Category: Wedding Industry Biz

Wedding Industry Biz

How to Level Up Your Networking Strategy in 2022

By Jen Taylor on

As we start to find our groove again in 2022, it’s time to put networking back on the forefront of our small businesses. While we may have gotten comfortable pairing nice jewelry with our finest pajama pants for the next Zoom event, it’s safe to say that most event professionals are ready and raring to get back to in-person opportunities.

So, if you’ve missed the social setting and are ready to get back to mixing and mingling, use these techniques to make networking a top priority in 2022.

Set Clear Goals

If you don’t view networking as a way to achieve your business goals, it will always feel like a backup plan to “more important” tasks. It’s true — there will always be another client deliverable to send, another lead magnet to write, and another email to answer.

Yet, by setting goals for your networking efforts, you are effectively saying: “This is important to me and my business.” Such a mindset will help you shut down your computer on time, get ready, and head off to build new relationships.

Consider what you hope to get out of networking and how it fits into your big picture. Are you looking for potential hires to bring into your business? Do you have a collaborative idea sitting on ice until you find the perfect partner? Are you trying to increase your referral business? Networking can accomplish all of these goals, but your intention will determine the type of event you attend and how you approach it.

Build Your Strategy

You know the “why” — now, you need to map out the “how.” Write your goal down and start brainstorming the steps you can take to reach it.

For example, if you’re looking to find new team members, you may need to bring a few copies of the job description with you. You’d also need to set your sights on networking events that attract younger folks who are still in the early stages of their careers.

Your strategy should define the types of networking events you need to attend, the icebreakers you bring to introduce yourself, and the elevator pitches you use to tell your story. How you approach a seasoned planner with three businesses would likely look different than the newly-hired catering manager of your favorite venue.

Revisit How You Present Who You Are

If it’s been a while since you’ve dusted off that side of your closet, take a moment to pull out our networking duds and give them a run-through. Do they still fit? Has your style changed? Do you need to repair your go-to shoes?

Effective networking is rooted in your confidence and it’s hard to be your best if your attire makes you feel otherwise. The last thing you want is to find out your favorite dress’ hem has frayed, just hours before you’re supposed to attend an event.

Discard (or store) anything that doesn’t make you feel like a rockstar — because that’s the type of energy you need to bring! If desired, treat yourself to a few new statement pieces to freshen up your wardrobe and step into your next networking event feeling like a million bucks.

Ease Back Into It

Feeling rusty when it comes to talking about your business? You’re not alone. Recognize that most of the people you see will be in a similar boat, wondering how they were able to float around a room with such ease before virtual events took over.

If networking is giving you stage fright, do what you need to do to ease into it. You don’t need to go back at 100 miles per hour (unless that’s your rhythm!). Start with small group settings with your local chamber or association chapter. Memorize a few opening lines. Practice in the mirror before you leave to mitigate the nerves.

Don’t worry — it won’t take long before your networking muscles are firm and toned again! Give yourself grace as you step out of your comfort zone and do what’s best for your business. You’ll be running the national conference circuit before you know it!

 

Jennifer Taylor is the principal of Jen Taylor Consulting, a consulting firm that works with creative businesses of all sizes to implement streamlined workflows and organized systems to find more time and space for business growth and personal development.

Wedding Industry Biz

4 Key Business Lessons from 2021 to Prepare for a Successful Year Ahead

By Elizabeth Sheils on

It’s hard to believe that the year is coming to an end and industry professionals are busily crafting their goals for 2022. For many, this year has felt like a continuation of 2020. Between the pandemic and subsequent economic instability, most business owners have been in fight mode trying to roll with the punches.

Fortunately, 2021 did see the return of weddings and live events — and, in many markets, it has been a resurgence that is keeping industry professionals at full capacity (and then some). The pendulum has swung and experts are forecasting that this busy season will last through 2022 and even into 2023.

As you prepare for the year ahead, it’s vital to look back at the road you’ve traveled to identify key learning lessons and takeaways to support your business’s future.

Here are four highlights from 2021 to reflect on as you look to 2022 and beyond.

Digital systems are essential

Managing a heavy workload and, for some, a remote team requires an organized structure that is built to support a business’s growth. Many companies have adopted new software to track payments, send invoices, sign contracts, store client information, and perform other important tasks.

Most business responsibilities no longer need to be done manually. Investing in event tech to streamline those processes will ultimately save time and money in the long run. Plus, today’s clients expect brands to support a digital experience, so smart systems are beneficial for all parties.

There’s no “I” in team

Thanks to the event boom this year, most entrepreneurs are discovering the true value of having a great team. Those who have been solo have brought on associates, assistants, and contractors to lessen the burden, while existing leaders have prioritized the care and wellbeing of their employees.

Burnout has been a prevalent concern with the rapid growth of events, which does not discriminate between CEOs and their staff. Anyone is susceptible to feeling overworked and exhausted. Burnout counters productivity, so supporting your and your team’s mental wellbeing is in the best interest of your business.

Communication styles matter

Even though most of our communication is still done through impersonal screens, what we say (and how we say it) is critical to how we’re perceived in the market. Some conversations are best saved for a video chat, while others may suffice in a quick text message or email.

At the same time, the person on the other end may also dictate communication styles. While some folks prefer to hop on the phone for the smallest of questions, others may prefer conversing through emails so they can think over the matter at hand. On a similar note, what we don’t say is just as meaningful. Staying in touch with clients and colleagues helps keep the lines open and shows that you care.

Adaptability is key

Despite your best plans and intentions, sometimes things still go awry. Of course, we see this on a micro level whenever a wedding detail doesn’t go as planned. But, on a macro level, the pandemic has forced businesses everywhere to roll with the proverbial punches and adjust their processes at a moment’s notice.

Pandemic aside, be mindful that there are a number of uncontrollable factors that may turn your business on its head. From natural disasters to significant market changes, solid and sustainable businesses need leaders with their ears to the ground and their eyes looking ahead to make swift, agile decisions that support the greater good.

As we head into a new year full of possibilities, it might be tempting to dive in headfirst without turning back. However, don’t forget to recognize what has gotten you all this way: resiliency, innovation, dedication, and passion. Together, these qualities will help you navigate difficult and bountiful seasons alike.

 

Elizabeth 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. Elizabeth is also a lead wedding planner with award-winning firm Bridal Bliss, where she manages the Seattle team. In addition to recognition by Special Events in its Top 25 Event Pros to Watch series, she also earned a spot in The BizBash 500 for 2021.

Wedding Industry Biz

The Value of Using Digital Storage Options to Capture Event Memories

By Jeff and Shea Cohen on

Easily Commemorate Every Wedding

As a planner, one of the most important elements of helping couples is making sure that everything from their Wedding Day gets commemorated. After all, they are going to want to look back on the memories of their special day and even share it with their family and friends.

This generally means two things. First, you help them with hiring an amazing photographer to capture all of the day’s beautiful photos. Secondly, you help them with hiring a phenomenal videographer so all of the day’s moments are always remembered.

But there’s another emotional component of the wedding that oftentimes gets forgotten when it comes to commemorating them forever… and that’s the cards that are received from all of the guests. Many of these cards include personal and sentimental messages from family and friends, but what does the couple do with these cards? Do they get stored in a shoebox? A drawer? A folder? In an era of never-ending new technology, isn’t there a way to save these digitally?

Well, now there is, and it’s E-Bration! Based on our own wedding experience, we created this perfect digital solution!

E-Bration is an online platform that saves the memories of every card and message collected from important life event celebrations.

And when it comes to important celebrations, weddings are right at the top of the list!

Why it Helps to Offer Your Clients Digital Solutions

So, how can E-Bration help you and your clients? There are two ways that you can offer couples this digital card storage solution.

Read More “The Value of Using Digital Storage Options to Capture Event Memories” →

Wedding Industry Biz

Embracing the Trend of Virtual Events – for Planners!

By Laurie Hartwell on

Virtual Events for Networking & Development

One of the ways we’ve all pivoted during this time is by using the opportunity to bring traditional events into a virtual space.

For example, The Bridal Society would like to invite those from the Timeline Genius community and the event industry to join our 2021 Annual Wedding Planner Summit on December 6, 7 & 8, 2021.

This virtual event is open to any wedding planner, catering manager, or wedding venue owner/employee. If you work with any engaged couple on any level, then you will not want to miss out on this three-day event!

The Bridal Society is the largest group of Certified Wedding Planners in the world. With the goal of raising the standards in the wedding industry, we support successful wedding planners and help elevate new ones.

This year, we have teamed up with AllSeated and ExVo to offer our 2021 Wedding Planner Summit in a safe, interactive, and online environment. This conference will give you an opportunity to engage with other conference attendees, participate in fantastic educational content, and attend optional after-hours events, all from the comfort and safety of your home or office.

Read More “Embracing the Trend of Virtual Events – for Planners!” →

Wedding Industry Biz

Why You Need to Support Causes That Are Meaningful to You in Your Business

By Brittny Drye on

There’s no question that philanthropy is a worthy endeavor for a business to pursue. Still, it’s not always a priority — especially when client demands keep leaders immersed in operating the company. Not to mention, supporting a cause usually involves a financial contribution, whether it’s a monetary donation, a gift of free products or services, or a promotional partnership.

But, let’s be clear: generosity comes full circle, so what you donate will come back to you. This is particularly true as the market evolves and we see younger millennials and Gen Z on the scene. These socially-minded generations want to spend their dollars with brands that align with their values. So, it’s no longer just about sharing your product or talent with followers; you now need to demonstrate how you’re giving back to your community.

Here are a few tips for ramping up your goodwill and spreading the message about your cause.

Select a cause you genuinely care to support.

When it comes to charity, most folks can see right through an inauthentic play for attention. Don’t tack your brand onto organizations or causes that you personally don’t care to support. If you do, you’ll find that you’re less motivated to make an impact, and your inattention will be transparent for all. Philanthropy is about action, not lip service.

Of course, you also need to consider whether your ideal clients will connect with the cause as well. For example, you may be a big fan of seals, but a Save-the-Seal program may not be as widely applauded as a cause such as LGBTQ+ rights advocacy that could have a greater impact on more people. Before contributing anything, confirm that the organization is legitimate on CharityNavigator.org. This site provides unbiased evaluations of non-profits based on financial health, accountability, and transparency.

Look beyond direct monetary donations.

You have a lot of charitable opportunities at your disposal! While financial contributions may be an easy solution, consider getting your hands dirty and investing your time and energy for one of your chosen causes. I recommend event pros to take on at least one pro bono event each year.

Whether you’re a planner, venue, photographer, florist, or other event pro, you have a service that is sought after by non-profits that host fundraisers, galas, and other large-scale celebrations. By contributing your services, you can give them far more than a paper check. You can help them to elevate their events, draw in more interest to the cause, and boost fundraising and marketing efforts simply by donating your professional time and talent.

Put the word out to your followers.

A big part of corporate philanthropy is being loud and proud about your efforts! Not only does it tell your audience that you’re committed to a cause (that ideally aligns with their values), but it also educates and encourages your followers to get involved as well. Integrate your philanthropic endeavors into your social media and website content organically. Tell your clients and colleagues about what your go-to organizations do to make a difference. Simply put, become a brand ambassador for your cause!

Beyond your direct association with an organization, educate yourself about the cause so it can become a consistent part of your marketing. For example, suppose you promote your contributions to the LGBTQ+ community only in June for Pride Month, or you only share Black Lives Matter support when a tragedy happens. In that case, your followers will see that your efforts are merely performative.

No matter how large or small, your business has a platform, and it’s your responsibility as a leader to use your space as a channel to share about causes that are near and dear to your heart. In all ways, we are better together than alone — so harness the power of community and do what you can to give back to the causes you care about most.

 

Brittny Drye is the founder and editor-in-chief of Love Inc., one of the leading equality-minded wedding blog and digital publications. Her inclusive efforts have been celebrated by the New York Times, The Advocate, OUT Magazine, Refinery29, NY Daily News, Cosmopolitan, and more. She served on the 2018-19 North American Advisory Board for the International Academy of Wedding & Events.

Wedding Industry Biz

How to Effectively Turn Inquiries into Profit-Generating Bookings

By Jen Taylor on

When we talk about sales strategies, we tend to think about the tactics that will win over a client on the other side of a sales meeting or call. But let’s not lose sight of the first step in a successful sales funnel: the inquiry response. Without a compelling inquiry strategy, you will not even get those meetings on the books. Every booked client starts in your inbox (or DMs these days!).

If you’re receiving plenty of inquiries, it’s a good sign that your marketing efforts are successful. Your website, social media, and emails drive people to fill out your contact form or write you directly to inquire about available dates, pricing, and more.

However, if you’re losing them there, it’s likely your responses aren’t measuring up to those of your competitors. Remember: the average person isn’t sending out one inquiry just to you. They are sending the same thing to everyone else in your vendor category, particularly those on the first page of Google. They don’t know anything about you beyond what’s on your website, but the same goes for your competitors. To a new prospect, you are a commodity—just one of a bunch.

But, when you wow them with an informative and personable response to their inquiry, they will start to form a relationship with you in their head. Suddenly, you’re the one who loves their venue, the one with the cool signature, or the one who attached helpful PDFs they immediately saved to their desktop. You are not the one who sent a templated email with no enthusiasm.

The bottom line: a great reply will earn you the valuable opportunity to get them on the phone, but that begs the question: what does the winning response look like?

It’s Prompt

Nowadays, the average person’s attention span is mere seconds, so you need to be on top of your inquiries. That doesn’t mean you need to be vigilantly monitoring everything so that you can respond within seconds. But it does mean that you need to be one of the first (if not the first) person to answer their email. Otherwise, they’ll forget about you and consider those who graced them with a reply.

The reality is that 24 hours is far too long to keep a prospect waiting. Your competitors aren’t waiting that long, so you can’t either. Aim for a two-hour grace period within business hours and, for inquiries that come in overnight, make it your first priority in the morning to answer them.

If you need more time to provide them with what they need, reply to let them know you’re working on it and give them an ETA. Creating that very first touch point is more important than checking off all of the boxes right away.

It’s Consistent

A consistent brand experience is crucial in sales. Otherwise, your messaging will vary depending on the day you’ve had, and your leads will be left wondering where they fit into the picture. By keeping your tone and message steady, you put your client at the center of the relationship, allowing their needs and preferences to dictate the flow of conversation.

Fortunately, email templates and automated responders can help you stay consistent in all of your inquiries. (Bonus: It also enables you to keep in that two-hour window!) There are a few ways to streamline your inquiries—you can rely on customizable templates from past emails, you can use out-of-office responders, or you can create an email sequence in a platform like ConvertKit or Mailchimp.

The benefit of the latter two is that you don’t actually have to hit send, although you should certainly follow up with a personal email.

Regardless of your chosen method, make sure that your emails still capture the energy and personality of your brand. You don’t have to sacrifice authenticity for automation!

It’s Engaging

Events are exhilarating and vibrant. People don’t want to hire event pros that seem bored and indifferent by the prospect of working on their celebration. You need to match their enthusiasm in your email responses!

Share their excitement by asking them questions and putting out a few ideas to show your brain is already dreaming up the possibilities. If it’s a wedding inquiry, ask them how they met or what the proposal was like! If it’s a corporate inquiry, ask about their mission and how they envision their brand in the world! Help them visualize what you can do for them.

Prospective clients tend to ask a lot of questions about you, your business, and your offerings. Of course, you should answer them, but you should also turn the script back to them. Give them a reason to respond and answer your questions! When you show them you’re interested; the feeling becomes mutual.

Of course, you still need to practice your in-person selling. You need to know how to sell your benefits, overcome client objections, and close a sale. But, before you can do any of that, you have to know how to respond to an inquiry so you can get that chance in the first place.

 

Jennifer Taylor is the principal of Jen Taylor Consulting, a consulting firm that works with creative businesses of all sizes to implement streamlined workflows and organized systems to find more time and space for business growth and personal development.

Wedding Industry Biz

How to Use Analytics to Optimize Your Messaging

By Christie Osborne on

You’re a smart, established professional who runs a successful business. So, why is it so hard to know what your ideal clients want to hear?

You try to be useful. You try to educate. You try to showcase your best work. But something’s not working the way you think it should.

Well, sometimes a big mistake that wedding planners make is unintentionally focusing too much on themselves. They emphasize what they like, what they want, and what they think is important. In essence, their marketing is all about them.

Instead, with a few small tweaks, you can start targeting your ideal clients with strategic messaging that makes them feel seen and understood.

Because when you make your ideal clients feel understood, it builds trust in you and your services.  Importantly, it’s how you can demonstrate, rather than just talk about, the value you offer.

But, how do you know what will make them feel this way? Fortunately, it’s easier than might think – you already have valuable information at your fingertips.

Here’s how to maximize your presence throughout your marketing channels, with the help of some light research and a little bit of data.

Your blog

Since your blog lives on your website, you can use Google Analytics to get an idea of the content that resonates with your audience best. The first thing you’ll want to look at is a traffic report to identify the blog posts that received the most visitors. These numbers can hint at the topic categories that garnered the most interest, but it’s important to note that traffic per post can also differ because of your promotional efforts. A heavily-promoted blog post will naturally see more visitors than one that is only shared once or twice.

For this reason, you’ll want to look at a few other metrics: time spent on each post, bounce rates, and conversion rates. If you notice that a blog post saw a much higher average time spent on the page, it’s a good sign that visitors stayed around for a thorough read. Lower times and high bounce rates signify a post that doesn’t keep a reader’s interest.
So, conversion rates are a vital piece of data as it’s where the money lies. Check out the blog posts that garnered the most conversions —what sets them apart? You might have had a particularly strong call-to-action, or perhaps it was a well-written piece that nailed your ideal client’s pain points. Follow the data to the highest-performing posts and continue to replicate the success.

Your social media

All of the top social media platforms have built-in analytic dashboards that are pretty robust, providing valuable data points to inform your marketing strategy. Review your top-performing posts to see what kind of content draws in the most engagement. Perhaps your audience loves sharing input when you ask them leading questions in a post. Maybe your weekly advice posts attract a lot of attention. Take note of the type of content that is most interesting to your audience, and adjust your content strategy to align with it going forward.

Of course, social media likes don’t translate to cold hard cash. That’s what conversion rates are for! Take it one step further by looking at the Social data report to see which social media platform sends the most traffic and conversions. You can then match up the dates with your social media posts to identify the content that truly drove the most conversions.

Once you’ve gathered enough data to tell you what your audience loves (and what they don’t), you’ll be able to answer the three core questions that drive a great marketing strategy:

  1. What should I start doing?
  2. What should I improve?
  3. What should I stop doing?
As you learn more and more about your audience’s preferences, your messaging and overall marketing strategy will hone in on your ideal client with precision, and your bottom line will grow accordingly. All it takes is paying a little bit of attention to your data, and you’ll be well on your way to a more profitable future.

 

Christie Osborne is the owner of Mountainside Media, a company that helps event industry professionals brands develop scalable marketing strategies that bring in more inquiries and leads. Christie is a national educator with recent speaking engagements at NACE Experience, WIPA, and the ABC Conference.

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

How to Incorporate Personal Branding into Your Workflow

By Eddie Babbage on

We are so excited to bring the thoughts of Brand Photographer Amanda Richardson to the blog today.

Personal branding is a critical part of marketing, especially for small businesses and solopreneurs. We recently asked Amanda to share her thoughts on how to create sustainable workflow that included personal branding and this is what she had to say:

“Incorporating personal branding into your content workflow is important for differentiating yourself from other planners, establishing a personal connection with new clients, and making sure your ideal clients are finding you. There are so many couples getting married, but only some are the right clients for you. Personal branding helps make those connections with the right people.”

We had a few more questions for Amanda and know you will walk away with some actionable advice.

Read More “How to Incorporate Personal Branding into Your Workflow” →