An EXPO for the ages: Businesses flock to MP Chamber event
The 15th Annual Mount Pleasant Business and Community EXPO on Sept. 18 brought out an assortment of entrepreneurs, vendors and non-profits who showcased their wares all under one roof at the Omar Shrine Center.
Moultrie News staff members were in attendance to meet, greet and learn more about the registered participants.
Visitors in search of the fountain of youth didn't quite find what they were seeking, but they did encounter next best thing at the 4EverYoung Med Spa & Wellness Center booth. Representing the firm was co-owner Jon Hilfiger, who along with his partner Derek White have been in business at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre for roughly a year.
4EverYoung, Hilfiger explained, is focused on two types of services: allowing patients to look their best and feel their best.
The anti-aging solutions provider fulfills that mission statement by presenting their clients with a range of aesthetic procedures in the form of Botox injections, facials, hydra facials and fillers. And to help people feel better, 4EverYoung offers hormone replacement, peptides for recovery and healing, as well as medical weight loss.
Everything is done with medical oversight, according to Hilfiger, who manages a staff consisting of a medical director, three nurses and a team of medical estheticians.
"Go to a reputable place and make sure they're doing comprehensive evaluations," Hilfiger advised folks considering any type of aesthetic or health-related improvement. He further recommended that potential clients ensure that they are being tracked and guided every step of the way through their anti-aging and wellness journey.
Pollen Social
Rachel McCall and Keaton Moore were holding down the fort at the Pollen Social booth, a North Charleston-based marketing startup servicing businesses and social media influencers.
Since going live in December, Pollen Social has built up a base of 60-plus clients in search of a better understanding of what's happening behind their online content.
In particular, the marketing firm specializes in analyzing what a viewer's journey looks like after they first see a company's social media post, said McCall.
"Are they going to your website? Are they going to your Google, [Google] Business Profile? How many times are they viewing a certain contact page before they're reaching out to work with you? So really, what we do is we work with anyone who's on social media and we help them with their strategy," she added.
What's more, Pollen Social ensures that clients have a single platform from which to view all content being posted, as well as receiving analytics reports. "Analytics reporting is our bread and better," noted McCall.
The subscription-based business model offers an "essential" package for beginners who are only looking to post on social media; a "growth" option which includes mass text and mass emails in addition to posting and an "advanced" tier which provides the client with Google Analytics, Google My Business data to help them better connect with their customers.
Pollen Social clients can opt for monthly or annual services.
"We're going to be going over what you're posting on; what are the campaigns. So, we would work together to come up with a plan to make sure you have all your ducks in a row — in one platform," assured McCall.
Passanante's Home Food Service
A farm-to-table food delivery business stood out among the EXPOs collection of marketing, home improvement and media companies. For those who have never heard of the business, Passanante's has been around since 1916 and has never had a recall, reminded the company's Director of Marketing Sherry Evans.
When asked why consumers would be better served using their service instead of supermarkets and warehouse stores, Evans affirmed that Passanante's selection of meats, fish and vegetables are superior in quality.
"All our stuff is gluten-free, steroid-free; all of our cattle is grass-fed. [We] sell free-range chickens and we also have seafood which is fresh frozen within 24 hours of being caught," she continued.
Founded in Pennsylvania, Passanante's now has two South Carolina locations in Charleston and in the Myrtle Beach area.
As a "friendly home-service company" clients can rely on, she stated, any food item can be replaced at zero cost.
East Coast AP Marketing
Several customers in need of the perfect merchandise design or logo have enlisted the services of Kristin Arnold over the past 25 years.
The owner of East Coast Apparel Promo (AP) Marketing can add an array of logos and lettering to all types of t-shirts, sweatshirts, headwear, socks, pencils, key chains, cups, candles and even food (i.e. mints, jellies and barbecue sauce), she promised.
"All my clients are anywhere from healthcare to schools to corporations. So, whatever they need ... I can create a logo for them."
Big Bad Marketing
The dynamic duo of Jennè Marlowe and Brooke Joly were on hand to dish out best practice strategies relative to corporate and retail marketing.
While most business owners think they need to be on social media to ramp up profits, said Joly, a more effective way of marketing is building a robust website and email list.
"That way you're connecting with people who have already said: 'Yes, I want to hear from you,'" she observed.
Oftentimes, the winning formula is simply assisting the client on cleaning up their package offer to create a bigger — and more immediate — demand for their product or service, according to Marlowe.
