BUSINESS NEWS
Sequins, Sparkles, and Glitter …Oh My! Ms. Sparkle Shines at Drag Queen Show, BeDazzled by Jamie Brinkman
N
ewly married and happier than ever, Adele Lux-Lehman, propri- etress of Adele’s at the San
Clemente Inn, is one gal that never stops smiling. From the moment you walk into her restaurant, you can’t help but break into a grin. Adele Lux-Lehman is one of those
people that just enjoy making people happy. From her great, home-style food to the general atmosphere in the restau- rant, to her quirky sense of style and humor, Adele is a bundle of joy. For some time now, her restaurant
has offered live music and entertain- ment on the weekends, but up until a year ago, nothing quite like what the BeDazzled show has become. This classy drag queen musical act has be- come so popular, that it has expanded from one night monthly to every single Saturday night. It all came together when Adele met
Ms Sparkle Stone while Ms Sparkle was performing at another drag show in Los Angeles. Knowing that she would really like to spice up her restaurant’s perform- ance lineup, Adele was on the prowl for some raw, tasteful talent. After taking in some shows in the area, Adele and Ms Sparkle came together and fashioned a very spicy proposal – to co-create and pro- duce a classier version of the typical raunchy drag shows that are more popular in West Hollywood. It was Ms Sparkle’s dream to one day have a show of her own, and Adele’s vision to add more of a produc- tion to her event calendar. Together, they created a musical show, completely unique, to be performed only at Adele’s, and to be named BeDazzled. As a result, every Saturday night Adele’s
quaint homey restaurant is transformed into a flamboyant, glitter infused night hall. There are usually five to seven drag queens performing classic songs, dressed as the artist from the song. For example, the night I attended, Tina Turner, Joan Jett, a dancer from the Moulin Rouge, and Barbara Streisand all performed, each played by the gals of BeDazzeld. Ms Sparkle, the producer and co- cre-
ator of the show, starred in many numbers and also made the costumes for the entire performance. Ms Christie Champagne hosted the evening, making sure to keep the jokes and innuendos clever and classy. “We’re all about being classy,” says Ms
Sparkle Stone. “Eighteen – 80, we want all ages to be able to enjoy their time with us.”
Ms Holly, Ms Sparkle’s right-hand gal,
does make-up for MAC by day, and per- forms by night. Though most of the girls
Marketing Your Small Business Strategies For Success
You can have a spectacular product or service, but if no one knows
about it you still have it at the end of the day. Many small business owners fall short of effectively mar keting their goods and services, resulting in lost revenues and lower profits. In addition, during economic downturns, marketing budgets are first to be sacrificed, which further erodes sales and financial stability. As a prerequisite to developing effective marketing, it is important to do some homework. First, know who you are. How are you per ceived by your customers
in your current mar ket? What is your business identity or brand? Second, know your competition. What are their strengths and weaknesses, and what differentiates you from them? Finally, know your current cus- tomers. How old are they, how often do they make purchases, how far do they drive to make purchases, how much do they spend-you can not know too much about your existing clients. Now you are ready to plan a coordinated mar keting strategy. Remem-
ber, marketing has three goals-convince new customers to buy, convince existing customers to buy more, and convince existing customers to buy more often. Here are some marketing suggestions: • Timing Is Important. Make sure your market ing reinforces an al- ready positive climate to pur chase your product or service.
• Be Unique. Stand out in the crowd. You are competing with bil- lions spent by other companies to influence purchasing decisions.
apply their own makeup, if anyone needs help, they go to Ms Holly. From birthday parties to bachelor par-
ties, family events to fundraisers, Adele hosts it all at BeDazzled. The night I at- tended, BeDazzled hosted a charity event for the Orange County Chapter of Special Spaces – an organization that provides bedroom makeovers for children with life threatening diseases. Denise Sutherland, the owner of the South Orange County Chapter, recently created this chapter and needed to raise money to embark on her first bedroom makeover for sick children who spend most of their time confined to their rooms. The restaurant was packed, and it
seemed like the event was going to be a huge success. All of the money that the queens collected that night was donated to the charity and the event just happened to raise enough money for Denise to begin her Chapter’s first bedroom makeover for an Orange County child. Not only does Adele provide entertain-
ment, but she is all about giving back to her community as well. You can catch the girls, Sparkle, Holly,
Christie Champagne and the other ladies of BeDazzled, every Saturday night at 8 pm … and of course Ms. Adele will be there for the show. If you get your tickets before- hand its only $10! At the door, tickets are $15 and if you book dinner reservations beforehand, you get Premier VIP seating. The martinis are huge, the gals are fab-
ulous, the disco balls are spinning, the glit- ter sparkles, and the laughs will roll. So if you are in search of some marvelous enter- tainment, dinner and a show, look no fur- ther than Adele’s and get ready to be dazzled!b For reservations call 949.481.1222
• Focus on Message. Craft a message that conveys well-being and image in the minds of your customers. Remember that successful campaigns express underlying feelings-fun, excitement, romance, health, or status-as a result of the sale.
• Test Small and Measure Results. Don’t spend limited resources without assurances that you are on the right track.
• Think Outside the Box. Explore nonconven tional markets and mar- keting tactics.
• Do PR. Don’t overlook public relations to get your message across. • Take the Personal Approach. Be personal with your customers and give yourself local appeal. Use your size to your advantage.
• Include Employees. Involve, inform, and train every member of your staff in your mar keting initiatives. Current employees are your best ambassadors.
• Target Your Audience. Choose your advertis ing mediums carefully, and make sure they corre late to your target audience. Advertising outside your market area has diminishing returns.
• Convey Urgency. Give your customers a sense of urgency in their marketing decisions. Have you ever wondered why car dealers con- tinually over purchase and sell at super low prices to reduce inven- tory?
Remember, marketing dollars are limited for many small businesses.
With thoughtful creative planning, those dollars can go a lot further. Mis- guided efforts can cost you dearly.
Lynn Wood CEO/President
CSAN CLEMENTE
www.scchamber.com 1100 N. El Camino Real San Clemente, CA 92672
SANCLEMENTEJOURNAL 31 (949) 492-1131
hamber of CommerCe
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