As a small business, the biggest challenge you face is getting the word out about your business.  It is pretty difficult to stand out from the crowd.

The gurus will tell you, that there are a whole lot of things that you can do, to “Get Clients” including…..

• Direct contact and follow up
• Networking and referrals
• Public speaking
• Writing and publicity
• Events
• Advertising

Interestingly, as you go down the list, the strategies become more and more expensive and less and less effective, for “small” business.

So, the most effective way to grow a small business is through “networking”.

And on any given week, there are half a dozen forums, which you could exploit, to NETWORK.

But the trouble with many of these “opportunities”,  is they are rather hit-and-miss, you really don’t know who will be there and they can get quite pricey.

R120 here and R 250 there, quickly adds up.

And I don’t know about you, but it seems like extortion, when you are asked to pay R 120 for a cup of coffee.

And often the cost of attending doesn’t stop at the very expensive cup of coffee – if you want to be in the IN CROWD, and actually get business – then you need to become a member.

Membership is a BIG investment – often running to hundreds of Rands.

The other problem, many networking functions, really are a gathering of sales people i.e. the people who attend, are all trying to sell their stuff.

So as you sip your expensive cup of coffee, you have to field off, aggressive sales people, who want you to buy THEIR stuff.

They aren’t in the slightest bit interested in what you have to offer.   They’re just collecting business cards, so that when they get back to the office, they can add you to their database and SELL TO YOU.

The  environment  favours EXTROVERTS.

 It is   assumed, if you’re attending the event, you’re going to be able to walk up to   a complete stranger, strike up a conversation and do business.

If you’re a little reserved, you often find yourself drinking your   expensive cup of coffee in the corner, by yourself.

Most networking events try to provide a little education. Sometimes, the education is entertaining and valuable – a lot of the time, it is not. Because……

The definition of small business is relative – as a solopreneur, I am not really interested in

• the latest multimillion rand software package, that can connect the Cape Town and Johannesburg office,
• nor do I want to know how to access BIG money, from the IDC or
• hear about the very newest social media platform, which MUST be added to your social media profile.

I want to learn about tools and strategies that will help MY business work better, but don’t come with a enormous price tag or require an IT department to implement.

I want to know how to use social media, when it is just me, myself and I.  Not a team of full time social media consultants.

INTRODUCING THE WELLNESS UMBRELLA….

The purpose of the Wellness Umbrella is to create a forum for people in the wellness industry to network, cost effectively….  it is built on a philosophy of partnership marketing.

The Wellness Umbrella is….

• It is a loose association…. this means you don’t have to become a member, pay membership fees etc.    You are welcome to attend our meetings and participate in any initiatives that fit your business.  Invite your friends / associates / colleagues to attend – the more people who connect with the Wellness Umbrella, the better for everyone involved, because at the end of the day, the size of your network, determines your networth.
• The Wellness Umbrella is not for profit – the money we charge for you to participate, is what it costs us to provide the service/opportunity.
• To help people make connections, at each networking meeting, there will always be formal opportunity to introduce your business, in addition to the formal introductions, we will provide structured activities which will help people make connections.  If you’re nervous, we can help you to formulate your introduction.
• There will always be an educational component to the meeting – the purpose of these educational slots is to help you develop your business, especially through partnership marketing.  Topics will always be relevant to “small” business and will touch on topics which are relevant to wellness industry.   Both in house and outside experts will be invited to present, during the “Sitting Under the Umbrella” slot of the meeting.

Exciting things can happen under the umbrella

Partnership marketing is about working together…. by creating joint ventures, strategic alliances, partnerships and referrals.

The Wellness Umbrella provides the opportunity for you to meet the “right” people….

to make the connections and do business.

Instead of working as individuals, you can work together with like-minded individuals, to build something bigger.

The Wellness Umbrella will explore opportunities to collaborate through…

• Co-hosted events
• Block bookings at exhibits
• Sharing information
• A directory website
• Masterminds etc.

At the end of each meeting – we provide an opportunity to PITCH proposals for Joint Ventures.  If you have an event, product or just an idea – present it.   In an instant, you can create a team of like-minded people who can make THINGS HAPPEN !

Ready to take your business to the next level ?

Lay your umbrella on the table and join us at our next Wellness Umbrella meeting.

Click here to be informed of upcoming Wellness Umbrella meetings and events.

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Click here to see all our past events