving into this process/journey head on, I’d thought I would share some helpful tips that I’ve uncovered along the way. **Note to self: not an expert here! 😉

1. Be Yourself: Chic Sweets has come such a long way from when we started. I look at myself back then and can only smile–I thought I had it figured out. Who we were, what Chic Sweets was about, the image I wanted out there. I would spend hours scouring the internet ohhing and ahhing over where I could be. However, one of the biggest pieces I was missing in all of this, was myself. Being myself through my work, blog, social media intercation, color palette and anything that I put out there. When I started, I found myself working off the inspirations of other’s and realized at one point…wow…this is not me. I hardly caught myself doing it. Who am I? I love classic looks, no fuss, clean lines. I’m all on board for simple color palettes with a splash of a bold color.  I’m a perfectionist for the details and aim to always bring myself out through my work. I’m also a wife and mother, love doing both, always challenged by finding a common balance in all of it. So in taking the time to redefine my brand, I was somewhat challenged in bringing everything together. Until (light bulb moment) I thought wouldn’t it be great to bring both aspects of my life together and that is what culminates into my brand?

Finding “The One”: So if you’ve decided you want to take your brand to another level, next step will be to work with someone that can take your feedback/inspirational boards that will bring everything all together. This, of course, can be free or costly. Check out Proof Branding; Making Brands Happen; Studio Snyder; or my own designer (shameless plug) Karrie at Karrie Pyke Designs, for a professionally designed logo, blog or site.  I spent a lot of time going through portfolios from various designers, getting references, until I found one that I felt was the best match from an artistic and of course, financial standpoint. I’m all about the baby steps so instead of doing everything all at once with Karrie, we first worked on our Logo and took things from there. This was great because I didn’t feel the anxiety of being contractually held to a designer if things didn’t quite get off to the right start.

***Let me add this as a final thought: Don’t rush the process! As you can see I’m still using a Blogger template and my site was designed by my amazing brother just to help me get the ball rolling. Both have definitely filled my need up to this point. Starting a business is not easy and three years ago I wouldn’t have been able to define Chic Sweets the way it has evolved now. It wasn’t intentional at the time, but now I’m more than happy I took my sweet time before jumping into all of this.

The Design Process: This is where you need to really look into yourself and where you want to be. I literally took a half day, went to a quiet place, grabbed a large cup of coffee and just put various inspirational boards together. Whether it be just various fonts, pictures, colors. The more I felt like I could share with Karrie, the better she could see where I was coming from. When we finally put my final brand together, it came from a constant inspiration board that I was continually updating and changing. Cool colors, clean, modern, designer, mom of 3, family, etc.  And so my amazingly, patient designer took those concepts and turned them into something I felt comfortable (happy) with. Yeah, I know, not easy. Be prepared, this is not going to happen overnight. Your designer will need time and you’ll also take some time out of your schedule to review the changes, mock ups, drafts, etc.

So, again, this is my journey as it evolves and grows and I wanted to share with all of you a bit of where I was coming from. Super excited to see my redesigned blog and site launch and nothing feels better than keeping the momentum going. Hey, I’m making things happen here 🙂

Natalie

Life Interrupted

So when I started this post, I thought it would be about where I was in my life, Lara Casey’s Making Things Happen workshop and how my path has taken a lot of twists and turns as a business owner, wife and mother. I even made a video–can you believe that? It was hard but I felt only I could explain best in my own words. Then a few days before I planned on posting this video, my grandmother (the center of my universe) suffered a major stroke. And while I felt my world closing in, finding it hard to breathe, let alone get through the day…I was dealing with morning sickness.

Yes, that is right, along with the deepest lows, there can be incredible highs which can totally catch you by surprise. Yup, your’s truly is pregnant and in my second trimester. We were excited and nervous but in the end, we cannot wait to bring another “Clamp” into our home. So with a lot of things happening (understatement), I think it would have been easy for me to turn the off button, close the door, and hide under the covers. A few months ago, that would have been the case, but one of the biggest lessons I learned from Lara Casey’s Making Things Happen, is that me, and only me has the power to make. things. happen. And in the end, I took a deep breath and realized that I can do this. That despite the circumstances and hard lessons, I’m going to get through this and come out of it a better person.

So while I’m still struggling to understand my grandmother’s current health situation and doing everything we can to make her better, I’m reminded every moment of the day that I’m going to be a mommy to another little one, sooner that I can imagine. I guess I can say that today my thoughts are simply to take what life has to give you, whether it be wonderful, great, awful, terrible and find that strength deep inside of you to keep on moving forward. Making the choice to open your eyes, get out of bed and live your life everyday with just love and faith, which is what I seem to be holding onto, everyday. Sorry, if that was a little to preech-y.

Chic Sweets: A Year in Review

                                          Image Credit: Luminaire Foto

                                          Image Credit: Carrie Wildes Photography

Image Credit: Limelight Photography

                                        Image Credit: Lauren Pauline Photography

 

So maybe it’s too early to summarize the whole year, but I’ve just been reflecting of how wonderful, challenging, hard and amazing this year has been!

Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be sitting here and living (working) my dream of starting my own business. Never could I have imagined the array of emotions that I would be faced with everyday. This evening’s emotion: just unbelievably grateful. Grateful to those that took me in from the very beginning, believed in me, gave me a chance and continue to be my mentors everyday. MMD Events, Sandy Rule, Limelight, Cyndi Edwards, Carrie Wildes, Signature Events by Design, Staci Mandikas,  Anglo Couture, Diana Tamayo, Monica Varner, Aymee Brace–Thank you for grabbing me by the shoulders and letting me know that I can do this.

And for those that have taken their amazing abilities behind the lens to capture my work-THANK YOU: to Phillip Lloyd, Mark Moberg, CSE Photography, Limelight, K&K Photography, Luminaire Foto, Carrie Wildes, Kimberly Dyer…without your work quite simply, I could not do mine.

The Cake Blog, Save the Date for Cupcakes, Style Me Pretty, Daytime NBC, Good Morning America ABC and Celebrations at Home–I’m not sure what else to say but thank you for supporting my work and bringing it to a larger audience I never knew was even possible. Truly, your support leaves me completely awestruck.

And to my unofficial cheerleader (minus the outfit), my husband. Who has supported me from the moment I sat him down and told him this was my dream. He lifts me up and carries me during the dark days and rallies behind me when I could not be happier. Most of all, he constantly challenges me to do better, be better, and most of all, be fearless. And at the end of the day, I’m not sure I would be at this place without him.

And finally (as if I could not make this any longer)…to my core team…they have loved me, supported me more, put up with me and stayed up in the wee hours of the night working with me…Gerald, Becki, Carmen, Josh, Jen and most of all, my family…THANK YOU.

Sorry for the novel…wasn’t sure it wasn’t going to turn out like this when I started. Just had the immense need to reflect and share all of my thoughts (and love) for this year!

Happy Holidays and can’t wait for 2011!!!!!!!!!

Natalie

The Cupcake Spot-A Little Piece of Heaven!

http://www.thecupcakespotinc.com

As a fan of cupcakes, I have looked long and hard for a Chic Sweets partner that makes delicious cupcakes and I’m happy to say that I’ve found that in the Cupcake Spot! All of the cupcakes are hand-made and all of the flavors are lovingly concocted and combined by the Cupcake Spot’s staff – often using recipes handed down from generations of family and friends.

One of the unique ways you can make your candy buffet stand out is to add elements such as cupcakes. The Cupcake Spot can personalize the cupcakes to fit the theme of your candy buffet table (check out the photo gallery). It looks amazing!

You can enjoy their cupcakes at two locations in Tampa and in St. Petersburg although please note: if you are crazy about a specific flavor try to get there early since they sell out pretty quickly.

Chic Sweets Appears on ABC’s News Now

Okay, so I had the amazing opportunity of being asked by ABC’s Good Morning America’s Tory Johnson to appear on a segment she does on workplace issues/concerns. I took the opportunity to discuss the ups and downs of being and entrepreneur. It was a great experience and opportunity for Chic Sweets and I was thrilled to be a part of it. Check out my tv debut on our website: www.chicsweets.com

I’m hoping to come back again and give them an update on how we are doing and progress I’ve made-I’ll keep all of you posted.