Author: Nora Sheils

Nora Sheils is the co-founder of Rock Paper Coin, the first software platform to bring together wedding planners, couples, and vendors into one system for managing and paying contracts and invoices. She is also the founder and lead wedding planner of award-winning firm Bridal Bliss. She was recently recognized by Portland Business Journal in its 40 Under 40 series.

Wedding Industry Biz

5 Ways to Leverage Technology to Support Remote Leadership

By Nora Sheils on

The industry’s post-pandemic resurgence has brought back everything from live events to in-person networking. With the wedding boom (finally!) starting to quell, many event pros are settling back into their routines. Yet, for many businesses, one underlying shift remains a part of the “new normal”: remote work.

There are countless benefits to remote work. For one, employees are often more productive when provided with flexible arrangements. A better work/life balance also boosts morale across the board. Pair a happy team with the cost savings of a virtual workspace, and it’s hard to argue for the traditional in-person, 9-5 setting.

And with coworking spaces and meeting room rentals on the rise, many event pros have settled into a comfortable hybrid approach to collaborative work.

But doing client work remotely isn’t the same as leading a team remotely. While you might churn out timelines and floorplans on the go, it’s not as simple to oversee shared projects and manage staff from a distance. As your team grows, so does your leadership role — and it’s vital to use technology to support an efficient and supportive work environment for all.

If you (and your team) appreciate the idea of remote work, aim to harness the power of technology in these five ways to keep your employees motivated and engaged.

Read More “5 Ways to Leverage Technology to Support Remote Leadership” →

Wedding Industry Biz

How to Bring Your Industry Peers Onboard with Tech Solutions

By Nora Sheils on

Technology is a beautiful thing and, when we implement it in our businesses, it helps us to grow in otherwise impossible ways. Thanks to tech advancements, we can automate annoying tasks that take up our time, enhance the client experience, and provide seamless collaboration with our event teams.

But, wait. What if your creative partners don’t want to embrace the digital solutions you’ve implemented in your business?

Everybody deals with change differently. While many event pros are quick to adopt the latest tech, there are plenty who are perfectly content sticking with their old-fashioned business methods. After all, it has worked for them for years —why fix something that isn’t broken?

While old-school techniques aren’t “broken” by definition, they can hinder a business from reaching its full potential and, as a result, leave clients with a disappointing experience. Think about it: hand-filing might work, but it’s an extremely time-consuming task and one that will inevitably lead to missing files.

Likewise, paper contracts might have worked for decades, but with digital solutions available, they are now a tedious chore to put on soon-to-be clients. Nobody wants to print, sign, scan, and email it back —or, worse, put it in the mail! Why not save everyone the trouble by implementing an e-signing program that takes no more than a few clicks of a mouse (or smartphone)?

If you’re reading this, you’re likely already on board the virtual train. But, in an industry that relies so heavily on teamwork and collaboration, it can be challenging to bring our peers along with us.

Here are a few strategies to help guide your creative partners to the promised land of productivity, efficiency, and—most importantly—satisfied clients.

 

Be honest about your experience.

Put on your sales hat and start pitching your tech-averse partners about all of the benefits you’ve gained since adding a new app or software to the mix. In many cases, people shy away from new tech because it seems like too much trouble for a questionable gain. Let them know how easy it is to ramp up and how valuable it has been for you. When they see how your business has taken strides, they’ll be more inclined to listen to what you have to say. It’s hard to pass up an opportunity to have more time and profits.

 

Help them empathize with clients.

One of the greatest benefits of event technology is its ability to optimize the client experience to ensure the process runs smoothly for everyone involved. Encourage them to step outside of their comfort zone by showing how your clients have appreciated your digital approach. Today’s market demands digital competence, so make it clear that being stuck in the past can be damaging for their clients and, ultimately, their bottom line. Event pros are people pleasers at the core. If you make the transition about the client, your peers will see the value in trying something new.

 

Provide a helping hand.

Even if someone is willing to jump into the world of tech and automation, they may not be ready to be fully immersed. Instead, offer yourself as a resource to guide them through the early stages until they’re comfortable enough on their own. Fortunately, modern software tends to be very user-friendly—even for the luddites in the crowd!—so it’s fairly easy to pick up. However, even just the idea of knowing you’re there to answer questions and help them catch up to speed can ease the overwhelm of trying a new program.

While it may take some time and patience to get your go-to creative partners on board, it will be well worth the effort when you can collaborate effortlessly with one another. A little bit of guidance goes a long way in helping your peers’ businesses grow, making your life easier, and keeping your clients happy and engaged.

 

Nora Sheils is the co-founder of Rock Paper Coin, the first software platform to bring together wedding planners, couples, and vendors into one system for managing and paying contracts and invoices. She is also the founder and lead wedding planner of award-winning firm Bridal Bliss. She was recently recognized by Portland Business Journal in its 40 Under 40 series.

Wedding Industry Biz

Why You Need to Perform a Digital Audit — and How

By Nora Sheils on

The term “audit” can feel scary and unapproachable, but when it comes to your business, it’s a necessary step for moving the company forward. You might have performed marketing audits or operational audits before, but shining the light on your technology is a whole different story.

You see, technology is always evolving. If you don’t keep up with it, you’ll likely fall behind and lose touch with modern tech. Just like your phone needs regular software updates, your business also needs a tune-up every now and then to ensure you’re in good digital standing.

A streamlined digital environment is particularly important this year as businesses will have to face recovery efforts in the wake of the pandemic. Technology was already seeing extraordinary growth prior to COVID-19 and, thanks to stay-at-home orders, the consumers of today’s market are increasingly tech-dependent. Virtual solutions abounded as people’s habits shifted and companies sent employees home to work remotely.

Going forward, there simply is no excuse for falling behind in the digital world. Companies must embrace virtual tools in order to build back stronger after the pandemic, and it all starts with an audit. Follow these steps to assess your current tech and make a plan to grow in 2021.

 

Review where you currently stand.

You might be eager to see all of the digital tools available for trial, but you need to first start by looking at all of the tech you have in place — as well as the areas that are sorely in need of help. Set some time aside to sit down and take a hard look at how your business is functioning.

Consider the different aspects of your business, from sales to client communications to event production. Do you have a invoicing tool that helps you stay organized? Has social media become a burden without an efficient solution? As you review your workflows, you’ll start to see gaps that could be filled with a new app or program. Write down these areas and note the ideal features that would simplify your life.

 

Focus on the client experience.

Today’s client doesn’t just like technology; they expect it. They’re accustomed to doing virtually everything from pocket-sized devices and they’ll look to your business to meet them on their screens. That’s not to say you need to replace every in-person meeting with a video call, but it’s important to provide clients with digital options for every step of the process, from electronic contracts and online payments to convenient channels for communication and collaboration.

Before diving in headfirst, think about your target market and what they would value most. Corporate clients may be more inclined to communicate by email whereas young couples may prefer texting or instant messaging. Evaluate each of your touchpoints to determine if there is a way to harness technology for a more efficient and enhanced client experience.

 

Ease into the transition.

Once you’ve got a game plan to upgrade your tech, you might be eager to sign up for every trial that you see. Avoid getting click-happy with new tools, as that’s the quickest way to overwhelm yourself and give up. Start small, focusing on one or two areas to optimize.

Research your options and be sure to read the reviews for each. Past and current users will provide you with unbiased opinions that can influence your final decision. On the same note, you may consider reaching out to your industry peers for recommendations (and even a referral code or two), as they may share with you solutions that you haven’t yet come across.

While you may have gotten away with old-fashioned techniques in the past, the pandemic has brought to light the importance of virtual solutions that can support collaboration with clients, colleagues, and employees. A regular digital audit will help you to stay on top of the latest tech so your brand maintains its role in today’s contemporary market.

 

Nora Sheils is the co-founder of Rock Paper Coin, the first software platform to bring together wedding planners, couples, and vendors into one system for managing and paying contracts and invoices. She is also the founder and lead wedding planner of award-winning firm Bridal Bliss. She was recently recognized by Portland Business Journal in its 40 Under 40 series.