This is my first attempt at blogging. I was a big supporter when this phenomenon first started. I was eager to encourage others to blog and enjoyed reading well established blog from artists and writers. When it came time for me I always found an excuse. What am I doing that is so exciting? Then I realized. It doesn’t have to be ground-breaking to be read-able- just my random thoughts.

So with that in mind I must tell you about the sales and marketing conference I attended. This small business conference was put on by Walsh College. The main reason I went is because Jim Hiller from Hiller Market was the guest speaker and the Achastz Pie Company was showcasing. Who can resist that all berry pie? It was an interesting conference because no matter what business we are in we are always trying to sell our product and ourselves.

This became very clear when I met people who were selling insurance, counseling for troubled teens, stables of writers and artists and banking services. So I am selling catering services.

But what exactly? The food? The service? The ease of mind I can bring the host? I think it is the total package.The best way to find out is to listen to your customers and ask questions. This is the part I like the best. To me it is always fun to find out what potential clients are concerned about.

I hear:

What if nobody comes to the party? Will we run out of food? What time should we set up the buffet? Is there enough variety? The list goes on.I think if I hired a caterer I would worry about the food and if it was hot enough.

In Jim Hiller’s address he spoke about a book called “The Purple Cow” about what you can do to stand out from the competition. More to come on that later.  All in all it was a good break from the kitchen and it is always a good thing to take time to ponder the big picture. In many ways, we are really all doing the same thing- buying and selling.