Another business planning and improvement workshop with Fleche Xeno. This time he went over Retail and Merchandising.

As always, Fleche had a ton of information to give to us about what we can do to help with our product presentation. He gave details on comparing vendors versus box that sell one item, and what scenarios that vendors improve compared to 1 item boxes.

After giving us the information about how to present our products, he asked class members to send him a picture of what we show our customers to buy. Each image was displayed and the class got to use their new found knowledge to identify what was good and bad about each image. I learned of a few problems with my own stuff.

Fleche went over store design and layout. He descibed the best case scenarios of how products should be laid out, and why differences exist between real life with psychology and abilities. For homework, each class member is visiting each others store fronts to determine what needs to be improved after learning our lessons for today.

Fleche Xeno gave another presentation for his workshops. This one was for Marketing, promotion, and advertising. I've learned tons on search results. He covered search engine optimization (SEO) specifically tailored on the Linden Lab Google search appliance as it relates to second life.

I learned about how the names of some items on the parcel can actually count against your listings and what to watch out for. In addition, other information is not included in search results (but may be at a later time). I even learned how to hunt for keywords to use, compare them to what is economically feasable with sales vs. placement, and understand where I would break even.

Just as a basic runover, these are some of the topics covered.

1. Search Engine Optimization
2. Parcel keyword design
3. Classified Design (and pricing)
4. Traffic Generation

I can't promote this guy enough. He's really great helping people 1 on 1 to work through the class. He really knows his stuff. Most people I have met in the past who "claim" to know marketing or have suggestions for my business are usually just giving common sense street knowledge that I've already tried my hand at. Fleche Xeno not only teaches you what to do, but gives a reason behind the processes of doing things the way he lays them out, and gives you the methods to verify what you are doing is having an impact.

It's only been a week since my first class where I learned about the Business planning, profit model. I have gathered one week of data using some of the methods discussed in that class. I am able to see the "before" picture of my newly learned knowledge. Over the next few weeks, I am hoping to see an improvement in my business as I apply Fleche's advice.

Although the business planning and improvement workshops have already started, Fleche Xeno is still accepting people to attend the remaining workshops. Each class is offered three times per week to help work around most peoples schedules. There is usually one on sunday morning, tuesday afternoon, and thurdsay night. It is an investment that is worth it. Solid advice from a solid guy. Every other marketer I've met is just a hollow avatar.

I attended the first class in Fleche Xeno's workshop series. I was a bit impressed. More was going on then I had expected. Serious stuff!

The first thing that we did was open up an excel spreadsheet on google docs. The participants went through sales logs and identified how many products we sell per week, and how much money we make in a week with in- world sales only. From there, we went over how much land we use and its tier cost, event costs, traffic costs, advertisements, and more.

In the end, we had an excel document with formulas projecting weekly profits in different scenarios and identifying where we would start losing money.

The class continued on outlining marketing strategies and comparing them to the results from our spreadsheets.

I received a notice from Fleche Xeno about a business workshop. I've talked with Fleche before as he was one of my team mates when we won the 1 Million L$ Idea contest by OSRAM. Outside of the contest, Fleche was into business development and consulting. He's also a commedian. Perhaps some of his sense of humor will rub off onto my comic strip skills.

I've decided to go ahead and sign up for his workshops. With his permision, I'm also posting the information that he sent my way about it.

Business Planning and Improvement Workshop Series

(Voice Enabled-One Way) Designed for store, club land owners, and mall operator.

A hands-on classroom lecture and workshop for;

• content creator who wants to start a business
• business owner who wants to maximize their business potential
• struggling business that wants to improve its business for profitability.

This six week of class will help the attendants plan and create a business model, or fix existing business, according an individualized business plan. This class will give you a road map to profitability, you will have a mentor and your classmates to help you execute the necessary changes.

F(x) Marketing, Retail Lab, Merc, Hellspar (35, 175, 21)

Classes and focus;

1. Business planning, profit model (7/27 Sun 8amSLT, 7/29 Tues 4pmSLT, 7/31 Thur 7pmSLT)
2. Marketing, promotion, and advertising (8/3 Sun 8amSLT, 8/5 Tues 4pmSLT, 8/7 Thur 7pmSLT)
3. A. Retail and Merchandising (8/10 Sun 8amSLT, 8/12 Tues 4pmSLT, 8/14 Thur 7pmSLT)
   OR
4. B. Service-based Business (8/9 SAT 8amSLT, 8/11 Mon 4pmSLT, 8/14 Wed 7pmSLT)
5. Building long-term customer relationship (8/17 Sun 8amSLT, 8/19 Tues 4pmSLT, 8/21 Thur 7pmSLT)
6. Data-tracking, metrics, and profitability report (8/24 Sun 8amSLT, 8/26 Tues 4pmSLT, 8/28 Thur 7pm SLT)
7. Business Review, expansion planning, and staffing. (8/31 Sun 8amSLT, 9/2 Tues 4pmSLT, 9/4 Thur 7pm SLT)

The same class is scheduled 3 times a week, at different times. You attend any one of the three class in the schedule week for your convenience.

• Sunday Morning - 8am.
• Tuesday Afternoon - 4pm.
• Thursday Night - 7pm.

Class attendance limited to 5 person. Pre-registration is required. IM Fleche Xeno for questions and registration.

Each individual class is 1499L. The entire series is 7999L and represents a saving of 1000L. This is also a substantial saving over the typical consulting fee which runs over 8000L a week.

F(x) Marketing, Retail Lab, Merc, Hellspar (35, 175, 21)

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Fleche has accompanied us to help and start our new business. Starting from zero, till the business we have now.

Within 1 month, he helped us set up a store, helped us search for the best vendors to sell our ASCII gestures. He gave us ideas and helped to plan for a grand opening. Fleche has a huge network of people to help and advise him, he knows his way around in SL. He's always able to help us out with anything (explaining to a real "newbie starting with a business" how to box & bundle items and sell them on SLexchange).

Even after our business contract was finished, he helps us further with advice and his commercial thoughts and ideas. For example: how to set up things our own land (streaming, access list, textures on the land when someone makes their picks on your land) ?showing us how to see what traffic you have at your land/store?. He's always willing to explain why things should be arranged in a certain way ("put your store at first in Picks, so people get their interest in your business and teleport from there").

When you ever want to talk to us personally about the work he has done for us, you can IM : Bernice Kappler & Areal Payne.

Bernice Kappler, B&A ASCII Gestures

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If you are interested, just contact Fleche Xeno in-world.