Wiztales is a SaaS startup that helps businesses connect with their teams and audiences to build relationships via virtual events services. The Bengaluru-based SaaS startup is founded by Sumanyu Soniwal. Startuptalky took an initiative to know about their strategy in hiring employees to build a great startup team and how they got clients for business initially. Here is an opinion shared by Wiztales.
Insights shared by Mr. Utpal Khadagi, the Director of Customer Success, Wiztales.
How did you get your first client/first 10 for your service-based company?
Wiztales was founded with the goal of providing tech-driven solutions to the event industry. We began with the idea of bringing experiential tech-based solutions to physical events. But with physical meetings gradually shifting to video calls during the pandemic situation and the growth of the IT sector, businesses realized that virtual events are easier to manage and can give larger coverages. The exposure to the virtual world quickly evolved at this point.
At Wiztales, we leveraged our technical strength to create a virtual event platform that catered to each individual client’s needs. We soon launched our beta version to event partners and agencies who were searching for a ‘Made in India’ solution. These agencies/partners were our first customers, and we worked closely with them to make this platform as strong and user-friendly as it is today!
Hiring initial employees for your company, what to look for in them?
As a new-age company, we choose people based on their skill set and potential of growing at work, not just their basic track record and past experiences. We look for bright individuals who are self-motivated, disciplined, technologically savvy, and believe in and understand the capabilities of our product. We provide equal opportunities for everyone in the firm to develop and grow with us and believe that talent cannot be judged by work experience. Every individual should be given the time and space to learn at their own pace.
What are the things a founder must focus on and how to maintain that among so much noise?
It takes time to produce the ideal product for the market, but I believe that nothing is impossible if we have the desire to achieve it. Working as a team, selecting like-minded teammates, and doing your homework on what needs to be done, who will do it, and how goals can be achieved are the keys to success. A company’s founder must wear blinders and stay focused on the company’s vision.
As members of the industry, we have to keep tabs on the latest developments. Furthermore, maintaining a calendar and keeping it up-to-date, as well as compartmentalizing duties, can be beneficial to a founder and the company’s growth. We also believe that learning must continue as it helps us to grow as a company. The more we learn, the more we grow in terms of business and experience.
We are living today in the age of the “new“, whether it is the innovative ideas, new ventures, or startups that the new-age entrepreneurs are bringing forth. A boom of ideas means an overpopulation of startups, and we are standing amidst a galaxy of startups already in India and abroad. Though these startups may seem many, only some actually manage to stand the test of time and a lot of it depends on the founder of the startup or the entrepreneur whose brainchild the startup is.
An entrepreneur today needs to be alert, updated, know the market, and look into the future demands to mention the basics. Along with them, numerous other tips would help an entrepreneur stand out, and their startup, thrive. So, if you are an entrepreneur and you are eager to get an edge on the others in the space including other experienced entrepreneurs and rivals, then you can keep this StartupTalky article handy. This is because here you will be learning about 8 effective tips that will benefit you as an entrepreneur.
There are many entrepreneurs in our Facebook group (StartupTalky). Some are successful, some are in their strugglingstage and some are just learning before implementing. In the group, we often ask people to give tips they learned about startups. We believe that every person on this planet has something unique to teach us. So, here are some tips from those entrepreneurs and we are sure, you can learn something from them. It’s always huge to hear from successful and experienced people who are in the same field. So, check this article out to discover some of the most valuable tips for entrepreneurs.
This is very unique advice but a very important one for developers. Before launching or even making a product, you should approach people and ask them if they need your product and are they willing to pay for it? Try asking them online if not offline. You can go to Facebook groups and many other forums. Knowledge about your target audience is a very crucial piece of information before launching any product.
People are not attracted by the features of your product at the very first, but the first thing which attracts them is the appearance. So, focus on the looks. Try hiring a freelancer if you are not very creative in designs. Later you will be glad that you made this small investment in hiring a freelancer or professional for this purpose.
Boost Your Focus
Many times when we try to focus on our work, our brain starts thinking things like, will Avengers return? Or your brain just starts playing songs in the subconscious mind. So, to trick your mind and boost your focus and productivity, you can play Binaural beats in the alpha frequencies. They will make you focus more on the task. Or, you can play the video embedded with this point to find it out for yourself.
Track Consumer’s Psycho-graphics
You can study and research the customer’s data. Find out what they like, when do they buy or why do they buy it? This data will help you to make a better decision about your product. This will help you to create an effective and better marketing strategy. To get this data, you can directly ask the consumer or conduct surveys on websites or blogs. Online surveys can also be conducted through common social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Keep Interacting
There is no substitute for real interaction. You cannot buy anAI system to do that. Real interaction helps you to build trust and goodwill with the customer. It also helps in staying updated about the customer’s choices and preferences. However, you don’t always have to meet your customer to interact, you can be active on Social Media too and stay connected with them through common online platforms. Try going live on your page. Or reply to the comments. Try to answer messages related to any query. This helps build a connection between you and your customer and builds a sense of trust in them.
Stay Charged-up
You don’t always have to work hard and keep working. Some fun between work is also important. You can have some fun with your team. Although too much fun is informal and not good for the company, you have to balance everything. Try going for a short weekend vacation with your team. Or just get them some gifts. Also, don’t forget to wish and motivate them in the morning. Celebrate good performances and results together. Doing all of these massively boosts the motivation of your team, which will ultimately help you in achieving better results.
Rate Values
You must have heard when a legend said: “If you are good at something, never do it for free”. No? Then you are missing one of the most amazing movies in history. Anyway, if you think your product or service is good enough, then never deliver it for free. And it works vice versa. If you want really good service, never expect it for free. Even if you have found a free substitute, then always remember, a substitute is always a substitute.
Whenever you get a chance to collaborate with someone, never miss the chance. Collaborations are a great channel of Marketing. People will check you out if you collaborate with someone. It not only works on YouTube or Blogging or Social Media but on any type of business too. Ever wondered why some company gives free products like “Buy 2 Britannia bread and get a Parle biscuit pack”. This is all just to promote the product. Companies collaborate in this way and make people test the product while making a profit. Try doing it.
Conclusion
These were some tricks which were discussed in the comments of the posts on the page of Startup Talky. You can try these tricks out. These were not from very big entrepreneurs, but from those people who are still on their journey of a startup. That is why they make sense as they are tested by those people. If they don’t benefit you, they will not harm you either.
FAQs
Effective tips to benefit New Entrepreneurs
Find Clients Before Launching Design Matters Boost Your Focus Track Consumer’s Psycho-graphics Keep Interacting Stay Charged-up Rate Values Collaborate
Bill Gate’s advice to New Entrepreneurs
“If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to build theirs.”
Elon Musk’s advice to New Entrepreneurs
“You’ve got to do all sorts of jobs and tasks that you might not wish to do, that are not intrinsically interesting to you, You’ve got to be prepared to do whatever it takes, work whatever hours. No task is too menial. I think that’s the right attitude for the CEO of a startup.”
Event planning is a cool job to have but hard to execute and make a living out of it. The event planning business is a grey area that only a limited number of experts know in and out. There are five basic skills you need as an event planner. You don’t have to go to a specific school, follow a specific course or education on event planning. One gains event planning education through experience and actual projects. Planning can be quite needy and hard at times, and that’s where real-life experiences help.
An event planner who makes money out of selling events is no less than an entrepreneur. It’s different and a bit harder than working as an event planner on the payroll for a company that pays a set salary every month. Either way, you need to gain experience and basic knowledge. Networking is the most effective strategy for event planners to find new clients with a significant share attained through social media.
You need to know about planning. Though it’s obvious by the name, several event planners are not able to plan. As an event planner, you have strict deadlines and you should hit those deadlines earlier rather than later. A lot of event planners think they can delay a bit but that’s equal to inviting the client’s wrath. Those event planners who tend to procrastinate should know that their procrastination will lead to difficulties. So, you need to plan well not just for yourself but also for your team and clients.
Listen to Your Clients
A lot of people go into the event planning business with their perception of what a good party or event looks like. You should bring in your ideas but in the end, your client needs to be happy with your services while you cater to their needs. If your client comes to you and says, “Oh, I want a balloon themed party, ‘ and you bluntly disagree with the idea, it means you are not listening to the client. A client’s requirement has to be met; after all, you’re being paid for meeting certain expectations. Add your creativity while adhering to the customer’s core requirements, and listen to your clients. The event is meant for the customer and he or she needs to be happy.
Manage Your Finances
You need to be good with finances. A lot of event planners don’t know about managing money. As an event planner, you work with a tight budget. It’s good to be cool and awesome while planning the event but don’t go overboard with the budget. You always need to have an emergency fund to bank on if things go awry.
For example, if you order a cake and the baker doesn’t show up, you need to have some extra money to order an alternative. If you do not have basic financial skills, work on them immediately. Your clients will be not fond of your service if they are forced to spend more than their budget.
Be Prepared for Everything
Creativity is the secret sauce. Through creativity, event planners can find solutions on the spot when everyone else is flipping out. As an event planner, you often troubleshoot when least expected, even though you assume everything is planned well. Your clients can turn the course of the entire event in five minutes before and you have to be creative to solve such issues.
What if the caterer turns up late? You arrange for quick bites. If there are electricity problems, the generator you had as backup comes to the rescue. The scenarios are innumerable, you may not be able to prepare for all of them. However, even a small attempt at mitigating the effects goes a long way.
Learn to Handle Criticism
One of the most important skills you need is having nerves of steel. As an event planner, you organize the entire event and also lead the way for others. You need to be strong enough to handle client criticism.
You need to be disciplined to ensure your team does what is to be done and they are not slacking off. If something goes wrong, you bear the brunt as the lead. You need to have nerves of steel to tackle situations when you or your team members get stressed out due to unforeseen circumstances.
A lot of event planners start to buckle under stress. That’s when events go wrong, learn to handle criticism. Learn to keep calm in the midst of the storm because everyone looks up to you to make the event a success.
Research About Event Planning
Now on to the business side of being an event planner. So go and research how many planners are in your area, what do they work on, and the potential clients in the area. If you live in an area people don’t have money to hire an event planner, you will only sit at home and be frustrated. After all, people won’t be able to afford your services.
If you want to be a freelance event planner or a workforce member, you need to do your research first. When it comes to finding potential clients. figure out if you want to work b2b so business to business or b2c (business to customer).
Get Experience
Finally, you have all of your event planning skills in your pocket – you know your target group, your market, how many event planners are there in your area, and potential clients. However, it only matters when you have real-time experience. If you don’t have event planning experience, start by organizing small parties and events for friends. Do such events for free or for a small fee and then start using their references for your portfolio. Ensure you get enough footage like pictures and videos of the party you organized because that’s going to build your first portfolio item which you can then show to paying clients.
If you have no event planning experience, start helping out here and there. If you can get an internship, grab it. You can learn a lot from an event planner that’s been in the business for a long time. Sometimes you start two to three months ahead and there is a lot of turning wheels you need to keep an eye on.
Do your homework, make sure your basic event planning and organization skills are up to the mark before you start setting events. Otherwise, bad reviews are inevitable and that’s not good for your business.
Choose Your Specialization
It’s better to specialize in a certain type of event. For instance, you may plan a kids’ party. But if you are not into kids and have an “it’s another job” mindset, it will never be as amazing as planning a press event or a company party that you’re passionate about. You may initially take up all kinds of events in the beginning, but there will be a time when you’ll have to specialize.
To make sure there are enough events for you to sell, it’s a good idea to specialize in a certain type of event. You can be a wedding planner, kids party planner, company event planner, or press event planner. If you have public relations experience, you could easily cross over into PR events. There are so many events like hen parties, and bachelor parties, you can even plan funerals.
Specializing in an event sets you off from the crowd and it will help you sell that event without too much competition. Figure out if there is anyone that is doing the same type of event that you want to specialize in.
Get a Website
You need to get yourself a website, you need to start posting the reviews you get from friends, smaller jobs, or employers. Add photos, videos and other graphics that reflect the assignments you have taken up. People need visuals to rate an event planner.
Documenting every step of the way is a good idea to get your event planning business off the ground. Create a workflow that fits you. Make sure your workflow has your clients face minimal or no stress. The same goes for you. Your workflow needs to be smooth, it should be a template to quick-start planning events.
Conclusion
Planning an event is a very big responsibility, everything depends on you and how you follow all the steps to make the event a success. Those who are venturing into event planning for the first time, need to research and be aware of how to plan properly, through this only one can become a good event planner.
FAQs
Which is the first event management company in India?
Touchwood entertainment is the first listed event management company in India.
What makes a person the best event planner?
An event planner has to be organised, must have a keen eye, and have good observing sense.
How much do event planners make?
An average Event Planner with 4 to 9 years of experience makes INR 4 Lakhs a year.
In the corporate world, where one wrong move can lead you to offload the board, it’s very important to make every move and take every decision after evaluating, to get the right outcome. Body language and the way of speaking are basic psychological traits that one need to focus on while meeting new people for any purpose whatsoever. Communication is a key aspect of any business or organization as it amplifies the relationship to throttle up the results.
To throw light on the roadmap for the people who are new to the corporate world and to make them a pro in their game, we have compiled a list of psychological hacks to make your work-life somewhat trouble-free. These traits will help you to understand your coworkers and guide you while approaching strangers in social gatherings. So, let’s get started.
Cool Psychological Hacks to Make Corporate Life Easy
One of the most common feelings is nervousness. When you start a conversation with a stranger, even though they are your business client, it is normal to feel a little bit overwhelmed and agitated. At this point try to ease yourself into the conversation. As a matter of fact, this happens because your brain is scared of exposure. In this situation, try to control your mind and ease into the conversation with the client.
From our very childhood, we have been taught to not interrupt in between when two people are talking. However, sometimes there comes a situation where one has to interfere. Here comes the technique to analyse body language. Now, before interrupting, look at the feet of the person, if they turn only their torso and not their feet, it means they are in the middle of an important conversation and they don’t want you to interrupt them, if not you can put out your point.
Whenever it seems that the conversation got heated and there is a chance of a mammoth argument, then simply stand next to the person and avoid standing in front of such person. Finally, this will automatically reduce their temperament and avoid unwanted turmoil.
Be vocal about your needs. If you require any help, then you need to directly approach the person and spell out that you need help. This will reduce loads of drama and delay. So, always adapt to this direct approach not only in the office but also in life.
Keep on nodding your head when a person is communicating with you so as to make them feel like you are indulged in their conversation. This will make them realise that you are listening to them and is interested in the topic that they are presenting in front of you. Also, if you want to get a positive response from someone, nod while you talk.
If you want to check whether the person is listening to you or not, just fold your arms. It will not only help you to check the concentration level of the person in the conversation but also make them aware that you’re serious about whatever you are spewing.
It’s a good trait to remember the other person’s name while conversing. While presenting a project, using the name of your client in the conversation, again and again, makes it more interesting and makes the opposite person feel that they are valuable.
Sometimes during addressing the public, you need to let them see your emotions, it also helps in making your speech more indulging and interesting. Pay attention to the small things like taking a pause after a few minutes and engaging the public in the topic by asking them to ask questions if they have any. Try to follow simple tricks to get the attention of the crowd.
If you ask someone a question and they only partially answer, just wait, give them some time they will keep talking, when they will feel that you think their opinion is valuable. Don’t change the topic or speak too fast, wait for their reply.
Give a person validation and rephrase their words at the end of a conversation. As it gives the other person satisfaction to know that you are listening to their words carefully.
Confidence is the key element here. If you are not familiar with the subject of the discussion, don’t let it see in your body language. Keep your confidence intact and handle the situation smartly without losing it, but don’t get overconfident, it can lead to a disaster, just play smart.
Don’t get succumb to any pressure. If you want to be persuasive, try and reduce the use of the words ‘I think’ and ‘I believe’.
Keep on looking at the people of the group and observe the way they are interacting with each other. This will show the real feelings of the people in the group.
Stay active and give a warm reply to the greeting received from the other person, this will make them feel that they are important.
When someone insults you, either ignore them or mock them. Never lose your temper, if you do, that is where you lost.
Conclusion
These are some of the hacks that can be used to improve your social skills. The corporate world is interesting but it can be harsh as well, one needs to play smart and use the hacks to make their work-life comfortable and easy.
FAQs
Are Psychological hacks necessary in the office?
Psychology is important in the workplace, it helps in understanding the behaviour of the opposite person and also make you stand out in the crowd.
What are the two psychological hacks that can attract customers?
While showcasing your products, try to use the emotional attachment of your customers.
Use colour psychology, to implicit emotions in your customers.
How many times has it been that you find yourself trying to get into your client’s head and understanding them? If you’re a salesperson or an entrepreneur this probably happens to you every single day.
The problem here is that it’s difficult to understand what your client wants to say or convey. And to get things more stressful is the fact that if you can’t let your clients open up then you can’t actually turn that prospect into a customer. And even if you’re reselling to the customer and you aren’t able to understand their current needs, it’s possible you don’t retain their business.
People aren’t always easy to decipher. You need to put yourself into the client’s shoes and understand them so they feel comfortable opening up to you, connecting to you, trusting you, and providing you information. We have brought you some ideas and tips which will help you understand your clients much better and also help grow your business.
In most cases, the problem lies not with the failure to talk to the client, but it’s with the failure to listen closely to what he/she is saying. To provide the correct and relevant information you need to understand the client. And don’t just listen to reply to them, but to understand their way of thinking.
When you listen closely to clients, they provide you with information and trust you, then you may present your pitch accordingly and even though this doesn’t provide you with an opportunity to sell, this provides an opportunity to be a valuable asset to your client to advice and for guidance.
2. Build Rapport/Trust
If you’re looking for a long-time profitable relationship with the client, it shouldn’t be all about business. Don’t get right down to the sales pitch. Try to make the client comfortable, like, and trust you. Let your guard down, let the customer connect to you, relate to you, and use it for the sales advantage.
Building rapport is very important in sales. One should never stop building, even when you’re trying to sell.
3. Be Attentive
When interacting with the clients’ it’s important to remember that it’s not about you, it’s about them and the client should be doing most of the talking. When the client is talking, you may find the urge to respond, resist the urge and let the client talk otherwise it derails the whole conversation. The more you listen to the clients, the more you understand their ideas about you and how can you be useful to them.
Speak only when you need to correct or clarify what the client is saying. Set your priority to understand the customer, not to speak about the product. This helps in establishing a strong connection and hence, more sales.
4. Undertsand the Client’s Vision
One of the easiest ways to understand your client is to find out what they’re looking for. Find out what is it that they want and what is it that they’re trying to achieve.
If it’s B2B, try to find out what do they want the business and where do they want to take it. What goals have they set for the growth of the business?
If it’s B2C, try to find out what do they hope to achieve with your product or brand. What are they aiming for?
It’s easy to know what the customer might need at the time but it’s important to know where do they want to be in the future and what’s getting in their way from reaching there. Knowing their vision will help you help them.
5. Research the Competition
Just about every client out there will have competition. Try to find out who the competitors are, find out where they may have stumbled upon and use that to your advantage. You can avoid making the same mistakes and level the field if not anything else.
Look at the important areas pricing, user experience, feedbacks, user expectations, etc.
6. Keep Track of the Trends
Try to keep track of trends in the market and how you manage their positive and negative impacts on your clients in a professional relationship. Through this, you’ll be able to assist your clients well. It is also an excellent way of checking work processes and throwing out the flaws if any. Try to use every experience to better yourself.
7. Follow up for Feedback
In hectic times, we forget to be in touch with others. Consistent communication with the clients is a very good way to maintain client relationships positively. Even if you feel a client is not exactly satisfied, don’t run away instead try to reach out and connect to them and get to know how can you better yourself. Trust is an important asset for keeping long-term client relations. Clients who are most satisfied can also provide valuable feedback.
Developing positive relationships with clients is very important, this means understanding their needs, offering smart and impactful solutions to their problems. Try to become a valuable asset and advisor to every client that comes your way. Always try to keep a channel open for dialogues with the clients, this provides an upper hand.
The most important step for a successful sales engagement is to understand who you’re dealing with, what do they want, how do they want whatever they want. Having a good knowledge of your prospect is invaluable. Without knowing who your client really is, you’re just firing blanks.
The better you know your client, the better you can pitch your sale. It’s very important to know who you’re selling to and you can only know that when you try to understand your prospect. All these will make you perform better and increase your sales hence, growing your business.
Use these tips to truly understand your clients, deepen client relationships and user experience. This will definitely increase your engagement and put you at the top of your client’s lists.
FAQs
Why is understanding your client important?
Understanding your clients is important because providing customers with good service will build your relationship stronger with the customer and they will help you get more leads.
What are the ways of communicating with clients?
The most effective ways to communicate with customers are E-mail, Website, Text Messaging, Web Chat, and Social Media.
What factors most influence the prioritisation of clients’ needs?
Factors that influence prioritization include client condition, safety factors, available time, and client preferences.
To strengthen the relationship with clients, it is necessary that all the workers in a corporate organization should put their effort efficiently. There are many gifts that are given to employee and clients to tell them you care. Customized and handmade gifts are preferred over factory made products. So, here is a list of Corporate Gifting Ideas for employees and clients.
Pen and pen sets
One of the classiest gifts is Pens and Pen sets. To add to their charm, people can place them in classy and sleek boxes. It is a great promotional gift that encourages customers to make business relationships with their favorite corporate companies. This gift touches the customers, heart as it as an everyday requirement. These gifts are easily available in the market and are mentioned as valuable gifts.
The fashion forward idea is to gift customers T-shirts, probably with a nice message printed on it. Fabric can easily be purchased from the market and stitched in different sizes and patterns to meet the needs of all customers. This gift reaches many people and is a favorite among a large group of people. T-shirts enhance the look and style and last really long.
Ties
Presenting a tie to the customer is denoted as a valuable gift. It is encouraged among people who are working in a corporate office and higher positions in companies. It makes people feel proud while walking down the aisle at work. It is frequently used in the corporate world and holds a great value for people who wear them regularly.
The most popular corporate gift is presenting coffee mugs. It makes personal sentiments among customers and associates. Coffee is a great social stimulant and keeps the mind calm and makes the customer remember the person who sent that gift.
Cufflinks
Cuff links are a fashionable gift and useful when people are using accessories to dress up. It is a little expensive when compared to other gifts but it creates a long lasting bond of loyalty. Personalized cuff links are also easily available and thus becomes the best corporate gift that can be presented to anyone.
Today, paperweights are considered as much prized gift item and it is most remarkable gift while lying on the office table. But the usage of paperweights has decreased because of the arrival of gadgets. Designer paperweights are attractive to look and can brighten the office room. It still remains as one of the thoughtful gifts for people with busy schedules in office.
Photo frames
The most lovable and caring gift is to present photo frames to customers. It touches the customer’s heart and maintains sentiments between customer and associates. It is pocket-friendly and can’t be forgotten by customers. There are many varieties of photo frames and it can easily be chosen by customers.This is one of the corporate gifting ideas for building good customer relationship.
Today, the use of mobile phones is a casual thing. It is used by everyone in the world. So, keeping that device safe is necessary. A mobile phone holder is an extremely thoughtful corporate gift. There are many designs available in the market for mobile phone holders and it impresses the customers. It can easily be picked out in bulk amounts.
Card holder
On the basis of regular use, the corporate companies can present card holders to customers as gifts. But, don’t get afraid that card holders are made up in same designs; there are many designs available in card holders nowadays. It holds not only the card but also a great amount of customization and personalization.
If the customers want stationery gifts, then the corporation can choose to gift organizers and diaries. It makes the customer experience the visual thoughts in customer relationship. It leaves an impression because of its use and also constantly reminds the recipient about the gift giver. It can be picked out in bulk amount and reaches many people.
Conclusion
This was a list of gifting ideas for clients or customers. Now personalized gifts are in more trend.
Preeti Karna
