Small Business Forum 2011

On Tuesday, October 18th, entrepreneurs and small business owner’s gathered to seek insights from veteran entrepreneurs, investors, marketers and social media experts at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This opportunity gave young entrepreneurs an insight about business and uncovered new opportunities with the help of knowledgeable speakers.

Attending Enterprise Toronto seminar helped young business men and women try out new technology; share thoughts in a social media feed, and watch software-as-a-service and mobile application demonstrations.

We have participated in the social media stream, ScribbleLive, of the Small Business Forum 2011, by tweeting and using Facebook. The social media stream of the people present were shown on a big screen in the digital zone.

Some interesting seminars were about ‘How Youtube & Other Social Media Grew My Business’, ‘Intellectual Property’ and ‘Cloud Computing’. In my opinion, the most interesting was about ‘Engagement Marketing’. This seminar was presented by Lisa Kember of Constant Contact.

These were the main interesting points she had to share;

The Days of Mad Men are over. A company cannot invent its own brand anymore. The brand of a company is not defined by the company itself, but by the consumer. Every day an average Canadian will be faced with 30.000 ads every day.

These are three important ways of branding, sorted by impact.

1) Word of mouth is still the best tool of communication
2) Search engine processing
3) Advertising

An important fact is that ‘people trust people they don’t know talking about a company more than advertisement of the particular company.’ An example of this is sites such as Tripadvisor.com or other websites of reviews.

Great relationships grows business.

Three facts about conversational marketing (engagement marketing)

1) You have limited control over your brand.
2) You must provide a great customer experience for survival.

”He profits most, who serves best”

3)  Relationship matter. You must first earn permission to engage. When permission earned, the likelihood to buy or recommend increases greatly.

In order for engagement to succeed you will need to use both mail and social media to succeed.

In short: engagement is key.

For more information about the event go to: www.enterprisetoronto.com

www.twitter.com/enterpriseto

 

Fan Expo: The world of fantasy

The heart of Toronto made room for one of the largest events of its kind in the world. The 17th edition of the Fan Expo. This incredible event took place from August 25th until August 28th in the Metro Toronto Convention Center. With 700 exhibits on over 400,000 square feet it was believed to attract more than 75.000 fans.

Even on my way to the event, the streets were full of people dressed into their favourite character. It made people turn their heads.

The event is paradise for the lovers of Anime, Comic, Sci Fi, Horror and Gaming. With celebrity guests, autograph signings, Q&A sessions, seminars and workshops, one could not take the time to stand still. Add up to this the countless comics, books, toys, trading cards, posters and more and you have one incredibly successful event. The event was surprisingly not only for the obvious. Many parents also came with their children for a fun day off.

3D flatscreen tv’s hooked up on Xbox360 and Playstation 3 were immensely popular. Music and (fashion) shows were provided by horror punk bands, fashion brands from Japan and an army of Star Wars fighters. And the celebrity guests keep on getting better.

The most recognizable celebrities of this year were:

Sam Trammell – Sam Merlotte – True Blood
Tom Felton: Draco Malfoy – Harry Potter
Robert Englund – A Nightmare on Elmstreet, V, Supernatural, Babylon 5
Hayden Panettiere: Claire Bennet – Heroes
William Shatner: Captain James T. Kirk – Star Trek
Kevin Sorbo: Hercules – Hercules: The Legendary Journey
Eliza Dushku: Echo, Faith – DollHouse, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Michael Shanks – Dr. Daniel Jackson – Stargate SG-1
Malcolm McDowell – Dr. Tolian Soran – Star Trek: Generations
Nichelle Nichols – Uhura – Star Trek
Marina Sirtis – Deanne Troi – Star Trek: The Next Generation
Ethan Phillips – Neelix – Star Trek: Voyager

A wide selection of devoted fans and countless of things to do made this a memorable day for all.

For more information go to: www.fanexpocanada.com
For more pictures go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cityeventstoronto

Fall Wedding Ideas

Need a little style inspiration for your fall wedding? Design an elegant fall wedding that pays homage to the season with some of our favorite new ideas. , It’s all about texture, deliciously rich colors, glamorous touches, and a few elements that say “fall”.

1. Textured Linens
Tablecloths in tactile, visually intriguing materials like quilted or ruched silk, linen, or velvet. Use fabric with a crimped look or multiple textures, or layer two tablecloths, sheer velvet on top of taffeta for instance.

2. Bright Accents
For an of-the-moment look, mix subdued neutrals with surprise pops of bright color. One stylish bride ordered custom-made napkins in natural linen with magenta silk undersides, which peeked just slightly when they were folded on the table.

3. Seasonal Napkins
Tie them with a small bundle of millet or a crab apple accent for a fall feel. Look for inexpensive seasonal napkin rings at places like Crate & Barrel or Pier 1. You can also make your own napkin bands using velvet or grosgrain ribbon.

4. Fall Aisle Style
Add a seasonal touch to your ceremony by using shafts of wheat or bunches of grapes as aisle markers. It’s harvest season in the vineyards, so say your vows under a pergola covered with grape vines.

5. Metallic Details
Metallic accents continue to be huge, from classic silver and gold to more unexpected (and fitting for fall) pewter copper and bronze. Mercury glass vases will add glamorous pops of silver to cocktail tables and centerpieces. Gold and silver leaf accessories will liven up any table or place setting. Beyond vases, think napkin rings and framed photos telling the story of your relationship.

6. Dramatic Glass
Black glass or crystal will add a fashionable and unique touch to tabletops as onyx crystal goblets or vases. Fill the vases with champagne-colored flowers to heighten the drama.

7. Classy Chandeliers
Add flair to any space with chandeliers. Consider a modern piece dripping in Swarovski crystals, or vintage varieties filled with candles.

8. Indoor Foliage
If the weather requires you to stay indoors for the reception, but you want to add a natural element, rim the room with potted deciduous trees showing off their most electric fall colors.

9. Fall Gobo Effects
Another way to bring the season indoors: Illuminate the dance floor or the ceiling of a tent with a branch pattern and warm amber light. It will look as if the early evening sun is streaming through the trees.

10. Mood Lighting
By using LED light fixtures, you can easily change the mood for different portions of the party. Start cocktails with a sunny effect; move to pink and purple sunset tones on the walls and ceiling during dinner; and then slowly morph into a deep blue with white “stars” as you and your guests take to the dance floor.

Make your event a success in 3 steps

1. Be attractive to guests:
* Offer them specials, something they can’t have somewhere else.
* Choose a well-known venue based on users reviews.
* Give personalised and original goody bags

2. Communication as a priority:
* Mobilize all your social networks.
* Don’t forget the influence of Facebook.
* Use social media for better coordination.
* Let them know everything about what is happening and who is coming.

3. Make your event special:
* Insist on the first and the last impression.
* Energy, Surprise, Spontaneity, Emotion.
* Discussion and contact between people is a priority.

Lenzr Adds New Photo Contests to the mix

It’s time for another Lenzr contest cycle. This round is a great opportunitiy for all  professional photographers out there. This contests always aim to inspire people to think outside the box, but this round speaks to the months of summer and professionals.

A Manufacturing Process:

The first contest is called A Manufacturing Process. Lenzr was approached by a software company for help finding images for the process manufacturing and lean manufacturing pages. The winners of this contest will receive a 3 year licensing agreement for photo use (not exclusive) and $250. Take pictures of a machines during their robotic work. A great example is bottles waiting to be labeled. The software company is also offering $75 to three other members for their photos. This contest is strictly for professionals, if you think you have the talent to win it, then enter now.

Classy Summer Drinks:

The second contest is Classy Summer Drinks. Capture the essence of summer time in a glass. This is one my favortie constests because it’s a great way to end the summer. I spent a lot of time this summer on patios enjoying cold drinks to cool down.  It can be a fruity drink or simply citrusy. Show Lenzr how you spent your summer and how you cooled down from the heat. Don’t forget to add some ice to your drink, the sponsor of this contest, a stainless steel ice cube tray knows the importance of the great chill . The winner of this contest will get $400 worth of product from the sponsor’s catalogue. The choice is yours. I would love new stainless steel items for my kitchen.

Both contests started on August 1st 2011. Just like all Lenzr contests, this is a 60 day challenge. Voting for the top 10 photos begins on September 15th but you can upload pictures until the 25th of the same month. The judges will deliberate and announce the winner October 1st.

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