Kerry Business

The Business of Weddings Ireland

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/06/02 13:28 Posted in Business Networking, Ireland Business, Ireland events, Kerry Business, Kerry events, Women in Business  |  Comments (2)

 Annie Byrne with Videographer Pat Breen, Florist Leona Fitzmaurice (Every Occasion, Tralee), DJ James O’Brien and Niall Tangney (Muckross Park Hotel).  Photograph by Michelle Crean, www.dimage.ie

There are more than 30,700 marriages registered each year in the island of Ireland and nearly 262,000 in England, Wales and Scotland – that’s great news for the many businesses who cater for the wedding market.  Annie Byrne of Aislinn Events is convinced that bringing these businesses together to learn and network can lead to new or improved business opportunities. 

 The first Business of Weddings Ireland conference will be held at the luxury five-star Muckross Park Hotel in Killarney, County Kerry on 2nd and 3rd November 2010.  This is timed for “pre-engagement” season!  Annie Byrne is excited and delighted that Meghan Ely, an expert in PR and marketing for wedding businesses in the USA, will be flying over to be the main speaker. 

 Annie comments:

“This conference is ideal for wedding co-ordinators and planners, bridal shop owners, photographers, florists, bakers, designers, videographers, hairdressers, make-up artists, entertainers, chauffeurs and any other business connected with weddings.  Meghan will be focusing on how to reach and market to “Generation Y” brides and grooms, bridal show marketing strategies and using social media and networking to raise your profile.”

 Annie Byrne (http://aislinnevents.com), originally from Los Angeles,  is an experienced wedding planner and co-ordinator based on the lovely Dingle peninsula; she specialises in working with couples from outside Ireland who want to come to Southwest Ireland for their wedding.  The process starts with “dreamstorming” – a chance for the couple to chat about their wishes so that Annie can come up with a “to do” list, inspiration board and checklists.  Annie has been working in the wedding business for more than five years, involving hundreds of weddings and events.  Her blog (http://aislinnevents.com/blog) is an inspiring collection of photographs and articles.

 Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting lives and breathes the wedding industry and has planned three “Artful Wedding” bridal shows.  She is MD of the Richmond Bridal Association, co-host of Bridesight TV (a webcast show) and Marketing Chair of “Wish upon a Wedding”.  As a writer, she contributes to Virginia Bride and Premier Bride magazines.  Her blog – “Illuminate” (http://ofdconsulting.blogspot.com/) – gives a taster of her tips and ideas for the wedding professional.

 Booking for the conference is already open and there’s an early registration price of €237 until 1st September which includes lunch, dinner and overnight stay plus breakfast in the Muckross Park Hotel.  Killarney is only a 20-minute journey by taxi from Kerry airport (served by Ryanair and Aer Arann).  Book on www.thebusinessofweddings-ireland.com or contact Annie Byrne at hello@aislinnevents.com or phone +353 76 6026800 or mobile +353 87 676 1900.

Kerry Business at Bloom in Dublin

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/06/01 08:04 Posted in Ireland Business, Kerry Business, Women in Business  |  Comments (0)

This time last year Melanie Harty, a Tralee businesswoman, was still putting the finishing touches to the production and packaging design for her range of pepper jellies and launching them in Kerry.  The business has grown so well that this year she will be exhibiting at Bloom, Ireland’s biggest garden festival in Phoenix Park, Dublin,  from Thursday 3rd to Monday 7th June.

 Melanie will be there herself at Stand 5 in the Bord Bia Food Market, a firmly established key attraction of the event. In 2009, more than 58,000 visitors were at Bloom, more than 59% of them from outside the Dublin area.  Over 40 artisan food producers will be at the market, with a wide variety of foods. 

 Melanie comments:

“Bloom is a fantastic opportunity to tell so many people about my products, to let them taste the jellies for themselves and also share tips on how to use them.  When you go to an exhibition like this, the feedback from visitors is really valuable and I also hope to find more outlets who would like to stock my four different varieties of savoury jelly.”

 Already, Harty’s Foods are widely available in Kerry and Cork but the number of stockists is growing rapidly and the popular jellies can now be bought in central and County Dublin and Counties Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, Tipperary and Wexford.  Melanie is aiming high – she won’t rest until they are in all 32 counties!  The jellies are made with all natural ingredients and are an alternative to conventional sauces and dips.  The jalapeno variety is hot and spicy whilst the char-grilled pepper jelly is mild and subtle; the ginger hot pepper, and hot pepper versions make sure that everyone can find a favourite.

 Bloom is open from 11 am to 6 pm on Thursday 3rd June and from 10 am to 6 pm from 4th to 7th June. More information, plus ticket booking, can be found at www.bloominthepark.com

 For more information on Melanie and Harty’s Foods, visit www.hartysfoods.com

Buy Kerry campaign

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/05/07 16:52 Posted in Kerry Business  |  Comments (0)

The Kerry’s Eye campaign to encourage everyone in Kerry to support local businesses is already a great success and is still growing.  We can all help to keep local jobs and to keep small businesses going through remembering to spend in Kerry and buy Kerry products whenever we can.   Click on the link below to watch a video about the campaign

http://www.kerryseye.com/strong_support_for_buykerry/buykerry_campaign_video.html

Kiely & Associates – what do we offer?

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/05/06 14:00 Posted in Business Networking, Kerry Business, Kiely & Associates, Public Relations  |  Comments (0)

What is PR?

“The dissemination of purposefully planned and executed messages to selected media and publics to enable an organisation (or person) establish and build relationships founded on trust, and to enhance and safeguard its reputation.” (Public Relations Institute of Ireland)

In other words, your relationship with your clients or customers – past, current or future. 

OK – so how do Kiely & Associates help with that? 

Step 1            We provide a questionnaire for you to complete so that we can find out more about your business

Step 2            We meet with you to talk about your business and how you promote it – that’s a free consultation, without commitment or obligation

 Step 3            We send you a costed proposal for a preliminary report on ways to promote your business and you decide whether to go ahead

 Step 4            We write the report and send it to you.  At this stage you decide whether to continue to work with us and how.

 Public Relations with Kiely & Associates includes 

  • Press Releases, Photo Calls and Photo Shoots 
  • Newsletters and ezines 
  • Proof-reading 
  • Writing articles for publication on- and offline 
  • Sponsorship e.g. sports team, cultural event  
  • Event management – open days, launches, anniversary celebrations, exhibitions etc. 
  • Business networking – Kerry Businesswomen’s Network; Open Coffee Tralee 
  • Social Media (e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook for Business): three key stages of research, implementation and management 
  • and much more …… 

As a bonus for all clients, we continue the relationship by promoting your events and special offers on this blog and our Facebook Fan Page (www.facebook.com/kielypromote)

Unique Voice Language Institute

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/05/06 13:00 Posted in Ireland Business, Kerry Business  |  Comments (0)

With over 600 expert translators across 30 different languages, Unique Voice Language Institute, based in Tralee, County Kerry has an impressive record of working with individuals, groups and businesses.  In fact, in October last year, the Managing Director Alison Boardman was included in the Top 100 Businesswomen of the Year by the Daily Mail.

Alison describes the business as having three strands – translation, interpreting and language teaching.  Her personal passion is language teaching and she has many years of experience working in Portugal, Hong Kong and Ireland.  Her standards are high across all Unique Voice services and her staff share her enthusiasm for quality and providing a great service, tailor-made to the client’s needs.

Unique Voice offers a range of English language courses throughout the year. They specialise in running in-company short courses that suit the needs of a particular business.  They also run courses in other languages, whether for leisure or business travel or developing international contacts and contracts.

The company also translates documents into all major world languages. They ensure accuracy and confidentiality, working with a team of highly qualified, professional translators.  Skilled and qualified interpreters are provided for business conferences, international meetings and social functions as well as for local community services.

Visit http://www.unique-voice.com to find out more.

Are you in the wedding business in Kerry?

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/05/05 09:11 Posted in Business Networking, Kerry Business, Kerry events  |  Comments (0)

The Kingdom Chapter of BNI (Business Network International) is inviting wedding businesses in Kerry (other than florist or hotel) to join us as visitors on Wednesday 12th May.  Contact Anne Kiely on kielyassocs@gmail.com to find out more.

BNI (www.bni.ie) provides a structured, supportive, business environment in which local business people can get together to network, learn valuable new marketing skills and develop the strong personal relationships that lead to trust and the consequent generation of significant business for each other.  The Kingdom Chapter, which meets in Tralee, was launched on 31st March this year and already has 32 members, generating business for each other.

Siamsa Tire in Tralee

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/05/05 09:02 Posted in Ireland events, Kerry Business, Kerry events  |  Comments (0)

The new programme for Siamsa Tire (www.siamsatire.com) - National Folk Theatre, Performance Programme  and Visual Arts – is out now.   The new Feile Siamsa Tire is on from 21st to 23rd May at the theatre and also the Grand Hotel.  It includes set dancing and music competitions as well as workshops and master classes, a Ceili and a prize winners concert.

Well done to Midpoint Creative (www.midpointcreative.com) on a great new design for the brochure.

Businesses and individuals can support Siamsa Tire through the Cairde (Friends) scheme.   Contact the box office on 066 7123055 for more information.

Kerry Businesswomen’s Network 6th May

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/04/21 15:28 Posted in Business Networking, Kerry Business, Kerry events, Kiely & Associates, Women in Business  |  Comments (0)

It’s time for another Business Showcase to find out more about members of the Kerry Businesswomen’s Network.  We are now up to 85 members, even before we are one year old!

Business Showcase will be on Thursday 6th May, 7 for 7.30 pm at the Meadowlands Hotel, Tralee.  Guests are welcome to attend their first meeting without a fee; subsequent meetings are €12 per guest.    Membership is €60 (until 31st August 2010) and has many more benefits than just the networking meetings.

On 6th May, nine of our members will take ten minutes each to tell us about their business.  We will also have an exhibition for members to display information, samples or demonstrations.

To book a place for this event, contact kerrybusinesswomen@gmail.com

To find out more about the network, visit www.kerrybusinesswomen.com

Bargains at www.shoetastic.ie

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/04/17 07:45 Posted in Kerry Business, Kiely & Associates, Women in Business  |  Comments (0)

Kiely & Associates’ client Amy Hanley has some great bargains on her website www.shoetastic.ie.  Amy sells shoes for ladies with petite feet and also has matching handbags.

Christine Best – Medical Herbalist

By Anne Kiely  |  2010/04/15 08:00 Posted in Kerry Business, Kerry events, Kiely & Associates, Women in Business  |  Comments (0)

Kiely & Associates’ client Christine Best is based at the Herbalistix Clinic of Herbal Medicine, 4 Bridge Place, Tralee.  You can discover the secret healing properties of plants on her course in using herbs for everyday ailments.  It’s on Saturdays 24th April, 8th and 22nd May from 10 to 5 pm.  The cost is €65 per day, or €175 for three days; there will be free samples and tasters.  Phone 086 602 2293 for further information or to book.

“Menopause – a natural transition” is an evening event on Monday 26th April from 7.30 to 10 pm at the Sante Therapy Centre in Listowel.  The cost is €20 per person; contact Josephine on 087 640 3251 to book.