Going in a Business Way? Break the Ice with Business Shower!
Yes you heard it right! Business showers are a thing now. While we all have certainly heard of baby showers & ‘Save the date’ notifications for various occasions like birthday parties, anniversaries, house warming parties, gender reveal parties, bachelorette, weddings, engagement and baby showers must have filled our calendars, have you ever heard of, attended or hosted a business shower? If you haven’t heard of this new trend, brush up!
A couple of days ago a meme was making rounds on social media with Elon Musk picture on it. It quickly grabbed my attention as the concept sounded real deal for me! It said:
“Instead of baby showers, let’s host business showers. When a friend starts a business, we all come together, congratulate them and bring resources for the business.”
Business showers are ice-breaking celebration parties, which announces one’s entry into being a business owner, entrepreneur or a co-founder of a start-up while ostentatiously rejoicing in being one’s own boss! We as a family member, friend, colleague, or a peer mark our presence in such parties imparting our best wishes in the form of gifts, supplies or even money to help & support the person meet the huge expenses in the starting phase of their startup journey. A business shower is an idea inspired from the conventional concept of baby showers.
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“A business shower is a business reveal party, or a launch party before the actual launch”
Why do we need to host baby business showers?
How often do we celebrate entrepreneurs who quit their full-time stable jobs so that they can follow their dreams? If you are lucky you may find few supporters. While most of them have others who call them crazy for shedding away their stable corporate career! While it is hard to take a plunge into entrepreneurship and it takes some real guts, if such risk takers are supported, it would make their startup journey relatively easier. One way to show your support is to host a business shower for someone on a quest to make a multimillion empire.
In today’s world, hosting a baby shower has become more like a ritual where husband and wife celebrate this landmark step of going the family way. They welcome the expected family member with a toast and commemorate this most important phase of their life with a bang. Surprisingly, baby showers are just not all about announcing the upcoming addition to your family, money is a major driving force for hosting such gatherings. As with other occasions like birthdays, weddings, dinner parties, you are expected to bring gifts. As uncharacteristic as it may sound, you end up marking your presence in such celebrations with expensive presents even if you do not approve of apparent commercialization of such events. A business shower is no different.
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Certainly , owning a new business is like giving birth to a baby. When we equate business with having a baby, we invariably mean that in both the cases we start a new life, divert all our resources like time, energy, money to grow our business and even go on a sabbatical or paternity leave by saying goodbye to our steady source of income to commemorate this momentous period in our lives. Having a baby is a huge expense, so is owning a business. In short, having business or baby-both are long-term investments and full-time jobs. Despite the fact that they will test our limits, watching them grow will be beyond rewarding and will transcend all the hardships.
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Having said that, if you are starting your own business, you will be needing support from your family, friends, peers and colleagues. Of course until-unless you are a prodigal son. So when you or any of your friends start an entrepreneurial journey, hosting a business shower not only helps mark this incredible moment in life, and let you celebrate this excitement with your loved ones but also help raise funds for business in the from of gifts — a sort of crowdfunding for businesses. Ka Ching!
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“In lieu of baby showers, let us all come together and host avant-garde business showers. When a friend is launching herself as an entrepreneur, let us all come together, celebrate this milestone, congratulate her, bring her supplies, resources, and funds as gifts to help them kickstart their business & be a milestone in their mission to build an empire”.
Business Registry: Setting up business registry for business shower event
When it comes to accepting gifts, you can choose to fund your business or startup needs through business registry just like weddings registry or baby shower registry. Business registries are well-suited for small businesses, freelance businesses, home-based business etc. and in the same way entrepreneurs use Kickstart crowdfunding, or Indiegogo crowdfunding campaigns, founders can launch business registries. One most famous company which offers a simple business registry option is www.amazon.com where you can create a wish list and change settings to identify yourself as a business. Another most common option is www.myregistry.com
One thing that should be taken care of while creating a business registry is that you should provide options with all price ranges and gift cards so that all your supporters are able to participate even with a limited budget. This wisdom is well applied in wedding and baby shower registries.
How to promote your business registry?
Narrate your story
Use your social media page, blog or website to tell your story to your network while making sure to connect with them on a personal note via videos or other engaging content and tell them how you need their support and how they can help you in kickstarting your upcoming addition.
Direct them to your business registry page
Share your URL or business registry link to your network so that they can land on your business registry page and contribute.
Incentivise the contributor
When someone contributes, be it your family, friend, peer or an acquaintance, reach out to them with a personal ‘thank you’ note, or with some small return gift. The idea is to find inexpensive ways to incentivise or thank the donor like discount code to your products and services after you are open.
Make the contributor feel important and a part of your team
Post new updates of the items as you receive them and when you place them in your office, business or the store in an attempt to make them feel important and invested in your business. They will be delighted and will continue to share your business.
As a matter of fact your family, friends and extended social network will be happy to see you flourish, so setting up business registry & arranging business showers is always worth a try.
Benefits of hosting business showers
It helps in your brand promotion
When your family, friends and colleagues attend, not only they bring together with them other guests but also you have your entrepreneur friends from other groups joining you in the party. Your guests invariably click pictures, post them and share on their social media. In a way they are promoting you and your business inadvertently.
It helps you network with other businesses
Naturally, as you spend time with other people from the business fraternity you make new friends, understand what they do and this may open up new avenues for future business opportunities, alliances, or partnerships.
It helps create memories
When you throw a party either on the roof-top, or on the pool-side, the idea is to celebrate this remarkable moment of your life with a bang. It gets you excited, sets you in the right mood before you start your entrepreneurial journey.
Help arrange for resources and funds
Shower gifts are quite a potent reason! Ka Ching!
How to host a business shower?
Wondering how to host a business shower? Here is a simple guide to hosting a successful business shower:
Make a guest list
Invite your friends, family, network and extended circle while making sure to leave behind a few like your aunt who only cares about when you are getting married will not bring the kind of energy you need now.
Send Invites
It can be on printed, or digital but make sure they are beautifully designed as they are the first impression of your event. Do not forget mentioning RSVP. Ultimately Call-to-Action (CTA) skills will be needed in your business.
Choose a Venue
The venue can be your house, a quirky restaurant, or even your business physical location. Virtual showers during pandemic also is an option.
Create a business registry
Do not forget to create a business registry with a list of shower gifts which fits everyone’s pocket.
Rejoice
Enjoy your business shower and create memories.
Show Gratitude
Send in thank you notes or return gifts. And above all be thankful to God for such a wonderful opportunity!
What to buy as a Shower Gift?
Office Supplies
Stationary, Paper, Pen, Envelopes, Clips, Staplers, Notepads, Business card holder, File organizers, etc.
Décor items
Flower vase, Wall Clock, Show pieces, Wall painting etc.
Electronics
Laptop, PC, iPad, Mobile Phones, Printer, Keyboard, Fax Machine, Scanner, Water Dispensers, Fridge, Wine Coolers, etc.
Others Gifts
Gift Cards, Cash, Books, General Magazines, Room fresheners, Goodluck Charms etc.
Well, now you know how to host a business shower, it’s benefits and how to go about it, it is important to make sure you have the company which will want to see you win. Also make sure to Keep away from the negative lot and rejoice your dream of becoming an entrepreneur with all the positivity. Let your business shower bring all the warmth and success! Congratulations! Can’t wait to meet the baby!!
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Originally published at https://theeasywisdom.com on October 31, 2020.
