This month’s team member spotlight is recognizing the team members that received this year’s Awards. All year long our team works hard, helping others celebrate life. On our staff, we have a collection of very talented and driven people. Their work at events and in the office is commendable. We have some incredible high performing team members.
But what we value and recognize the most are the team members that best represent our core values. They drive the spirit of what we are wanting to do and who we want to be. They help shape and define our culture.
We have even structured our annual team awards around these values. Starting this year we have created 6 awards to honor hugely impactful team members. Our entire team voted and here are the recipients:
Authentic: Max Poteete
Inclusive: Vanessa Robbins
Never Satisfied: Chandler Gietzen
Humbly Confident: Nick Malizia
Focused on Impact: Conor McQueen
Team Player: Lathan Ford
Congratulations to our winners. It speaks very highly of their influence that they were selected by their fellow team members. Thank you for helping lead our culture and inspiring our team!
Welcome back, everyone! As you may recall from last months newsletter, we discussed how your product is more than just a place, it will become the backdrop for your client’s most precious memories. Now let’s discuss the second “P” which is:
PRICING
Seems easy – you know what your product is worth to you. But what is your product worth to someone else?
This component is not so much a number as it is a value and a value statement. Value includes the many facets of your product. In order to provide value, you need to know your own value. Speaking of value – do you know and communicate your values? Knowing your core values, what you stand for as a business and being able to effectively communicate that to your market increases your value.
Do you know the pricing and values of your competitors? How are you perceived by your competitors? Again, knowing the value of your unique product attributes allows you to strategically set a price that is sound within your market. Consider that every piece of information and messaging, either confirms or calls into question your value and price. For example, your website and the information on it, your social media, your communication methods with prospective clients, the buying experience you provide, your follow up or lack thereof – all either validate or invalidate your value and price.
I encourage you to take a look at your business with your “outside” glasses on. The glasses of a prospective bride or groom. What does your pricing structure say? Are you on the high side of comps? Can you effectively justify that based on the value you provide? It can only be justified if you know your value and values. It can only be justified if you are communicating your value, the unique offerings that set you apart from the company next to you, in the same segment of your market. If you deserve that fee – EVERYTHING you do should justify it.
Stay tuned for next months article, where we delve into the third “P”, Placement!
With thousands of Central Coast wedding venues to choose from, getting started can feel daunting. Let us help simplify your search.
From vast landscapes of rolling hills sprinkled with vineyards and rustic farms; to coastal towns with seaside charm; cliffs overlooking the beautiful Pacific ocean; or lush orchards and tree covered canopies. The wedding venues on the Central Coast will take your breath away, and it can feel impossible to choose just one for your big celebration, but you know what can really help narrow it down? Having a comprehensive list of venues all in one place. Over the course of many years, Kramer Events has had the opportunity to get an up close and personal look at some of the greatest venues around, and we want to share our knowledge with you! That is why we have created Central Coast Wedding Venues, a free resource dedicated to making your search for the perfect venue far simpler.
Not only does this resource contain hundreds of Central Coast Wedding Venues in one location, but it also makes it very easy to narrow your search based on your wedding day needs. Break down your search by region ( San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara County), style ( garden, vineyard, ranch, oceanfront, etc.), layout (outdoor/indoor), capacity, and services offered.
View all listed venues in grid mode, or view a map of the Central Coast with pins placed in the areas where venues are present.
Each Venue profile contains a brief description of the venue as well as a link to their website and all pertinent contact information to make your job easy and stress-free. No need to do additional Google searches, we have provided you with everything you will need to contact any of our listed venues to ask questions or arrange a site visit.
None of the venues we have featured here paid to be included in our database so rest assured, any venue you consider from within this list is highly reputable and completely endorsed by the Kramer team. We want nothing more than for your celebration to be above and beyond your expectations which is why we have taken the time to showcase these beautiful and professional venues.
As you head into a new season brimming with opportunity and possibility, it’s time to hone your game. Last month we talked about some marketing myths and some foundational marketing concepts. You may recall the basic four “P’s” of marketing being, Product, Price, Placement, and Promotion. Let’s address the first one,
PRODUCT
As a venue, you may think this is obvious – and perhaps from your point of view, it is obvious. You’re not selling flowers, suits or transportation, you’re selling a place – hopefully, the place. But from a bride and groom’s point of view – their venue is so much more than just a place. It’s the backdrop for their “forever memories”, it’s their beginning, it’s a gathering place for those closest to them, it’s where they’ll celebrate, it’s where they’ll spend their first night perhaps. There are many emotional buttons that your venue may or may not push for your couples. The key to your success is understanding what their emotional values are. How? Ask and then LISTEN – they’re happy to tell you. Once you know what motivates them emotionally, you can share the pertinent information that will most meet their needs.
For example, when you meet with a couple, ask them what they are looking for in a venue. You’ll be blown away by the answers that have very little to do with a “place” and often have to do with the emotional reaction or experience they are looking for. We’re looking for a great celebration, we want our families to connect, we want our friends to have a great time, we love nature, we want everything to be convenient, or I want my family to stay together on the property. Your venue now represents connection, celebration, convenience, nature, closeness – THOSE are the things you sell – your product! Once you know this, your website, social media, print advertising should all consistently reflect that message.
As a marketer, I would encourage you to refine this much further by defining your unique offerings, or your unique selling opportunity. What attributes differentiate you from the venue down the road from you? How do you do business different from those around you? How do you create a personalized experience for your couples? These attributes are what your unique product is. This is often a time to define the core values of your operation. This product information should be replicated in everything you do.
Stay tuned for next months article, where we delve into the second “P’, Price!
Meet Melissa, the Heartbeat of the Kramer Events Team.
If you haven’t met Melissa you are missing out. Her positive attitude and energy are infectious. She brightens any room she walks into. And lucky enough she’s one of the first people you get to talk to when you are calling the office.
10 years ago she joined the team to run the front office and help our customers find the event services they need. As an event consultant, she’s a huge part of what you get when you work with our team. Just read years worth of our wedding wire reviews and count how many times she’s mentioned.
We definitely wouldn’t be where we are today as an organization without her helping deliver amazing experiences in the planning process for our wedding couples and the businesses we work with. And our office definitely wouldn’t be as much fun without her energy there. From time to time you’ll see her turn up the music and start an impromptu office dance party.
She also wears her heart on her sleeve and would stop everything she’s doing to help a friend or brighten someone’s day.
Melissa, you are awesome! But of course, I’m a little biased.
What happens when Kramer Events, one of the top Central Coast DJ and Entertainment companies teams up with SLO Brew Rock, one of the hottest new venues on the scene? A totally rad and innovative event, that’s what!
You will not want to miss this game-changing collaboration! It is going to take the concept of a corporate party to the next level.
Come join us and kick off the new year in style with delicious food and craft beer provided by SLO Brew as well as entertainment by Kramer Events.
Many of the most impactful moments are celebrated through an event where people gather around those they want to be surrounded by to help them celebrate life. Then it clicked with our team as we realized why we are here.
Sippin’ wine, fine dining, cruising around on a party bus, and great company? ALL ON A WEEKDAY! Learn why the Kramer Events Wine & Dine Tour is a networking event you won’t want to miss!
As many of you already know, networking with fellow industry professionals is incredibly important for the overall success of your business, but sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the noise of large networking parties and events. That is why the Kramer Team decided to create the Wine & Dine tour, a small scale networking event designed to bring together active members of the Central Coast Wedding and Events Industry in a casual and fun way.
Since the last few tours were a huge success, we have decided this is something worth repeating. The next Kramer Events Wine & Dine tour will be held on February 4th and the team has big plans as to how we will provide even more value to our guests this time around.
What to Expect on the Kramer Events Wine & Dine Tour
So, you may be wondering what this event will look like, so I will give you a brief rundown of what to expect.
Morning meetup at the Kramer Events office for coffee and breakfast goodies before heading out on our tour (North County pickup is also available as needed)
Fun transportation aka party bus provided by Slo Safe Ride
An informative tour of up to three Central Coast Wineries
Small bites and a full lunch, catered by a fabolous caterer.
The opportunity to network with a handful of key players in our local industry
This is a great opportunity to not only network with other industry professionals but the intimate nature of the event allows you to really get to know one another and forge authentic relationships which are such a vital part of doing business. We really want to see how this event can benefit you and your Central Coast Business and most importantly we want you to have FUN while you “work”!
Here are some photos from our previous Wine & Dine Tours.
At Kramer Events, we are always striving for improvement and innovation in our industry, and our BRAND NEW photo booth takes this concept to a whole new level!
Designed and crafted from scratch by our former lead technician Kris Teunissen, the new Kramer Events photo booth is a perfect combination of the classic photo booth experience with a modern flair that makes it a unique addition to any wedding or special event.
The New Classic was created with the intention of taking the Photo Booth experience to a new level, and it has certainly achieved this in more ways than one. Some of its innovative features include:
A lightweight design that is easy to transport and assemble in a fraction of the time.
A one of a kind, handcrafted wooden exterior that provides a sleek yet classic appearance.
A built-in compartment for power cords to maintain a neat and visually appealing setup.
A tilt feature, making the booth more accommodating to children and taller individuals alike.
A compact design which greatly minimizes the amount of space needed for setup.
The Kramer Team is stoked on this new addition to our lineup and even more excited to say fair well to the dinosaur that is our old Classic Booth.
Guidance for events has been released in almost every state. When California releases their official guidance we will adapt to meet their requirements. We expect this to happen by end of February 2021.
We are working alongside California Association for Private Events and SLO County Event Coalition to help Sacramento create guidelines.
Current SLO County Emergency Information available here
In the meantime, our business has adopted the following best practices to ensure your event is as safe as possible:
