Last week, we hosted the lovely Fiona Walsh at Yaletown’s Fine Finds Boutique. We learnt how to ignite our sales as Fiona provided her tips & tricks with our attendees! The number one trait to selling is empathy: The ability to look at a product or service through the eyes of a consumer. Here are some highlights from the evening:

Some ways to Ignite your Sales:

- Stop assuming it takes one call to close a deal: The average to catch someone’s attention is seven to eight times. Don’t stalk someone but don’t be unrealistic. Build Visibility, Build Credibility and once those two are in place you will build profitability. 

- Be clear on what you sell: Don’t justify the price. Understand why people buy your product and decide what part of the market to stake out.

- Features versus Benefits: Features are what the products look like and a benefit is what the product does for the consumer. Every buying decision comes down to “what’s in it for me?”. Define the need and match what you want to sell to what people want to buy.

- Ideas for Exposure: Get creative- Do cross promotion with other companies in your area & Create your number one sales pitch for your product.

Fiona spoke about how to get your business from A to B. She said that entrepreneurship is about courage, passion, and vision and its important that each of us be proud of our accomplishments. It was a pleasure having Fiona at our Coffee Chat this month!

One part champagne, two parts macaroons. Add a touch of fashion, sprinkle of female entrepreneurs, and dash of local business and you get the “What’s Hot for the Holidays” event put on by Crave Vancouver and Operation Style. Nestled inside Yaletown’s chic Boudoir boutique was a chandelier chad show room with all of the vital elements for a stunning evening. The interior was lined wall to wall of shimmering holiday dresses, sparkling jewelry & giggling ladies. Introductions were made by Twitter idioms and business brands alike. 

Upon entering this accurately titled hot for the holiday’s event you would find mini manicures and makeovers on hand as well as on the spot stylista tips from the Operation Style ladies themselves. It became evident rather quickly that Vancouver is not only jam packed with some inspiring local businesses, but also a collection of eclectic females that show an outpouring of support for one another. An evening like this showcased these young ladies flawlessly. 

It is only natural that the introduction for me to guest blog for this affair was via Twitter over bonding about cupcakes & getting one’s hair done (at Blo Dry Bar: another infamous female powered local business) with Crave Collaborator Arpen Thandi. 

It seems that now more than ever young entrepreneurs are finding creative ways to unite and join forces to further each other’s achievements. The success of such an occasion cannot be pin pointed to one element. Perhaps it was a mixture of the full moon, bubbly, sweet nibbles and fabulous crowds. Regardless of the makeup it is apparent that occasions which bring together features such as strong networking, supportive brand building and most importantly indisputable fun, are vital to victory. They say it takes a village to raise a child; well it take a community to build a business. At least a successful one with grass roots sustenance and an authentic network of support. What may have from the outside looked like just another swanky party was in fact a power packed room of ladies doing what we do best, connecting, chatting, showing support & well… shopping, naturally!

Azita Ardakani is a social media enthusiast, relentless inspiration junkie and advocate of change. You can find her tweeting away and consulting on new media strategies for organizations, companies and entrepreneurs alike. www.twitter.com/lovesocial

We are excited to announce that CRAVE’s very own foundress, Melody Biringer, & CRAVE Vancouver’s Arpen Thandi will be at the upcoming conference on November 13th & 14th, 2009! Join CRAVE’s masterminds & ambitious young women and be prepared to be blown away!

Think beyond today, this week, this month, this year. Think Beyond P!nk.

Young Women in Business (YWiB) invites our CRAVE readers and supporters to come Stand Up & Stand Out at Beyond P!nk, the business conference for young female professionals! The amazing speaker roster includes:

- Patricia Graham (Editor-in-Chief, The Vancouver Sun) 

- Christopher Flett (Founder, Ghost CEO & Author of “What Men Don’t Tell Women About Business: Opening Up the Heavily-Guarded Alpha Male Playbook”)

- Smart Cookies (The hosts of a new TV show on the W Network and the authors of “The Smart Cookies Guide to Making More Dough”)

- Judy and Devon Brooks (Founders of “Blo” Blow Dry Bar)

And many more….CRAVE supports Beyond P!nk and is looking forward to this event! We will also be at the conference live-blogging alongside the wonderful miss604! Purchase your tickets today! We CRAVE women in business, What do you CRAVE?