Awesome Prize Package for Elevator Pitch Competition! Epson Printer, $1000 in Mentoring, and Marketing Retreat Ticket!

A lot of Startup Princesses often ask me how to get funding for their startups. No matter if you are going to pitch your idea to your spouse, the bank, a relative, or an angel investor… you need a really good 2 minute “Elevator Pitch”…you need to CONVINCE them that your idea will work, that it will be profitable, and that you’re just the right person to execute the idea. So, here’s your chance to practice!!

We’re having a competition!! With AWESOME PRIZES!

Our September 26th annual event, Touchpoint will feature our FIRST Elevator Pitch Competition. This will be an incredible opportunity to receive mentoring, feedback, and refine your presentation skills…and WIN some great prizes too, valued at over $2000!

Here’s how it will work: Five finalists will be selected (you apply by uploading a 1 page pitch document when you register for Touchpoint). These five finalists will compete with a 2 minute “pitch” in front of a panel of top entrepreneurs and mentors, plus the conference attendees will also be able to vote their pick.

Once the Five Finalists are selected they will receive one-on-one mentoring before the competition courtesy of Brock Blake, CEO/Founder of Funding Universe (who hosts regular pitching events for investors), then they will compete at the competition (3pm) in front of the conference attendees and a panel of judges. They will be scored on delivery, potential success of their product/service, ability to execute, and overall passion for their business.

The winner of the competition will receive:

$1000 prize package of in kind services and mentoring from Funding Universe!

A Complimentary Ticket to The Startup Princess November 7-8 Retreat in Park City, The Magic of Marketing to Women Online with speakers Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom and co-founder of Kirtsy and Holly Buchanan, The Soccer Mom Myth Co-Author, and Janet Meiners, Internet Marketing Expert

Epson Printer, valued at $300 with $100 in ink!

plus, more prizes and giveaways to be announced soon!

Deadline to compete will be Sept 20. Register here.

From Humble Wordpress Blog to Online Magazine

Once upon a time (July 9, 2006) I started a humble and simple Wordpress blog with zero budget and zero design… just a great name and a vision to make Startup Princess a world wide site for women entrepreneurs. Read more

How to Avoid Big Mistakes in Marketing to Women Online

Today’s magical wisdom provided by Fairy Godmother Holly Buchanan, co-author of The Soccer Mom Myth, newly released this week. Congrats to you and Michele Miller for making it to the finish line (or shall we say scoring your goal?) A full review of the book will come soon… reading it while I’m on my treadmill! (not kidding) Anyhow, the following article will give you a glimpse of Holly’s work and research. Enjoy! (BTW, Holly, I need a bigger photo of you…sorry it’s so small here).

Women are shopping online in record numbers. The Internet is the perfect fit for women’s increasingly busy lives.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking women shop the same way online as they do offline. Offline, she is much more likely to browse, look around, see what’s new, even socialize with friends.

Online she is task oriented. She does not want to browse for hours. You must make it easy for her to accomplish her goals quickly and easily.

There are specific things you can do to create a better online shopping experience for your female customers. In my e-book, The 7 Biggest Mistakes in Marketing to Women Online, I look at the top mistakes online marketers make and how to fix them. Here are a few of the top mistakes:

#1 – Believing the Lowest Price Always Wins. Some things actually matter more than price. Providing what she feels is a good value is always important. But she may pay more to find something that is just right.

What can you offer to her that perhaps an online store can not? More selection? More product information? A chance to get to know who you are? (You do have an About Us page that tells your story, don’t you?) A chance to gather information and ask questions without feeling pressured? There are many advantages to shopping online. Make sure you take advantage of those advantages.

#2 – Failing to Establish a Relationship with Her. Have you noticed that most websites leave you feeling cold? You don’t feel like you really know who the company is?

Speak her language. Most websites have copy that is formal and full of clichés – “We’ve been in business since 1987 providing turnkey solutions to take your business to the next level.” Try using a more conversational tone, lose the clichés, and get rid of the techno-jargon. Be clear. This does NOT mean be condescending. It simply means if you have a benefit that sounds technical (think product specs) explain how that feature is a real benefit to her.

Read more

Startup Princess News * March 7, 2008

Utah Startup Princesses! You’re Invited to join us Wednesday, March 12th for another FABULOUS event! Come learn tips from members of the media!

Provo City Library – Room 309
(550 North University Ave, Provo)
6:30pm – 8:30pm
$10

This month’s event will feature Jeanette Bennett, editor of Utah Valley Magazine, Utah Valley BusinessQ and UtahValley Bride and Lindsay Adams-Robbins owner of Tapestry Productions. Lindsay’s clients include National Geographic, ABC News, NBC Today Show, CBS News, Entertainment Tonight, ESPN, CNN, HGTV, Park City Television . Come learn what magazine editors and TV producers are looking for in an interview. Ask your pressing media questions, “How do I get considered for a feature? How do I get my product reviewed? How should I prepare for a media interview?” Or…??

Celebrations!

*New* Startup Princess Angel Kuo of innovative new company Giftventure announces their special customized and personalized scavenger gift hunt for Easter, featuring letters from the Easter Bunny, check it out on her site, what a fun idea to try with the little ones in your life! Gotta love her branding and graphic design work and illustrations… beautiful work, Angel. Congrats!

Startup Princess Kelly Transfield of Transfield Sculptures (her husband LeRoy is the artist) announces that they’ve updated their site and have new images and designs, check it out. Nice job expanding your portfolio!

Fairy Godmother Laura West of Center for Joyful Business shares that she is partnering with Evana Maggiore, president of the training program Fashion Feng Shui International and author of the book, Fashion Feng Shui, The Power of Dressing with Intention. You can read more about Laura’s experience with Fashion Feng Shui on her blog at Café Entrepreneur.com. Evana’s program is in alignment with the universal attraction principles so it’s an ideal collaboration of supporting her training program with Joyful Business materials and providing her students and graduates with programs that will help them be more successful in their image consulting businesses.

Fairy Godmother Holly Buchanan’s (with Michele Miller) book, The Soccer Mom Myth was just released (I’m reading it now!) Grab your copy and learn about what women really want, why they really buy…! Holly and Michele have spent a few years preparing, researching and writing this very important book, if you sell to women (who doesn’t???) READ IT.