Business and Brunch in Atlanta, GA

Whew my little introverted self is getting out the house y’all. I am not a huge conference or event attendee. It’s because I tend to stay to myself a lot. I’m not talkative, I’m not outgoing, and I always feel lost at events. I know that I have to get out of that going into 2020 so my goal is to attend at least one event a month. I attended quite a few this month but the one I am going to talk about today is Business and Brunch (b+b) that was right here in Atlanta, GA.

Business and Brunch

The event was small which I loved. I think sometimes smaller settings allow for greater opportunities to network especially for introverts. Also, you get to really know people in small settings because you can walk up to them without a crowd. This is great on the flip side because if you are an extroverted person and command a room you will not be forgotten and people will remember you. So here are some things I learned. Some things I already knew but the way it was delivered had me like okurrrrrr. Sometimes it’s not what you say it’s how you say it.

1. Udemy – Go there and learn some things. I have wanted to learn about trello and while I love youtube university I wasn’t getting what I needed from there. I have actually purchased 5 classes from this platform and love it. They always have discounts and it’s a great way to invest in some knowledge without paying an arm and a leg
2. Your business is like a car. Gas is your capital oil change is your budget because you know you have to budget that in when you own a car (own a business) and unexpected things added. When you go to the dealership for the oil change they may say your tire is done for. Always expect the unexpected when it comes to your business. You need gas to keep it running so pay for the things you need, budget for the things that are regulars, and add expenses for the things that come up.
3. Meet strangers there is no such thing as no new friends. Trust me when I say I have met people last week that have helped me more than the folks I knew for years. It can be like that sometimes and you can’t get mad at it. You know who is going to be for you and who isn’t. I was always one to say no, my friends are always going to be there but it’s good to meet new people
4. Don’t do things you aren’t into. I use to be a caterer back in the day but I didn’t love it so I don’t do it. Learn how to say no to things you just aren’t into.
5. Don’t focus a lot on the brand focus on customer service. I’ll give you an example…I need some headshots done so I reached out to a photographer here in Atlanta. I had seen her work and loved what she did but her customer service sucked. She emailed me 3 days later and was kind of rude when I reached out to her on social media to let her know I sent an email her way. I was thinking it went into the spam since she never responded but she saw it and was quite nice nasty when I asked about it. She will not be getting my coins nor will I recommend her for others. Your customer service is just as important as your brand. If you take to long to respond to people someone else who is nicer will come right on in and take your clients. They may not even be the best but their attitude is.
6. Also adding to number 5. If I do recommend you for something and you mess up…trust and believe I will never recommend you again. When I tell someone to purchase from you that is my word…word of mouth sometimes can either break you or make you.
7. Follow up with the people that you meet. I am bad at this. I went to another event earlier this month and 3 people who met me have followed up with me and now we talk on a reg basis. I didn’t follow up with them but I am so glad they followed up with me.
8. Respect the room. Walk in with confidence but also respect where you are. There was a photographer at the event who was the event photographer. I had my camera and could have easily got up and took the same photos she was taking but I am not that person. I respect the room and the people in it. You don’t have to show out and take someone elses shine cause there is enough to go around. Stay in your lane. If you go to a room where there is someone else there don’t be so quick to say I I I shut up and listen and respect others that do what you do.
9. Don’t keep saying you are busy it’s a mental illness. I never thought of it that way but she was right. I am always saying I’m busy but trust me I am not busy for what I want to do. I can sit down and get lost in Netflix so I am not as busy as I think I am. Sometimes saying it makes you get out of things you just don’t want to do in the first place. Instead of saying I’m to busy to come to your event say no I’m not coming and leave it at that. Stop making busy your excuse. Tell the truth as to why you aren’t going or say a simple no. (I am advising myself on this as well)
10. Ask for a seat at the table but bring your resume. Folks are surprised when I say I have a marketing/management degree when I talk about certain things in the marketing world. I don’t know a lot of new things but I am still old school and I have a degree that I worked damn hard for. So don’t say Kita doesn’t know what she is talking about cause I have my resume to prove it.
11. Know your target market. That has been kind of hard for me when it comes to this blog. I think my target market is folks 28 to 50 who love to cuss and it’s 75% women but it changes a lot. So I just say my target market is for those who want to laugh, cry, and cuss folks out lol. When it comes to my photography business my target market is those who are on a tight budget without a lot to spend and small businesses. My sweetgrass roots target market is Charleston, SC or those that are Gullah/Geechee. I need to dive deeper into all of this and I will be doing this next month.
12. Keep your brand out there and go to as many events as you can. Also, switch up your events. Don’t always go to blog conferences go to a food event, or a photography event or a real estate event. You can always learn something new from different industries.
13. Grassroots marketing is still a great way to make good money. I got caught up in the social media bubble and while social media is great I make my money from word of mouth and not social media. The numbers in my QuickBooks don’t lie. I make 80% of my income by simply showing up and being in the room vs an Instagram post.
14. Your family and friends are not your target market. Agree or disagree?

Overall I loved the networking aspect of this pop-up conference. One thing I learned that stood out to me is that your Instagram numbers don’t matter. There were people in the room making 6 figures that don’t even have as many followers as I have.

Which number from the list resonates with you?