Let's Book Clients!: Recent Episodes
Michelle Braswell
The fun and interactive podcast where wedding pros and other business owners connect, learn, and grow, both personally and professionally.You'll get a weekly dose of encouragement, out of the box marketing strategies, referral tips, and entertaining expert interviews, in a conversational format, to get you the business of your dreams! (Formerly known as The Wedding Pro Show.)
Introduction:
- Making connections at networking events is crucial for growing your business.
- Learn effective strategies and practical tips to turn unfamiliar faces into valuable contacts and potential clients.
Key Points:
- Set Your Intention:
- Before the event, set a clear intention of what you hope to achieve by making connections.
- Having a specific goal in mind gives you focus and motivation throughout the event.
- Be Genuine and Approachable:
- Wear a warm smile, maintain open body language, and be approachable.
- Initiate conversations and show sincere interest in others.
- Everyone is in the same boat, looking to connect.
- The Power of Active Listening:
- Practice active listening to show genuine curiosity about the person you're speaking with.
- Ask open-ended questions to encourage them to share more about themselves and their business.
- Building a deeper connection and showing value in their input.
- Find Common Ground:
- Look for common interests, experiences, or industry-related topics to establish a rapport.
- Shared ground creates an instant connection and makes the conversation flow naturally.
- Identifying potential areas for collaboration or partnerships.
- The Power of Follow-Up:
- Making connections at the event is just the beginning.
- Follow up with personalized emails or connect on social media.
- Express pleasure in meeting them and explore ways to continue the conversation or work together.
Practical Exercise: The Three-Question Technique:
- Prepare three open-ended questions as conversation starters before the event.
- Use these questions to spark interesting discussions and learn more about the person you're speaking with.
- Practice using them during the event to create deeper connections and meaningful conversations.
Conclusion:
- Implement these strategies to navigate networking events with confidence.
- Making meaningful connections takes time and effort, so be patient and persistent.
- Each connection brings you closer to booking more ideal clients and growing your business.
Remember to visualize yourself applying these strategies at a networking event and watch your confidence soar as you make connections that positively impact your business.
Throughout this episode, I really emphasized the importance of personalization in business interactions.
It's all about creating a unique and memorable experience for our customers.
I truly believe that this is what sets us apart from our competitors and keeps our customers coming back for more.
Another key point that I made was the need for adaptability and flexibility in today's challenging business economy.
It's crucial that we constantly evaluate and adjust our strategies to meet the evolving needs of our customers and the market.
This is how we stay ahead of the game and continue to thrive.
To sum it all up, the most valuable lesson from this podcast is to focus on high-value opportunities, streamline our operations, utilize upselling and cross-selling techniques, and incorporate personalization in our business interactions.
By implementing these strategies and staying flexible, we can maximize our profits and reduce overwhelm in this challenging business economy.
So, are you ready to take your business to the next level and thrive in any economic climate?
I highly recommend tuning in to this episode of "Let's Book Clients" to learn how.
It's packed with valuable insights and practical tips that can make a real difference in your business.
[00:02:10]
Maximizing profits in a challenging business economy
Practical tips for navigating an ever-changing business economy and maximizing profit margins.
[00:04:23]
Streamlining operations and optimizing time
Tips for identifying and optimizing internal processes to save time and reduce costs.
[00:05:33]
Upselling, cross-selling, and down selling strategies
The importance of offering additional products or services to enhance customer satisfaction and increase profit margins.
We all have the things in our business that stress us out, especially as the creatives that most of us are.
Because of that, I always look so forward to this amazing free summit that happens every year.
It’s 3 days, all online, and filled with speakers who are also creatives like us.
Grab your free ticket at www.letsbookclients.com/creativebusiness.
Are you tired of going to networking events and feeling like you're just wasting your time?
In this episode of "Let's Book Clients," I'm going to spill the beans on my personal experiences and give you some awesome tips on how to keep those connections alive!
Trust me, it's all about staying connected and nurturing those relationships.
I've got ten amazing ways to show your appreciation and strengthen those bonds, like sending a handwritten thank you note, showing up to their events, and just being grateful and thankful.
So, before you head out to your next networking event, keep these tips in mind and be sure to follow up with your new contacts.
Tune in now to learn more!
Networking Events [00:01:24] Michelle talks about the importance of networking events and shares her personal experiences of meeting people at such events.
Nurturing Relationships [00:03:20] Michelle emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships with people met at networking events and shares how she has built strong connections with people she met at such events.
Ten Ways to Show Gratitude [00:04:27] Michelle provides ten ways to show gratitude and make deeper connections with people met at networking events, including sending a handwritten thank you note, publicly acknowledging them on social media, and referring business their way.
Notable mentions:
- Business Boutique event by Dave Ramsey: 00:01:24
- Jasmine Starr: 00:02:24
We all have the things in our business that stress us out, especially as the creatives that most of us are.
Because of that, I always look so forward to this amazing free summit that happens every year.
It’s 3 days, all online, and filled with speakers who are also creatives like us.
Grab your free ticket at www.letsbookclients.com/creativebusiness.
Hey there! I'm so excited to share with you some awesome tips on how to engage your audience and build meaningful connections through social media. First things first, let's talk about creating compelling posts that will grab your followers' attention. It's all about sparking conversations and encouraging engagement!
Another great way to build a thriving community is through collaborations and user-generated content. This not only helps to increase engagement, but it also shows your followers that you value their input and creativity. And don't forget to keep track of your engagement metrics to see how your social media efforts are impacting your business.
By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to building a loyal following and attracting new customers. So go ahead, get creative, and have some fun with your social media strategy!
Create Compelling Posts [00:01:00]
Tips on creating engaging content, using storytelling, and incorporating visual elements to speak directly to your target audience.
Spark Conversations and Encourage Engagement [00:02:04]
Encouraging engagement by asking open-ended questions, being responsive, and actively engaging with your audience to build connections.
Build a Thriving Community with Collaborations and User-Generated Content [00:03:02]
Building a sense of community by collaborating with influential individuals or brands, inspiring user-generated content, and engaging in industry-specific conversations.
We all have the things in our business that stress us out, especially as the creatives that most of us are.
Because of that, I always look so forward to this amazing free summit that happens every year.
It’s 3 days, all online, and filled with speakers who are also creatives like us.
Grab your free ticket at www.letsbookclients.com/creativebusiness.
I'm excited to share with you some awesome tips and tricks for optimizing your social media performance. In this episode of the Let's Book Clients podcast, I'll be your guide through the wonderful world of social media metrics.
First things first, let's talk about why mastering social media metrics is so important. By tracking and analyzing your metrics, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your content and identify opportunities for improvement. That's why I'm here to remind you to define clear goals and align your metrics with those goals.
Next up, we'll be tracking reach and engagement, and analyzing conversion metrics. It may sound daunting, but don't worry, I've got your back! I suggest leveraging analytics tools and techniques to gain deeper insights into your social media performance. And don't forget to experiment with different variables to optimize your content strategy.
Last but not least, I want to remind you to stay agile and responsive in the ever-evolving landscape of social media. With these tips and strategies, you'll be a social media superstar (and more importantly, a client booking machine) in no time!
Timestamps:
Instagram Insights: 00:03:53
Analytics platforms: 00:03:53
AB testing: 00:04:56
Refining content strategy: 00:05:55
Regularly tracking and analyzing social media metrics: 00:06:52
I have a free gift for you this week, it’s called The Wedding Biz Bonanza!!
It contains over $1000 worth of free resources just for wedding pros. We are giving to you, as a gift, to get you ready, motivated, and get ahead of the engagement gap.
We’ve got courses, templates, video trainings, downloads, and so much more, from a whole bunch of leaders in the industry!
Grab it here now!
in episode three of our "Ignite Your Social Media Presence" series on the Let's Book Clients podcast, I'm sharing three awesome strategies to help you build a super cool community of followers on social media.
First things first, you gotta create captions that are so engaging, your audience can't resist taking action.
Then, you gotta team up with potential partners to make your social media game even stronger.
And last but not least, you gotta encourage user-generated content to keep things fresh and exciting.
Trust me, it's all about sparking conversations, nurturing partnerships, and using UGC to create a dynamic and interactive social media community.
And don't worry, I've got plenty more valuable insights, tips, and strategies coming your way in the upcoming weeks to help you achieve social media success for your biz!
As always, I've got a hot tip for you at the end, and even some others sprinkled into this episode. I can't wait to hear what you think, leave a review on the platform you're listening on if you feel led to!
Creating Engaging Captions [00:01:07]
Crafting compelling captions that prompt audience to take action, encouraging comments and discussions, and responding and engaging with the audience.
Power of Collaboration [00:04:26]
Identifying potential collaborators, building mutually beneficial partnerships, and discovering ways to collaborate on content creation.
User Generated Content [00:06:27]
Encouraging user-generated content, curating and showcasing it, engaging with the creators, and creating branded hashtags or challenges to encourage audience participation.
Upcoming Topics [00:08:57]
Preview of the upcoming topics in the series, including advanced techniques for analyzing and optimizing social media performance.
Final Thoughts [00:09:28]
Prioritize genuine interactions, nurture partnerships, and leverage user-generated content to create a vibrant and interactive social media community.
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Today's episode of "Let's Book Clients" is all about spicing up your social media game. We're in the middle of a five-week series, and this week we're diving into creating visually stunning content, using hashtags, and telling authentic stories.
Let's be real, who doesn't love a good visual? That's why I'm stressing the importance of consistency in branding elements and suggesting affordable stock photos and videos to make your content pop. And don't forget about hashtags! I'm all about identifying relevant ones and even creating unique branded hashtags to really make your posts stand out.
But it's not just about the visuals and hashtags, it's about the story you're telling. That's why I'm encouraging you to experiment and engage with your audience to unlock endless possibilities. So, let's get creative and have some fun with our social media presence!
Week Two of Igniting Your Social Media Presence [00:00:03]
Introduction to the second week of a five-week series on igniting your social media presence.
Creating Visually Stunning Content [00:01:49]
Tips on creating visually stunning content, including consistency in branding elements, eye-catching images and videos, and user-generated content.
Connecting Through Authentic Storytelling [00:05:41]
Tips on connecting with your audience through authentic storytelling, including crafting a compelling brand story, sharing authentic stories and experiences, and leveraging different multimedia formats.
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Today, we're going to talk about something super fun and important: social media success!
In this episode I share some awesome strategies with you on how to create engaging content, build authentic connections, and showcase social proof to enhance your online presence. Trust me, these tips are going to be game-changers for you!
First things first, let's talk about creating compelling content. It's all about being creative, thinking outside the box, and giving your audience something they can't resist. And don't forget to be consistent in interacting with your audience! That's how you build those authentic connections that are so important.
Last but not least, social proof is key to building trust and credibility. Showcasing your successes and happy clients is a great way to do this. So, let's follow these strategies together and unlock new opportunities for growth and success in the ever-changing social media landscape. Are you ready? Let's do this!
Create Engaging Content [00:00:55]
Tips on how to create engaging content that sparks conversations on social media.
Building Authentic Connections Through Engagement [00:02:00]
Strategies to build authentic connections with your audience through meaningful engagement, including responding to comments and messages, initiating conversations, and collaborating with like-minded individuals.
Showcase Social Proof [00:04:18]
The power of testimonials and reviews in building trust and credibility with your audience, and how to strategically share them on social media platforms.
Hey there!
I've got some awesome tips for all you business owners out there who want to make some killer connections and network like a pro!
First things first, you gotta get out there and attend industry events, join online communities, volunteer, host workshops, and hit up social events.
Trust me, these are all great ways to build lasting relationships and get those referrals rolling in.
Now, here's the key to success: be genuine, authentic, and always provide value to others in your interactions.
And don't forget to follow up with your connections within 24 to 48 hours!
Referrals are the name of the game, and by creating opportunities for connection and following up with those connections, you'll be well on your way to building a strong network and filling your calendar with clients you absolutely adore.
So get out there, have some fun, and let's make some magic happen!
Timestamps:
Creating Opportunities for Connections [00:00:58] Michelle provides practical ways to attend industry events, join online communities, volunteer, host workshops, and attend social events to build lasting relationships and accelerate referrals.
Hosting Workshops and Webinars [00:02:47] Michelle suggests hosting online or in-person workshops and webinars to share expertise and connect with potential clients or collaborators.
Following Up with Connections [00:03:39] Michelle emphasizes the importance of following up with connections within 24 to 48 hours and providing value to others in interactions to build lasting relationships and accelerate referrals.
In this episode, I'm excited to chat with you about the importance of having a value statement for personal and professional growth. Trust me, it's a game-changer!
So, why is a value statement so crucial? Well, I've got seven reasons for you! Not only does it help you make authentic connections, but it also attracts like-minded people while repelling those who don't share the same values. Plus, it's a great way to showcase your unique personality and stand out in a crowded market.
Creating a personal and authentic value statement may seem daunting, but don't worry, I've got your back. It involves identifying the core values that drive you and your business and articulating them in a clear and concise way. And let me tell you, it's worth the effort!
Overall, a value statement is an essential tool for building meaningful relationships, personal growth, and making a positive impact in the world. So, grab a pen and paper, and get started on crafting your very own value statement!
In my program, The Connections Course Experience, we help you create your values statement. Hop on the waitlist by emailing me at friends@letsbookclients.com!
Helpful timestamps:
[00:00:03] Michelle talks about the importance of creating a value statement for yourself and your business, and how it can help you stay grounded, attract like-minded people, and give you a sense of purpose and direction.
Seven reasons why a value statement is crucial for making authentic connections [00:01:51] Michelle provides seven reasons why having a value statement is important, including staying true to yourself, guiding your decisions and actions, attracting like-minded people, and creating a sense of community.
Hot tip for creating a personal and authentic value statement [00:03:30] Michelle advises against listing generic values and encourages listeners to reflect on what truly matters to them and what drives them when creating a value statement. She also mentions her program, the Connections Course Experience, which helps entrepreneurs create their own value statement.
Hey there!
On this episode I talk about how important it is to build connections in order to book the right clients.
There are some really cool tips on how to build meaningful relationships with people in your industry and target market, including attending networking events, engaging on social media, and collaborating with others.
I also discuss the benefits of building trust, standing out from the competition, and finding the right clients through intentional and methodical connection-building.
It will really get you thinking about how you can improve your own connection-building strategies.
If you're looking to book more clients, I highly recommend giving this episode a listen. And don't just listen - take action!
Pick one of these connection-building strategies and start implementing it today. Trust me, it'll make a huge difference.
Remember, it's all about being intentional and methodical in building connections, not just randomly posting on social media. Have fun connecting!
Email me and let me know which of these you're implementing today!
Inside the course, you'll find systems that work together to help you build a supportive network, create unforgettable experiences for your clients, streamline your processes, and achieve your most ambitious goals.
Don't wait another day to start building the business of your dreams. Join me at letsbookclients.com and transform your business and even your life.
It’s time for things to change. Today.
In today's episode we're discussing the importance of having these 5+ personality traits and how they help you be a super successful business owner.
Why do I add the "+" after the 5?
Because I had 5 on my outline for this episode, but before I recorded it, I went into my Facebook Group and asked them what characteristics they think are important for being a successful business owner, and they had brilliant answers as always.
I'm reading those to you too in the middle of the episode.
To join the fun in the group, here's the link!
Which one of these is your strongest trait?
Thank you for being here with me where we learn, grow, and connect together!
Feeling unsure of where exactly to spend your marketing efforts can be so so frustrating, we all have those feelings, especially the way social media is today.
You don't have to feel this way, being a creative business owner really can be fun and filled with friendships while you build your sustainable empire!
Head over to www.letsbookclients.com/connectionmasterclass to sign up for my free class today.
In this episode we discuss three crucial points to help you embrace your strengths and passions for deeper connections:
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Self-Reflection: Take some time to evaluate your skills, experiences, and areas of interest.
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Incorporate Your Passions: Blend your personal interests and passions into your service offerings (and your marketing, by the way).
-
Build Genuine Relationships: Use your strengths and passions as conversation starters to form meaningful connections with clients and colleagues.
Doing life inside of business with other people who also love connecting with each other makes my business so much more fun! It’s where clients become friends…. and friends who refer their other like minded friends over and over and it’s just exponentially amazing.
Embrace your individuality and use it to build authentic connections with others. Your clients will appreciate the genuine relationships, and your business will flourish as a result!
Tune into the show for the deeper dive and for your action item for this episode!
Feeling unsure of where exactly to spend your marketing efforts can be so so frustrating, we all have those feelings, especially the way social media is today.
You don't have to feel this way, being a creative business owner really can be fun and filled with friendships while you build your sustainable empire!
Head over to www.letsbookclients.com/connectionmasterclass to sign up for my free class today.
If you’re listening to the LBC Inspire playlist, this message is for you and I promise to keep it short and sweet and worth your time and the tiny break in the music.
If you’re listening to the Let’s Book Clients podcast, this message is for you too. To enhance it even more, make sure you go over to Spotify or Apple Music and look for the LBC Inspire playlist.
This playlist is my love letter to you as business owners. It’s not just about booking clients, it’s also about giving you the encouragement and inspiration you need to keep being your brave self and pushing forward.
It is a collection of my favorite uplifting songs that I curated to help you stay motivated and inspired throughout your journey.
Whether you're feeling low or you just need a little push, LBC Inspire has got your back.
Shuffle it and see if what you’re needing right then comes up.
Or play it from the beginning for my 4 favorites (but let’s be real, I love them all).
If you’re getting ready to face a tough client, showing up on video, or something else you’re not super excited about, grab one and dance and sing it out real quick.
The thing is that…YOU are a force to be reckoned with.
YOUR passion, determination, and commitment to delivering quality services to your clients are truly commendable.
YOU have what it takes to be successful, and your journey to success is worth every step.
Remember that there will be challenges along the way, but these obstacles are only opportunities for you to grow and learn.
Believe in yourself, and trust that you have the skills and the drive to overcome any hurdle that comes your way.
As you work hard to book clients and grow your business, it's essential to take care of yourself and recharge. That's where LBC Inspire comes in.
This playlist is a collection of uplifting songs meant to be your personal cheerleader whenever you need it. It's my gift to you.
Let the music inspire you, fuel your creativity, and remind you of your worth. You're not just building a business; you're creating a legacy. And YOU are capable of achieving greatness.
As always, thank you for tuning in to Let's Book Clients, the podcast. If you’re catching this inside the LBC Inspire playlist, come join us over in your favorite podcast app when you’re ready.
Now back to the music or more podcast episodes.
Keep striving for success, and remember that YOU are unstoppable.
Today's episode focuses on the importance of balancing AI automations with personalization to provide customers with the most memorable possible experience.
By using AI to gather data and personalize experiences, businesses can improve their customer experience, increase customer loyalty, and stand out from their competitors.
Even better? When you use AI to automate the things it can, there's more of you to put your heart and soul into serving your dream clients and building real relationships with them, and that's what keeps the referrals coming in over and over and over.
The episode includes tips on how to implement AI and personalization and encourages business owners to find the perfect balance for their business.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it for you.
Want to hear something even more fun?
Much of this episode was created with AI, and all of it was touched by me to add value to your experience here with the podcast. I hope you feel both parts and know how deeply I am here to be of service to you.
XOXO always,
Michelle
By taking the time to carefully craft your pricing strategy, you'll build a successful business that attracts the right clients, generates consistent profits, and is sustainable for the long run.
Take my new quiz to find out whether your rates are too low, too high, or just right for your target market and business goals.
Go to letsbookclients.com/pricingquiz to take it today!
In this episode, we're exploring how to use the reviews you have to build stronger relationships with clients and other businesses, to grow your business.
By regularly checking in on places where you get reviews, and responding to reviews, you will:
-
Gain valuable insights
-
Build trust
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Create new collaborations and opportunities for growth.
This episode includes tips on how to respond to reviews and encourages you to start using your reviews to build strong relationships and grow your business.
To get our free guide that helps you get reviews, and has even more ways to use reviews to grow your business, go to www.letsgetreviews.com.
Ask me a question that I may air on the podcast and feature you at www.letsbookclients.com/ask.
You can always reach out to me at friends@letsbookclients.com!
By taking the time to carefully craft your pricing strategy, you'll build a successful business that attracts the right clients, generates consistent profits, and is sustainable for the long run.
Take my new quiz to find out whether your rates are too low, too high, or just right for your target market and business goals.
Go to letsbookclients.com/pricingquiz to take it today!
In this episode, we discuss the importance of networking and making connections for service-based business owners.
With making connections and networking, business owners expand their client base, gain valuable insights, access resources, foster collaboration, build a solid reputation, and stay motivated.
I also highlight leveraging social media as my hot tip to supercharge networking efforts, emphasizing the need for an optimized profile, active participation in relevant groups, sharing valuable content, connecting with influencers, and maintaining authenticity.
Making connections and networking are critical to running a successful service-based business and should be a top priority for sustainability, long-term growth, and success.
Some key points:
- Expand your client base
- Gain valuable insight and knowledge
- Get access to resources and opportunities
- Foster collaboration and support
- Build a solid reputation
- Stay motivated and inspired
Take just one of these ideas that I’ve given you today and put them into action.
As always, thank you so much for being here with me where we learn, grow, and connect together!
By taking the time to carefully craft your pricing strategy, you'll build a successful business that attracts the right clients, generates consistent profits, and is sustainable for the long run.
Take my new quiz to find out whether your rates are too low, too high, or just right for your target market and business goals.
Go to letsbookclients.com/pricingquiz to take it today!
What can you do differently?
What is your thing that makes you be able to solve a problem in a way that nobody else can? That's what they do at Flourish Marketing, they help you figure out how to be so radically authentic that you transform from being an industry leader to an industry legend.
And then communicate it. That communicating is through the story that you're telling. If you're super unique and really good at what you do, and you are, and no one knows about it, then you die a sad death basically because you've had this unrequited dream that will never come to fruition.
You'll never reach your full potential because no one knows about you. So you have to toot your own horn, but you have to toot it in a way that people understand.
People are craving connection so much and are are so hungry for it, and not even just in these times, but always have and always will.
Connection plays a big part in, in your story that you tell, obviously first you need to be connected to yourself, so that plays a part in authenticity.
I'm a big believer that there is a higher power. You can put whatever title on it you would like. You can call it God, you can call it universe, you can call it the big star in the sky, whatever you wanna call it. But there's something out there. Knows more than we do. That's the first form of connection.
Another form of connection is connecting to somebody else.
But how do you do that? Right? Because if we're really honest, When I'm trying to market to somebody, they don't really want to connect with me. They wanna solve their problem.
We can really do it through knowledge. Knowledge is something that no one can take away from you. It depends on what you do with that knowledge to say how much money you're gonna make from it.
Those two types of connections, connection to God, yourself, connecting with your audience at that right moment is what determines how you communicate your story and how you fit into the story of other people.
If you're really truly interested in breaking out of the sea of sameness, leaving your mark, transforming into a legend, then you wanna download our revamp guide. You can go to flourishmarketing.co/revamp to download the three ways to revamp your brand messaging to stand out from the competition.
If you wanna stop fading into the background and stop having your brand and your story look and sound like everyone else's, then this guide will help you. You can rediscover your truest self to craft a clearer message and develop a marketing funnel that forms those bonds, those connections with your clients so that they forever see you as their go-to service provider.
Think about ways that you can be a guide to one client. Think about one client that you've had recently, and just use this formula that Aleya gives us in this episode and apply that one client and then go forward with each one after that. You can always relate it to somebody who you have worked with already so much easier than dreaming up somebody that you're gonna work with in the future.
Make sure you connect with Aleya online in addition to grabbing the gift she brought us of course.
www.flourishmarketing.co
Instagram @aleyaharris
Instagram @flourishmarketing.co
LinkedIn Aleya Harris
The Flourishing Entrepreneur Podcast
By taking the time to carefully craft your pricing strategy, you'll build a successful business that attracts the right clients, generates consistent profits, and is sustainable for the long run.
Take my new quiz to find out whether your rates are too low, too high, or just right for your target market and business goals.
Go to letsbookclients.com/pricingquiz to take it today!
In this episode, we talk about what I call "The Pricing Success System".
It's a circular shaped system that goes like this:
Have your pricing right... so you can... make the right connections... so you can... make book the right clients... because you... have your pricing right.
We're going deeper into it on the show.
Setting the right prices makes networking and making connections a more pleasant experience.
You're proud to talk about your pricing because you're confidently making connections and booking clients because of it!
The best part about feeling proud to talk about your pricing is that you won't feel slimy at all when it comes to sharing it, AND you'll want to share it with anyone and everyone.
Check yourself, and if you're not feeling especially proud about your pricing, whether that feeling is that it's too low or too high, that's another sign that it's not quite right.
We're going to keep this series going, it's a popular one, so go to this link: www.letsbookclients.com/ask if you have something you want us to address about it.
As always, this show has a hot tip at the end that you definitely want to catch!
Some links mentioned in this show include:
www.letsgetreviews.com (because when your pricing is right you're also getting more reviews!)
www.letsbookclients.com/pricingquiz to see if your pricing is too low, too high, or just right, and get actionable steps about what to do about it no matter what result you get.
Thank you so much for being here with us where we learn, grow, and connect together!
By taking the time to carefully craft your pricing strategy, you'll build a successful business that attracts the right clients, generates consistent profits, and is sustainable for the long run.
Take my new quiz to find out whether your rates are too low, too high, or just right for your target market and business goals.
Go to letsbookclients.com/pricingquiz to take it today!
On this episode we're talking about a topic that can make or break your business - pricing!
It's a topic that's often avoided, but I always want to have the hard conversations with you and meet them head on to help you grow, and this one is no different.
You might think pricing is just a matter of setting a price for your product or service, but it's so much more than that.
The right pricing can help you reach the right clients and form partnerships with the right companies.
How do you get your pricing right? It's all about finding the right balance.
You want to communicate the value of your offerings, while still making them accessible to your target market.
With the right pricing strategy, you can differentiate yourself from the competition and build strong relationships with your customers and partners.
Don't underestimate the power of pricing! Get it right, and and your business thrives!
Listen in for the goods, complete with a hot tip, as always.
Thank you for being here with me where we learn, grow, and connect together, and remember, you can email me at any time with any thing at friends@letsbookclients.com.
We'll see you on the next episode!
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
On this episode, the amazing Nora Sheils of Rock Paper Coin and also Bridal Bliss, and I sit down and chat about how a system like hers at Rock Paper Coin finds us that precious time we need to do the things that matter, along with other dimensions that are so important as we build and scale our businesses.
Rock Paper Coin's about page just really hit me.
It reads:
"We here at Rock Paper Coin celebrate the dreamers. The doer's. We root for the underdog and cheer on the risk takers. We ourselves are dreamers, passionate doers and believers in hard work and trying no matter what."
I couldn't agree more with this statement.
That's them, and it's you and it's us. Here's to us all.
On this episode Nora and I talk about her system, Rock Paper Coin, and how it really does find you that precious time when you let it.
Not only that, but it will keep you connected with your clients, of course, but also with your fellow vendors, and we all know how important those collaborations are to building and scaling your business.
We also talk about how she and her co-founder sister in law, Elizabeth, found themselves diversifying their businesses to fill a need, and how they came up with the super clever and effective name, Rock Paper Coin.
Their commitment to the personal level of service they provide is second to none.
We enjoy reminiscing about the "old days" in the events industry and how much better it is now with the community over competition connections, coaching, mentoring, and learning opportunities that really allow for so much stronger and efficient and even faster growth than we experienced back in the early 2000s (if we can even call those the old days!).
Nora and I each have a hot tip to share with you at the end.
Mine is about treating your system like Rock Paper Coin, and even your other systems, like an additional team member, and how much more effective your human team members are allowed to be when we use systems.
Nora's is about doing a tech audit and making sure those systems that you're investing in are working for you, you're using them, and you're using them to their highest potential.
They even make sure you are using Rock Paper Coin to it's most efficiency for no extra charge!
You're going to want to check out Rock Paper Coin for all of your client and business management. It's crazy ridiculous affordable, and even has the best credit card processing fees.
Nora gave us a special code for here at Let's Book Clients that gives you a YEAR free trial!
Make sure you listen in to this juicy episode!
Links:
Free year trial: www.rockpapercoin.com/letsbookclients
nora@rockpapercoin.com
You can find Nora and Rock Paper Coin on socials at....you ready for this: Rock Paper Coin!
and as always you can always email me at friends@letsbookclients.com
And I'm so grateful for you here where we learn, grow, and connect together!
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
Are you ready to take your business to the next level, but unsure of how to make the right connections?
In this episode, you'll learn how to:
- Identify your strengths and plan out making connections based on them
- Be your most authentic self so you can build trust and credibility with others you want to build relationships with
- Network effectively so that you connect with like minded people
- Listen more than you talk to strengthen relationships
- Collaborate with other entrepreneurs and businesses to share audiences and resources
- Hot tip so you can implement these right away
Whether you're an introvert or extrovert, this episode provides actionable strategies and insights that can help you make the right connections to grow your business.
Don't wait!
Listen to this episode now and start building the connections that will uplevel your business!
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
Networking and collaborating are two important concepts, often used interchangeably, and also often confused.
The differences between them are often misunderstood, and assumed to be the same thing, but they’re actually very different.
While both networking and collaborating can be beneficial for entrepreneurs, there are some key differences between the two.
Networking is the process of building relationships with other people in your industry or field.
This can include attending networking events, joining professional organizations, or connecting with other entrepreneurs through social media.
The goal of networking is to build a network of contacts that can help you achieve your business goals.
On the other hand, collaborating is working together with other entrepreneurs or professionals to achieve a specific goal or project.
This can include partnering with another business to co-brand a product or service, or working with a team of entrepreneurs to create, or even cross promote for, a new product or service.
Collaborating will achieve something together that you couldn't achieve alone.
One of the key differences between networking and collaborating is the level of commitment.
BUT the level of commitment is aligned with the level of how it pays off.
Networking is often more casual and can be done on an ongoing basis, while collaborating typically requires more commitment.
Collaborations also tend to be more specific and goal-oriented, and are typically more ongoing.
For entrepreneurs, networking can be an effective way to build relationships and gain visibility for your business.
However, collaborating can be even more beneficial as it can provide access to new resources, expertise, and perspectives, and can also lead to the creation of new products or services.
Just remember, networking and collaborating are both important concepts for entrepreneurs, but they are different.
Networking is about building relationships, while collaborating is about working together to achieve specific goals or projects.
Here’s your hot tip for this episode, as you’re going through your day, whether it’s in real life or on social media, be watching for opportunities to collaborate with someone.
It can take a little bit of creatively thinking outside the box, but that’s a good thing, especially for us in this community of creative entrepreneurs!
You’ll be surprised at how beneficial it is for both of you.
PS We have a new feature for the podcast, it's called ASK, and it makes the podcast like a radio show.
Just go to this link follow the steps. You can record a questions or something you would like me to address on the show, and I may answer it right on the show!
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
My special guest on this episode is the most amazing Carissa Gray.
Carissa is a multi passionate entrepreneur, who is busy making a difference in the wedding industry as a photographer, coordinator, and officiant.
In addition to those hats, she also loves supporting her fellow photographers and wedding and event vendors, and vendors beyond the industry.
Carissa is a top notch storyteller, and in this episodes tells us all about how valuable making connections is.
Whether that is with her clients, her couples, their guests, other vendors, and friends, it all makes a difference and it really shows with her.
Carissa and I both have action items for you in this impactful episode.
We even talk about legacy and how important it is to show our children that there's no limit to what they're capable of.
Visit the show notes page here for the ways to get in touch with Carissa.
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
Welcome to today’s podcast episode, we’re going to talk about accountability and how it uplevels your goal setting.
As a wedding professional or other creative entrepreneur, it's important to hold yourself accountable for your actions and commitments.
Accountability can help you stay on track, meet deadlines, and achieve your goals.
In this episode, we'll cover the importance of accountability, how to hold yourself accountable, and tips for staying accountable in your business.
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Why is accountability important for wedding professionals?
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Accountability helps you meet deadlines and commitments.
- Accountability helps you stay on track.
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Accountability helps you improve your performance.
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How to hold yourself accountable
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Set clear goals and deadlines.
- Create a plan of action.
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Keep track of your progress.
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Tips for staying accountable
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Communicate with others.
- Get an accountability partner.
- Use tools and resources.
I hope this episode has been helpful in understanding the importance of accountability for you and how to hold yourself accountable.
Remember to set clear goals and deadlines, create a plan of action, and keep track of your progress.
Communicate with others, find an accountability partner, and utilize tools and resources to help you stay accountable.
By holding yourself accountable, you'll be more likely to meet your commitments and achieve your goals.
Hot tip: Get yourself an accountability partner.
It’s something we do in my membership, and it’s something I’m a part of in memberships and a mastermind that I’m in.
It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just someone you are accountable to!
Message me if you need help with this, I’m here for you. My DMs and my email are always open.
If you’re busy driving or walking or doing all the things while you’re listening to this, just hit pause and tell alexa or siri to remind you to email Michelle at friends@letsbookclients.com
As always, thank you so much for being here with me where we learn, grow, and connect together!
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
This episode is airing the first week of January 2023, but if you’re catching it later, it still applies.
Goal setting is important to do any time of year and you can always sit down for a few minutes and do these super actionable things to help you reach your goals and beyond!
If you’re in the camp of being against setting goals because it restricts you, listen to the end and I’ll show you how to overcome that and get the best of both worlds.
Those who set goals, write them down, and tell them to someone else for accountability, are twice as likely to achieve them.
In this episode we’re going to go over the most important thing to do before you start your goal setting for 2023, how to make your goals attainable, a few examples of some goals I have set for myself, my family, and my business, and as always, your hot tip.
Listen in, and head over to the show notes for this episode for bonus content and links!
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
How to communicate effectively, so it’s YOU that those inquiries book with!
Communicating effectively over email as a wedding professional involves a few key points:
- Be clear and concise in your messages. Avoid using overly complex language or long, rambling sentences.
- Use a professional and courteous tone in your emails. This will help to build trust and rapport with your clients.
- Make sure to include all relevant information in your emails, including dates, times, and any important details about the wedding.
- Use bullet points or numbered lists to make your emails easy to read and understand.
- Use a consistent email signature that includes your name, title, and contact information.
- Proofread your emails carefully before sending them to ensure that they are free of typos and other errors.
- Be responsive to your clients' emails. Make an effort to reply to their messages in a timely manner, and address any concerns or questions they may have.
Overall, effective communication over email as a wedding professional requires attention to detail and a focus on providing clear and helpful information to your clients.
Listen in for your hot tip, and always email me at friends@letsbookclients.com to connect, I can't wait to hear how your engagement and booking season is going!
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
I was in a coaching call recently speaking with a client who is going all in on her business and wants to make sure she’s as booked out as possible.
It’s a common goal for all wedding and event professionals, and really all business owners, of course, and something we talk about here and in our membership all the time.
We were talking about networking and getting referrals, especially by other vendors, when she told me that’s great, and she’s definitely working on it, but what she really needs is help with her marketing.
When we dug a little deeper, what she meant by her marketing, was her social media.
It’s so normal in the world we live in to feel like social media is where we find, attract, and even book our clients, and that it’s what marketing is.
BUT, marketing is so much more than just social media.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love social media. And it IS a form of marketing. It’s just not the only form.
My personal favorite forms of social media are Instagram and Facebook, but I really do love it all.
I love creating for it, posting on it, perfecting my profiles, all the things.
But what I love most about it, is the potential for making connections on it.
And networking and connections and collaborations and referrals are a form of marketing too.
When you do it correctly, it’s the most powerful form of marketing, and the one that pays back in the highest dividends, over and over and over.
The truth is, it’s still the connections that we make that are the absolute most effective way to fill our calendars.
So while social media is one form of marketing, there really are a lot of other elements in marketing, and it can be easy to forget that.
What if you were able to see your social media as kind of a billboard that shows other vendors you’re connecting with what you and your business are all about?
If you were just as focused on the effectiveness of your profile, and who you are able to tag in your posts, as you are about your follower and like counts?
Would this change things for your business? Spoiler alert, it will.
Using the smart marketing techniques to make connections is so critical for the growth of your business.
When I say it fills your calendar, I realize that’s a big claim.
But think about it, when you see a post on social media as you’re scrolling by, are you more likely to book with that business than you would be if a friend or fellow business owner told you that that business is amazing?
Of course not. Referrals are a super powerful thing.
Someone, a future client, when they reach out to because someone told them how awesome you are, is going to be the one who reaches out and asks if you’re available, instead of the dreaded first questions of “how much is it?”.
Hot tip: Make sure you’re always thinking about building (and nurturing) those relationships with other vendors, as part of your marketing strategy.
You can always reach out to me at friends@letsbookclients.com, I love hearing from you.
If you have a question I can answer on the sho
This guide is for anyone who wants the credibility that shows you have a business that lasts.
One that not only makes you money, but brings you joy too. There are few things more rewarding than hearing how much your clients loved their experience with you.
Go to letsgetreviews.com and it’s all yours, totally free. To get instant access to this free guide, go to letsgetreviews.com.
Grab the guide and and start getting more raving testimonials today.
Often business owners, especially in the wedding and event space, evaluate their pricing each calendar year.
Each calendar year has been a crazy time ever since 2020, and 2023 is proving to be the same way.
Interest rates are up, people are talking about that R word that I hate talking about, and things are just all around costing more, so expenses are up, and business owners everywhere are concerned.
Not just business owners are concerned, but all of us as consumers are concerned. So people are really being more discerning about where their dollars are going.
Notice I’m not saying they’re not spending.
Look around. There are still people in restaurants, stores, doing all the things, having weddings and events, buying products, etc. Don’t let yourself fall in the trap of thinking you can’t or won’t or don’t have a successful business when the economy is being weird, because you absolutely can and will and do,
It’s more important than ever for us to make sure our pricing is right, and that we’re communicating our pricing, value, and the benefit of booking with us very clearly and effectively. That includes it matching up with your ideal clients.
If your pricing and messaging are talking to a clientele that doesn’t match up, you’re going to have a really hard time.
You know how you’re constantly looking for what to post on your social media?
Here’s what you post. You educate your audience about what you do.
You show them what you do.
You show them the behind the scenes, why what you do is what they need, what their life would be like if they did it themselves instead of hiring you, but mostly, you educate them on each little aspect of what you do.
Let’s put it into a real life scenario.
Say you’re a wedding photographer.
Show how you pose in the most flattering way.
Show what you do to get ready for a shoot.
Show what you do after a shoot.
Show outfit ideas if you shoot families, or even for an engagement session.
Tell why you recommend they have a second shooter.
Explain your different packages.
Tell them you won’t leave them before you have all of the shots they want (yes, even if your contract says you leave at 8pm and it means you have to stay until 8:30pm).
That’s 7 days of content right there. And you can go on and on from there.
No matter what you do in the industry, you can come up with a lot of these.
Now, compare this to someone who is a wedding photographer, and they just say they’re a wedding photographer.
Which one of these 2 photographers is showing authority, and is even giving value before someone has booked…. or even after they’re booked their giving them confidence with their authority???
Right, it’s you!
Now the million dollar question, which one of these 2 photographers has made themselves the easy, no brainer choice to book with?
Which one of 2 photographers is already showing value and is way worth the price they’re charging for their services?
That’s right, it’s you!
So as you’re evaluating your pricing for 2023, make sure you’re considering all of these things, and that even though the economy is being weird and people are making the best choice possible, make sure you’re doing this on your socials.
You’ll be the one they book with.
Hot tip: You can also do the same thing on a blog post, an email (if you’re doing email marketing),
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
On the last episode, we talked about why planning your content matters.
On this one, we’re talking about the tools that I find to work best for helping to plan out content.
Quick disclaimer, by no means do you need any of these things to plan your content. It’s just some things that make it easier and/or more fun.
My first few things depend on if you like manual planning, like with pen and paper, or if you like to use a computer.
If you like using a computer, my go to is just simply Google docs.
It’s free, easy, and saves as you go, so you can’t ever lose the precious content you’ve created.
In my heart, I’m actually a pen and paper girl, and that’s how I started out, but I’ve quickly learned that it’s so much faster for me to use my computer.
Not just that, but I can even copy and paste if I need to, and that saves even more time.
I also love Trello for creating content, and the free version of it is probably all you would need for a long time. I combine Google Docs with Trello, and a couple of other tools that I’ll get to in a minute. Trello is kind of like digital post its, you can drag and drop content around as much as you want.
If you like starting with pen and paper, I still have some recommendations for you, even though it just seems so super basic and simple.
Using index cards or post its, where you put one piece of content on each car or post it, then move them around into the order that makes the most sense after you’ve written them out, is a highly effective way of creating and organizing your content.
I mentioned on the last episode that my friend Chelly and I have been creating content together for the past 5 years.
We started with index cards.
While we’re on pens, the Frixion pens are my absolute fave.
My next favorite tool is the planner that Chelly actually created and publishes every single year, it’s called the Marketing Planner for Entrepreneurs.
It’s amazing. It even has places in it for weekly content planning!
Plus, and we haven’t even really talked about this publicly, but I contributed one of the tools that’s new to the planner this year.
It’s a sheet in the planner that guides you in listing out part of my content planning process. It’s one sheet that lists out 52 weeks of content all in literally one sheet, at a glance.
The whole planner is just so so good.
The next tools are useful for the actual publishing of the content that you planned.
I use and love Canva. I use the pro version, but you can definitely use the free version for a long time before you decide you want to upgrade to the paid version, which they call the pro version. Even it is super affordable.
The other tool I use for publishing is Ivory Mix. Kayla, the creator of Ivory Mix, is even a guest on one of the podcast episodes here on Let’s Book Clients, the podcast. (as has Chelly by the way)
It is also amazing and super high value but also affordable.
She has all kinds of beautiful stock photography, stock video, templates, captions, it’s just an endless resource.
If you would like to go deeper and join me to plan out your content together, the workshop is Monday, November 7, at Noon CST.
We’ll sit down and do it toge
In my upcoming workshop, we’ll plan out a full year of content for your business, in just a couple of hours, so you’ll never stare at a blank page again.
Go to letsbookclients.com/contentplanningworkshop to sign up today!
We’re keeping it a small group so we can get the most done in the least time and are capping it at only 10 participants, so really do make sure you grab your spot today.
Your content is basically any information you put out into the world. Like this is a piece of content for my business.
Now that we’re clear on what content is and what we want to produce, let’s imagine you’re going along in your daily life, you’re busy running your business, doing the parts you love, maybe running your family and all of the things that go along with that, taking care of yourself, you know, all the things…
When suddenly you realize you haven’t posted on social media for a bit, or written a blog post, recorded a podcast episode, whatever you do for content in your business.
You basically have 2 choices. You post something quick and on the fly, or you don’t post anything at all, thinking that you’ll remember to do it when you’re sitting down and focusing on it, but does that really ever come easily? Or come at all?
If you post something on the fly, is it going to be your best work?
So what’s the solution? Remember the title of this episode? Plan your content!
The good news is, you can do it from the comfort of your own home, and without any travel expenses!
The even better news is that you now know that you don’t have to come up with what to post on the fly, or even put off posting because you don’t know what to post about any more!
AND once you have it planned you can start scheduling it, or post at your leisure, whatever fits your style works, because you have that content already planned.
If you would like to go deeper and join me to plan out your content together, the workshop is Monday, November 7, at Noon CST.
We’ll sit down and do it together (virtually) for a couple of hours, and will walk away with it done.
So by November 8, you’ll have a year of content planned out, content for all of 2023, and will even know how you can repurpose that content you created again, every year after!
Go to the website to sign up, it’s at www.letsbookclients.com/contentplanningworkshop
If you’re listening to this after those dates, still go to the same url and we’ll direct you there for what’s going on now.
In my upcoming workshop, we’ll plan out a full year of content for your business, in just a couple of hours, so you’ll never stare at a blank page again.
Go to letsbookclients.com/contentplanningworkshop to sign up today!
We’re keeping it a small group so we can get the most done in the least time and are capping it at only 10 participants, so really do make sure you grab your spot today.
Data Builds Confidence!
Is that a nerdy title or what?!?
Here’s the thing, as business owners, we have a ton of data, but, especially as creatives, do we really give it enough attention?
I can tell you that I kind of go in seasons where I do pay attention and others where I really don’t.
A balance is good.
Obsessing about our numbers on a daily basis isn’t necessarily a healthy thing, and that’s not really what I’m talking about here today.
I’m talking about what your data can do to build your confidence.
When I say in the title that data builds confidence, did you notice how confidently I said it? I didn’t say data might be able to build your confidence, I said it does. And I use an exclamation point, so you know I mean business! (PS if you’ve been around long, you know I love to overuse exclamation points. LOL)
Let’s dive in.
How does it build confidence?
- What got me started on this episode, was just reflecting on this podcast.
I dreamed about having my own podcast for well over a year, more like 2 if we’re really looking at it.
That number of 100, or now 150, is data that builds my confidence.
- Another way data builds our confidence, is that the numbers are often far better than we thought.
The point of this is that I want you to be able to clearly justify to yourself why some data numbers could take dips, and that there’s always a more practical answer than the one you’re thinking about. It’s definitely not because you suck and everyone hates you.
- Data builds confidence because of the power of one.
Think about just one person paying attention to you.
Now pack 100 people into your home and have those 100 watching your social media content on the screen!
That’s super powerful!
That’s what’s happening when you see something of yours get 10 or 100 views.
Let that sink in, and let that data build your confidence.
Hot tip: Set a date on your calendar to check your data. I use the marketing planner for entrepreneurs and it even has a spot to put some of your analytics on the month view, it’s one of the things I love about it. If you use it too, use that spot.
If you don’t, just make a place for it on your calendar.
At the end of the year, you’ll be so pleased at your growth. And again, the data will build your confidence.
Here’s a bonus action item, go to your favorite social media platform and look at your profile analytics.
Sort it by your most viewed content.
Repurpose that content. It’s what’s resonating with your audience and making the biggest difference.
If you loved this episode, please subscribe to my podcast and even leave a rating or review if you feel led to.
Thank you as always for being here with me where we learn, grow, and connect together!
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Things I hear from my clients on a regular basis, about writing blog posts for their business.
“I want to blog, but….. !”
“I know blog posts boost my SEO so my future clients can find me online.”
“I don’t have time to come up with blog post ideas, let alone write the blog post!”
In the title of this episode I promised you a simple and effective blog post idea.
Like in the last quote, the main thing stopping business owners from blogging isn’t even the time it takes to actually write the post, it’s the brain space it requires to come up with a topic that is effective and will resonate with their audience.
We’re solving that here today!
Listen in to how and why this is so important.
Head to the show notes for links and even more around this topic!
I’d love to hear what you decide to do in writing a “faves” blog post, or maybe even starting a series of them like I have. Send me an email, I can’t wait to see what your faves are!
Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur or small business owner, and you wish you could fill your calendar faster and easier?
Did you know that most businesses struggle with marketing? We help them narrow in on the simple marketing strategies that will work for them, so they can grow their business.
We do this inside Let's Book Clients: The Membership.
Go to www.letsbookclients.com to check it out and sign up today!
All you need is one good review to start creating social proof so you can book clients.
It’s so true and so worth it when those shining reviews start rolling in.
A review is kind of like a gratuity that keeps giving and giving by helping new bookings come in, and even come in kind of like a word of mouth type booking. It’s literally worth its weight in gold.
This is one of the reasons I created my guide, Let’s Get Reviews.
It’s a curated guide that has been contributed to by many leading entrepreneurs.
One of those leading entrepreneurs is my friend Tiffany Bastian.
Tiffany and I met in an online course we took together, actually about building and growing online courses.
We instantly connected and have stayed in touch.
When I started creating this guide I knew she had to be in it.
Here’s a little background and kind of an “about me” about Tiffany:
I love what she says here, it’s so true, “I love the idea that anything is possible, and every day is a new beginning.”
She has 15+ years of experience in the tax and accounting world. She holds an MBA in Accounting and is a Certified Advanced QuickBooks ProAdvisor, and an IRS Enrolled Agent (EA). She founded Bastian Accounting by herself in March of 2013, and cannot believe how they have grown since then.
She prides herself on continuously improving, self-reflection and growth are the two most powerful tools we all have. She’s beyond motivated by watching their clients succeed and reach new levels. Client relationships are everything! ❤️️
I could not agree more!
Let’s get to her tips to get reviews.
- Use a quick online form to ask your clients how they feel about the experience of working with you.
It’s important to make it super easy for them.
They’re taking their valuable time to leave the review, making it as easy and fast as possible for them to do shows them how much you appreciate them.
- Feature them.
I love featuring my clients too.
When you ask them for a review, ask if you can feature them.
Everyone loves to be featured and is always happy to contribute to a feature.
It’s the least we can do when they give us a review, right?
Not only that, but it just amplifies the social proof that we need in our business so we can book even more amazing clients.
- When you get a review, ask for a video.
Tiffany mentions that video is king. Video is a way to really kick that review up a notch, and also kicks featuring your client up a notch!
- Once you have that glowing review and video testimonial, make sure you share it everywhere, you know, feature them!
Celebrate your people in all the places, they gave them a review and testimonial and you want to show them off for it.
Hot tip: Share it everywhere, really brag them up, they deserve it!
Thank you, Tiffany, for sharing these amazing tips with us.
You’ll be getting Tiffany here on the podcast soon, be watching for her. Make sure you’re subscribed to alway get the updates.
Can I tell you something fun about Tiffany?
She’s not your typical accountant.
She teaches accounting strategies online, she does accounting for you in her agency, and she’s hilarious.
Here’s an example, her profile photo on Facebook has her holding a coffee cup that says “I turn coffee into tax returns”. Funny, right?
I’ll put it in the show notes, along with how
Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur or small business owner, and you wish you could fill your calendar faster and easier?
Did you know that most businesses struggle with marketing? We help them narrow in on the simple marketing strategies that will work for them, so they can grow their business.
We do this inside Let's Book Clients: The Membership.
Go to www.letsbookclients.com to check it out and sign up today!
Around here at LBC, there’s no such thing as a competitor.
The dictionary definition for competitor is: competitor is a person, business, team, or organization that competes against you or your company. If somebody is trying to beat you in a race, that person is your competitor.
Hear that kind of aggressive tone?
The words against, and beat for example.
While having “competitors” is a constant in every single business (if there’s not more than one person doing the same thing, it’s probably not even a viable business idea so they’re there for everyone…), doesn’t have to be aggressive or dramatic.
It’s healthy to be competitive to some degree, but you can also push each other to be better from being on the same side.
At the time of this recording, we’re in the middle of a free challenge, called The Get Referrals Challenge.
The training I gave today, touched on having someone you could consider a competitor, as part of your referral network.
When I was getting ready to go live on Facebook, the first post in my feed was actually one of our membership members posting in a group we’re both in.
It’s a DJ group. He’s a DJ. He was asking for a DJ brother or sister who is just starting out to reach out to him about a last minute gig for this weekend.
Now, I can only speculate about why he was asking for someone just starting out.
My guess is that someone he knows needed an assistant, or maybe it was a specific type of event, I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter.
What matters is, was he worried about passing business on to someone else?
Was he worried that they might “beat” him out of a future booking so he better not let them get any experience or at least help them get any experience?
Nope. And he’s better for it too.
I always say you have to give what you want to get what you want.
Don’t you think that connection he would certainly make will remember that and refer their clients to him too when the time comes? Of course they will.
You get what you give. It’s the whole karma thing you know?
I’ll tell you what I was teaching about this in the challenge, and maybe you’re in it and heard it already the first time, it’s worth saying and hearing again, maybe even a million times.
Make sure you have a good relationship, even partnership, with someone who does the same thing as you.
They could seriously be one of your biggest referrers.
They understand.
And it’s impressive!
When a potential client who isn’t going to book with you for whatever reason, (maybe you’re already booked, maybe you’re off that date, maybe you don’t do exactly what they need, etc…) finds out that they can’t work with you but you’re willing to refer to someone they see as your competitor, it’s truly impressive.
They might even refer people to you JUST BECAUSE OF THAT!
Here’s my hot tip, if that happens, keep nurturing that relationship too.
Maybe even send them a little handwritten thank you note, thanking them for reaching out and wishing them well for whatever it was that they needed you for.
I promise you it will come back to you in all the good ways.
Do you wish you could fill your calendar faster and easier?
It's always easy to do on your own, so I’ve created a free challenge for you, where we’ll walk through it together.
The challenge starts on September 21, when you sign up right now you’ll get an action item that will have you starting with the right foundation!
Just go to www.letsbookclients.com/referralschallenge to sign up today!
And not just easier, but better, and more effectively in building your business the right way, and not just building your business the right way, but exponentially and the best sustainability!
Let’s start with the definition of referral, because it has come to my attention that some business owners don’t really get the concept of referrals.
What we’re talking about here, and this is my own definition, is that a referral in business is either an individual or another business owner telling someone who is looking for someone who does what you do, about you!
Beyond just telling them about you, they’re likely either gushing about you and highly recommending to you outwardly, or it is assumed that they love you just because they’re willing to tell them about you.
The thing is, no one is going to recommend or refer someone they aren’t sure about. That’s just not how this works.
Think about it. Your friend asks you for a referral to a restaurant for a special occassion. Are you going to recommend a restaurant that you love, or are you going to just pick a random restaurant that you don’t know about?
Of course you’re going to refer them to a restaurant you love! It would be taking a chance on being embarrassed any other way. Giving a strong referral is something people are proud to do, because they’re proud to be associated with, or know someone, worthy of them referring to. It’s a fun thing to do!
So let’s get down to why it’s easier and better.
- Someone coming to you from a referral is likely ready to book. They’re a hot lead right from go. When Joe asked our friend for a referral, he was ready to book.
The electrician he called, didn’t have to do anything, literally anything, to get his business.
Yes he had to do a good job for our friend who referred him to us, and he’ll do a good job for us, but as far as marketing, him being awesome got him the booking.
- Your client trusts you, because they trust the person who referred them to you, and that trust transfers to you (unless you do something to lose that trust of course). In this scenario, Joe trusts this electrician because he trusts that our friend would only refer him to someone good.
Plus there’s another level of trust because there’s accountability.
When you know the person who referred you to your vendor, you feel connected, and that service provider is going to go above and beyond for you because they don’t want to disappoint you OR the person who referred you.
You’ll be the same way and your client will feel this way about you.
- You’ll get more referrals from this new client.
When you get a client because they’ve been referred to you, by default they know the value of referrals, because they asked a friend about you.
- They’re more likely to fit who your ideal client is, because the person referring them to you has a high probability of being your ideal client (since they had a wonderful experience with you), and if they trust each other they may just have similar characteristics.
Hot tip: Join our free 3 day challenge to get quick, actionable ways to get referrals, and keep them coming... at www.letsbookclients.com/referralschallenge
Do you wish you could fill your calendar faster and easier?
It's always easy to do on your own, so I’ve created a free challenge for you, where we’ll walk through it together.
The challenge starts on September 21, when you sign up right now you’ll get an action item that will have you starting with the right foundation!
Just go to www.letsbookclients.com/referralschallenge to sign up today!
I’ve always seen the term “what if” as something that feels negative, like worrying about something.
When I was younger, and was worrying about something that was probably never going to happen, I would find myself asking myself and whoever else would listen…. what if __________ fill in the blank happens?
Every time I would say “what if… blah blah blah”, my husband Joe’s response, literally every single time, and to this day, is “what if does not exist until what is”.
This saying basically means that there is no such thing as what you’re worried about until it actually happens.
My brother Aaron sent me a book called “Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins.
Have you read it? Get your hands on it today if you haven’t.
Aaron and I both have a favorite of the mentalities in this book, and it’s called “what if”.
But not the what if I’ve always thought is the thing.
This is a what if that is positive and gives you an “I can do anything” approach.
His “what if” mentality, is about your response to someone telling you that you can’t do something.
Someone tells you that you can’t start a business, you turn it around in your mind and say to yourself, “but what if I could”.
It’s like a mirror to the person doubting you, not your capabilities.\
It turns it back on them and shows a reflection to how they actually think. In this example it would be that they thing starting a business is impossible, so they’re reflecting it back on you.
The real WHAT IF is WHAT IF you never find that person within you who can do the things you’re being told you can’t?
OR
WHAT IF you can, and WHAT IF you do.
So WHAT IF we keep helping more and they keep making a difference in the world too?
Go ahead, watch us all, we can make a difference, and we do make a difference. Including, and especially, you.
Tune in for the full episode!
Do you wish you could fill your calendar faster and easier?
It's always easy to do on your own, so I’ve created a free challenge for you, where we’ll walk through it together.
The challenge starts on September 21, when you sign up right now you’ll get an action item that will have you starting with the right foundation!
Just go to www.letsbookclients.com/referralschallenge to sign up today!
We basically have 3 choices when it comes to replying to messages from future clients, current clients, past clients, other businesses who are referring to us or collaborating with us, or really let’s face it, any messages that come in that need a response.
-
As they come in - pros: efficient, effective…. cons: distracting and high pressure
-
In batches - pros: less distractions, less pressure, could allow a more focused and more thoughtful responses… cons: less effective because they could establish a relationship or even book with the one who responded ahead of you, takes up larger chunks of time
-
Hybrid - not an all or nothing, different seasons of life, different stages of business, give yourself grace
There is one more option, and that is automations.
Automations can come into play for the as they come in approach or the batches approach, or of course the hybrid approach.
On a really granular level of automations that don’t take much time to set up, here are a few that we use, that are just native to the programs we already use or even the ones that come with our devices.
Listen in for more, and for your hot tip for this episode!
Just make a decision on how you want to do it and make it work.
Remember, if you try it for a few weeks and need to change it up, it’s your business and you can do that!
Just always prioritize serving your clients well, go above and beyond, and either way will work well for you.
Do you wish you could fill your calendar faster and easier?
It's always easy to do on your own, so I’ve created a free challenge for you, where we’ll walk through it together.
The challenge starts on September 21, when you sign up right now you’ll get an action item that will have you starting with the right foundation!
Just go to www.letsbookclients.com/referralschallenge to sign up today!
Who doesn’t love getting raving reviews?
I can promise you I love it, and have never ever heard a business owner say otherwise either.
Maria Hedian is a leading producer in the fashion industry. She’s so cool, she even has an event every year at New York Fashion Week.
She’s also an educator for those in the fashion industry, and one of my closest friends.
In our curated guide, Let’s Get Reviews, Maria has some very good advice for you that I want to share with you on this episode.
Maria says,
“One of my favorite tactics for getting reviews is hosting a sweepstakes.
Select a start date and an end date for submissions and have all applicants send an image of the submitted review.
Each review is the equivalent of an entry and on the end date, you select a winner at random.
The most important thing to remember is to make sure they are leaving honest reviews.
Go into it asking what they loved about your service instead of just asking for reviews for a contest.
It's a fun way to engage with your audience and reading the reviews that are submitted makes it that much more special.
It's a win-win for all!”
I love every single bit about this.
You’ll even see the really big players do this smart method of getting reviews.
It doesn’t have to be anything super huge.
I also love what Maria said about asking for what they loved about your service, instead of just asking for reviews for a contest.
Hot tip: Did you notice what she said about it being a fun way to engage with your audience, and that reading the reviews is really special?
That’s personally my favorite thing about getting reviews.
You could be having the worst day. Maybe you even got yelled at by a client.
Keep those raving reviews handy and use them as a pick me up.
It really really does help.
Give this method of hosting a contest a try.
You can find more from Maria, and over 20 more of my favorite entrepreneur friends who are movers and shakers in our free guide.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to download it now.
It’s super easy and there are some fun easter eggs in it that you’re going to love!
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Your Own Podcast - Or anything new and scary - the mindset requirement
Last episode - what equipment and software you need
This episode is more about the actually getting started.
Once you have the equipment and software you need (and btw Buzzsprout will walk you through each thing to do super easily), it’s time to get started.
When I first started, I was all about just hitting that red record button.
I had wanted to start a podcast for a year. I moved it from one vision board to the next, and was determined not to move it again.
So I put it out into the universe and asked for accountability.
When that year flipped over, it hit me that now is the time.
I remember setting a goal for March 3. 3/3 - I love repeating numbers so it made a lot of sense to me.
I also remember being super scared to do it. I mean, what if someone actually listened to it? OR what if they didn’t?
What if my brother listened to it and thought I was crazy?
Spoiler - he did find out about it - saw me promoting it - and called me to tell me how incredibly brave I am and how proud he is of me.
You know the Mark Twain quote, I love it, “Most of the things I’ve worried about have never happened.” I feel it often and push through. Worry doesn’t help anyone!
I took a course about it that really kept me accountable.
The instructor and coach of the group said something that really resonated with me.
She said to get started, just hit the red record button.
It made me realize that everything didn’t have to be perfect, I was just going to get going. So I did.
My first episodes didn’t have intro and outro music.
I got rolling and added in the intro and outro music.
I was a LOT of episodes in before I finally pre-recorded the intro track that tells my listeners what to expect in each episode.
Guess what? It was fine. I still got a lot of downloads, people still listened.
In fact, now that those more professional pieces are in place, I’m not sure it has even really increased my stats.
The downloads steadily increase the more episodes we put out, of course, and we keep growing and growing exponentially, and helping more and more entrepreneurs like you grow their business, and that’s what really matters to me.
Hot tip: Whether you want to get started on your own podcast, or a blog, or vlog, or build an email list following, or other marketing step, or make a big purchase for your business… whatever it is, it’s the same process.
You just have to get going.
It won’t be perfect, it doesn’t even need to be.
It’s way more fun to look back on the messiness of when you first got started, and see your massive growth a year later, right?
Maybe that’s just what I tell myself about my awkwardly cringy starts.
I’d love to hear what you’re getting started on, email me about it and put it into the universe! My email is friends@letsbookclients.com
Is purchasing rental property as part of your retirement and/or wealth building plan in your immediate future?
My husband Joe and I are hosting a one hour training where we’re showing you the top 3 “must-do’s” before you invest in real estate.
We’ll be there with you live on Monday, August 22, and will stay and answer all of your burning questions.
Just go to iwantarental.com to sign up!
Inexpensive but really good Amazon microphone
Amazon camera if you want to add video, totally unnecessary - don’t let it stop you.
Record in free Garage Band if on Mac, or Audacity if on PC
Publish with Buzzsprout
Canva for graphics
Hot tip - the red record button
Links are affiliate links, always email me at friends@letsbookclients.com if you need anything at all.
Is purchasing rental property as part of your retirement and/or wealth building plan in your immediate future?
My husband Joe and I are hosting a one hour training where we’re showing you the top 3 “must-do’s” before you invest in real estate.
We’ll be there with you live on Monday, August 22, and will stay and answer all of your burning questions.
Just go to iwantarental.com to sign up!
Let’s talk a little bit about the path to your financial success.
My friend and mentor has the trademark on what he calls The Success Path.
It really is what makes the difference in successfully booking clients, and for helping them stay on track so that they also stay successful along their journey with you.
Today I’m giving you a peek at mine.
My success path isn’t linear, it’s more of a cycle you’ll continually go through and perfect.
PS if you’re in the membership, we’re doing a training this week about building one for your clients to go along.
For an example, I’ll tell you about each stage my clients and audience goes through (you’re included in this amazing group of humans), and explain the last stage a little more for you, because Joe and I have a workshop coming out soon that dives deep into one of the aspects of it.
To sign up for the workshop just go to www.iwantarental.com. We'll see you there!
Is purchasing rental property as part of your retirement and/or wealth building plan in your immediate future?
My husband Joe and I are hosting a one hour training where we’re showing you the top 3 “must-do’s” before you invest in real estate.
We’ll be there with you live on Monday, August 22, and will stay and answer all of your burning questions.
Just go to iwantarental.com to sign up!
On the last episode, we discussed if you should celebrate a client booking on social media.
Make sure you go back and listen to it after you finish this one in just a few minutes.
On this one, we’re addressing whether or not you should celebrate or even tag a vendor you’re working with on socials.
When it came down to celebrating your client booking on socials, my answer was the very annoying… it depends.
When it comes to sharing about and tagging vendors, my answer is absofreakinglutely, and always and often.
Hear me… this does NOT mean be spammy. We’ve all been tagged in posts just for the sake of being tagged, that’s not what we’re talking about here.
We’re talking about sharing when you’re actually building or growing an authentic relationship.
What are the opportunities for tagging?
- When you make a connection with them. Here are some examples using my favorite vendor example:
“So excited to meet with The Love Shack venue team tomorrow!”
“So grateful to be added to The Love Shack venue’s preferred vendor list. Can’t wait to work with them even more.”
“Check out this event we did recently at The Love Shack venue!”
Also pay attention to any posts your vendor friends do on IG that your audience would appreciate, and interact with and share those posts to your stories.
Along those same lines, be reciprocal. When a vendor tags you in a story or post, return the favor and share to your stories too.
It’s all a win win and so easy to do, but so so effective!
Why should you make the effort to tag vendors on socials?
- It’s great content and social proof. It shows your audience that you make an effort to make connections with other vendors, it’s often for their benefit that you’re making those connections.
It also shows that others in your field respect you enough to work with you too. It gives you a ton of credibility.
- When you tag them on an Instagram post (the feed, not the story), it shows up in their “tagged posts” tab.
Many potential clients will go to that tab when they’re working with a vendor to find other vendors they’ve worked with in the past. It’s a great place to be!
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The vendor you’re tagging also needs social media content and will often share what you’ve posted with their audience, especially in stories.
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It keeps you top of mind for that vendor, and that means they’re more likely to refer their clients to you. Don’t let yourself get forgotten!
We’re all busy and it’s easy to forget, even the ones we love the most!
Hot tip: I mentioned this in the last episode too, but it’s worth being careful of here too.
Be careful when tagging or mentioning a client in these vendor posts.
Not everyone wants the world to know what vendors they’re working with, no matter what the project is.
Just be mindful of it every time you do it and you’ll be fine.
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Support the show
Question in group: Do you post when you book a client, for example, so excited to help plan Katie & Sean’s wedding October 2022.
There were definitely mixed responses. Head into Let’s Book Clients: The Community, to see the communities thoughts… this episode is a little summary of my thoughts around it.
My response is everyone’s favorite to hate, it depends.
There’s not a real concrete answer to this one.
It depends on how much time you spend on socials and if it’s a part of your marketing plan.
One thing is for sure… It shouldn’t be the only thing you jump on socials to do. Shouldn’t be your only posts on socials.
It can be really fun and beneficial if you word it correctly, in a way that makes your client want to share it on their account.
Their audience will see you too, and of course that’s great exposure.
So these are the plus sides.
It also depends on where you are in your business.
If you’re not booking as many clients as you wish you were, and the thought of it lets imposter syndrome creep in just thinking about it, it might not be the right time to add it into your strategy. It’s not necessary, and not worth it if it makes you feel icky.
On the other hand…
If you’re booking a ton of clients, it can take over your feed.
And your future clients might love that you do it, and maybe it’s even exciting for them to book with you because you do it.
If you do it this way, you have to make sure you don’t miss anyone.
You really do want to go all or nothing on this one, if someone books with you because they think it would be fun to be called out on your page, and you miss it, it’s potential to disappoint a client right off the bat for no real reason.
The way more important question, no matter where you are in business, and especially if you’re not booking as many clients as you want to, is do you post and tag other vendors when you network, collaborate, work with them?
It’s exponentially bigger to do than post about clients, if you’re going to choose between the two.
We’ll talk about that on the next episode.
Hot tip: I’m a fan of celebrating your clients, and if part of that is doing an exciting post, or story, about it, great.
BUT Never ever do it without their permission, and never “give away” any details about their wedding. EVER.
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Support the show
I always love a collaboration, and encourage all of my clients, and podcast listeners, to participate in them whenever possible.
Watch for opportunities for collaborations everywhere.
Here's how this one came about. My friend Jamie Bright, with Brighter Together, was a guest here on the podcast recently.
When we were wrapping up after we ended the recording (spoiler alert, we stay and chit chat after the episodes end), she mentioned that she's contributing to this amazing guide by Lindsey Bonnice, with Live Sweet and the Girls Grow Together Gang, and that my content would also be a great fit for the guide.
She introduced us, and the guide launched today!
It's an amazing collaborative eBook that you're definitely going to want to grab.
Go here for the link.
Hurry and grab it, it's only live for a week!
My DMs are always open, or email me at friends@letsbookclients.com, I love hearing from you!
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Support the show
Motivation - the general desire or willingness to do something.
Joe and I had covid recently. It wasn’t too too bad physically, but mentally it really kicked our butts.
The brain fog and fatigue lasted 4ish weeks.
Like about the same time as it takes for a habit to form. Not great.
I still tried to conduct business as usual most of the time, but it was still really confusing and draining.
I’m super out of the habit, and really needed to kick in some big motivation. It’s also mid July and it feels like everyone is kind of taking a summer break, and that’s awesome too.
Do you ever feel like this?
Here are some things I’m doing.
My brother was talking to me about a challenge he wanted to do, called 75 Hard. Have you done it?
We both started together, I’m on Day 3.
It’s a 75 day challenge that is about mental strength, and trickles down into business strength, and physical and spiritual also.
Basically it is working out twice a day, for 45 minutes each, one workout must be outside.
Reading 10 pages of a self help type book (I’m currently reading my Bible, I’m also going to throw in a book I’ve been wanting to read by Jamie Kern Lima, called Believe It).
Drink a gallon of water.
Take a picture of yourself.
Follow a diet, your choice.
If you mess up, you start over. Even if it’s on the 74th day. That’s enough to motivate me for sure sure.
I seriously need something difficult sometimes like this, to challenge myself and gain back my motivation. It’s really working.
What’s even better, our sister has joined in too, so it’s giving us something to do together, and we’re long distance so that’s even more fun.
And what does that lead us to in the next point?
Accountability.
It’s something we’re talking about in LBC+ this week, and something we’re adding in as a monthly deliverable.
It really helps to have someone by your side really keeping you accountable.
The next thing, and this is kind a best for last thing, is grace.
Sometimes we get really fierce and fired up with motivation, and build huge to do lists and expectations for ourselves.
Sometimes we don’t quite meet the expectation and pressure we put on ourselves.
(This is the opposite of the expectation 75 Hard puts on us with the starting over if you mess up. Most things don’t require that, isn’t that great?!?!?!?!)
Really do give yourself grace. Taking a breath and a break and even a little nap can be all you need to get that motivation back.
The important thing is fulfilling obligations, keeping integrity, and using the momentum you have to keep yourself going in the most efficient way possible.
I went hunting for a quote that I love that talks about how most people give up right when the success they’ve been working toward is literally right around the corner and they don’t even know it.
I found 3 and couldn’t choose, they’re all short and hopefully you love quotes as much as I do.
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It’s always too soon to quit. By Raymond Edman. Always is a strong word, but the sentiment is amazing.
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97% of people who quit too soon are employed by the 3% who never gave up. This one is author unknown, and also pretty fierce, but so motivating.
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It’s a slow process, but quitting won’t speed it up. This one is also author un
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Support the show
Whatever industry you’re in, our goal here is to not only survive, but thrive, during these difficult times, and I’m here to help.
My husband Joe and I have been entrepreneurs for a really long time and have seen all kinds of economy types, and happen to be really good at adapting and thriving, and truly setting up our businesses to be recession proof.
Let’s break down a few ways you can make it happen.
- Create obvious add ons, and talk about them. Examples: game, snow cone machine, personalized card box, late night snack, get creative.
With our party rental business, we had fleets of trucks running all over the place, 24/7. The first time fuel costs really skyrocketed, back in I think it was 2008ish, we realized quickly that we needed to adapt.
These add-ons were things our clients wanted anyway, and were likely going to have to go pick up and be inconvenienced with.
Because we offered them, they showed up on our truck with their other party rentals, and those add-ons paid for our fuel for not only that party, but each one was enough to cover that truck’s fuel for the whole day.
80% of our clients chose to add something on, so that created a profit margin on top of covering the fuel, when that truck had several deliveries for the day, and they always did.
Total win win for us and the client.
I promise you there’s something in your business that can be added on too.
At the venue, we would add on things like a personalized gift box, or a late night snack. When you start thinking of things you can add-on and get your already creative juices flowing, you’ll be surprised at what you can think up.
Speaking of saving the client the trip to go get whatever we were able to bring them that they needed when we were already coming anyway…
- Shave costs off of the back end. Have delivered instead of driving - saves both gas and time - and time is money. Consolidate trips where you can. Have virtual meetings to save both you and your clients that golden gas money. What services are you providing at no cost to your client but at a cost to you, that don’t really matter?
All of these things allow you bigger chunks of time to be the CEO of your business and do other things that also generate more revenue, like implementing add-ons for example.
When you make a conscious effort to save time and be more efficient, it makes up for elevated fuel costs and other inflations very very quickly.
You’re the one unaffected by words like recession even if you just do this one thing, and I’m giving you three here today!
- Keep a recession proof mindset. Stay off of the debbie downer news cycle. The news always creates a little anxiety in me that I just don’t need, and definitely can create overwhelm. Stay focused on your goals. Keep your eye on the prize. Focus on serving your clients well and… spoiler alert… everything is going to be fine!
Hot tip: Investing in a coaching program where you can get simple marketing steps that will keep your calendar filled without needing to spend money on ads or expensive online directory sites.
Of course I’m partial to my membership, Let’s Book Clients, the mastermind. Speaking for our membership specifically, it’s very low cost and saves you a ton of money in practical strategies, plus increases your revenue by helping you add market
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
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Repetition - Good or bad for your biz?
When you’re posting, or even scheduling, on social media or in your email marketing, do you sometimes hold back on how often you post because you don’t want to seem like “too much” for your audience?
The first thing to remember when this feeling creeps in, and it does for all of us, is that between algorithms and people just being generally busy, only a tiny percentage of our audience actually sees our posts… unless they interact with us a lot, or even add us to our favorite, or subscribe to our podcast (hint, hint!), and then they see it more.
Those are seeing our content more because the algorithm is doing its job of showing users what they’ve shown that they enjoy.
AND/OR the amazing humans in your audience have added you to their favorites or subscribed to you, and in that case they’ve said that they want more of you, so no worries there for sure!
I always listen to music on Alexa when I’m getting ready. I listen to Amazon Music just because apparently it’s the most convenient for DJ Alexa to play.
I don’t subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited, I have Spotify and Apple Music, and I mostly listen to business trainings that I’m a member of or podcasts anyway, so I just don’t need it.
Alexa doesn’t care.
Probably 3 out of every 4 times I have her play something, she offers me a subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited.
I almost always decline, but she has gotten me to subscribe a couple of times.
You know what most of it is? Repetition.
Every once in a while I’m like “okay fine!”. Lol
I stay for a few months then realize I don’t need it and stop. Then she offers it again and we repeat the dance.
It’s what got me thinking about this topic.
I hear from a lot of our members that they’re hesitant to post too often on socials, and I’m here to tell you, you really can’t.
The more you post (and we talk about what to post in the membership, it’s more than we can talk about here on our bite sized episodes, so that’s for another day), actually the more superfans you’ll have.
I mentioned that one of the reasons people don’t see your content, in addition to algorithms, is that they really are just busy and focused on other things and social media just moves so so fast.
One of the things you can do when you’re looking for something to post, is to repurpose something you’ve posted before.
Something that has performed well and is at least 3 months old.
That creates anxiety right from when I mention it, right?
You’re thinking that someone will remember when you posted it before.
Let me ask you a question… have you ever forgotten a password when logging into a site? Any site?
And these are things we type in over and over and over, and even though it feels like we have to have 100 variations of them, when I look at mine, there are really only maybe 5 or 6 that it could possibly be, and I still have to hit that dreaded “forgot password” and go through that whole process again.
If I can forget that, and I’m not the only one who does FOR SURE, then I sure am not going to remember something you posted on your social media 3+ months ago that I may or may not have even seen the first time.
See how that works?
Here’s your tip. Just post. Just send the email. Maybe even bump up the frequency a l
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
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It’s the last day of June at time of this podcast episode publication, which means we’re halfway through the year.
It’s time for a quick check in on your goals.
There are 3 types of goals that every entrepreneur should have.
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Goals that are easily achievable - that make you feel like you’ve accomplished something, and you have!
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Goals that you can probably achieve, but they push you to be even better.
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Goals that you know you won’t achieve. Because if your goals don’t scare you a little, they’re not big enough!
Hot tip: Go back and re-evaluate those goals you set in January. I bet you’ve achieved more than you think! You may have pivoted around some of them too and maybe you need to set some new ones.
Nothing magical happens when the calendar turns over a year. Goals can be yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily.
Thank you for being here where we learn, grow, and connect together!
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
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You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
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One of the very most common struggles I hear is marketing. Like literally people use that word, as in, “My biggest struggle is marketing.”
Of course marketing is a lot lot lot of different elements, strategies, methods, systems… it’s actually what we do in our mastermind membership.
I teach simple marketing steps so you can fill your calendar with the right clients.
Between me teaching, and us helping each other with everyone’s zone of genius through member spotlights, we have all kinds of strategy sessions that really break it down, including, networking, SEO, reviews, preferred vendor lists, your online presence, referrals, affiliates, systems, mindset, pricing, branding, and time management, just to name a few.
One super simple element that you can go right into implementing today, may surprise you when I say it.
Tell me, is it marketing?
This element is giving compliments.
Yep, I said it’s super simple, and it is, it’s just something easily forgotten, or maybe even not done well.
Tune in to see how powerful this is.
Is this marketing? To me that’s a no brainer, you can make that call for yourself and your business, but I would say yes all day long.
So much of our every day interactions are actually marketing if we stay mindful and aware of it.
Hot tip/action item: give a compliment. Just do it. Definitely do it with your future, current, and past clients, but also make it a habit it your every day life and see how things change for the better. For you, of course, but also for those you interact with, and compliment.
Drop me an email at friends@letsbookclients.com and let me know how it goes!
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
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You want to keep growing your audience, for future clients as well as keeping in contact with your current and past clients… they’re some of your best referrers to your future clients, so it’s literally a cycle that keeps going and going.
Let’s talk about a few more reasons why this is so important.
Have you noticed how glitchy Instagram is lately?
If IG is your main source of traffic, this should scare you if it doesn’t already.
Often when it’s glitchy, it’s not showing your content to as many people.
It makes sense, no one wants to hang out on it when it’s so glitchy… and when their favorite people, like you, aren’t showing up in their feed or stories. It’s a lose lose.
One influencer I follow, who has around a million followers, said that her posts typically have a reach of around 100k soon after she posts, and this week they’re getting around 5000 soon after she posts.
That’s a reach of only half of one percent!
And that’s a super active account with lots of super fans.
What is the reach for you on half of one percent of your followers?
Here’s the thing, when we help just one person, that matters. BUT of course we want to reach more of our audience than that.
Not to mention, having your main platform as Instagram (or any other social media) is putting everything in someone else’s hands, or like the title of this episode, putting your eggs in someone else’s basket. No one wants that!
When you have a following on your blog or podcast, and a healthy email list, that’s yours.
PLUS the open rates of emails is a way higher percentage than any reach on IG or other platform. Even when IG is behaving perfectly you’re reaching 2-5% of your audience.
My open rates average around 60%. This means that 60% of the people on my email list open my emails.
Now, do I post on social media too? Of course!
That’s one of the ways I’m building my email list. See how that works?!?!
Having a blog or podcast is a great addition to your strategy because you’re not only positioning yourself as an authority, and serving people well by providing them with valuable information, but it’s also a perfect way to get people to your website.
The more you blog (or podcast) the more opportunity you have for SEO (which is search engine optimization, which is showing up when people type the words into Google or other search engines that match up with the words you use in your content).
I’ll wrap it up with this hot tip just to get you started.
You may have heard the term opt in or lead magnet.
If you’re in my mastermind membership, you have a training all about it.
These are tools that build your email list that also give huge value right off the bat to your audience.
It’s something that you give to someone in exchange for their email address.
And, because you’re an amazing human, your emails also give that person amazing value on a consistent basis.
For example, my main lead magnet right now is a guide all about how to get reviews, and not just get reviews, but creative things you can do with those reviews to help you book more clients.
I took it a step further and reached out to some of my best entrepreneur buds, who are also major leaders in their fields and are super successful, and they shared their favorite tips for getting and using reviews.
It’s a very high value guide that is completely free to anyone w
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
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Whether it’s a new-ish platform that has popped up, or whether an established one has caught your attention and you know it’s something that will help your business, venturing onto a new-to-you platform is never easy.
I asked in my free Facebook group, what’s a platform you’ve been meaning to get started on or be more consistent with, and the answers were overwhelmingly diverse.
There was a lot of TikTok, which is actually the answer I would have expected.
There was also Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and then we saw some that want to get started with email marketing and blogging.
What can you do to be effective at starting in on a new platform?
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Make sure you’re already handling the ones you’re on effectively, intentionally, and efficiently.
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If you’re already handling the ones you’re on and you’re good, create a plan for the next one you add in.
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That leads me into the next point, speaking of it genuinely helping people.
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Make sure you can be consistent when you start another platform.
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Let’s talk about my favorite tools. I try to keep it super simple and basic and not get caught up in tools for tools. I’ve definitely tried out most of them.
One of your best tools is the data and insights from the platforms you’re already on.
Tailwind is another one of my favorites, it’s very helpful on Pinterest and Instagram.
I also highly recommend using Creators Studio.
It’s the native tool for Meta (which is FB and IG), it’s completely free, and it’s actually pretty robust.
My hot tip for you today is to schedule.
I have a tool that I absolutely love, it’s a timer that you just turn and it sets the timer for a designated amount of time.
I’ll flip it and then get to scheduling (in Creators Studio of course) and do as many posts as I can before the timer goes off.
It sounds so simple but it really is a game changer.
Tap here for the link.
To wrap this up, I’m challenging you to go ahead and start posting on that new platform you’ve been wanting to get started.
Let me know how it’s going, I love hearing from you, you can email me at friends@letsbookclients.com.
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
This is the last episode in our mindset foundations series.
Not to be confused with our last episode that talks about mindset, I like to focus on mindset on our Thursday episodes, and action items/marketing things on our Tuesday episodes, these are just more foundational and we went over 4 main mindset pillars.
We talked about gratitude, abundance, growth, and today opportunity.
The definition of opportunity is a time when a particular situation makes it possible to do or achieve something.
I also saw this synonym, convenience, and I thought that was interesting.
Opportunity isn’t always convenient, but it is always possible.
It’s amazing to me sometimes the opportunities we don’t always see, and that they’re always presenting themselves.
It’s interesting that the other 3 mindset pillars, gratitude, abundance, and growth, all tie into opportunity so well. Let’s explore that.
When you feel thankful, or gratitude toward someone, and even show them that gratitude, opportunity is often a side effect.
Let’s say you show gratitude to a past client, they remember that and will refer you when the opportunity presents itself.
They may not have even recognized that opportunity if you hadn’t gone above and beyond with your gratitude.
At the same time, you saw the opportunity to show gratitude toward them, so it becomes a very reciprocal relationship for both of you.
How about abundance?
You have a choice, an opportunity, to look for abundance or to look for scarcity. When you look for abundance, more abundance shows itself to you. What comes along with seeing abundance? Opportunity!
Let’s say you’re at a trade show. Let’s say it’s a little slow.
Do you get frustrated at the time, money, and effort you put in, and maybe even start looking for someone to blame for wasting it? That’s scarcity. You’ll never find or see opportunities when you’re thinking this way, even if they’re right there presenting themselves.
On the flip side, do you look to the vendors on either side of you and start building a relationship?
Did you know that even if no one ever came into a trade show as a guest, there’s a ton of networking opportunities, right there under the same roof?
Imagine going to a networking event where everyone brings what they do and is prepared to share it and is the best version of themself and their business?
That’s the opportunity available at a trade show!
I’ve been to so many shows where my neighbor sat behind a table the entire time, and at the end complained that it was a terrible show.
Every single one of those, I built relationships with my fellow vendors, and every single one of them I made a vendor friend that I could refer my clients to and enabled them to refer their clients to me.
Just that one tiny mindset shift created opportunities for lasting relationships.
Last but not least, opportunity for growth. I love this quote by Bryant McGill: Whatever makes you uncomfortable is your biggest opportunity for growth.”
This is so true. Growth rarely happens inside our comfort zone.
BUT when we get outside our comfort zone and look for the opportunity for growth, that sometimes becomes our comfort zone!
Here
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
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Welcome! I have a super extra special treat for you on the show today. I have Jamie Bright with We Are Brighter Together.
Jamie is talking to us about making the most of your connections and relationships.
How to build your business in a non spammy way without ruining relationships or having to cold DM people with pitches.
So the really first thing that I would be looking at, if you want to get good reviews and stories so that other people see that you're amazing to work with and they want to work with you, you have to provide an awesome experience.
The easiest way to do this is really quite simple. Exceed expectations. We really judge our experience of something based on what we expect it to be. So Christmas is a great example for my kids. If they are expecting to the normal Christmas thing. And I surprised them and say, Hey, we're going to go to Disney world or something like that.
**They're going to be thrilled because it's like way above and beyond what they're expecting. So with our clients, if we can think about, okay, what are they actually expecting us to provide? And how can we go above and beyond that?
When we do, then they're thrilled. They're happy. They want to share, they want to give us these awesome reviews.**
Once you have this amazing experience and they're ready to shout from the rooftops about you a lot of people will just say, Hey, can I get a review? Now I switched this from asking for a review to asking if I could feature them. This does a couple of different things.
One, it implies that you're going to be sharing it. So you don't have to ask them if you can share it again, which is awesome too. Everyone loves being featured. We want to be an inspiration for others. And if we had a great experience working with somebody, we're happy to promote them during that.
The final point that I'd love to share is don't be afraid to ask for the referral directly from the clients, especially. If they've given you a feature, if they've given you a great review. Awesome people know other awesome people.
All my opt-ins are video asks. I also have a challenge, which is brighter togetherchallenge.com. It's an email based challenge that you opt into. It will walk you through how to make the most of the relationships you have.
**This challenge is going to walk you through what are the other opportunities that you have to grow your business through the relationships you've already got without it being spammy, without it being cold DM-ing people in ways that are going to make it uncomfortable, and doing it in a way that actually strengthens your relationship and doesn't hurt it because a lot of people are afraid to ask for favors or for help or whatever else, because they're afraid they're going to use a favor up that maybe they want to use in the future or something else.
It doesn't have to be that way at all. You're not annoying people. You can go there and you'll see my video ask all about it and you can opt in there.**
**And I do reply to every single video ask at this point of recording. Not always immediately, but as soon as I'm able and I would love to show them.
The challenge starts the moment they sign up, it's going to be binge-worthy.**
Remember we’re breaking down these points and they’ll be in our free magazine style guide at www.letsgetreview
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
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We’re talking with Rebecca Jones about how systems can make you money in your business.
There's lots of ways to make money and one way that you may not think of is your operational system and systems.
A lot of people think they don't have systems in their business. And actually you do, because if you may not think about it, but if you have something that you do consistently, like you're performing the same steps in a row, whether they're efficient or not, or effective, you know, you're doing the same thing.
That's your system. And a lot of it usually is living in someone's head. Especially people who are newer in their business or a solopreneur. A lot of your systems run in your head because you're the only one running your business.
Why do you need a good system for everything you do?
It offers a consistent client experience across the board for all the people that you work with.
It equates to efficiency.
It increases client retention. There's consistency that comes back from other clients because they had a great experience with you.
It builds brand loyalty. It builds your reputability because people are just saying how great and attentive you are, how caring you are. It's going to get around and people will talk about it.
And then it gives you that competitive edge, because if people are talking about you and you have that brand image, Building from your customer experience and reviews and things like that. Then how much does that give you an edge over your competitor? Who maybe doesn't have as many reviews or doesn't have people talking about them as much and a great way to find out, you know, what's so great about your customer experience.
Can you explain to us what you do as an operations manager?
My job as an operations manager is to come in and look at the operations and into your systems. How are you running things? Do you use systems for your business? Do you use a project management system? Do you use a client relationship management system, your CRM? Because I do believe that a lot of Tech can support your business.
My love language is project management systems.
So Trello, Asana, Click Up. I love those platforms. They do so much for you. Most of them have some sort of free platform that works just fine. The nice thing about these project management systems is that they can be a good hack for your lead management system as well.
These project management systems, whichever you choose to use, I set them up so that you have a high level view of where you are in your client process delivery system for your whole business.
How can we find you? The best way to find me is on Instagram. My handle is @rebeccajones_solutions. The best way to contact me is through Instagram and DM chat with me.
I'm always there and happy to talk with new people and meet new people and see how I can.
One last thing, remember our systems are always changing. They're always evolving. You know, it's never set in stone. You may do it one way for a while. Then evolve and change it to another way because you found something better.
And so it's not something that you have to do A, B, and C this way forever, you can change it and evolve it as you grow your business as well.
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
We started this mindset series by talking about what mindset really is, then I promised you we would explore 4 elements of mindset.
Today’s episode is exploring the mindset pillar of abundance.
The dictionary definition of abundance is a very large quantity of something.
The notion of abundance or plenty is less about material conditions, revolving instead (once basic needs are met), around an appreciation of life in its fullness, joy and strength of mind, body and soul.
An abundance mindset is the idea or worldview that there are enough resources and successes for all to share. This worldview is contrasted with a scarcity mindset, or the idea that there isn't enough to go around and that each person must guard their accomplishments or resources from others.
“The mind is everything, what you think, you become.”
The thought that life is a pie, and if one person gets too much, there’s less for everyone else.
This is the opposite of abundance, and the opposite of abundance is scarcity.
Three ways to lean into having a mindset of abundance.
- Focus on what you do have. One of the mindset elements we talked about in this series was gratitude.
If you can start your day with three things you’re grateful for, it sets you up for a habit of always focusing on what you have.
It doesn’t have to be material things, it applies to everything. Health, relationships, skills, everything.
- Hang out with people who have an abundance mindset. Think about who you hang out with. Those who see everything as glass half empty, are focusing on scarcity. Those who see the glass as half full, have a mindset of abundance.
Another test is to think about if you look up to the people who you surround yourself with. If not, it might be time to think about changing that, or at least adding to it. I know it makes a huge difference for me.
Hanging out with someone who has a scarcity mindset, can definitely be contagious. Having a positive or abundant mindset is something that takes practice and habits to acheive.
- See things as everyone wins.
Often it’s easy to think that if one person wins, the other person automatically loses.
What if one person wins and the other person wins too?
I’m not saying in the “everyone gets a trophy” way, I’m talking about more of a community over competition way. In a rising tide lifts all ships kind of way.
What if you saw no one as a competitor?
I learned early in my business that someone who sees me as a competitor, is seeing business as scarcity, as if there’s not enough to go around.
Just like I mentioned earlier, like if I got a bigger piece of the pie, that means a smaller piece for them.
Guess what? That’s just not true because we actually live in a bakery!
There’s pies coming out of the oven all over the place! And new pies going in the oven! It’s all on a continuous loop!
If we’re willing to see our competitors as part of our community, we all win!
Hot tip: Look for opportunities, they’re everywhere.
We had a business 20 years ago where we rented inflatable rides and amusements, booked entertainers, and did party planning.
There was always something crazy going on, as you can imagine.
Our team started getting in this habit of calling us and starting the call with “we have a problem”.
We quickly learned how stressful that was for us, and them
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Our guest today is Marcy Morrison, of The Corporate Coaches Collaborative, and Healthy Fit Family.
On this episode, Marcy is showing us who a corporate client is... spoiler alert, it's probably not who you think... why we should all have at least one, and how to get one.
We talk about the difference it makes to speak to what your client wants, and then go a step further and give them what they really need deep down.
We talk about how having a corporate client is similar to having an online group business, in that it makes the service you provide accessible to so many more people. Both from a cost and affordability standpoint, and also from a time standpoint.
We talk about corporate event clients, and that if you can serve a wedding client you can definitely serve a corporate client.
Marcy points out that listing a corporate client on your website as a past client really adds to your credibility.
In a similar way, if you want to offer your services to corporate clients, you need to have that option as a tab on your website.
Marcy spills the tea big in who to contact at a corporation, and what to say when you contact them, in her hot tip.
In my hot tip, I mention something Marcy pointed out earlier in the episode to start in your own back yard, and that is to use geographic locations and hashtags when posting on Instagram, even if you have a global audience.
At the end we both agree that reaching out and collaborating is always important.
She and I just met recently in an online group that we're in, and we agree that it's so important to just reach out and connect with people.
You never know what similarities you have an how you can serve each other in a reciprocal way.
Learn more about adding a corporate client into your clientele by joining Marcy's free Facebook Group, The Corporate Coaches Collective.
Marcy's membership for corporate clients: www.worksitewellnessmembership.com.
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
This is episode 3 in our mindset specific series.
I love teaching mindset, and do it often here too, but these series is 4 pillars of mindset.
We’re doing them every other episode, the mindset moment last week was about gratitude.
This week we’re diving into GROWTH.
Let’s start with a definition.
At its core, the granular definition of growth is
the process of developing mentally, or spiritually.
I also saw this definition and want to touch on it:
the process of increasing in amount, value, or importance.
Growth in the way we’re talking about it today, is personal growth, the part about developing mentally, or spiritually.
Given that you’re probably listening to this episode for business, I do want to touch on the idea that you could be increasing value in your business for your clients, or even increasing your rates as you grow.
BUT at this very moment, you are critically important. Your importance doesn’t increase as you grow. YOU.ARE.IMPORTANT and VALUABLE. RIGHT NOW.
Please please please realize this as we go through growth here.
Okay now to our 3 points about growth as it applies to mindset.
- Learning = growth. Someone told me yesterday that they like to surround themselves with people who have larger book (or ebook, audiobook, workshops, programs, memberships, podcast episodes) collections than TV sizes.
I thought that was interesting, and applies here well too.
Not that you can’t learn on TV, but learning in all of these formats is critical to growth.
- Healthy habits = growth. Making healthy habits for yourself is so healthy when it comes to your growth.
Repeating the same thing for growth over and over and over is always how to develop those good habits, and habits are an important way to grow.
Let’s make it super simple. If you want to keep yourself healthy, and staying hydrated is an element of that, make a commitment to drink your water every single day.
Or you want to grow your business, commit to taking action with one simple thing each day. Like committing to posting in your IG stories once per day is a great way to create a habit that helps your business grow.
- Learn, grow, and connect together. This is the tagline for this podcast, and it’s what we say for a reason
It is so effective, and we love it so much, to literally learn, grow, and connect TOGETHER. You don’t have to work on your growth in a vacuum.
Doing it together just makes you grow exponentially. The accountability, brainstorming, and just so so many aspects of working together toward growth is so huge.
We’re here together in this podcast as a community, because there are many listening in to it. Just knowing that others are listening and learning the same thing as you is powerful.
Me being here in your ear, even though it isn’t live, is powerful, because it’s like having your BFF right here cheering you on and encouraging you. That’s me by the way. LOL
We also have our mastermind membership group and Facebook groups where we meet up virtually and work together, and that’s also growth.
Now for our hot tip: Look for ways to grow. In any of the easy ways we just talked about together, or by considering joining us in our mastermind membership and Facebook group, in
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
My friend, Kelly Rudolph, and I were just talking about her business and her ideal clients.
To give a little background, she and I met online because we both love doing mini workshops for our audiences, and we started cohosting each other’s mini workshops.
Her business is called “Positive Women Rock”, and her ideal clients are women over 40, she helps them get clarity and confidence about who they are, what they want, and how to get it.
The workshop she’s currently doing is called From Self-Sabotage to Rockin’ Results.
Kelly is also a Top Gun enthusiast.
She’s fortunate to live very close to Miramar, if you know Top Gun, you know Miramar.
They have all kinds of fun events and a very active Facebook page.
They’re having lots of extra events to lead up to the opening of the new, much anticipated, Top Gun: Maverick movie.
While she’s at these events, of course she’s naturally making connections with other fans.
They connect on Facebook, she posts about Top Gun things on her Facebook, and every once in a while she posts about her business and her upcoming workshop.
She can even tweak some of her messaging.
For example, if she tweaks it from saying, “get out of the backseat of life and get into the drivers seat”, if she just does a post where she says something like “go from the being the co-pilot to the pilot of your life, that one little word shift really resonates, and connects, with her Top Gun friends.
And guess what, it’s working.
They’re signing up for her workshop.
Her workshop leads to working with her one on one for VIP sessions, so it’s a win win for everyone!
I bet Kelly’s story alone really has you thinking about how you can implement this into your own business, but let’s break it down even further.
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You can find your IC in non-industry groups, like a group of TG fans. They’ll also have the same interests as you, so have even more fun working together and have an even stronger bond for future referrals.
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They can be in person, online, or both! So even if you or they are introvert or extrovert, you’re covered! Don’t overlook FB groups, IG tags, and do a google search for any forum sites!
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There is less competition in your industry when it’s specific like this, which means leads heat up a lot faster. If someone in the group is looking for the service you provide, you might be the only one in the group that provides that service vs being in an industry group where 20 people respond to a request or see what you do and it becomes super diluted.
Having something in common is often the very thing that helps a client book with you over someting else.
Give it a try, you’ll find it to be very valuable.
Hot tip: make a quick list of things you’re a fan of or love to do. Then go search and join those FB groups, IG hashtags or forums you find on google.
Maybe it’s even something that’s on trend, like TG is for Kelly because there’s something new coming out. Get on the train, wait, maybe saying get in the plane is better for this episode, and connect with even more of your ideal clients!
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
We started this mindset series by talking about what mindset really is, then I promised you we would explore 4 elements of mindset.
Mindset is something I sprinkle in often, because it’s something that is so important and really makes a difference in our businesses and our lives, and really the way they work together in harmony.
This series is a little more than that, it’s more about being aware of our mindset.
The first element we’re exploring, if we have to pick favorites, is my favorite. It’s gratitude.
Feeling gratitude and expressing gratitude are really 2 different things but they do go hand in hand.
Both are important in their own way.
We can get so caught up in every day things that sometimes we don’t even stop to feel grateful for anything at all. (Hang on, I’ve got you on the hot tip for this one.)
But it’s the showing gratitude that sometimes is so much more difficult.
It can be awkward for sure.
Just going up to someone and saying “I’m so grateful for you.” feels a little uncomfortable, right?
Think about this. Imagine someone you love or admire or respect just coming up to you and saying “I’m so grateful for you.”
How would that make you feel? I don’t know about you but I love that!
It’s also something as powerful as a little thank you note.
I’m big on a thank you note.
Again, easier to say than do. It’s really a simple and easy practice, but it’s another thing to actually do.
I’m sitting here now with a list a mile long on thank you notes I need to send out.
Consider grabbing a box of blank note cards and sticking one in every time you have an interaction with someone.
I was on my friend Heidi Thompson’s podcast, Evolve Your Wedding Business, yesterday.
We were discussing social proof.
We’ll discuss it here another day, but one of the tricky things about social proof is feeling uncomfortable about putting yourself out there, because it can feel like you’re showing off or bragging.
When you’re coming from a place of gratitude in your social proof, it completely removes that discomfort or look of being like you’re showing off.
Let’s say you land on a preferred vendor list that you’ve been dreaming of making a connection with.
You post on Instagram that you’re so grateful and excited to have a partnership with, let’s say, the love shack venue.
You tag the love shack, they’re also grateful to have an amazing vendor like you to do business with, so they share the post on their account too.
That’s social proof to anyone who sees either of your accounts, that you’re well connected, respected, and a team player.
But you weren’t on there saying, “oh look at me, I’m so cool for getting on the love shack’s preferred vendor list”.
That’s not effective at all.
But coming from a place of genuine gratitude not only shows that you’re a team player and well connected, it also shows that you’re thoughtful and humble, and coming from a place of service.
Here’s the deeper thing, it not only shows that to your future, current, past clients on your social media, it also strengthens your relationship with the love shack and shows them these things about you too.
Now take it a step further and send a thank you note to the love shack and tell them how grateful and excited you are to work with them.
You’ll be the
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
Do you like getting reviews?
Is that even a real question?
Who of us doesn’t love getting reviews?
BUT… do we know the best ways to get them, and then once we have them, what do we do with them?
First I have to acknowledge that testimonials is really what we’re going for, what most of our clients see as testimonials, they call reviews.
It’s just become kind of the norm blanket term.
The term review actually means kind of a report. Like going back and reporting on a product or service.
As service providers, our reviews are more heart felt. They’re like a story our client tells about us that comes from their heart.
So that’s amazing, and we all want and love them.
Reviews lead directly into bookings, and that’s the goal, right?
Here’s the thing, I’m the first one to leave a raving review.
Well let me rephrase that, I’m the first one to WANT to leave a review.
Being in the industry forever, I know the value of reviews, they’re EVERYTHING!
I forget all about it!
If I can forget, and I consider them to be a super high priority, anyone can forget.
So that’s number one, either make a priority of asking for one, or put in a process where you don’t have to ask.
We have a free guide that is filled with hot tips from high achievers with all kinds of amazing ways to get reviews… and what to do with them after you get them.
Grab that for more than we can go through here.
- once you get a review, realize that it doesn’t matter where it came in. Like literally does.not.matter.
I’ve heard people be a little disappointed by a raving review coming in via text, direct message, email, handwritten note, whatever, a private means.
The fact is, these are actually the most powerful because it shows that they have a more personal relationship and wanted to gush over you directly instead of the little bit more impersonal way of on a platform.
I love that perspective.
Now what do you do with the reviews that come in that way?
You use a template, I love Ivory Mix, the founder, Kayla, has been a guest on this podcast, and is actually one of the contributors on the reviews guide.
She has templates that are just plug and play with any review or testimonials that you get. They even integrate seamlessly into Canva so you can make the elements cohesive with your branding.
What’s really nice about using templates to celebrate your reviews, it that you can choose whether to share your client’s name or not, it’s completely personalizable... is that a word?
You make the graphic, and that’s not the end of it.
Now you share that graphic on the platforms you’re on, and even on your website.
Did you know that you can share graphics on your Google business account? Make sure you don’t forget that one, it’s a biggie, it shows up when someone searches for you.
Then all of those places can be pinned to your Pinterest for even more mileage.
Here’s your hot tip to wrap this episode all up with a bow:
Whenever a client says something nice about you, your business, your services, your products, that can be shared on a graphic like a review!
It doesn’t have to be something super formal like on The Knot (side note - you can absolutely always ask for a review on specific sites and platforms, of course!), it can also be the ones that come in more c
Let’s show your future clients your awesomeness.
Get the best strategies for getting reviews, straight from leading entrepreneurs in our free guide filled with quick hot tips.
You’ll instantly get ideas from high achieving leaders… all focused on how to get reviews and what to do with them to book more clients.
Just go to www.letsgetreviews.com to get the guide instantly!
We hear the word mindset literally everywhere these days.
I even talk about it a lot lot.
I was talking to a friend who doesn’t really think about mindset, let alone prioritize it, and she asked me, what even is it really?
It make me realize that I teach a lot about mindset elements, but I’m not sure I’ve ever really broken down what it actually is.
Your mindset is a set of beliefs that shape how you make sense of the world and yourself. It influences how you think, feel, and behave in any given situation.
Mind: the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel
Set: be situated or fixed in a specific direction
So then the combination of those two words and definition fits perfectly into what we just said, that your mindset is a set of beliefs that shape how you make sense of the world and yourself, influencing how you think, feel, and behave in any given situation.
A couple more points I found when researching these episode are worth noting.
Dr. Jacob Towery, adjunct clinical instructor in the department of psychiatry at Standford university, says that shifting your mindset can improve your health, decrease stress and help you overcome life’s challenges.
“Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to them that believe'” (Mark 9:23). It is time to change your mindset, and renew your thoughts and ways of thinking.
Now, your mindset is a constantly growing and evolving thing.
This is why it’s so important to always be open to learning and growing, much like we do here.
Just the fact that you’re tuned into this episode speaks volumes about you and that you prioritize your mindset and growth.
I always want to be a place of positivity and safety for you.
Where you know you can come and be encouraged and given a positive mindset.
Where you walk away better than you were before.
There are 4 main mindset components that I’m going to address over some of the next episodes.
I typically focus on the format of how we release podcasts to be one that is more practical around your business and marketing and booking clients, and another around mindset so you can keep feeling encouraged and moving forward.
Then repeat the process over and over.
So this series is going actually be every other episode for the next few weeks.
The 4 mindset components we’re going to look at, are buzzwords you hear often.
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Gratitude
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Growth
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Abundance
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Opportunity
One of the most important things about mindset is openness.
Having an open mind provides us with all kinds of possibilities.
Think about the oppositve of that, having a closed mind can create a negative mindset and make us feel hopeless and not be able to find the possibility in anything.
We want to be able to see the possibilities in literally every situation.
Kind of a “when one door closes another one opens” mentality.
Your hot tip for this episode is really just to keep your good mindset front and center.
Be on the watch in your daily life at places where one door closes.
Try not to be frustrated at that door closing, but be looking for the opportunity it provided by closing, or the opening that is coming next.
I’d love to hear your take on this, always reach out to me at friends@letsbookclients.com.
What is a sales objection? A sales objection is a reason why your future clients can’t or won’t want to buy your product or service.
Objections can either make you feel a little defeated, or you can see them as an opportunity to close a sale.
They actually are an opening to literally making the sale.
I’ll give you some examples.
I actually asked in our free Facebook Group, first of all what’s something they want me to talk about on this podcast, and one of the answers was how to overcome objections…
And second of all, I asked what some objections are that they hear in their business.
Some answers were light and funny, and some were very obviously defeating, but one thing was for sure, they all stirred up a lot of emotion, as objections usually do.
Turning those around into opportunities is not only great for our well being and mindset, but it’s also great for our revenue.
It truly is one of the best ways to close a sale.
Go here to check them out, or listen in and I'll read them.
When we’re confident in our offering, and we are or we wouldn’t be offering it, a future client presenting one is the door opening wide open for you to address it, them to realize it, and then book with you.
It’s also a great way to set you apart from your competitors, because not everyone is prepared to directly address objections head on. It’s an impressive skill.
I love being able to talk to you about issues and small things that make you feel better while putting you at an unfair advantage over your competitors.
The first thing you want to do is write out each objection that you might hear.
Serious or funny or off the wall, doesn’t matter.
Then make a FAQ page on your website that includes them. If you already have a FAQ page, great, add these to it.
They’re amazing for SEO, so they’ll first of all serve as a way to bring more future clients to you.
Then, that list becomes the script you memorize so you’re prepared for an answer every time one is presented to you.
The third super valuable thing is serves as, is social media content.
You can always use them as a social media post anywhere you create content.
When using them as a social media post, they address the objection before it has even been presented, and it positions you as someone who has authority, and proves that you have other clients asking these objection questions too.
Close with a hot tip, you already have a little action item to do.
Your hot tip is that, as you know, we always need to know who our “right” client is.
Sometimes an objection just shows us that someone is not our client.
For example, the objection that Brandon with Look Sharp Haberdashery, who creates custom mens suits, presented, was that they can get a suit cheaper at Mens Wearhouse.
Okay, so he now has his scripted response to that objection, and he can show them why his offering might be a better fit for them, and that helps them know that they want his suit instead… or it helps him know that they’ll never be his client because of their budget constraints.
Either way he wins.
And you do too now that you know what to do with these objections, and they don’t have to be so upsetting or frustrating anymore. Win win!
Thank you for being here where we learn, grow, and connect together!
I normally LOVE quotes. I find them so inspiring and thought provoking.
Today’s is different. Today’s shook me. Today’s is from one of our amazing members.
It goes like this:
"I was told I should be farther along than I am."
My heart broke this morning when one of my members told me that someone told her this, that she should be further along in her business than she is.
This episode is a love letter to her, and in the same way, to you.
We’re turning this quote into something inspiring and thought provoking, for her, and for you.
If you’ve ever been told something like this, or someone has ever doubted you and your capabilities, this is for you.
It’s because they love us that they sometimes say things that we take personally when we’re out here building our empires.
It’s also because they do truly know how amazing they are, and think we should be an overnight success, whatever that definition of success is to them is relative.
Think about it next time someone says something “doubtful” about your business, and consider that there’s usually at least a shred of protectiveness in there.
They’re almost all well meaning, and their intentions are to help protect our egos.
The thing is, our hard core determination makes any doubt hurt to that same core.
It’s because we know for sure that we’ve got this, and we have to always keep telling ourselves that to keep the old imposter syndrome from creeping in.
Truth is, we’re not always our own biggest fan either, so when someone else doubts us, our ego, who is also trying to protect us, allows us to feel like maybe they’re right.
Hey, maybe we SHOULD be farther along than we are, right? Wrong.
You’re right where you should be, and you’re doing an amazing job.
Building a business, an empire, takes time… you know, they whole blood sweat and tears thing. It’s real.
There are stages that you have to go through, all of us. Every single one of us.
I love this quote, “It took me a really long time to become an overnight success.”
I didn’t find an exact credit for it, but Steve Jobs said something very similar, so given his “success”, we’ll take it!
I’m going to tell you what I told my member, and while I’m saying it to her again too, it’s also for you.
You’re amazing.
You care about each and every one of your clients AND your business. AND your fellow vendors for that matter.
And listen close. You’re working hard. You’re working on your business and a regular job.
You’re investing in yourself and your business so that your business grows on solid ground.
AND we’re coming out of a pandemic for goodness sake! A time that it’s easy for us to forget how challenging it is/was because we’ve been living it every single moment of every single day.
You are killing it! You’re still here, and that’s really something to be proud of.
The fact that you’re even listening to this means that you’re growing… even IF you’re not doing anything else, that’s enough!
Here’s your hot tip, it’s an action item.
Go back and analyze what you’ve done already.
Are you just getting started? I bet you’ve brainstormed ideas for a name, thought about what you’re going to do for your business, looked at what social media platform you’ll start on….
Now think of what else you’ve done. You’re doing the hard things!
Even before you book one single client, you accomplish a LOT!
If you’ve booked even one, that one is the hardest one to book.
If you can book one, you can book to sold out… but that’s a whole topic for another day.
Is it always easy, no. I’ll never promise you that.
But have you got this? Yes. I can always promise you that.
Am I here to support you? Also yes, and I can always promise you that.
I did my first TikTok today.
Yep, really.
I thought it would be fun to do my first one about starting something new, and I knew I wanted to do it about mindset, so I took to Google and searched for a quote.
I found one by Albert Einstein.
I referenced it on TikTok by saying “Albert Einstein told me to tell you… Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
I’ve kind of fallen in love with that quote, so in the spirit of being a good example of practicing what I preach and repurposing content in different formats, and also sharing value with you, I’m here sharing it with you.
I added a little humor to it for TikTok, because I think it fits the platform, but it really is so true.
We have to try new things to grow, and we have to make mistakes when we try new things, because we’re just not pro level at things when we first start.
I have three takeaways for you to consider.
- Do you remember when you first started your business? The vision you had for it, the success you were prepared for it to be?
Many of my friends who work for someone besides themselves, just don’t get how or why we are both, meaning Joe and I, full time business owners.
They used to ask… we’ve been doing it long enough now that they’ve either given up or we’ve proven them wrong… but they used to ask, don’t we worry about the uncertainty of owning a business?
I always thought, don’t you worry about the uncertainty of being at the mercy of someone else?
We all have a vision for our business to be successful when we start it, and with focus, determination, hard work, and even some help, and definitely some mistakes, it is!
Without trying new things in it though, we can’t grow, and won’t make mistakes.
- Avoiding mistakes means avoiding growth, because without trying new things, how would we grow?
Don’t be afraid to just try something. Some things will work, and some things we’ll learn from the mistakes that result from them.
Nearly everything can be fixed except inaction.
- Your business is your business.
You can literally try anything.
You can try a new social media platform, like I’m doing.
You can change your pricing, your systems, what you offer, hey even who you offer it to, like one of the members of our mastermind told me that they’re doing.
Their main focus was the wedding industry, and they’re getting so much demand for corporate events, retreats, and gifts, that they’re shifting their whole audience, and it’s working for them.
Without considering that avenue, or even being afraid to try something new, she might not have ever realized it, and I think it’s something that’s going to be very successful for her.
Here’s your hot tip/action item:
Try something new. Make the mistakes. Be unstoppable.
I’m right here with you along the way.
Welcome to Let’s Book Clients, the podcast, I usually start by saying, I’m your host, Michelle Braswell, but on today’s episode we’re doing a takeover.
I love these, the amazing Ashley Ebert is taking over the podcast today, so she’s your host.
She’s THE go-to expert on all things teams for growing your business.
She’s here to give you a peek behind the curtain of the three things she would tell her past self about what it’s like to build a team and it’s sooooo good.
Let’s get right to it, here’s Ashley.
Hi there! I'm Ashley Ebert. I'm so excited to have some time with you today.
One of the biggest questions I get both at simply elegant and at the abundance group, are what are three lessons or what are three things you would tell your past self about what it's like to build a team? What are the hurdles? What are the things I should know?
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Leadership is a skillset to be learned.
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The importance of self reflection.
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Having a team makes your business limitless.
Find five minutes, find a quiet place and dream a little bit. Remember what dreaming feels like, dream about what your business could be, where it's at now, where you want to take it and how it's hitting. Could I help you get there. And again, if that's taking time off, if that's starting another business venture, that's what I did.
That's how the abundance group even exists. I was able to dream and I think that is something that everyone could focus a little bit more on in some of these challenging times we've come through in the last couple of years. Instead of being in reactive mode, let's be proactive and let's dream a little bit.
So I encourage you today. Take five minutes, find a quiet place and to dream big dreams and figure out how the team could help you get there.
MB: Wow. How was that for a mic drop by Ashley to close up her takeover of the podcast today.
I couldn’t help but hop in here to tie it up with a bow and give you my hot tip action item.
First of all, I want to thank Ashley for being here and giving her heartfelt support and expertise.
AND I just really want to encourage you by telling you that it really is your turn to grow the team you need, and build the business you want.
I would give anything to have had this opportunity to have gotten this guidance from Ashley, instead of wasting years of frustration figuring it out and fine tuning it on our own.
If you want to find out more about what Ashley and her dad Dale do at The Abundance Group to support you in building, managing, and growing your team, visit letsbookclients.com/team.
Have the very best day, and thank you so much for being here where we learn, grow, and connect together.
Do you have friends that you’ve made online that are some of your besties?
My daughter Lauryn has always laughed about my online friends.
If you’re part of my generation, you know, the ones of us who remember what dialup sounded like, and can still hear AOL saying “you’ve got mail” in our memory… you probably remember the online message boards.
I was in a Yahoo “January 2000 babies” group that was local to St. Louis when I was pregnant with my daughter, and that group eventually moved to iVillage.com. Anyone else remember that?
Lauryn always laughs about her online friends that she’s had since she was born.
There are a few that we’re still friends with, in fact one of them worked at our venues for several years.
I mean, you just never know where your next team member is going to come from.
Fast forward to now, where we have all kinds of opportunities to make friends and network on social media.
One of the first friends I made when we started in business in the online space, in 2018, is my friend Chelly Ontis.
We met in what was called Tribe, it’s Stu McLaren’s course that is now called The Membership Experience.
It was literally the smallest connection that brought us together.
We were going to Stu’s meetup in Toronto, and she was asking who was going and wanted to connect there.
For some reason, I answered, and we started talking about all of our similarities. The first one was that we have the same first name, Michelle, and my family members call me Chelle, and she goes by Chelly, also spelled the same with a C.
We also still to this day talk every single day on Marco Polo, we brainstorm all the time, we support each other in our online businesses, and also with any personal things that come up.
Chelly and I both also have all kinds of friends in online places now, I love it so much.
And she’s not the only one I met there and am now BFFs with.
My friend Allison and I have also met up with each other’s families.
I thought the course was a bit of an investment when I signed up, but I had no idea the life changing value it would give me even just personally.
The networking opportunities in online friendships are absolutely endless.
Even if you make a connection with someone online who isn’t in your exact same business or space, you would be so surprised at what you can do to serve each other’s audiences, and basically borrow each other’s audiences for your own business’ marketing.
I have a blast being a part of and watching friendships form in my programs.
I can’t tell you how happy it makes my heart when I see members of my Let’s Book Clients membership connecting and forming friendships.
I love seeing them all over the internet working together.
Is this something you do too? Or something you want to do?
My hot tip for this episode, is to tell you to keep your mind open to online connections that become friendships and your best business tools.
Whether it’s in a group you’re in, like I am in The Membership Experience, or one of my groups, The Wedding Vendors Community on Facebook or my Let’s Book Clients mastermind, or Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, wherever you like to hang out
Speaking of the DMs, mine are always open, so reach out if you need anything at all, I’m here for you.
Connect with me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/michellebraswellxo. See you there!
Do you ever lose your creativity?
I definitely do, in fact, I’m feeling like that now and have been feeling like it for a hot minute.
That’s actually the reason why I chose this topic for the podcast today.
I love quotes, and I always love Maya Angelou quotes, and this time is no different. Here it is:
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Maya Angelou
- This leads me to our first point. Creating feeds creativity. Just get going.
Do one social media post. Then do another. When I can’t get those creative juices flowing, or even when I’m good, I always take to Ivory Mix.
It is about a million templates and stock images that not only jazz up my creativity, but also make me lightening fast.
Speaking of lightening fast and just getting going, I always set my handy dandy timer to 10 minutes and play beat the clock.
There’s something about just starting, and making a game or competition out of it, if only against my own self or clock, that really is so effective.
- Write a to do list and cross things off. I think I’m feeling not creative because I have several loose ends and don’t know where to start so I don’t want to do any of it. A to do list gives us major direction and motivation.
Often in making this list I find out that there’s something on that list that I’d kind of rather not do, so in procrasting that one thing, I just think my creativity is stumped, but actually all I need to do is that one thing to break through it.
It’s kind of magical actually.
- Take a break. We talked about this last week in the mastermind, we all need a break, whether it’s a 10 minute walk or a two week or hey even a two month vacation.
I absolutely love being in a place in my business where I can take as much mental time as I need.
It wasn’t always that way.
For many many years, decades really, I didn’t even feel like I could go for that 10 minute walk.
For the record, I was wrong, there’s always space for it, so take it.
I’m so grateful now that we know that a mental break is actually a necessary thing, and actually makes us more creative and productive.
I could keep going on and on with more ideas, I brainstormed at least 10 of them in only a few minutes, but for now, let’s wrap.
We’re a very action oriented bunch around here, so let’s do this!
Here’s your hot tip, when you’re feeling like you’re not your creative best self, choose one of these methods and get unstuck.
Know that I’m right here with you along the way.
Want to know what I’m going to start with?
Today I’m doing the “to-do” list trick, and I’m going meta with it and putting using templates and a timer to it, and scheduling in stopping early today to spend some time with my sweet grown daughter.
Let’s be real, I’ll jump at any time to hang out with her, no matter what my to-do list looks like, so I’ll get through as much as I can of it.
On the last episode, we talked about monetizing your skills that you’re educating your audience about.
In fact, that episode was so popular that we actually opened a free Facebook group around this subject.
We’d love to have you join, it’s called Let’s Monetize Your Skills… For Recurring Revenue.
We’re going to be talking a lot about how a subscription or membership side to your business can add a lot of revenue so you can have more freedom and make a bigger impact.
Did you know that Forbes has rated the membership/subscription model as the #2 best business strategies, both for the business owner and for the consumer.
I mean, Forbes itself has a membership and subscription model.
One of the biggest blocks I hear from people who are considering monetizing their skills online, is… “why would someone pay to get this information from me, if it’s free on the internet, YouTube, Google, etc.?”
We subscribe to a LOT of services.
How about Netflix.
Could I go to YouTube and also be entertained and educated for free? Sure!
Do I go there sometimes? Also sure!
Do I also subscribe to Netflix? Yep. And Hulu, and Disney Plus, and Paramount….
How about Amazon Prime?
Could I use Amazon for free? Sure!
Do I find value in getting what I want with no minimums or faster? Also sure again!
I’m paying for convenience and speed.
I’m also in several membership groups.
I’m in coaching groups where I haven’t even consumed a lot of the content, but the community and the feeling of security that I get from having access to the content when I need it is more than worth the small price I’m paying for it.
Also when I’m paying for it, I become more invested in that part of myself, in ways that I wouldn’t be if I were to go searching for it for free on the internet.
Plus I know the quality of content and support that I’m going to get through the paid program is far more valuable than anything that is put out there for free.
Another coaching membership I’m in does education and also templates.
Let’s take my mastermind program.
The monthly rate is a tiny fraction of what just one hour of one to one coaching is with me.
Why or how can I do this? Because I’m doing GROUP coaching/educating.
I’ll break it down for you with a little membership math.
If the average member is $47/month, and you have 100 members, that’s $4700/month.
I’m teaching for one hour per week.
My membership/mastermind is very high value and really gets my members moving forward faster and with less overhead than I was able to, because I’ve gone before them and am willing to help them with whatever they need, plus give them all kinds of insider info.
It’s saving my members time and money, so it’s a total no brainer for them.
I touched on this a little, but you know what else all of these have in common that something your audience can “google for free”? Community.
My friend Stu McLaren, who is the expert on memberships and subscriptions says, “people join for the content and stay for the support and community”.
Hot tip: Think about what services you subscribe to and what level of value you get from them.
It’s more things than you might think.
I mean, I’m also a member of a car wash here locally. I pay the same per month as what I would pay for one car wash, and I could go every day if I wanted to.
Another absolute no brainer. I’m always searching for a membership or subscription option to what I’m considering purchasing, and I hope you do a little brainstorming and consider the same.
I asked in my Facebook group, The Wedding Vendors Community, “What do you consider yourself to be an expert at?”
We had so many good and funny answers.
Of course many of these skills are being monetized in their respective businesses.
The thing about thinking outside the box a little, is that all of these skills can be monetized into passive income.
Either through a membership or subscription based aspect, or by selling templates, or even having a product or being an affiliate for a product that aligns with it, or in many other ways that we can discuss more in depth on a future episode.
As you can see, just taking one simple thing that you’re an expert in, whether it’s your current business or not, can expand into being so much more.
If you’re listening to this and thinking that you’re not an expert in anything, that’s just not true. You’re an expert at something, we all are.
Even if you can think of something tiny, like the “making macaroni and cheese” example, that can be the most effective!
I know someone who has built a very lucrative and huge membership about making candy apples, same kind of concept.
There are about a million ways to make macaroni and cheese that you could teach about, and seriously who doesn’t love mac and cheese?
I mean, this topic alone could go on and on, and the audience size has crazy big potential.
There's so many content possibilities:
Noodle variations, best cheeses to use, ways to top it, add-in varieties, gluten free options, vegan options, low carb options, cooking techniques, ways to include macaroni and cheese into creative other foods, see how one little thing can go on and on and on?!?!?
I mean, it could even be something you teach to an every day consumer, as in what’s for dinner, or to a business, as in adding it to your catering menu.
I did a little research and the person who commented that she’s an expert at making macaroni and cheese is a photographer.
See how that works? It’s so much fun and there’s seriously so much revenue to be generated from it.
This mac and cheese example could be a membership with a community, a blog that has partnerships with products that pay a commission, and even sponsor posts that use their products, the possibilities are literally endless when you think about it.
Brandon Hosley is in our mastermind group, and he’s the one who mentioned that one of the things he’s an expert at men’s clothing.
Brandon makes custom suits. First of all, that’s amazing.
Second of all, it’s a topic that people fascinated about.
I spoke at Colleen & Mark Wheeler’s WE Summit last fall, and so did Kevin Bailey, with A Smith Clothiers.
He spoke about suit etiquette.
It was fascinating! It’s a topic that you might not think is, but he had the longest and most engaging and interesting Q&A.
Questions about how to button and unbutton a jacket when standing, sitting, and I don’t even know when else the etiquette calls for, but there’s a reason for each of them... and so many more!
Like I said in the last episode, my friend Stu McLaren says, “You don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going.”
This really means just start, because analysis paralysis and perfectionism is a very real thing that keeps us from getting it going.
Here's your hot tip/action item:
Think about one thing about your business that you could monetize in a passive and recurring way (passive and recurring can be used interchangeably), using the examples we went through here.
Now write it down and set a timer for 10 minutes brainstorming it.
I’m always available if you want to check in with me and take it a little further. Just shoot me an email at friends@letsbookclients.com.
Educating your audience is such an important and helpful concept.
It’s a great way to serve them well, with high value content, and it’s also beneficial to you and your business!
Let’s start with how it’s valuable to your clients.
- It gives them insights they didn’t have before.
Let’s say you’re a DJ. When they book a wedding or other event with you, you have a place on your form for them to put song requests.
They fill the form up with 6 hours worth of songs.
They don’t realize they filled it with 6 hours worth of songs, they just listed out all of the songs they like and want you to play.
If you do some educating on why you’re asking for these songs, you’ll save them a ton of time, and you the trouble of them expecting all of their song requests to be played at the event.
- It helps them with their mindset.
When you educate your audience, it positions you as an experienced expert.
This gives them peace of mind and either prompts them to book with you, or if they already have, gives them even more confidence in their decision.
- It can help with their planning.
Let’s say you’re a hair stylist. You make a social media post that says to show up to their appointment with “dirty” hair.
Now they know not to wash their hair before their appointment.
I know it sounds simple, but even just tiny little bits of information that you think is obvious, might really make a difference for them!
Let’s talk about how it’s beneficial to your business.
- It gives us something we all want and need, social media content.
When you break these things that you know, that your client needs to know, into little bite sized pieces of content, it’s a never ending supply of social media posts.
- It positions you as the expert.
Helping them see you as the expert, helps you too, in many ways really.
It helps you be the one to get the booking, so of course that benefits you.
It also helps instill confidence in clients who are already booked with you.
They breathe a sigh of relief when they see and hear you showing that you’re experienced and you know what you’re talking about.
- You can monetize it. You can monetize what you know and educate your audience about.
Yep, you heard me correctly.
Anything you’re an expert in can be monetized.
When I say anything, I mean anything.
Make sure you follow or subscribe to the podcast, because the next episode is going to be a ton of examples of how to do this.
I asked in my Facebook group, The Wedding Vendors Community, what you consider yourself to be an expert in.
We got so many great responses, I thought it would be fun to do an episode about how each one can be monetized.
Of course you’re monetizing what you’re an expert at in your business, but you can take it even further, and surprisingly, even bigger.
Let’s wrap this one up with a hot tip as always.
This one is a little bit actionable.
Think of one thing that one client might need to know about what you do. Now write it down.
Now take that one thing and break it into 4 more things.
Those are your first 4 educational social media posts.
We’re going to go a little deeper on this in the next episode, that’s all you need to do for now, keep giving it a little thought, but don’t let it be overwhelming.
As my friend Stu McLaren says, “You don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going.”
It’s so so so true.
Remember, the next episode is part 2, so make sure you’re getting notified by following on whatever platform you’re listening on.
See you then!
Would you rather put your website, Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, phone number, email, mom's landline, carrier pigeon, and home address on those big name cold lead lists...
OR
Have warm leads coming to you like a big hug, over and over and over?
Want to know how?
If you've been here long, you know I'm a giant fan of preferred vendor lists, and I'm an expert at getting you on them, staying on them, and being the one your dream vendors refer to your dream clients to keep you calendar booked every weekend.
What else does it do?
When you become friends with that referring vendor, you get to pass business back and forth to a friend!
What else?
It becomes an awesome resource to your couples too. AND it even improves your SEO!
It's simply the best kind of referral.
Let's leave it at that for now, it does so much more than even that, but you don't have all day... we still have 2 more secrets to cover!
The next secret, is referrals from not just your clients, but also the clients that you spoke with who didn't work out to be a fit (whether it was because of availability, different needs, etc), and even their loved ones!
When you relate to the amazing humans your clients love, as well as them, you create superfans out of your clients. You love who they love? Solidifies your relationship with them for life.
When you relate to the ones they love as well as them, you are reaching a future client, a future referrer, or even someone who will be your cheerleader when your potential client is weighing the pro and cons of who they want to work with.
The last one, is writing an effective email. You know the email, the one that replies to those inquiries you get from those big name cold lead lists for brides that we talked about above? The one that you often get emails from, pour your heart and soul into, only to get ghosted?
It can be really confusing when you get ghosted a lot. It feels like you did something wrong, said something wrong, or even looking for leads in the wrong places. Either way, it definitely feels like a waste of time.
Want a few tips on how to stand a better chance with these?
Answer even if they don't feel like a fit in their initial inquiry. You never know if they might be more flexible than it seems, or even if they're someone you can send to someone on your preferred vendor list! OR go back to that referral scenario, they could love you so much that even though they can't book with you, they can suggest you to a friend.
Follow up. Does it feel like they're gone for good? Maybe they just got busy and dropped their planning for a minute.
Let's play that game we played before where we pretend you follow up with them but your competitor doesn't. Or flip the script, your competitor does and you don't!? Who are they going to book with? The one that makes it easy.
These are just 3 ways to ensure your calendar stays full year round.
You know these ways and what they are, now would you like to know how?
Take your wedding business to the next level in the Let's Book Weddings online course.
https://www.letsbookclients.com/weddingbookings
Read more about it here. You, your business, your family, and your future perfect clients will be so glad you did!
Hot tip time: Make a resources page for your website, and ask a few of your favorite vendors to be on it. We'll go deeper on this technique in the course. Spoiler alert, it's magic. ❤️
The more revenue you make, the bigger impact you have.
Revenue: the money a company earns from the sale of their products and services
Making an impact: making your (even small) contribution towards a better future.
We all make an impact every single day, whether we really know it or not, and even whether it’s intentional or not!
Imagine the possibilities if it WERE intentional!!!???
What are some ways you can make an impact?
1. Let’s start with sales. The more sales you make, the more people you’re serving, just by filling the need they have. The reason they’re making a transaction with you.
Want to know something? Making an impact on your clients is also what’s going to get you referrals to even more amazing humans you can make an impact on for the better.
It’s truly a snowball effect, both for those you serve, and even back on yourself. That’s not even mentioning yet the impact you can make with the revenue!
2. Speaking of charity, of course charitable contributions are another way to make an impact from the revenue that comes into your business.
Remember the name of this episode? The more revenue you make, the more impact you can have.
This is a quote by my friend Stu McLaren.
He is the king of memberships, which is a great way to create more revenue in your business, by the way.
In fact, Forbes has declared having a membership or subscription as part of your business model the secret to long term business success.
3. I can’t help but address a little mindset when it comes to making money.
Many business owners get a little uncomfortable talking about money, and even feel a little guilty about making money.
If you’re serving your client well, that’s what they’re paying you for and they’re getting a good value from you, that’s to be super proud of, not uncomfortable with!
If you’re using that money you’re making, and those sales interactions to make the impacts we’re talking about here, that’s to be super proud of, and not uncomfortable with too!
4. I want to just touch on something I mentioned at the beginning, that a contribution can be small to make an impact.
Have you ever been in a drive through and had the car in front of you pay for your meal?
Didn’t that just change your whole day for the better? It could have even been for just a soda and it makes a huge impact!
Listen in for more, and your hot tip/action item!
I hope this has helped motivate you to set even bigger revenue goals for your business, maybe even to consider adding a membership or subscription element, and to look for ways to make an impact.
If there’s nothing else you ever take from me, take that you really do make a difference in the world, and you’re making an impact whether you really know it or not. Make it a good one.
What will your future self thank you for?
Let’s start by defining futurecasting.
Hospitalitytech.com defines futurecasting as a practice used in many different industries to strategically plan for an organization’s future. It evaluates underlying industry dynamics, predictive analysis, and a variety of strategies to help develop an insightful vision of the future. In contemporary revenue management, it is quickly becoming the future of strategic forecasting.
I mean, that’s a lot, right?
I purposefully chose a complicated definition, because futurecasting often feels really big, but it doesn’t have to be.
It actually shouldn’t be.
This definition is spot on, but let’s break it down.
Let’s think 6 months into the future.
If you’re listening to this as it was released, today is St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
Six months from now is September 17.
Is that your busy season?
It likely is.
Fall is a busy time for most businesses.
Will you have brought on more team members so the pressure and stress is reduced, or even so you can do more business?
Will you have good SOPs (standard operating procedures) in place so you can be more hands off and the details are handled easily?
Will you have automations in place so that you’re not getting lost in the weeds of your business?
Six months from now you could be working ON your business instead of IN your business.
Will you be reaching your revenue goals for the year?
Maybe you’re actually listening to this in the fall, and six months from now is in the Spring.
Make sure you’re doing something now that your future self, even your six months from now self, will thank you for later.
I’m here for you, I’ll happily walk you through what you need to do to get to where you want to be 6 months from now.
If what you need isn’t in my zone, I love networking and I likely know who can help you.
Hot tip:
Think about your past self. Your past self from say 6 months ago.
What does that version of you wish you had done then.
That’s what you need to do TODAY.
You can always reach me at friends@letsbookclients.com. I'm here for you.
Whether you're just starting out in business, or you've been around a long time, turning away clients can happen and doesn't always have to happen.
Saying "no" to clients is a heart breaking thing to do from a business standpoint, sure, but it's also hard to tell someone who has done their research and is prepared to book with you.
Telling them no is often sending them back to the drawing board, and no one wants to do that.
In this episode I'm discussing the comments that were left when I asked, "How many events have you turned away from this year?" in our Facebook Group.
I expected there to be some, but some of the answers were shocking.
Many of them really made me proud of how you do business.
We also discussed turning away clients if you want to take time off.
Ashley with The Abundance Group helps creative business owners build teams so they don't have to turn clients away, so they can build their business more effectively.
Ashley was recently on the podcast and got us thinking about these things.
Stay tuned for the hot tip!
You’re listening to the podcast that you know and love as The Wedding Pro Show, and as the title of this episode suggest, is getting a rename.
If you’re a member of our mastermind, you’ve heard this announcement, you as a loyal podcast listener are the next to hear about it.
It’s actually even a little surreal to start saying it outloud.
It’s something we’ve been thinking about and working on for a long time, and it feels so good and so freeing.
It’s not just the podcast experiencing the rename, it our entire business.
Domain name, mastermind name, Facebook page name, lots of things.
Listen in for more of the story.
We always want to be inclusive and also listen to our clients.
This is how/why we’ve gotten so many other business types in our audience, because there are so many business owners and entrepreneurs who want to do the things we teach.
The things like book more clients, plan a social media strategy, make social media posts, improve their SEO and keywords, have a mindset that keeps their business moving forward, know exactly what their pricing should be, set goals effectively, build and grow a team, do trade shows, network with other businesses, get reviews, use those reviews in their marketing, get referrals, and on and on, the things we teach on a daily basis, things that don’t only apply to weddings and events businesses, but do apply to getting clients.
The part of the title that refers to taking a breath, is because this name change has really made me feel like I can breathe again.
If you’ve heard something in any of our podcasts or trainings, that you’ve wanted to pass on to a friend who is also in business, but it didn’t seem to make sense because they don’t have a wedding business, but now you’ll feel like you can… that’s kind of what I’m feeling like with our new name.
I wanted to announce it to you before we applied for the name change on the podcast platforms, but after this airs, we’re going for it.
Other than… there are a LOT LOT LOT of pieces of content out there under BridePath.
We’re painstakingly going through all of them.
We’re forwarding them and fixing them as we find them, but you may find something broken that gives you a 404 error. If you do, would you mind sharing those with us?
You can even email them to our new email address: friends@letsbookclients.com.
Or message me through Facebook or Instagram.
Speaking of Instagram, my Instagram and Pinterest accounts have always been @michellebraswellxo, and I like the personal touch of that, and those are staying the same.
Your hot tip for today is… if you’ve been thinking of something adventurous like doing a name change, just do it.
As much as we can sit on something and think about it, and plan and plan for it, there’s just no substitute for going for it.
While this is a lot of work, and you may find some broken links, we’re all patient with each other and help each other and it’s all soooo worth it.
Just in talking to our mastermind and a few of my closest friends about it, the outpouring of support, encouragement, and really overall excitement about the new name has me and the rest of the team absolutely giddy about it.
In fact, I was at a business that I’ve been using for a while and catching up with one of the girls there… when she asked me what I was doing that day I told her what I was working on.
She never felt like my business had anything to offer her because she doesn’t do weddings, but she has since signed up for almost all of our programs because she now feels like they apply to her.
So talk about it to a few people if you want, but that hot tip is really to just go for it.
So as my signoff always is, thank you for being here, where we learn, grow, and connect together, I can’t help but add this new part… now Let’s Book Clients!
You're in for a treat!
Ashley Ebert, and her dad, Dale, are experts at helping business owners build a dependable, efficient team — because they've built our own and helped countless others build theirs.
Listen in as Ashley drops all kinds of gold, including:
-
Making sure you're not leaving money on the table.
-
The signs that it's time to start or grow your team.
-
Knowing that you don't have to say no to your inquiring clients.
-
How to use a framework and know the legalities of having a team.
-
Creating SOPs.
-
Multiply your pride in ownership
And so so so much more!
You'll find Ashley on Instagram as @The Abundance Group, and her DMs are always open.
Head over to this link at The Abundance Group for more ways to manage building and growing your team.
Our guest in this episode is Emily Foster.
Emily is a specialist in branding and web design.
She teaches us in this episode what branding is and what a difference having professional branding does for your business.
She also tells us how it pays for itself! So exciting!
What makes this extra special? Emily is also getting married, so she gives us some behind the scenes of wedding planning from the bride's perspective in this episode!
Make sure you stay until the end, we both give you a hot tip/action item.
You can find Emily online at:
http://emilymaefoster.com/
Instagram at @designwithemily
and
Facebook at @emilyfostercreative
Stephannie Alcazar with Wonderland Soothing Creations is our guest on this episode.
She's sharing with us how she has found success with short videos, even without showing her face, and even with a busy household with kids, a husband, and a small business under one roof.
Stephannie shares her workflow with us and her secrets to creating engaging videos.
She even tells us how to make one video and use it in all the places.
Make sure you catch this one, and stay until the hot tips!
To see the video, just hit this link.
Check out her TikTok @wonderlandsoothing and her Instagram at @wonderlandsoothingcreations!
I never really knew how much we use this word in our business and really just our day to day life, until we moved to our hip downtown loft building and got plugged in here.
We’ve always had our own business and not had to rely on anyone (like committees) to catch up or get on board before we took action on daily tasks that move the needle forward.
When we got plugged in here, several of our neighbor friends commented that we tend to take action and move onto the next thing and the next thing and the next thing.
We’re just do-ers, because as we know, that’s how business owners and entrepreneurs have to function most of the time, so it just becomes habit.
In this situation, it can be good or bad, but in your business it’s nearly always good.
I’m encouraging you to us a kind of “NEXT” approach.
Let’s define real quick:
I love this example definition… occurring directly in time after the present or most recent one.
There’s something about being ready for the next task, or thing, or event, or decision, that makes the current task or thing or event or decision a little easier.
Decision making is something I talk about a ton, this “next” mentality is a giant help in making your decisions.
Sometimes just making a decision and taking the next step is the only way to know if you’ve made the right decision.
Or opposite of that, taking the next step will help you know if you need to go back and tweak something.
In this fast paced world we live in, if you’re not taking the next step, it’s like you’re moving backward.
This is not saying you’re blasting through without thinking, you’re still weighing out your options, you’re just always moving it forward too.
Think about it in a way of small tasks just to get started.
If you have something that has you stuck and spoiler alert, we all do, set a timer for 10 minutes, deal with that thing, then say to yourself “NEXT!” and move on from it!
OR… if something negative happens, like let’s say a less than stellar review comes through, having this “NEXT” mentality, somehow makes these sting a little less and helps you get past it way faster and easier.
We’re not dwelling on things, we’re powerhouse entrepreneurs who have things to do!
Hot tip: Grab a piece of paper, post it, index card, screensaver for your phone, whatever works for you, and put the word NEXT on it!
Have it where you can see it every day and say it to yourself and really implement it.
We’ll put it at www.bridepath.com/next, you can go grab it there.
For now… let’s close up this episode with just one word and you go implement this. NEXT!
Oh and I’m grateful for you. Thank you for being here where we learn, grow, and connect together. We’ll catch you on the next episode. NEXT!
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
We’re celebrating our 100th episode in today’s episode!
And… it’s just happening (nothing is a coincidence though, right) to fall on TWOS-DAY, 2/22/2022.
Our very first episode aired on 3/3, last year, and we’re celebrating our 100th on 2/22? I mean, come on!
One of my favorite topics is gratitude, and I’m so grateful for this platform and this community, that for our 100th show it just couldn’t have been any other topic.
I mean, I close every episode with a hot tip and a thank you, so it has to be our topic today!
My Grandma Fullerton was one of my very best besties, and she always sent handwritten thank you notes, thinking of you notes, just all kinds of handwritten notes.
My mom does too, and I’m doing my very best to keep up the legacy.
I LOVE sending handwritten notes. Even more than I love receiving them, but loving receiving them is part of what I love about sending them, knowing how it makes the recipient feel.
Thought of. Loved. Included. It’s just so so so impactful.
We can do the same thing for our clients.
Sending our clients a hand written note is like a mini celebration in their honor.
I love calling communication with my clients and othes who I collaborate with “love notes”.
Say you get a great review… love note from a client.
Say you write a blog post, a piece of social media content, or even an email, love note to a client… and even your audience.
We can also do this with other vendors that we work with or want to work with.
It’s amazing to me how something so inexpensive and quick to do can really make such a major difference to someone, and in turn maybe even for you and your business when you make a sweet connection like this.
It can even be something personal.
We moved to this amazing super cool and hip loft building almost 2 years ago.
For February, I thought it would be fun to cut out hearts (yes, kindergarten style, and my husband sweetly reminded me of this fact) and write something I love about someone, and tape it to their door.
Then I left a blank cutout heart and a note with instructions for them to do the same.
In just a few days, our building was covered in handwritten notes on hearts!
Everyone was talking about it and jumping into it. It was so so so fun!
So you know what your hot tip for today’s going to be, right?
Right. It’s an action item.
Look for ways you can include just a simple handwritten note into your day to day life.
Now let’s take it a baby step further.
Write a thank you note right now. Today. Send it. To the first person who comes to mind. You’ll make their day, just like you make mine all the time!
Speaking of love notes, to celebrate our 100th episode, I want to do a giveaway.
Leave a review right here where you listen to this podcast (and hey even subscribe too while you’re at it), and you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of my favorite business books.
There are even more ways to get bonus entries, you can see those at bridepath.com/love.
We’ll give you a few days to do it, then we’ll do the drawing. Just go do it now so you’re sure you have an entry!
I love definitions, so let’s start right off the bat with two definitions of the same word.
The word is “only”.
The title of this episode is “There’s No Such Thing as Only.”
I want to challenge you to eliminate the word only from your vocabulary, I’ll tell you why in this episode.
Here are the two definitions I want to share with you.
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Nothing more.
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Except that.
Let me break it down for you with some practical examples.
1. I only have one venue referring me to their clients.
OR you can see it as
2. I have a venue that refers me to all of their clients, and my calendar is sold out because of it!
See what happens when you remove ONLY?
What is it doing for you and your business when you remove the word only?
- It improves your mindset. Don’t you have a lot more confidence at the consideration that ONE vendor relationship could fill your entire calendar?
That improved mindset is the game changer in your confidence level, and it shows.
It grows your business.
Your future clients see the confidence, and your vendor relationships see the confidence. It’s huge.
- It works to your advantage with the law of attraction. Okay I know this is going to lean a little woo, hang with me.
The law of attraction is actually a proven science.
The word only, is limiting.
It’s limiting the amount of goodness that you can attract.
Remove it, and you attract more. End of discussion. Just try it, it doesn’t cost you anything.
Literally in this example we traded out the word only for the word A. It’s so simple it’s scary.
- It puts more value on that one thing that you do have.
Can you imagine if you have one amazing human with an event booked with you… and that human overheard you saying to a friend, “oh I only have one event booked”.
Wouldn’t that client feel so devalued?
I would for sure! I would definitely be reconsidering my choice for booking with someone who felt this way about me.
On the flip side, if I overheard you telling a friend, “I have the most amazing client with an event coming up soon and I’m so excited about it!”, I would feel so excited and energized that I chose you to do business with!
See how that works? It’s truly a magical thing.
Hot tip: Think about something in your business that you’re feeling defeated about because it’s “only 1… or only a few”.
Maybe it’s a booking, a vendor relationship, a client, a review, a DM in social media, a view on a post, whatever it is.
That is literally one human who has put their trust in you.
One human who you could sit across the table from and have a conversation.
All it takes is one. Your first of everything is always the hardest, but once you know that one person wants to interact with you, that’s your sign that there’s no limit now!
You know, in the online space, sometimes 100 seems like a small number.
Think about 100 instagram followers.
If you’re thinking, oh I only have 100 instagram followers, or 20 or 2000 or whatever it is, imagine that amount of people in your home! It’s a lot of people!
Start practicing taking the word only out of your vocabulary, and watch for what happens.
I can’t wait to hear. Please reach out and let me know.
Hey speaking of that, we have a new email address to share with you! It’s friends@letsbookweddings.com.
Shoot me an email and let me know what you think!
I’m having all kinds of tech issues today.
I have this workshop I’ve giving about curating your SEO keywords, and it’s tomorrow, so there are a lot of moving parts to get and keep in order.
I use a platform called Kajabi.
It hosts my mastermind membership, my courses, my workshops, my opt ins, it’s my email service provider, and even my website.
It’s a super reputable and reliable high end service in the online business space.
Well guess what, today it’s having an outage.
Could I lose my mind over it?
I could, but you know what would happen? I’d lose my mind even more and then I wouldn’t be able to get anything done.
So instead, I’m doing some things to get through it.
They’re things I use so often that I go into autopilot almost, but as I’ve been going through them I realized that they’re things you would also find valuable.
We all have tech issues… but these are solutions we can use in any scenario… and because most of us handle weddings and events, it’s even info you can use in those scenarios and pass onto your clients, it can even be social media content for you.
- Step away.
Just step away from the issue, take a breath, have some water, get outside, say a prayer, whatever brings you peace.
It’s shocking the new perspective you’ll have.
- Write it out.
I do what I call a brain dump all the time.
Once I get it out of my brain and on paper, I find the appropriate steps to work through it.
This doesn’t mean write it out to someone, this means write it out to yourself.
Not to Facebook and not to anyone else who may give their well meaning opinion.
This just muddies the situation, no matter how small or big, and uses time you could be spending working through the solution.
I’m using the time reference here because I’m under a time crunch for my workshop, and a time crunch is usually the scenario for all of us.
- If you do need to go to someone else about it, make sure it’s the right person.
I went straight to Kajabi support. They have amazing support and they let me know that it’s just an outage.
If I hadn’t gone to the source and found that out, I might have wasted all day talking to the wrong people, or even trying to go in and fix something myself and beat my head against a wall on a problem that isn’t even fixable.
There it is, I love talking in 3 points and always encourage my members to do the same thing, so we’ll wrap it up here and I’ll get back to working on my workshop presentation.
I hope you’re signed up and going, it truly does make a boring topic like SEO fun and hands on and it’s a big deal to know how to find the right keywords for your business.
Whether you’re listening to this before or after the workshop, and you’re curious about it, shoot me a message. I’ll either have a link for you for the live version or the recording, they’re both equally helpful to your business.
You can always find the show notes at bridepath.com/podcast.
Before I go, I have to leave you with your hot tip!
Always remind yourself that everything is either fixable or it’s a lesson. You’ve gotten through everything in your life so far, if you’re dealing with something frustrating right now, you’ll get through it too. Same goes for the next thing.
Exercise one or all of these tips and you’ll be fine.
I’m always always always here for you.
I’ll see you on the next episode, thank you for being here with me on this one where we learn, grow, and connect together!
Let me just preface this by saying I’m completely comfortable on camera, on video, on social media, etc.
BUT… I just don’t feel like me dancing and lip syncing on Instagram is something my audience would get anything out of.
My IG stats say that my community likes quotes, helpful tips, behind the scenes, and other educational content.
I do Reels, I just do them from a more original content perspective, and get a good response from them.
For me, they’re more on brand for my business, and they’re also more doable for my mastermind members to implement into their business and their marketing strategies, so that really affects how I do things.
I’m always aware of what my students are willing to do, and I want to help them make that achievable and be a good example for them, so this IG strategy just really works for our company all the way around.
The trend for 2022 is finally going toward more original content and away from dancing and lip syncing, so that’s great for both me, my brand, oh and you and the rest of my audience too if I’m being really real.
I say all of that, but I also am not thrilled with my IG engagement. I have a decent amount of followers, but I have WAY WAY WAY more engagement in my Facebook Group, The Wedding Vendors Community… and also on Pinterest.
That’s fine, I’m happy to spend the majority of time there, but I also really enjoy IG and I make a ton of connections there, I LOVE doing IG stories, I love the other wedding pros and business owners I meet there, I just really love everything about it.
My friend, Chelly, and I, decided to play along, knowing that IG is really favoring Reels right now.
Today is the first day of it, and it’s a lip sync.
Now, it doesn’t HAVE to be, it can be whatever you want it to be, but you use a trending audio sound that lends itself heavily to it.
I found a way to do the Reel, while still using myself as the video, and providing value, without lip syncing to it… BUT… it was still outside my comfort zone.
It brought to mind the saying, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got, and I want to improve my IG strategy, and I committed to the Reels challenge, so here we go.
I want you to think about this saying and this story next time you’re tempted to do something outside your comfort zone, please just go ahead and do it
Whether that’s dancing and lip syncing on IG Reels or TikTok, starting something new in your business, starting a business at all, going full time into it, going Live or doing video like we talked about in the last episode, doing a wedding show, trying something you’ve never done before, hey even getting into a business coaching program like my mastermind, anything… whatever it is, remember, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.
Also remember that I step out of my comfort zone all the time and it always pays off and I’m always better for it. I always find a way to grow from it, whether it’s something that works out or not.
If you’d like to go laugh at me on IG, my user name is @michellebraswellxo, DM me while you’re there and tell me what you do that gets you out of your comfort zone.
Here’s your hot tip for today, if you’re considering doing Reels, or if you already do them and you want to know what trends are coming, just go look on TikTok.
TikTok is generally a few weeks ahead of Reels. It’s leaning way more into original content right now, and we’re already seeing Reels follow this trend, but it’s only getting bigger.
While you’re there, do some TikToks too, what the heck! Short form video is the new best marketing and it’s not going anywhere.
Just make sure you stay true to yourself, your brand, and your community, and step outside your comfort zone once in a while… or once a day for that matter.
We have a really fun, special guest for you who has a tool that you are going to definitely want to add into your wedding business. I cannot wait for you to hear what she's got going on. I can't wait to hear what she's got going on. We have Tammy Hudson with engaged pro video.
Engaged Pro Video is a really great way for wedding vendors to create their own video content. Now I know we've talked and we've heard in educational seminars how critical video is to connecting with our clients and standing out from the competition.
We're in a digital age and if we're not using video right now, we're, we're kind of falling behind. The problem with creating video content is we don't always have the budget to hire a fancy videographer.
You just record it right here on your smart device, and the platform brands it for you. It upload your, your logo, your background music, your call to action. You have this really neat, short produced video that you can then share on social media, your website, your YouTube channel, wherever you want.
Tammy has what she refers to as her "video recipe for success":
So the first one I'm going to hit on is one of my absolute favorite. It is video testimonials.
Number two, you need video in your emails.
Third important way to use video, is to position yourself as the expert, and share tips in video form on your website.
This episode is jam packed with hot video tips that you not only are going to want to hear, you literally NEED them for your business in this short form video age we're living in.
You can contact Tammy directly at tammy@engagedprovideo.com, you can also get her right on the website, which is where I recommend you find her, because you get to see the effectiveness of video immediately there. It is www.engagedprovideo.com.
I personally absolutely love video, and especially the way Tammy's platform, Engaged Pro Video, makes it so fun and easy to get those videos made and out to your future and current clients.
An Encouraging Word
I bumped our scheduled podcast episode today, only because I’m feeling called to do this one, and as I say where we live… “we do what we want around here”! Lol
So… I’m doing this one on the fly. I do sometimes do that. If I’m feeling something different, I just bump it and do what I’m feeling led to do, and I think it matters.
I want you to do the same with your business.
Today I’m getting ready to deliver a training in our mastermind, The Vendors Circle, all about scheduling content.
I’ve been lacking in the scheduling content lately, and I’m dying to get back into it, and it’s a hot topic here in the wedding industry.
We’re all pressed for time and are being pulled in a million directions, and scheduling it out is just way more effective for a lot of reasons.
We’re talking about why and doing an “over the shoulder” style training around having a social media content scheduling workflow in the mastermind, we’ll talk about the reasons for doing it in a later podcast episode.
I tell you this to tell you that I have my IG stories scheduled out for February, and I did it with a theme.
The theme is love and encouragement.
Literally I started out doing it as graphics to send to my daughter, because they’re what i would write out on a card to her daily if she still lived here.
She is grown and married and out on her own with her husband, Cole, so I wanted to do it virtually for her.
After I made the whole month in one sitting (again, so I could put a lot of thought into it and not try to do it on the fly, much like scheduling), I realized that it fits for my audience on IG, and the more they post, the more I realize they’re for you here too. Maybe you’re part of both audiences, maybe you’re even in the mastermind too, wherever you are, I’m grateful for you.
I just want to read the first handful for you here today.
I’m feeling like there’s someone out there who really needs it.
I truly do love and appreciate you, and these come from the bottom of my heart.
You add extraordinary to the every day.
You have a kind heart.
You uplift those around you (today’s).
You make time for things that matter.
Your presence is a gift to the world.
You’re so brilliant.
You are strong. Even when you don’t feel like it.
Those were the first week’s worth, yep you got a bonus here today, they’re only live through today, February 3.
Hot tip: They’re each formatted to work as wallpaper for your phone. Watch my stories this month for each one, and download it if it’s something you need. I have one on my phone too.
You can even share them if you’d like, you have my full permission. Tag me if you feel like it, I’d love to see them going around on your stories too.
We’re here for the last and third episode in our wedding show tips series.
This one is the “after the show” edition.
This part is just as important as the rest, even as important as the actual show. I’d even go so far as to say if you’re not going to do anything for the show after the show, you might as well not even do it!
You know where I’m going with this, it’s all about the follow up.
Here in the wedding industry, everything is about the follow up, and it’s especially true for wedding shows.
We’re talking tips here on this episode, so let’s get to it.
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You want to position yourself to be the first to follow up. It’s a proven fact that most often, couples book with the first vendors they hear from.
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Be first by being organized. When a couple gives you their information personally, and is already interested in you at the show, those are the ones you contact first. Keep their info in a different place than everyone else’s.
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Do not wait for the show contact list (if one is provided), to start following up.
You remember from the last episode that you’re collecting info from the couples who visit your booth, you’re contacting them immediately after the show. Like I’m talking even the same day if possible.
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You’ll also remember from the last episode that you’re staying until the end. If it gets a little slow at the end, and you don’t need to use that time to network with other vendors (you should be doing that too), you can use that time to be ready to follow up after the show too.
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If your home is a busy place in the evenings, and if you can swing it, plan to get home an hour or two later than when you would be if you came straight home.
Use that time to either go out with your vendor friends and keep nurturing those relationships, or to go somewhere quiet and start working through your most urgent follow ups.
- Follow up with a video to remind them of who you are. You just interacted with them in person, it’s always powerful to interact over video, but it’s extra important in this case because they’ll remember your face more than they’ll remember your name, or even your business name.
Just shoot a quick video on your phone and send it with your email. Trust me.
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Follow up with your new vendor friends and schedule a coffee date with them. And not just your new vendor friends, but also any familiar vendors who you saw at the show too.
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Follow up with any of your current or past clients you may have seen at the show. Let them know how great it was to see them again. If you have a referral program, let them know about it.
Hot tip: Send a handwritten note to your top 10 contacts you made at the show. Whether they’re potential clients, current clients, past clients, or vendor connections, handwritten notes are very powerful and one of my very favorite things to send… and receive.
Bonus: send one to the show’s producer thanking them and telling them something you loved about the show.
As I said on the previous episode, this definitely isn’t an exhaustive checklist, it’s a bitesized pro tip 5 minute list of some important things to make sure you’re keeping in mind.
- Show up early. You’ll feel so much more comfortable and prepared personally, you’ll have some time to breathe before attendees show up, and it will give you an opportunity to connect with your fellow vendors.
It can even put you in a position to help someone who might be running late. That is a great opportunity for some of the best connections, it really makes you memorable.
One show we did, a bakery was running late so when they arrived we jumped in and helped (because we knew this pro tip of being early), and she gave us her show special to pass on to one of our couples.
It made for a great perk for the couple, gave her an extra booking, and was the beginning of a great lasting vendor relationship.
- If the show allows for it, stand in front of your table.
You heard me say stand, right?
We’re not using chairs. Like at all.
You’re going to be the one who is approachable, and if you can have your table toward the back of your booth, there’s less barrier between you and the attendees, which automatically makes you more approachable.
Every time I do a show and there’s a vendor who sits, yes sits, behind a table and waits to be approached, they’re the vendors who are also complaining that the show wasn’t good for them.
It’s not that long of a time, if you can physically stand for it, the benefits are definitely worth it.
- Smile and connect. Give a genuine compliment. Ask them about their big day, their relationship, how they met, how the engagement was, etc.
This makes you so much more memorable for them.
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Connect with their loved ones they brought with them too. It’s great for them because those are their favorite people and you connecting with them makes a great impression. It also goes a long way with playing the long game, you never know who else might need your services in the future. Everyone who’s getting married knows someone else who is or will soon also be engaged. It might just be someone they brought with them.
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Use times when the show has an attraction, like a fashion show, to get a little more time with an attendee who wants more time to chat (and even book) with you.
If that’s not the case, use that time to connect with your fellow vendors around you.
- Stay the whole time. Again, this probably sounds obvious, but there are always vendors who pack up and leave early.
Guess what, there are always attendees who show up at the end too, and the ones still there are really showing that they’re the most dedicated to both their business and to the attendees.
Also, I promise you the show’s producer wants to serve each attendee to the fullest and will be more impressed with you if you stay to the end, and that often really does matter.
I’ve even been to shows that will blacklist vendors who pack up early.
- On the flip side of staying the whole time, is to have the ability to break down and get out quickly when the show is over.
Equally important to the show’s producer, who has probably been there hours longer than you and was there the day before too, they’ll also be annoyed if they have to stay and wait for you to be the last one breaking down.
Breaking down quickly also gives you a chance to stick around and chat with your fellow vendors to do one last wrap up and establish that relationship.
Hot tip: When you’re packing up, make whatever you need to start the follow up process, the easiest thing to get to when you unpack.
When you get home from the show, if you have that info handy, you could even get a jump start on follow ups before you unload the rest of your vehicle.
We’ll talk more about pro tips for after the show in the next episode, stay tuned for it.
This is an area of planning for a wedding show that is often underestimated.
There are some things you should be doing to prepare for the show in advance that will set you up for success before you even get to the show.
Let’s talk about just a few of them here today, and disclaimer, this certainly isn’t an exhaustive checklist, it’s some quick bite sized tips to set you up.
- You’re busy, you’ll be busy the day of and the day before the show too. Have literally everything packed up and by the door a few days before the show.
(Make sure everything fits into the car you’re taking to the show!)
- Have a way for attendees to sign up for something. Even if the show is going to give you a contact list of everyone that went through, if you have a way for the ones you’ve talked to to sign up for something, those will be the ones you’ll follow up with first, because those are your warmest leads from the show.
If you can have an opt in set up on an iPad, bonus.
- Have a way for them to book either a consultation or their wedding with you AT THE SHOW.
This may sound obvious, but it’s one of those things that’s so obvious that it can get overlooked.
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Have a show special. I like giving a value added type thing over a discount. For example, if you’re a photographer you could give an extra hour of your services if they book at the show.
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Have information to share not only with attendees, but also your fellow vendors.
Even if no attendees show up at all, you will still get value from the show by connecting with your fellow vendors.
We’ll talk about this a little more in the next episode, but because this episode is for reminders of things to do before the show, it’s worth pointing out here too. It’s a big deal.
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Get as much sleep as you can the night before.
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Plan in advance what you’ll say to attendees as they approach you, and practice it so you’re comfortable.
Asking them a question or giving them a compliment is a great way to break the ice and show them that you’re there to serve them, not just to be an infomercial about yourself.
- Let’s go way back to when you were booking the show for this one. If chairs are an add on to your booth, do not order them.
If they’re included, make a note that you don’t want them at your booth.
We’ll talk more about this one in the next episode too, but you won’t be needing chairs if you want to be approachable at the show.
Okay I think we’ll call that 8 is enough for this episode, but I do have a hot tip for you, as always…
Hot tip: After you have everything ready for the show, or when you’re making your list of what to pack up, cross off or remove the non-essentials. Less is more. I can’t tell you the amount of shows I’ve done in the past where I brought way more than I needed or used, just for my own comfort really, but it makes so much extra work on yourself.
You’ll be surprised at how little you really need at the show itself.
I’d love to hear from you with your favorite tip from this episode.
Take a screenshot of your phone as you’re listening and tag me on Instagram at michellebraswellxo.
What if you were consistent on social media?
Let’s run through the definition of consistent:
Consistent is definied as: Always acting or behaving in the same way.
On the flip side, what is the definition of inconsistent?
It is defined as incoherent of illogical in thought or actions. Webster’s dictionary also defines it as CHANGEABLE
So how does that translate for you and your business?
When you watch for all of the ways you’re consistent, or could be more consistent, you’ll see that it’s prevalent in many things you do on a daily basis.
Let’s go over just a few ways consistency benefits you and your clients when it comes to social media:
- When you’re consistent on social media, or with any of your online content, it shows that you’re dependable.
In all times, but especially the times we’re currently living in, being dependable is huge when it comes to who couples want to book as vendors for their big day.
When they see you showing up for them consistently online, they’ll trust that you’ll be there for them. Trust is everything in business!
- It makes your life easier!
When you’re consistent on your posting, you don’t have to think about it.
You’ll start a habit and you won’t have to think about it so much.
- You can do what works with your schedule.
What is consistency to you?
Does posting daily work with your schedule?
Does posting only a couple of times a week work better for you?
See how consistency actually can give you more flexibility?
Hot tip: Consistency also helps you when it comes to scheduling out your social media.
It makes it easy to schedule when you know what days you need to schedules your posts on.
So let me know, how often do you post on social media? Is it consistent already?
What do you want your consistent posting flow to be? Multiple times a day? Daily? A few times a week?
Think about where you want to do each of these… Instagram stories, posts, reels, videos, Pinterest posts, idea pins, Facebook page posts, stories, video in all of the places, what does it look like for you?
I’d love to hear from you, my DMs are always open to you.
I’m @michellebraswellxo on Instagram.
Thank you for being here where we learn, grow, and connect together.
We talked about goal setting in the last episode, episode 88, and I talked about visualizing your goals.
Visualizing them first before you set them is important, and doing a brain dump into a notebook really helps with that.
Today we’re talking about visualizing your goals after you’ve set them.
I love doing that through a vision board.
As creative minds here in the wedding industry, we love pretty things and seeing them come to life.
Our brains scientifically also benefit from seeing things come to life.
Did you know that if you think about (and visualize, even like on a vision board) what you want, your brain can see it as already happened, and that helps you achieve that goal even more effectively?
That’s a whole other topic, but it’s the basis for making a vision board.
I love doing mine digitally and having it as the wallpaper of the lock screen on my phone.
It’s super fast to make, and I see it every time I pick up my phone, which means my subconcious brain gets to see it every time I pick up my phone too!
I’ll run through mine real quick here to give you an idea.
I’ll put the image of it in the show notes for this episode.
Holding heart: Health - physical, mental, spiritual
Falling cash: More financial abundance - more disposable income to make a bigger different in the world
House keys: Adding 4 properties to our real estate portfolio
Olive branch: Peace in everything
Make it happen quote: includes coffee and a heart, two things I love
Image of construction hat, blueprints, etc.: Safety - safety in everything, health, everything, but also we have a huge construction project here at our loft building that we’re very involved in, so it’s symbolic for the wrap up of that too
People: symbolic of more people… like you… that I can help to grow their business so they can also make a bigger impact in the world
A clock set to 10:00: Simply a reminder to go to bed by 10pm every night.
A plane in the air: My goal is always to travel, so it’s symbolic to that, it’s also a small plane, I’m going to fly private instead of commercial at least once this year.
You can see that some are big, some are small, some are more values based, some are tangible, some are encouraging, just make it your own and have fun with it.
Hot tip: You can update your vision board quarterly, or I kind of like leaving it for all year and having that reflection and reminder of the things I’m achieving.
As always, you’re invited into our mastermind where we dive deeper into the things we discuss here.
Join us in The Vendors Circle today!
First of all... Happy New Year!
How's your goal setting going?
Setting goals is critical in growing your business, you're growing your business for 2022, right?
I love this quote by Tony Robbins, "Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."
UM..... yes please! I believe this 1000%, and it's what we’re doing in this episode today.
Maybe your goals are revenue based, maybe they're to make better connections so you can fill your calendar easier and more effectively, maybe your goals are to raise your rates and work the same (or even less) and make the same (or even more) moolah!
Whatever they are, it's important to get them down on paper, clarified, and create a process to make them achievable.
I personally love working in sets of threes.
In our mastermind, The Vendors Circle, we set our goals in sets of threes.
Three things to achieve in 2022.
One that you’re sure you can hit, one that is a stretch, and one that you can “fail” at.
It’s just as important to set a goal so high that you’re sure you can’t reach it, as it is to set a goal that is totally doable.
This seemingly unreachable goal can do 3 things:
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Make you stretch beyond what you think you’re capable of, and even if you don’t reach it, you reached farther than you would have without it.
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Make you stretch beyond what you think you’re capable of and you actually reach it!
3… and this comes back around to the first option… it teaches you that failing isn’t even a thing. It teaches you that you either reach your goal or you learn something valuable.
We have to learn that failing isn’t a negative thing like they teach us it is in school.
There’s always a valuable lesson in it, and if we see it that way, we always keep a positive mindset, which makes us keep moving forward.
If we see failing as a negative, and see not reaching a goal as a negative, we end up stuck.
See the magic in that? It’s so powerful.
Okay back to the goal setting in threes.
We set our 3 goals for 2022, now you can break it into 3 priorities for each month that work toward those 3 yearly goals, 3 priorities for each week that work toward the 3 monthly priorities, and you can even go so far as 3 daily priorities that work toward each of the 3 weekly priorities.
In our mastermind, The Vendors Circle, we dive way deeper into this than what we can cover here in our bitesized podcast.
You’re invited to join us there where you'll immediately get access to last week's training, the one where we break down our goals into monthly, weekly, and even daily priorities.
You'll have a workbook that sorts it all out, along with a video that walks you through it.
PLUS... this week we're taking those goals and making them into a fun digital vision board that can be a screensaver for your phone.
It keeps your goals as visuals, and as creatives, we're definitely motivated by beautiful visuals around here.
I'll have a template for you at the live training tomorrow at Noon CST.
You ready to uplevel in 2022?
Let's do this, we can't wait to see you there!
Here’s your hot tip:
Set those 3 goals today. The reachable, the stretch, and the perceived unachievable.
Write them down then take a photo of them and tag me on Instagram at michellebraswellxo.
We’re talking basics here.
What does SEO even stand for?
SEO = Search Engine Optimization
It’s having your content online, literally everywhere you have content online, your website, social media, Pinterest, other websites you’re linked to, even this podcast is optimized, optimized.
The backbone to making sure everything is optimized is your keywords.
Your SEO keywords are literally just the words inside your content, the content we just discussed.
Those keywords just need to match up with the words your clients would put into a search bar to find you.
As creatives, words are something we can get our head around.
SEO is often a topic that feels so confusing and even maybe a little boring, so we put it aside and plan to deal with it another day.
Today’s the day we get started.
I know for me, I don’t love analytics (I mean, just say Google Analytics and I start to zone out), but talking to my clients, using my keywords, that’s something I can get behind.
I’m sure you’re the same way.
To keep from getting lost in a sea of search terms, we want to be specific about some of the things we do.
I’m going to use my friend Amy as an example.
Amy is starting a wedding venue. So wedding venue would be something she would want to come up in when someone searched for it.
Her wedding venue is in St. Louis. Well there’s another keyword.
Even still, when a couple types in wedding venue in St. Louis, that’s a lot to sift through.
Her venue is in a neighborhood called Soulard. It’s a hip downtown neighborhood where everyone wants to hang out.
That’s another keyword, that’s starting to narrow down what venues come up when a couple is searching for one.
Something else about her venue is that it’s in a historic building. There’s even another keyword. Historic.
So now when her couple searches for historic wedding venue st louis soulard, she has a very high likelihood of showing up in the search, or as we say in SEO terms, ranking.
See how that works?
You know I always have a hot tip for you, this one is an action item.
What are some things you can say about your business that would make you come up? What would your client be searching for that other businesses in your same category and location wouldn’t be using, but couples are searching for?
I’ll teach you even more about this in my workshop, SEO for Wedding Pros.
Look at that as another example. If a wedding professional, like yourself, is searching online for help with their SEO, or keywords, the title of our workshop is likely going to rank high for that search.
We talk a lot about SEO keywords, wedding professionals, we also use the word vendors here in the industry, so all of these would help us rank higher, which means we can help our future clients with the problem they’re wanting to solve.
As creatives, using our words to help our clients get the results they need, is so much more interesting than a lot of numbers or even coding.
Start with considering your keywords and you’ll be setting yourself up for huge success in coming up when your clients search for you.
Join us for our workshop at seoworkshop.bridepath.com/yes
Thank you for being here where we learn, grow, and connect together.
We’ll catch you on the next episode!
One of our members, and a regular on the The Wedding Pro Show, Chelly Ontis, was very recently a presenter (for 2 sessions actually) at Pinners Conference.
She also had a booth at the show.
We were discussing what makes participating in a show a success.
This episode applies to any trade show you do, wedding show or otherwise.
We talk a lot about before the show and during the show, and even what our couples should do after the show, but what about how we handle the “after the show” part?
It’s actually the most important part of the show.
We spend all of this time preparing for it, lots of money on the space, the prep, what you bring to it, even maybe travel for it.
But do we spend enough time on the after?
The very first and most important part of after the show starts the minute you sign up for it.
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Managing your expectations.
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Connections you made at the show.
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Lessons learned
Here’s your hot tip: FOLLOW UP. It’s where the ultimate success of your show lies.
Follow up with vendor relationships.
Follow up with client relationships. Yep even those current and past couples, and of course the future couples.
Your current and past couples will be so happy and excited to see you at the show, they’re your poster child for what your future clients see, and where your potential word of mouth can come from!
They’re often there with the next friends of theirs who are getting married, they’re your built in cheerleaders!
Even just send them a little handwritten note in the mail telling them how great it was to see them.
I hope this was super helpful for you, if you’re not already in our free Facebook Group, The Wedding Vendors Community, come on over, it’s the best!
Q: How long will it be?
A: I always keep everything brief and actionable. It will be around an hour long.
Q: I’m new to SEO, I may have questions. Is that allowed?
A: ALWAYS! I welcome your questions even now, before or after you’ve signed up for the mini workshop.
This workshop is brand new, that’s part of the beauty of it, we can build it to what you have questions about.
There will also be time at the end for a Q&A. The actual workshop will be an hour long, but I’ll stay as long as you need questions answered, even if it’s all day.
Of course there will be people who leave at the end of the workshop and don’t have time for the Q&A, that’s totally fine too!
Q: Will there be a recording?
A: Absolutely! We’re doing 2 live trainings, both will be recorded and you’ll be given access to the recordings.
We’ll break the Q&A out into a separate video, so if you don’t feel like you need that part you don’t have it in the same video. It will be there too.
On a similar note, we’ll break the workshop into sections and do separate videos of it too.
Q: When are the live workshops?
A: The first one is Monday, November 22, 2021 at 10am CST.
The second one is Thursday, November 30, 2021 at 7pm CST.
Q: Can I attend both if I want to?
A: Absolutely! You’re more than welcome at both.
Make sure you check your email after you register for the workshop. The 2 times are in your email, as are the links to them.
You can choose one or the other, or you can choose the both option. You’ll get the links to them in that confirmation email.
We’ll also send reminders along the way.
Q: I signed up and I loved the surprise video, how did you do that?
A: It’s an app called Video Ask. I love it too. It’s so fun to have that interaction with you when you sign up! I love them whether you choose text, audio, or video, but I do love seeing your face!
Q: What will be covered in the mini workshop?
A: We’re going to cover exactly what SEO is, where it can be used (both on your website and in addition to your website), then I’m going to show you how to build your own keywords list to use in your content.
I have a few very specific strategies that show you what your couples are searching for.
These are the words you want to use, right?
You want to be the ones your couples find when they go out looking and they’re ready to book.
Whether you’re already super busy or you’re just getting started, we all love when couples come to us instead of us constantly chasing after them.
Q: What are SEO keywords?
A: It’s more than we can get into here, we’ll get into in the mini workshop, but the short answer is they are words that you specifically use, that attract your ideal client. They’re the words your couples are entering into online searches, and they’re probably different than you think they are. I promise I’ll make it easy for you.
Q: What’s a mini workshop?
A: It’s a video training where we get you real results very quickly.
Q: What format is the mini workshop? Zoom?
A: I use a format kind of like Zoom, it’s actually Streamyard.
It has more capabilities for trainings and is very easy for you to use and get into. It’s web based.
That’s all I have for now, you can always reach out to me, or go to seoworkshop.bridepath.com/yes for more information and to get registered.
My hot tip for you? Just do it! Not only do I want to see you there, but I also want to see you working with your clients and doing fun things instead of chasing them around.
Let your SEO do the work for you so you can do other things!
The brilliant Kayla Marie Butler joins me in this episode.
She's sharing all kinds of gold when it comes to winning back more time into your life.
We didn't set out for this to be an episode about time management, and on the surface, it isn't.
BUT we both really geek out on tools and systems that save us time, so every part of the conversation worked back around to how it saves us time and what we use to maximize our time.
Kayla's website, www.ivorymix.com is jam packed with the most beautiful stock images and Canva templates you've ever seen.
Not only that, but also social media posts, captions, quotes, and workshops.
It's seriously my biggest time saver in my business, and the one service I'll never give up. It literally is my very favorite tool and system in my business.
We also discuss a tool that Kayla did a Reel about. As soon as I saw her Reel, I immediately messaged her for a link to purchase it on Amazon.
I talk about it all the time, including again on episode 81.
We talk about repurposing and how she takes one piece of content and makes it into an unlimited amount of other pieces that are different but still consistent.
Our rapid fire Q&A was is fun!
Kayla tells us about a client she helped, who is also a fellow stock photography creator! I love this, it's a perfect example of the way "competitors" can work together.
She tells us what she wishes she could tell her younger self, her morning routine non-negotiable, and about her introvert/extrovert characteristics.
Her hot tip is something I personally really need to hear. I can't wait for you to hear it too!
My hot tip is that you HAVE to download Kayla's free resource. It is 550+ free resources to effortlessly ave time and level up your impact on social media. Ready to use photos, templates, and strategies!
You can find her online at:
Instagram
Pinterest
Free Facebook Group
It’s a goal of mine to journal daily in my morning routine, and include at least one thing I’m grateful for, what about you?
Speaking of morning routines, one of the original members of The Vendors Circle, Trenda, and I did a collaboration of simple daily devotions for you for November.
She curated 15 of them, and I curated 15 of them. It’s perfect if I say so myself!
Just go to this link to grab it: https://www.bridepath.com/novemberdevotions
There’s also a bonus on the page for a downloadable wallpaper for your phone so the verses are handy for you, and even a printable bookmark for you to keep in your journal or bible.
When you download those bonuses, you get to a page that tells Trenda’s story, and also a link where you can donate to Trenda’s foundation, Hearts, Hands, and Hope.
100% goes to Trenda’s amazing foundation.
I want to tell you a little bit of her story here real quick.
This is how Trenda’s foundation was born, in Trenda’s own words:
"We tend to go through life thinking, 'cancer will never happen to me'.
We feel empathy for those close to us when they receive a diagnosis, but honestly, we don’t give that diagnosis the credit and respect it deserves because it’s not us.
That changed drastically for us when in 2016, both my mom and I were diagnosed with breast cancer within one week of each other.
I had just met the love of my life, Paul, and upon my diagnosis, I gave him a free pass to walk away as he didn’t sign up for a girlfriend with cancer.
He told me to be quiet and get in the car.
He drove me to the courthouse and married me the same day.
What doctors don’t tell you, or prepare you for, is the whirlwind of emotions, doctor appointments and decisions that one has to make once diagnosed.
My mom and I both had to have the bi-lateral mastectomies and then I had to start my chemo treatments after that. I found myself, all in a matter of a day, being angry, scared, frustrated and doubtful.
My self-confidence plummeted.
I found myself wishing that someone would take just 5 minutes and talk with me, face-to-face, and be honest with me.
Paul and I needed to know and hear that what we were going through was normal and that we weren’t alone.
It was those feelings that formed Hearts, Hands and Hope Foundation.
We support women, and their families, who are battling breast cancer, and other forms of cancer, to ensure their battle is easier for them."
Some of things we provide (but not limited to) are:
- Financial Assistance (medical bills, rent/mortgage, groceries, funeral expenses, required medical supplies, treatment related travel expenses, mental health treatment)
- Transportation
- Meals
- Social Outlets
- Resources
We're only asking for $5 at a time.
If you would like to be a part of this movement, go here to contribute your $5.
If you are a wedding vendor, go here to contribute your $5. We would love to thank you for your gift by gifting you with 30 days of The Vendors Circle in exchange for your $5 donation.
Whichever you decide to do, we're extra grateful. Thank you.
Our hot tip for you today is just to consider adding doing some kind of donating as part of your business plan. You’ll see it come back to you 10 fold, not only financially, but also as part of your personal growth, and our goal is to always keep growing here right!?!?
It's planner time!
On today's episode we have the amazing Chelly Ontis.
She's giving us a tour of her Marketing Planner for Entrepreneurs, that's us!
It's perfect for creatives like us.
It tracks our marketing, social media, planning, and even has full days for us wedding pros on the weekends!
We did this episode Live inside The Wedding Vendors Community, so if you want to see the planner live in action, head in there and see us on video with it.
Chelly is taking her planner stash with her when she speaks at the Pinners Conference in Arizona in November, so make sure you order yours before then, it will sell out there.
Go to this link to order yours. Use our special link WEDpro!ship for free shipping!
PS If you're not in The Vendors Circle, and you want to be, when you choose annual we include the planner for you, AND we donate to Hearts, Hands, and Hope in your honor. You can get your planner that way too!
Click here to head into The Vendors Circle membership!
Time blocking can be the difference between you running your days and your days running you.
I even have a time blocking timer. I’ll share a link to it in the show notes for you. It’s amazing.
When I started this recording, I set it to 5 minutes, because I try to keep each episode to 5 minutes. I’m sure you’re going to hear it go off at some point in this episode, but that will be an example of why I time block too.
First of all, time blocking is critical because it keeps you from getting distracted or bouncing from one task to another, or even worse, trying to multi task.
My mom is actually the one who started it with me, it just took me a while before I realized I could add it into my business.
Any time she wanted us kids to focus on something, she would set a timer for 10 minutes.
I can be convinced to do anything for just 10 minutes, I would imagine you’re the same way.
We would get going on it, and whatever we were doing, if it wasn’t done when the timer went off, we were already deep into it and wanted to finish.
I did the same thing for my daughter when she was growing up. If you talk to her, she’ll show you her beautiful blue eye roll to prove it.
This is what you’re going to do with time blocking.
I determine how much time I have in a window to work, and match that up with a project that I need to do.
Let’s say for now, it’s this podcast episode.
I have an hour to work on it.
I’m recording for 5ish minutes, I’ll do the artwork for 5 minutes, I’ll send the show notes over for 5 minutes, and I’ll promote for 10 minutes.
Now keep in mind, for this specific task I do have a team that helps me, but I can do these things so I will for the sake of this topic.
That adds up to 25 minutes, so the hour I have gives me a buffer.
I always give myself a buffer.
If I don’t have one, I’ll get paralyzed and not even start.
Side note, you know who else time blocks in 5 minute increments? Elon Musk.
You can either start with the task you like best, or the one you like least. I choose depending on my mood at the time.
Usually, I do it in the order that I like the least, that way I’m always working toward my favorite part. You know, best-for-last style.
If I’m having trouble getting motivated, I might do my favorite part to just to get the wheels turning. It’s rare that I do it that way though.
Another great way to get started is to do the easiest part first, just something that will get you warmed up.
If it’s something you have to do in a specific order, like this podcast episode creation, then you don’t even have to think about it.
Write down the order the tasks have to happen in, and cross them off as you get them done in your block of time. It will help keep you on track and focused.
When you’re in a time block, nothing else gets your attention, and I mean nothing.
To wrap this up, make sure you also time block in some time for yourself. It’s everything. Remember time is our only non-renewable resource, you can’t ever get it back.
I end every episode with a hot tip (are you seeing a pattern here too? The episode time is not only blocked into 5 minutes, but there’s also continuity to how it ends):
Time block with a friend. My friend Kelly, who was here with me in episode 59, lives in San Diego.
We’ll do something like hey what are you doing from 2pm - 3pm today? Let’s do a time block together!
We don’t know or care what the other one is working on, we just know at the end of the time block, that we can tell each other that it was productive and moved the needle for both of us.
Actually now that I think about it, this would be a great feature for us to put inside our membership for wedding pros, I’ll do a little time block later today and add that in there for you too.
We’re in a series about your pricing right now, this is the third episode.
In the previous episodes, we defined pricing as the amount of money given or set as consideration for the sale of a specified product or service.
I love how clear that makes it.
We also talked about your mindset and your confidence in your pricing being 90% of it.
Today we’re discussing how to know if your pricing is just right.
What could be some signs that your pricing is just right?
Since we’re playing out a Goldilocks scenario here, we have to also talk about if your pricing is just right!
Here are some signs fo r you.
- You are just the right amount of sold out. Remember what we just talked about, what sold out is to you, refer back to that.
- You have a healthy work/life balance.
- Your costs are well covered.
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You can afford to provide a good value for your couples, you have some room to go above and beyond for them.
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You can afford to hire the help you need, especially if you had an emergency come up and weren’t able to do it yourself when you typically do.
One of the factors of being able to feel just right, is your confidence in your skills and your pricing.
How clients are finding you is a big part of this.
Are you getting a lot of inquiries that start with “how much is it?”
The main source of this is how they’re finding you.
A cold lead is likely who is asking this first.
Someone who found you through a directory site, like The Knot or Wedding Wire, OR someone who found you through your awesome SEO on Google, Pinterest, or another search method.
What does that mean? That a warmer lead type is less likely to start with how much it is. They’ve started to know, like, and trust you from some other source.
These are the ones that give you the confidence that your pricing is just right.
This is why referrals and a strong network are so important.
When these warm leads contact you, they’re more likely to start the conversation with “Are you available for my date?”.
Hot tip: Make sure you’re attracting warm leads. If you want to dig even deeper with attracting warm leads into your business, visit my website at www.bridepath.com/yes. We focus on this in our membership, The Vendors Circle, it’s open for enrollment now at a crazy promotional rate, with all proceeds going to our favorite charity, Hearts, Hands, and Hope Foundation!
We’re in a series about your pricing right now, this is the second episode.
In the previous episode, we defined pricing as the amount of money given or set as consideration for the sale of a specified product or service.
That makes it really clear and kind of neutralizing the emotion around pricing.
We also talked about your mindset and your confidence in your pricing being 90% of it.
Today we’re discussing how to know if your pricing is too high.
What could be some signs that your pricing is too high?
This is the least likely scenario, because most of us set up rates low when we’re just starting out, in an effort to fill our calendars, then increase rates gradually, but we’re touching on it here today anyway.
- Along the lines of your mindset. Knowing that your pricing hinges on your confidence level on it, did you raise it too much too fast and you’re not confident in it? This could be a factor that your couples are picking up on.
- Are potential clients having conversations with you about booking with you, then ghost you when they hear your rates? There are a lot of reasons why this happens, but when it’s paired exactly with rate reveal, it could be a good indication that you’re a little high.
- You’re simply not booking as many events as you were before you raised your rates. There is something to be said for letting it level out, after all, with your increase you may be making the same amount while working fewer events, so the allowance for that might be worth the risk of testing a rate increase.
Here’s what a venue owner in my group said about her rates, I thought it was interesting about others perception of our rates:
- I’ve been told by many that I’m too high, but my rates are competitive with those in the area. I’m way low for comparable venues though. We offer more services and a much prettier venue than all others in the area.
- This is a perfect example of someone who has a confident mindset in her pricing.
- The need to put blinders on when it comes to others who want to give fee dback, and even influence, your rates, is strong.
- She is overcoming this, when it actually is super easy to let it get in your mind and affect you and your business.
- She knows what she has and knows the value in it and she’s sticking with it.
- Ultimately it’s your business and other people wanting to affect whether you should charge more or less than you are, can’t be a determining factor.
Hot tip: Visit your rates. If one of these signs resonates with you, is it something that’s going to level out as more people book? If so, great! If not, it’s never too late to adjust them.
Definition of price: the amount of money given or set as consideration for the sale of a specified product or service.
Today we’re starting a series on pricing. We’re going to go over:
1. Your confidence level in your pricing, how it affects it, and what to do about it
This part, you already know from the title, is all about knowing if you’re too low and what to do about it.
Do you have a bar set for what “sold out” is to you?
If you don’t, it’s a very helpful tool in determining if your pricing is working for your business or not. It’s something you should consider thinking about, even if it’s just an idea.
For example, one of our membership members has an event rental company.
He knows he can handle 20 events per weekend.
When he starts having to turn away a certain amount of business away, it’s time for him to raise his rates. Right now, he’s doing this on a quarterly basis.
Most wedding pros visit pricing yearly and do yearly increases. Many do it at the beginning of the calendar year.
Consider visiting your pricing right now, and get yourself positioned for before these couples start booking.
What are some signs that your rates are too low?
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Much like my member who is booked past what his sold out status is, you’re sold out and turning away a ton of business. For most of you, dates are your commodity, so you have to consider supply and demand. If you want your business to scale, you have to view your calendar from a supply and demand standpoint, and know when it becomes in limited supply.
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You feel resentful toward your currently booked events. You’re less than excited about going to or even working on the wedding. You have to work every single event yourself and can’t afford help with it.
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Your price in relation to your competitors. I’m a huge cheerleader for community over competition, and we’re going to talk more about this tomorrow, but think about if you want to be the lowest cost in town. If that is something that’s important to you, good for you, don’t let anyone pressure you into raising your rates just to make them not have to compete with you. If you don’t want to be, consider that also. The wedding industry is not an apples to apples situation, everyone, even in the same specialties have different value offerings, so make sure not only you are considering that, but that your future clients know your offerings clearly also. Be clear in your communications with them one on one, on your website, and on your social media. There are a lot of things you can do to communicate what you offer without revealing your pricing in every communication, so remember that too. I’m sure that’s triggering whether or not you should have it on your website, that’s a whole thing with lots of different things to consider, and something we can discuss later if you want.
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You have become more confident in the services you provide and you’re just feeling ready. Mindset is 90% of your business. Your pricing is very dependent on your level of confidence. If you think about an amount, doesn’t matter what that amount is for this scenario, let’s say $10,000, and you’re not confident, it will show and your client will pick up on that vibe. If you charge $10,000 for your service and you are confident, you know it’s worth every cent, your ideal client will also pick up on that vibe and see the value in it.
Hot tip: Remember what I said about visiting it now, while you’re in the middle of busy season, and see how your pricing is doing.
If you’re too low, considering raising them now before booking season really kicks up so you have an idea.
We’re going to talk about if your pricing has gotten too high for your business in the next episode.
I was honored to be one of a few amazing speakers at this year's WE Summit put on by the Upstate Bridal Association in Greenville, SC.
Mark and Colleen Wheeler (of Wedding Festivals) with their daughter Kennedy, put on this amazing event at Zen Event Center.
Heather Benge, Wendy Rivera, Bo Graf, Kevin Bailey, Justin & Calie Cook, and myself, were the speakers.
Listen in for even more information.
Consider attending this special event in 2022.
This episode is a great conversation that was had in my free Facebook Group: The Wedding Vendors Community.
A member asked this question, and a conversation ensued.
I'm breaking it down here, giving you my thoughts, and of course a hot tip at the end.
If you're not already in the group, jump in there, it's great!
What are you juggling right now? Kids, marriage, school church, friends, other family members, a regular J-O-B job, your wedding business, all of it, more than that, and that’s not even mentioning taking care of yourself!
The purest form of the word balance, is an even distribution of weight enabling someone of something to remain uprights and steady. As in “she lost her balance before falling”.
Ironic, right? Doesn’t trying to keep everything balanced make you feel like you’re just a step away from falling?
Balance is also defined as a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. As in “try to keep a balance between work and relaxation”, or in this instance, between work and life.
Hearing the term balance, often invokes a stressful feeling, because of both of these definitions of it.
The root of the stressful feeling is often from guilt… so let’s unpack this definition of guilt that I found real quick, that will help us clear it up a little.
This definition is a feeling of having done wrong or failed in an obligation. Often as a result of doing something else instead.
This. This is why talking about work life balance brings up so much stress, because we feel guilty if we don’t keep all of the balls in the air at the same time. If something has to give to keep something else running.
We have so many deadlines just in life, and here in the best industry in the world, we have extremely pressing deadlines.
Someone’s wedding and having all of the details in our part of it covered is very pressing.
By this time, I know you’re thinking, yep I’m clear on all of that, you’re describing my life. What can I DO about it????
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Manage expectations.
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Learn to say no, or at least not quite. Be really mindful of everything you’re asked to do.
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If you’re working full time, and your wedding business has become full time, step back and think about if you can cut back your hours at your full time job.
I have several members in my membership who have been able to stop working their full time job, and their wedding business has grown as a result of it, to the point that they’re now making more than they were doing both.
I also have members who have dropped their full time job down to part time, or even were doing a full time job, and a side hustle job, and building their wedding business, and were able to drop either the full time or the side hustle.
Take the time to analyze if you gave up one of these types of J-O-Bs, would that help the business that you’re growing and love, grow even more and produce more profit.
Reach out and talk to me if this feels scary and I’ll walk you through it. Trust me, I’ve been there, I get it.
My husband and I both were in our businesses full time, then last year we were both able to retire from our wedding businesses and do what we love now, at only 49 years old for him and 46 years old for me. It can be done and it doesn’t even have to be hard!
Make an appointment with yourself and really visit this, you might be surprised and it could really change your life.
Just saying no or not everything to one thing to make room in your calendar for this important appointment.
As always, I have a hot tip for you.
Unplug.
I know, we talk about social media here a lot, and marketing, and DMs, and email, and communicating, and all the things.
That doesn’t mean you’re doing them 24/7.
Have a window of time in your day that you don’t do these things.
Or have a window of time in your day that you do.
Scheduling or having an efficiency plan in place really helps unplug.
Keep it balanced, and try your best to let go of that stress and guilt.
I recently asked a question in our free Facebook group, The Wedding Vendors Community, about wedding shows.
The question is “if you’re doing a wedding show in the near future, what feels stressful about it?”.
We got so many interesting results.
The first one we got was getting people to come over and talk.
That’s what we’re addressing here in this episode.
- What you do with tables makes a huge difference.
Let’s discuss what not do to. Do NOT sit behind a table. Please. We see so many people doing this at shows, they’re the same people who feel like shows don’t work for them.
What you do with a table depends on what services you provide in the industry. If you don’t need a table at all, either ask for no table, or use a round high top cocktail table to encourage conversation.
If you do need a table, put it at the back of your booth and stand in front of the table.
Many shows have rules against being in the aisle, and it can be bad manners depending on the situation, so make sure you have your table back into your booth far enough that you’re within the bounds.
Have something inviting at your table, a book to look at, something to sign up for, a freebie, or sample decor.
Please please please always use a nice linen table cover that goes all the way to the floor.
- Always give first.
This one goes along with getting people to come over to talk a little too.
To help break the ice with them, give them a compliment.
Anything, just make sure it’s genuine.
Their engagement ring is always a great place to start, just make sure they’re wearing one before using this one. Lol
They’re always excited to show it off and for it to even be noticed at all.
Aside from that, anything you genuinely like that they have going on. Hair, nails, clothing, their smile, etc.
It will instantly let their guard down and create a bond with them.
- Show up on video on your social media weekly before the show.
I know you might not want to. If you can possibly overcome it (and we have lots of resources to help with that too), it’s worth it.
When they’ve seen you on video on social media, then they see you at the wedding show, there’s an instant connection.
We learned this shortly after when we first started using video several years ago.
We would be at a wedding show and someone would wave us down from far away, just within our sight.
They felt like they KNEW us. Like we were a friend for them to connect with at the show. A familiar face. A connection.
Hot tip: Connect with fellow vendors.
Even if not one person showed up to attend the show, connecting with the vendors alone would be worth all of the money, time, and effort you put into the show.
Good vendor connections, even vendors who are in the same specialty as you, who you would consider competitors, are your best business asset, and you are theirs.
They become friends, then you get to work with your friends every weekend!
They become a resource for your couples, as you get to know them and become comfortable referring to them.
They become how you fill your calendar, as they get to know you and become comfortable referring to you.
See the pattern here? Even the point we made here today about showing up on video on your socials applies to vendor relationships.
When they meet you at the show, and they’ve seen you in action on social media, the connection you make with them at the show will be faster and stronger.
Once you make the investment and look toward investing your precious time on a wedding show, you’re going to want to maximize the results you get.
Go to https://www.bridepath.com/weddingshow to grab more free tips for making your next show successful.
How Styled Shoots Benefit Your Business
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Creative Freedom - Attract your ideal client
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Branding Your Business & Social Media
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Networking & Vendor Relationships
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Gain Experience (especially in changing conditions)
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Exposure
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Book More Destination Weddings
Find Heather on the interwebs at:
instagram.com/styledshootsacrossamerica
facebook.com/groups/styledshootsacrossamerica
Hello! You're listening to The Wedding Pro Show. I'm Chelly Ontis with We Can Make That blog. A crafting website where I help others be creative, like Brides DIYing their own wedding decor. But I’d also been a freelance graphic designer and marketing consultant since 1997. So I’m not new to entrepreneurship.
I'm guest hosting for Michelle on this episode, and today I’ll be sharing my tips on 3 ways I organize your content (like your social media posts, blogs, lives, reels, pinterest, etsy…… the list goes on and on, right?!
Posting online, blogging, running a shop/service based industry you need to need to put your mission out there to connect with brides. In order to run a biz and not loose my mind, we need a plan. And let’s be real. So do your brides. They need to be taken on a path to get to where you want them to go — I’m guessing booking with you is that end game.
Let me break that down how i organize my content in 3 simple steps:
- What’s my end game.
- What pains them, or excites them, to NEED you and your biz
- How can I make that into content
Let’s go through what these 3 simple steps look like in real life as a business.
- Start back at end game. Is that to get them on a call with you. Mine is download a design on my site. You’re End game…. Is this a booking? Sale? Free download? Email list sign up? Pick just ONE.
- Pain points/business mission they NEED…. These are the funny quotes they connect with (memes). What problem you solve - these are best told in the form of a story where you helped a bride (just like them).
- Lastly Scheduling. Now schedule these out, add it to a planner. I developed one to help you organize it all. www.wecanmakethat.me/planner
These 3 steps can help you remove some chaos when posting, Helps you be more productive and helps you get more done in less time. I invite you to check it out or add these steps to the planner system you use.
Thank you so much for being here with me today on the The Wedding Pro Show Podcast where we learn, grow, and connect together!
PS... I have a free shipping coupon just for you! When you checkout for the planner, use code WEDpro!ship
I’m going to be on vacation for the next few weeks, so I thought it would be perfect timing to do a little collaborating with some of my business friends.
As soon as I get back from vacation, I leave again to go to the WE Summit in Greenville, South Carolina.
I’ll be speaking there about 2 topics… your pricing… and also what to do when you are booked.
I’m super excited about the fun things coming up!
Speaking of the WE Summit, be watching for some of my fellow speakers as part of the collaborating I just mentioned!
For the next few episodes of The Wedding Pro Show, we have a stellar all star lineup of guest hosts booked for you!
They will each be coming on, in my place.
They will be doing the same style of short, value packed episodes that you have come to expect.
They’re all super excited, I personally can’t wait to listen in with you.
From the time I started planning the podcast, I’ve wanted to do this unusual type of collaboration, in a sort of takeover type format.
I’ll still be around, you’ll still see me around on Instagram, in The Wedding Vendors Community group on Facebook, and in our weekly trainings if you’re a member of The Vendors Circle membership.
As you know, I absolutely love networking, and this is a perfect example of it.
I want to challenge you to look for ways you can also do some collaborations.
Let’s discuss some of the ways you can do it in the daily operations of your wedding business.
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Refer an industry friend.
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Share each other’s social media posts.
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Introduce yourself when you see them and work with them at the same weddings.
I can’t tell you how many weddings, the huge majority of them, where not one vendor came to me and introduced themselves.
Even as the venue. I may have been 1000% impressed with them, the way they conducted themselves, the product or service they offered, everything, and they never introduced themselves to me.
I could have, and would have, been referring them to my future clients, and it was a completely missed opportunity.
Even when I’ve caught up with them at a wedding (and I know, we’re all busy doing our job so it can be crazy), and introduced myself to them, more often than not they didn’t introduce themselves back to me. And often when they did, they still didn’t give me their info.
Pro tip from a venue owner, leave them with your info, then follow up.
It doesn’t matter what type of vendor you are, my son in law is a DJ and he still g oes around to each vendor at the wedding, introduces himself, gets everyone’s info, and makes sure they’re taken care of.
Okay I’m getting off my soap box on that one.
Actually one more thing on that note, make sure you do at least one social media post after the event, and tag each of the other wedding pros you met at that event.
Okay now I’m done. Lol
Here’s your hot tip to wrap this up with a bow….
Look for ways you can collaborate with other wedding professionals, like we’re doing in the upcoming episodes with guest hosts.
Listen in to these episodes where we’re shaking it up a little, I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Thanks so much for being here with me today where we learn, grow, and connect together!
Welcome to the second installment in our series…
What do you hope will be even better about your business one year from today?
It’s a question I asked in The Wedding Vendors Community, our free Facebook group, and the answers were all so good, we decided to do a podcast series on them.
We’re choosing one for each episode, and helping you reach it.
For today’s episode, we’re tackling procrastination.
The goal is to be better at not procrastinating this time next year.
I love this one, I’m a professional procrastinator.
Even just the concept of being better at it in a year is kind of ironic and funny to me.
How about we take this one and implement it for now instead of this time next year. We’re breaking through procrastination TODAY!
There are a ton of psychological reasons why we procrastinate, I’m just going to scratch the surface here today and go for the practical reasons, the kind that you might relate to in regards to your business.
Let’s start with the definition.
Procrastinate - to put off intentionally and habitually. I also like this definition - to put off the doing of something that should be done.
Want to know a secret? I even procrastinated writing this episode!
I didn’t even get that was what I was doing, but I can tell you why I procrastinate, and I bet you have the same reasons why you do.
- Perfection. Perfectionism is often the reason why we put something off.
We think if we don’t have time to do it perfectly, we can’t even start. That sounds silly for me to even say out loud, because I know better, but it gets me sometimes.
I teach my membership members to not worry about perfection, and that done is better than perfect, because never doing it at all is even farther than having it done but not perfect. Right?
It’s something I definitely need to work on myself!
- Getting inturrupted. I’m so afraid I’m going to get inturrupted in the middle of something, that I put off starting it.
Guess what? When I finally do the task I was dreading, I almost always get through it without being inturrupted.
I do have a couple of tricks to this that I’ll share with you.
- Feeling like you don’t have time. This goes hand in hand with the first 2 reasons, you might think you don’t have time to get it perfect, or that you don’t have time to get it done before someone needs something.
Give time blocking a try. You’ll be really surprised how much it helps to play beat the clock.
You can also do time blocking to avoid the things that make you procrastinate, like being on your phone.
You can time block the time you spend leisurely on your phone.
For example, you could give yourself 15 minutes, use the timer, and when you’re done you’re done, then go be productive and bust through procrastination.
Your hot tip in this episode is an action item.
Think about what it is you really want to do. What’s holding you back?
I put off starting this podcast for a year because I was afraid I wouldn’t have the time to be consistent with it, but once I got started, I made sure I would.
Maybe yours is something small, or something big. Just start. Go for it!
I have to tell myself to take the fear of whatever it is I need to get started on, and turn that fear into fuel.
I hope that analogy helps you through your procrastination as much as it does for me.
Really do turn that fear into fuel.
I asked a question in The Wedding Vendors Community, our free Facebook group… What do you hope will be even better about your business one year from today?
The answers were so good, I thought it would be fun to do a series here on the podcast.
We can spend these few minutes getting you started on your way, then if you want to go deeper, you can contact me and we can discuss it further.
One of the answers was to be more organized, so let’s unpack that.
I know speaking for myself, one of the things that used to make me feel disorganized was being pressed for time, or really just too “busy”.
I used to run around like crazy. Working to the point that I was exhausted, too tired to even think about being organized.
I was taking each thing as it came to me… and I even had a team helping me.
When I added in a client relationship management system, everything changed.
I personally use Dubsado, (click to check it out and get 20% off), but there are many out there. I’m happy to give you more options in them, just shoot me a message and we’ll walk through it.
I finally slowed down long enough to get it set up, and it took a huge weight off of me when it came to managing my future and current clients.
A CRM allows clients to access what they need, when they need it, without having to contact you (hello no more phone tag), and also lets you get what you need from them. It truly is game changing.
So having just this one system in place not only gets you organized, but also releases more time for you to not be running around like crazy like I was, so you have more time to get more organized!
See how that pays off double? So worth it!
One of the lessons in my online course for wedding pros, is literally “systems save resources”. Your resources are your time and money.
What other systems could you put into place that save your time, money, and sanity?
How about file management on your computer?
Do you have your files in a place where they’re easily organized and backed up?
I personally love Google Drive. I pay a little for even more space, I think it’s like $2/month, but you get a lot of space completely free.
I used it for years before I ever needed to pay for more space.
It has all kinds of genius ways to be organized, and even has apps that create much more efficiency for your business and your life.
I could do a whole episode on Google Drive and creative ways to use it to your advantage.
Maybe we’ll do that sometime soon.
The next thing to think about is what you’re spending your time on.
To get to the root of this issue, evaluate what you’re saying “yes” to. Are you protecting your “yes’s”?
It really is okay to say “no” sometimes.
Every time something comes up that will take your time, just stop for a second and think about if it’s really something you should be doing.
This could be anything in your life or your business.
Say yes to the things that bring you joy and are in your zone of genius.
I could go on and on about organization, but my promise to you about making these episodes 5ish minutes is important to me.
I really want to talk about organization for your social media, we’ll save that for a future episode.
I want you to have time to implement the things we’ve talked about here, so you can actually get more organized!
Hot tip:
As you go through the next 2 days, write down everythnig you do.
On the 3rd day, go back and cross out everything that wasn’t absolutely necessary.
Use this data as a starting point for evaluating what you could say no to, and save yourself some time that could make you get more organized.
Always email me any time!
Pride in ownership, do you have it for your business?
Let’s do a quick definition.
Pride: a feeling of deep satisfaction derived from one's own achievements or the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated
OR… to be especially proud of (as in a particular quality or skill)
You can see how this applies to our weddings and events businesses and the skills that go along with our specialties.
My best friend Holley, she was here with us on episode 39, is one of my dearest and oldest friends.
Her parents were like my parents, my parents were like her parents.
It seems like we do everything the same. Even things completely out of our control, like her mom passed away exactly 10 years before my dad, to the very day.
Her mom always used to tell us to “keep it nice”. To have pride in ownership. When Holley bought her first house, her mom’s mantra to her was “keep it nice”.
She even wrote it on a slip of paper that Holley keeps attached to her fridge with a magnet.
How does this apply to your wedding business?
Pride in ownership. Keep it nice.
When you’re proud of what you have, what you own, where you work, and the skills you possess, it shows, and it’s contagious!
When you’re proud of it, guess who else is proud to be a part of it? You clients!
When your clients are proud of who they choose to be a part of their very best day, and it’s because you show pride in it. It shows big time.
That leads to referrals. Your couple is so proud to use you that they tell everyone they love about you.
Their pride shows, and now their referrals are proud to book you for their wedding, and what do they do? They also refer to you. See how powerful this is?
Now let’s take it even farther. When you’re proud of your business, there’s someone else who sees this pride, your fellow wedding vendors.
Now they’re proud to work with you, proud to be associated with you, and proud to refer their clients and others who ask about your type of service, to YOU!
Think about the flip side. If you’re not proud, the opposite of that is embarrassed. If you’re embarrassed of your business, or your skills, is that someone your fellow vendors would be excited to work with or refer to?
Or even think back to that couple who was proud to work with you because you have pride in ownership.
If you would have been embarrassed of your business or skills, would they have wanted to work with you? Do they want to be embarrassed of the services you provide on their big day? Or embarrassed to refer to you?
See the power in pride of ownership?
Having pride in ownership even allows you to do price increases confidently.
How would your life change if you increased the rates of each event, even if just a little at a time?
Here’s your hot tip:
Practice the mindset of being proud of your business and your skills.
How can you do that?
Stand a little taller, physically. Even if it’s only for 10 minutes a day, just practice it.
Practice this affirmation: I am successful. My business deserves for me to be proud of it.
Keep improving your business and maintaining it in a way that literally does keep you proud of owning it.
You know, "keep it nice".
Thank you as always for being here.
This was a really special one to me, each episode is, they each have an important and impactful message, this one is just extra sentimental.
Want to be a part of a community of other wedding professionals who are constantly working on their pride in ownership and keeping it nice? Join us free on Facebook in The Wedding Vendors Community.
Consistency
It’s a major buzzword in business right now, and for good reason.
Being consistent is so important in your business, and in your life too for that matter!
Let’s talk about it.
Here’s the definition of consistency: harmony of conduct or practice, firmness of constitution or character, persistence, even dependability and integrity!
I mean, come on! Who doesn’t want to book with someone with those characteristics!
Now let’s talk about showing consistency.
You can show consistency by having a cohesive brand. Your brand consists of consistent colors, fonts, overall vibe, your copy and messaging, and…. get ready for it… even your consistency is part of your brand! How meta is that!
You can really show consistency on social media.
Did you know that your engagement on social media is directly related to your consistency?
Whether you post once a week, once a day, or 4 times of day, try to stick with something you can stay consistent with.
Do you blog? Do you have the capacity to release a blog post every week?
No? Then try releasing one every 2 weeks, or once a month, just be consistent.
Use this podcast for an exampl e.
When I first started this podcast, it was 3 times a week. I really wanted to put out a lot of value and a lot of content, to get the podcast established more quickly.
After a few months, we decided it was time to go to twice a week. We announced the change and we’re consistent with it.
And PS, I LOVE podcasting! I love hearing from you, I love the value you get from it, I love the relationships it has allowed me to make through it. It’s so much fun!
Consistency allows us to test things in our businesses. When you’re consistent with everything, you can change one variable and get measurable results.
Let’s use this podcast for another example. When we made the decision to go to twice a week, we tested it. We actually get more downloads by producing two episodes per week than three.
Why? Because people like you are busy, and you are more able to consume 2 episodes per week, than three. I never ever ever want to overwhelm anyone, so it’s something we really gave a lot of attention to about making the change.
Hot tip: Try changing up one thing that you do consistently, and see if it gives you different results. If those results are better, make the change.
Being consistent doesn’t mean you’re rigid and can’t ever change, it just means you’re trustworthy, and I know for sure that’s a message you want to send to your clients… your future, present, and even past ones.
I want to leave you with a quote, this one is by Dwayne Johnson: “Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.”
Does juggling work/home balance give you anxiety? Especially when the back to school schedule starts back up?
Here are 3 tricks to help you get through it as smoothly as possible.
- Do the work for your future self. What would she be glad that it’s done? Do that for her now. Is it packing lunches the night before, or better yet, on Sunday afternoon for the whole week?
Is it planning outfits and having them organized by the day so no one has to think about it in those crazy mornings (including your own)?
Maybe it’s even having your favorite coffee cup set up by the coffee and ready for you. I love doing this one.
It’s often the smallest things you can do ahead, to make the mornings easier, so everyone can have the best start to their day.
- When you finish your day, take a few minutes to prep for the first thing on your list for the next day.
Back to your future self, when the chaos of the morning is over, and you sit down to work on your own list, if it’s just a little bit started already, you have built in momentum.
When you’re wrapping up your day, make a list of a few things you want to accomplish the next day.
Try to do the first thing on the list, or at least start it, then don’t cross it off.
The next day, you can start your day but crossing something off your to do list that’s already done!
I know I love crossing things off my list, and crossing something off early really gives me a spring board for the rest of the day.
Now I do have a disclaimer here…. Don’t just write things down so you can cross them off, and so you can cross things off that are “fluff” to help you procrastinate the things you don’t want to do. That’s not what we’re talking about. Lol
Here’s how I manage my to do list… 3 goals for the year, 3 goals each month to get me closer to to the yearly goal, 3 goals each week to get me closer to the monthly goal, and, you guessed it, 3 goals each day to get me closer to the weekly goals.
This is a method that I learned from Michael Hyatt, and it is super effective, give it a try!
- Get up a little earlier, and offset it by going to bed a little earlier.
I’m super guilty of just wasting at least 30 minutes before I actually go to bed, or even to sleep. If I would just go ahead and go to sleep, then get up another 30 minutes earlier, it would be even more helpful to my day.
If your morning is busy with kids trying to get to school, that 30 minutes could be your quiet time that really gets you grounded and helps make you a little more cheerful when the crazy starts up.
Hot tip:
As back to school is happening, use this time to learn something too. As long as we’re learning, we’re growing.
I’m constantly learning, I can’t get enough, and I hope you’re the same way.
It’s literally the foundation for success.
We have lots of great resources on our website at www.bridepath.com for you to take advantage of.
Go there and check one out today.
They’re all geared toward growing your business and have proven results.
Join us in our free Facebook group!
Connect with me on Instagram.
In this episode I'm sharing a discussion we had about client gifting, over in our free Facebook Group, The Wedding Vendors Community.
It resulted in some networking right inside the thread, and also spotlighted some brilliant ways for you to get referrals and make connections.
Some you may not have thought of.
Including a hot tip as always.
If you're not in our free group yet, come over and join the discussion, it really is the best wedding pro community on the internet!
Trustworthy: Able to be relied on, worthy of confidence
Doesn’t this sound like something that is so valuable to your future and current clients?
Maybe it’s even a trait that they don’t know they’re looking for, or even realize it when they find it, but it can be exactly why someone books with you over one of your competitors.
So let’s get to it, what are some things you can do to help your clients trust you?
Consistency. Be present and seen on social media. Your brand AND you personally. Show your face. In photos, and take it up a notch and show up on video. Instagram stories, reels, IGTV, Live, Facebook, Facebook Live, wherever your comfortable, just choose one and start.
We’ve been going Live for a very long time. For example, when we’re at a wedding show, our followers recognize us and instantly connect. It creates familiarity… which leads to trust.
Do what you say you’re going to do. If you tell them you’ll email them, text them, get them some info… do it, and do it quickly.
Respond. You can’t believe the amount of wedding pros who aren’t responsive. If you do this one thing, you’ll book more weddings. It sounds crazy to even say outloud, but it’s true!
Always be last to respond. However they contact you, let’s say in your DMs, always be the one to close the conversation. When the conversation has ended, you still say something, like “have a great day”.
Speaking of that, the next one is… be friendly and conversational, while still being professional. Don’t be cold, they want to book with someone who will be warm and fuzzy with them along the way.
Follow up. When you give them extra attention before they book, you show them that you’ll be there for them after they book.
Surprise and delight. Watch for places you can be a little extra for them.
Social proof. Share any reviews and/or testimonials as social media posts. When another couple goes to the trouble to brag about you, it’s one of the strongest thing you can do for your brand. Share that!
Focus on referrals. When a future client gets referred to you by either one of their loved ones, or another wedding pro, there’s instant trust. Someone else trusts you, so they automatically trust you.
Hot tip is an action item. Choose one of these you’re not currently doing, and perfect it. That’s it! You’ll start seeing a difference!
There’s something so special and less stressful when your clients trust you through the planning process. It really is so rewarding and makes your business a lot more enjoyable!
Have you grabbed our free resource that helps you get leads into your business? It has all kinds of creative ways for you to get in front of yo ur ideal client, and what’s even better, they are ways your competitors may not be thinking of!
Just go to ineedtheguide.com to grab it today.
I appreciate you being here so much, where we learn, grow, and connect together!
Your business is growing like crazy, and your mobile phone is ringing like crazy.
Or maybe it’s getting a lot of texts, either way, it’s amazing, but also super overwhelming.
Wouldn’t it be great to know when an “unknown” number comes in, if it’s coming in as a business call or not?
We get so many spam callers now, that it can be so tedius when you’re someone who strives to take every call.
Did you know that there are lots of apps that can give you a seperate phone line, for your business, that comes directly into your smart phone?
We’ve always used the app, Line2, our daughter and son in law use the app Open Phone and they like it too. There are several, just do your homework and see which ones have the features you need. Most are around $15/month.
You can also use Google Voice, which is free, but doesn’t have a ton of features. Check with it first before you try a paid one, it actually is fairly robust.
How do these look on your phone?
They look much like the native phone on your device. They might be a different color and have a little menu on the top and bottom.
You’ll get notified on your phone when a call is coming in on your business line.
It’s pretty nice, because there might be scenarios where you might be too busy to take a personal call, but you could make time for a business call, or vice versa for that matter.
These apps also have a phone dialer. So when you’re making outbound calls, your caller id shows your business number, and protects your personal mobile number.
They also include texting features, which, as we know, is a great feature for couples.
Many of them, I know Line2 does, have extension/phone tree extensions.
For example, you could have a recording answer the phone, and say, “Press 1 if you’re one of our amazing existing couples, press 2 if yo’ure one of our amazing future couples.”
This will help you know a little bit about who you’re answering to when you do. Of course it can be whatever you want, it could even be to different people on your team.
Let’s say you have a full service venue like we did. You could say “Press 1 to discuss your menu, press 2 to discuss your decor.” That would route the calls to completely different forwarding numbers. Pretty nice, and saves everyone lots of time.
Another benefit of it is the level of professionalism it allows for you to answer the call. You know to answer a business call with your business name, and allows you the freedom to not answer every call that comes to your personal number as your business name.
Hot tip: If juggling between your personal calls and your business calls is something that is a pain point in your business, considering looking into one of these apps.
One of the really nice features of it is that you can put business hours on it and have it not ring during certain times of the day. If you’re needing to put some boundaries on your business, this is a great way to do it.
If you're wishing your phone was ringing, or getting texts, more, grab our guide to getting more leads into your business. It's at www.ineedtheguide.com.
What is an affirmation?
Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When you repeat them often, and believe in them, you can start to make positive changes.
It’s an essential part of my life, and I hope it is for you too. If it’s not yet, or even if it is, this episode is perfect for you.
Powerful things are about to start happening for you.
I want to tell you about a way to do affirmations that you literally don’t even have to think about, in fact, they talk to you… every time you look at your phone!
I got this idea from someone who shared it on her Instagram, the account is @irisjade if you want to look her up.
I’ll also put a photo of what she did in the show notes.
I think it’s totally genius and we’re adapting it for you here today.
What you’re going to do, is rename the app albums on your phone.
If you don’t use albums, consider doing it, this is worth it.
Your social media folder is now called: I am social. It has all of your social media apps in it.
Your folder with ways to connect, your phone, texting, messenger, zoom, whatsapp, are in a folder called I am connected.
Your security apps… I am secure.
Your travel apps… I am free.
Your mapping apps… I am going places.
Your creative apps… I am expressive.
Your financial apps… I am wealthy.
Your learning apps… for example, podcast app, audio book, if you’re in our membership, The Vendors Circle, it has an app… is I am always learning.
Your fitness and health apps… I am healthy.
Your storage apps, like Go ogle Drive and Dropbox… I am organized.
Your graphic design apps like Canva… I am creative.
Your utilities apps, like calculator and smart watch… I am smart.
And finally, your business apps, like your Honeybook, Dubsado, Flodesk, are I am productive.
Hot tip: Be creative and think of affirmations like these for each of your app folders if you have more apps than what fit in these category examples.
Go ahead and do it today, it won’t take you long!
I’d love to see a screenshot of what you do, tag me on Instagram at @michellebraswellxo.
Imagine you pick up your phone and go to FB.
It says you need to log in.
Okay, you log in. Now your password doesn’t work, but that’s fine, you have several you use, it must be a different one.
Now those aren’t working, so you request a new one.
FB asks if you would like them to send it (or the auth code) to your phone number or your email address, and they provide both.
Your email address is somethingsomething@gmail.com, this address is somethingelse@hotmail.com.
This is your first red flag, so you have them send the code to your phone. You get it, and enter it, and FB says it’s not a match.
The more things you try, the more they don’t work, the more concerned you get.
This is what’s going on with my husband Joe’s account right now.
We have realized now that he was hacked, and either the hacker deleted his account, or FB knows it was hacked and has disabled it, but it’s like his account never existed.
Supposedly you can hire a hacker to re-hack it, but how do you even trust that?!?!
And PS there’s no hotline for contacting FB for this sort of thing.
So at this point he has lost everything there. His contacts, his messenger, his favorite groups and pages to follow, the memories that pop up, all of it.
It stinks, and the thought of it does make me a little sick, I have to admit.
I was planning to have him on here to help you feel the emotion behind it, but he’s busy and hard to catch right now, if I can get him to record something I’ll add it to the end of this episode.
I’m just feeling super urgent to get it out to you so you can prevent it happening to you.
First of all, I want to read you what Facebook says to do to prevent it. Make sure you do all of these things asap.
Now, imagine if you couldn’t access your business page or any groups you might have.
Please make sure you have another admin on your business page, so you don’t lose your page if you lose your account.
Like seriously, do it now.
Did you know that you can even set up a contact person if something tragic happens to you, so they can access your account? Do that too.
Hot tip: Facebook is someone else’s platform. So is IG, Pinterest, Tik Tok, Twitter, all of them.
You should always be growing your audience as an email list in addition to depending on social media.
Any of these social media platforms could be gone in a hot second, even by the time this episode airs.
My favorite email marketing service provider is Flodesk, and I have a 50% off coupon for you.
I’ll link it for you in the show notes, or you can always go to bridepath.com/myfavorites for links to my favorite things, most of them do have discount codes for you, all of them are worth checking into.
Other important links:
Creatively get more leads into your business with this free guide
Join our free Facebook group, The Wedding Vendors Community
Follow me on Instagram
Let’s talk about Imposter Syndrome.
Have you heard of it?
Here’s what it is:
Feeling like you’re a phony, like at any moment someone is going to think you’re a fraud. Maybe you’re experiencing success but you don’t feel like you deserve it, or you don’t belong. Maybe you even feel like you got there through luck.
If you’ve listened to Episode 12 of The Wedding Pro Show, you KNOW that’s not true.
It affects anyone, regardless of their background, skill level, education, or social status.
In fact, it affects 80% of the population!
Can be paralyzing and keep you from moving forward, and often stems from perfectionism.
A long time ago, I started following an account called “The Flylady”. Our daughter was very little and I was overwhelmed with having a little, a home, and a growing business.
Do you ever feel like this? In your home, in your personal life, in your business? We all do, you’re not alone.
And… spoiler alert, you’re not an imposter.
How to overcome it:
Take action. Put one foot in front of the other, and in realize there’s no such thing as perfection.
Surround yourself with other action takers who are also fighting through these same self doubts.
Unfollow accounts that make you feel “less than secure” in yourself and your business.
If you’re on Instagram, and you see an account come across your feed or your stories, maybe it’s someone who does the same thing as you do in the wedding industry, and it makes you feel like you’re not “keeping up”, it’s okay to snooze or unfollow it.
I feel like this all the time. For example, when I see another podcaster doing something I might not be doing, or something I’ve been wanting to do but haven’t gotten to it yet, it can even make me feel a little sick in the pit of my stomach.
Then I remember my show is only 5 months old, and I’m out here putting one foot in front of the other with it, I love it, and I’m helping people, and that’s all that matters. So I keep taking action and keep putting out the next episode and that is so so so satisfying!
Hot tip:
Get support.
Have you heard this saying? You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
The people we surround ourselves with are the biggest influence on our behavior, attitudes, and even results!
The people you associate with and the things they say determine as much as 95 percent of your success or failure in life. That’s huge, and it has huge consequences.
Are the people you’re around doubting your business? Often our friends and family don’t feel like our biggest supporters. If you feel this way, consider that it’s just because they love you and are trying to protect your feelings “in case your business fails”.
This is why we need each other. We know it’s not going to fail, just as much as we know the sun will come out again tomorrow.
I’m in coaching groups and masterminds that keep me feeling positive and KNOWING that I’m successful, even when that imposter tries to creep back in.
No matter what level we’re at, we all need it.
Please consider being a part of our coaching group, The Vendors Circle.
Don't try to go at it alone, it's just not worth it.
It’s open for signups right now, and we’re waiting inside to keep you realizing your awesomeness and to keep you on the right track.
Just go to www.thevendorscircle.club today, we’ll see you there.
As always, thank you for being here where we learn, grow, and connect together.
My friend Kelly Rudolph is on the show in this episode, she's so good!
She's helping you completely shift the way you look at things, in your business and in your every day life.
Kelly works with energy and the subconscious mind to make small changes that get big results.
She simplifies things and shares empowering perspective shifts so you can get from stuck and stressed to clear and confident about who you are, what you want, and how to get it.
We just happened to be chatting when our little dog, Tink, had to go into the hospital for an emergency she was having (she came out of it fine, by the way.)
Kelly shared an article with me that really helped me, and I wanted her to come on and give you the same perspective shift she gave me.
04:29 Eliminate the chain of pain
08:10 Get back in the driver's seat
21:28 Visualize the good to keep a positive mindset
31:09 Hot tip... trust me, this is another super hot one, it's even about networking!
35:03 Kelly's workshop, "Positive Words to Rock Your Results"
Important links:
Click here to sign up for Kelly's workshop!
Visit her website at positivewomenrock.com to connect with her.
Email me if you need anything at all!
We live in downtown St. Louis, where parking is at a premium, especially when there’s a Cards/Cubs game in town.
When I was going home today I noticed 2 luxury apartment buildings’ signs out front.
They were reserved parking signs, and they read, “Future Tenant Parking”.
It reminded me of something I teach in all of my programs, assume the sale, humbly of course.
Do you have the confidence to assume the sale, the way these apartment buildings do?
It’s that confidence that often generates the sale.
Think about when you’re shopping for something. Your next home, your next car, your next shiny new electronic, anything.
Isn’t your ideal scenario to find what you’re looking for, make the deal, and move on to the next thing on your to do list?
It’s the same for your couples.
If you can provide the services they need, and let them know that you’re the right choice, confidently, they WANT to book with you.
I was thinking I wish I would have thought of this back when we owned our venues.
If you have any kind of service where the couples come to you for showings, wouldn’t it be so cute even just to have a parking sign that says Reserved for the Future Mr. & Mrs.?
Maybe even a step further and have it say Future Couples of, and I always think I’m hilarious when I use this example… The Love Shack wedding venue?
When they parked there, (Did you notice I said when and not if? That’s another trick to give yourself confidence in assuming a sale.) not only are they taking a tiny step to already booking in their own minds, but they’re also giving you a little confidence when you see them choose that parking space when they drive up.
If you don’t have a physical location that they visit, you can always assume the sale, again humbly, in your communications.
Hot tip: Try asking your couple a question, any question, when you’re discussing your services before they book, that has an obvious answer of yes.
By just them answering yes to absolutely any question, it triggers them to answer yes again.
Isn’t that so interesting?
We talk about this strategy and so many more in our VIP membership, The Vendors Circle. It’s opening for enrollment soon.
Jump on the waitlist to be notified, at https://www.bridepath.com/tvcirclewaitlist
Don’t worry, as always, that link will be in the show notes, or you can always message me, they’re open and I love hearing from you.
The Networking Challenge
The challenge starts in just a few days, on July 19.
It’s a three day challenge designed to have you connecting with other wedding professionals effectively, and efficiently, both online and in person.
Each day will be something quick and actionable.
We’ll be looking at how our social medias are set up.
We’re also talking about how to choose who to connect with and the best ways to connect with them.
Then we’ll talk about how to nurture those new connections and build relationships.
They’ll be referring clients to you, and you’ll be referring to them too, in no time at all.
We even have a little contest to make things even more interesting.
Points are awarded for posting about doing the assignment, attending a live video (I promise, they’ll be short and value packed), making contacts with other wedding professionals (you might say networking), for inviting other wedding pros into the challenge and to our free facebook group, The Wedding Vendors Community, and for building your preferred vendor list.
The contest is complete with prizes, but everyone who participates wins!
Whether you haven’t done any networking before, or if you’re already experienced at networking, join in! It will at the very least be fun and it just might spark something new for you to try.
AND whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. These strategies will work for you even if you never leave your house!
Hot tip: networking is a form of marketing, and it’s organic, so make sure it’s something you are building into your business.
Go to thenetworkingchallenge.com to get signed up now.
If you’re listening to this and it’s after July 19, still go to thenetworkingchallenge.com and see what we’re doing with it now!
How to find out if your marketing efforts are working.
ASK!
It’s one of the most overlooked parts of our marketing systems as wedding professionals.
We work really hard on our efforts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Etsy, Google, we run ads, we network, we nurture our relationships with our couples and other vendors…
Yet sometimes we have no idea where our couple who books found us!
It can be uncomfortable to talk about business, when everyone really just wants to talk about the big day and their relationships.
We’ve talked about this before when it comes to pricing and asking for the sale.
This is no different.
If you’re already asking, and you’re comfortable, good for you! We’ll talk about how you can take it a step further in just a minute.
If you’re not, let’s talk about some ways to do it.
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You can come right out on every contact and ask them how they found you. I know you’re already worried about being ghosted, you may not be looking for another reason to blame yourself when it happens. This likely isn’t going to affect if the couples responds back to you or not, but it can be intimidating for you, especially if you’re already a little nervous about it.
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You can ask on their questionnaire they’re filling out when they’re booking. When they’re already filling out the form, it can be another question. This might be the most comfortable for you if you don’t like to ask.
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You can follow up with them after the wedding. You’re doing that already to ask for a review, right? If you never asked how they found you before, this is a great last way to try. Keep in mind they might not remember at this point.
Hot tip: Keep it simple. Here’s how you ask, “Do you mind if I ask how you found us?” Literally it’s as easy as that.
Now take the opportunity to ask someone today, let me know how it goes!
Make a simple spreadsheet or google doc to keep track of what you hear. If you ask and never keep track of it, what’s the point?
It won’t be long until you know where your best efforts are paying off for you, and you can decide to invest more into those, or let those keep doing their job and add another approach to your systems.
If you’re looking for more leads for your business, we have a free resource for you at www.bridepath.com/getleads
Other noteworthy links:
Join our free 3 day networking challenge at www.thenetworkingchallenge.com
Email me, I love hearing from you!
My husband and I own an investment company, we mostly have residential rental property, but we also have other investments, and every once in a while do a "flip" home.
That's what we have going on right now.
I went there to see what was going on today, it's wrapping up, and getting carpet in a couple of days.
We like to write a scripture on the subfloor for the future floor re-doer to find, and just basically bless anyone who comes across the home, even the carpet installers.
Today was the day for it.
This particular scripture was inspired by someone sweet that I follow on Instagram, Daryl-Ann Denner.
She and her husband do the same thing and this was one of the ones they did recently.
Do NOT forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained ANGELS without even knowing it! Hebrews 13:2
As I was writing it, it occurred to me how relevant this is to us as wedding and event professionals too.
I have 3 takeaways from it, and I discuss them further in this episode...
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Have multiple revenue streams
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Be hospitable by serving first, and serving for the future.
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Be hospitable in your packages and pricing.
And as always we have a hot tip for you, this one happens to be a challenge.
Find a small way to show hospitality in your business, you might even be entertaining an angel.
Head over to my Instagram account (michellebraswellxo) to see the photo of the verse written in sharpie on the subfloor.
Thank you as always for being here!
Other important mentions:
Check out our fun challenge at www.thenetworkingchallenge.com for even more help in getting connected!
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Want to connect with other vendors?
Need help with that answer? It's yes.
Why is connecting with other vendors important?
Here are just a few reasons:
- To refer back and forth to each other.
It's so much more enjoyable to be able to refer to another wedding pro when you're booked for a date, or can't do a wedding for a couple for one reason or another.
That vendor will appreciate it and also return the favor.
So much win win going on here!
- To help each other when you get in a jam.
We all get in them, if you're short on staff, short on time, have an emergency, anything.
It's just always so nice to have that safety net.
- For moral support, like we have in our free Facebook group, The Wedding Vendors Community.
Our friends and family mean well, but they just don't understand like other industry friends do.
When you make good strong connections, they become lifelong friends too!
We all need that!
Check out our fun challenge at www.thenetworkingchallenge.com for even more help in getting connected!
Thank you as always for being here!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
There's a saying that goes around, you've probably heard it.
It shows up as "Know your worth"... or know your worth and double it, know your worth and add tax, I'm sure you've heard some variation.
I don't love it. I have so many students who get tripped up on their pricing by trying to figure up their worth.
Here's the truth: There's absolutely no dollar amount that can be assigned to you, your uniqueness, you're amazingness, your experience, your expertise, you get the idea.
You're running a business, your pricing is business based, your worth is not your pricing.
Confidence is everything when it comes to your pricing.
That said, there are several things that can affect how you feel about your worth, and it messes with your confidence, so it messes with your pricing.
Let's go through a few of those here today.
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People telling you to put a number to your worth. You knew this one would be first, right?
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Offering discounts.
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Thinking about your worth in a "by the hour" capacity.
Listen in for explanations of each of these points.
Your hot tip is all about not letting a competitor set your pricing. You heard that right. I'm telling you more inside the episode.
We talk a lot about pricing, and the formulas you can use for pricing, in The Vendors Circle.
Get on the waitlist for next time it opens by hitting this link. You'll be the first to know when it opens up for enrollment again!
Thank you as always for being here!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Your copy and your copy writing.
Not copy like imitate, and not copy writing like the little c inside the circle that protects your intellectual property.
Copy writing, as in everything you write.
That leads me to a definition…
Copy writing: Copywriting is the act or occupation of writing text for the purpose of advertising or other forms of marketing. The product, called copy or sales copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person or group to take a particular action.
It’s basically anything you write.
It’s the words you’ve carefully strung together on your website, your emails, your social media posts, your blogs, and your ads.
Three characterists of good copy as a wedding professional:
- Speak to the benefits of what you do, not the features.
The features are far less personal and don’t give them the warm fuzzy feelings they need to feel to want to book with you.
- Write conversationally.
Think of your ideal client, and speak directly to her in your copy.
You want your audience to feel like they’re sitting next to you having a conversation, not like you’re speaking over them.
- Keep it simple and tight.
Don’t use more words than are required to get the point across.
If you do, it becomes confusing, and a confused reader doesn’t buy.
One of the things I teach about writing emails that get answered back, is to keep them at less than 200 words, and keep each sentence on it’s own line.
For our hot tip, I’m giving you a super practical way to make sure you’re speaking directly to your ideal client, and that she knows you’re speaking directly to her.
Look at one of the most recent things you’ve written.
Now go back and envision the word “you” in front of each thought.
If it doesn’t make sense, or if it shows you that you’re talking about yourself a lot, go back and revise it.
You’ll be so surprised at how much more effectively it communicates to them, and converts them from being someone who just discovered you, or who follows you, to being an actual client.
Not just a client, but a happy client, and a fan who will refer to you over and over.
Thank you as always for being here!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
What exactly is Pinterest, according to Pinterest?
Pinterest is a visual discovery engine for finding ideas to spark inspiration.
It’s officially classified as a social media networking service, which is worth noting, because it used to be classified as a search engine.
They’ve been making changes to the platform to make it more and more social.
Everything you see on Pinterest is linked to something someone created somewhere else on the internet. It’s not created on Pinterest, it’s shared on Pinterest.
41% of American women use Pinterest
They’re not only using it, they’re using it for shopping. This tells us that people (as in couples) are using it with intention, not just for entertainment value, which is the majority of what they’re using other social media platforms for.
85% of Pinterest users are planning a major life event. Hello all things wedding related.
93% are planning future purchases.
If you’re thinking about investing in ads anywhere, Pinterest ads are highly effective. For every $1 spent on Pinterest marketing grosses around $4.30 in sales.
It validates you to your potential clients.
Let’s say you’re creating content, you are, right?
If you have a blog post, you’ll get more traffic to it, from your ideal clients, when you share that post on Pinterest.
Your ideal client, who is hanging out on Pinterest, sees that and is introduced to you.
THEN… you can also share that PIN to your social media. You showing a Pinterest pin, validates you to your ideal client because they trust Pinterest, and that trust passes on to you. Magic, right?
You can post to the same link, like this blog post, every day on Pinterest if you want to.
The content lives on, unlike the flash across your ideal clients’ newsfeed that happens on other social media.
It ranks highly on Google.
You know that blog post, I’m sure you did a good job with your SEO and that it ranked high on Google.
Just in case it didn’t, the Pinterest pin also gets picked up by Google!
Hot tip… even if you don’t blog, you can post on Pinterest.
Anything you post on any social media, can be shared as a pin on Pinterest. If it has a link, it can go on Pinterest. A FB post, your FB page, an IG post, a YouTube video, literally anything!
There’s no reason for you not to get started today!
Only do it if you can enjoy the process and be consistent.
Posting on Pinterest is one of the 10 creative ways to attract leads into your business in our free resource, we made it just for you!
Thank you as always for being here!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
June 23, 2021
The Wedding Pro Show
Episode 50: Time Blocking for Maximum Efficiency
One of our most valuable resources is time.
I love using time blocking to make the very best use of my time, I have it down to a science, and I'm sharing that with you here today.
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Block your time according to what task(s) you need to get done, and how much time you have.
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Use a timer and beat the clock. I love sitting down with an hour and my to do list, and tackling it in 10 minute increments. You can do anything for 10 minutes!
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Do the hardest thing on you list (or most mundane, or what you've been dreading) SECOND on your list. Listen in to find out why, and why this really works!
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Save the best for last.
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Time block along with a buddy, virtually. Go for the same amount of time, then check back in with each other about what you were able to get done.
Be ready to spend 10 minutes with your to do list at the end of this episode.
My hot tip is a major action item that will have you off and running!
Thank you as always for being here!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
June 21, 2021
The Wedding Pro Show
Episode 49: Do You Have a Business BFF?
One of my business BFFs is with us today!
We're discussing the top 3 ways (we have like 72 ways each, but you don't have all day) how it has completely changed our lives.
We did something a little different and went "Live" together in our Facebook groups, they're linked below.
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We keep each other focused daily on things that help our businesses (and our personal lives for that matter).
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We're each other's sounding boards. We understand each other and our entrepreneurial circumstances.
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We get great camera work training, we communicate via the Marco Polo app and it makes us SO comfortable on video.
As always, we ended with a hot tip.
You'll learn how to find your business BFF, it seriously will transform your life and your business.
We both put posts in our Facebook groups to help you out with it.
You can sign up for Chelly's virtual (happening June 27 & 28, 2021) summit at www.wecanmakethat.me/summit
Her free group is on Facebook at Start a Craft Business 101.
Thank you as always for being here!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
I want to address a question I get asked a lot from brand new wedding pros just starting out… but if that’s not you… still hang on with me for a minute, I’m addressing things for you too.
The question is, "can you give me some ideas on how to come up with my business name?".
I do have a list of best practices.
These best practices do apply to choosing your business name, but they also apply to things you might add to your existing business (that’s where it comes into play for you, if you have an existing business and already have your business name).
Could be the name of your packages, your blog, a podcast, a freebie you could offer your audience to help you build your contact list, some of these practices even work for writing email subject lines.
Do a “brain dump”. This is always my go to. Sit down and just get them out. Make a goal of writing down at least 25, then go back and narrow it down to your top 5.
Check everywhere to see if these already exist… Google, Facebook, Instagram, your state’s registries… these vary by state, and definitely consult an attorney where necessary.
Don’t get so cutesy with it that no one would know what it is.
Say what it is. For example, the name of this podcast is The Wedding Pro Show. My free facebook group name is The Wedding Vendors Community. My membership is The Vendors Circle. My actual business name is BridePath, it started out as support for brides to help them get down the path from engaged to married… it has since evolved into full time business consulting and coaching for wedding professionals, but it still applies because that’s what they’re all doing too. You get the idea.
On a similar note, you can use what your ideal client hopes to achieve, or who they are, as you saw in my examples.
I have a free resource that is also a perfect example of being named what the goal is. We even used that in the domain name, it is www.bridepath.com/getleads
It is called 10 Creative Ideas for Getting Leads Into Your Business.
You can use your name if you’re comfortable with it. Remember if you’re a single woman who plans on changing her name if you ever get married, you may or may not want to use your last name. For example, my daughter is a blogger and her business name is Lauryn Chayce, Chayce being her middle name. She did get married after she created her business, so it worked out well for her.
Listen in for the rest of my naming guidelines!
As always, our hot tip is a golden nugget! Go listen!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Today's featured review is from Kristiane C. She says, "You make running a wedding business sound so easy. So many great tips here, I love it!"
Thank you Kristiane!
I know as a wedding pro you're super busy, and this is something that really falls through the cracks.
The money is in the follow up. Really.
It's so easy to take on each thing as it comes in and move onto the next, but for something that only takes 5 minutes to do, it's seriously the most bang for your buck.
Remember engaged couples are busy too, and you're making things easier for them by following up.
Don't be afraid of hearing "no", it's not worth not following up because of just that!
Do you ever feel ghosted? Sometimes it's because we're not doing everything we can to get a response.
Make sure you're following up on every turn, when they first reach out to you with an inquiry AND after your showing or virtual meeting.
Our hot tip for today explains how you can actually get referrals just by following up, even if they decide to book with someone else!
Listen in, I can't wait to hear what you think!
If you're looking for more creative, organic, ways to get more leads, grab my free guide at www.bridepath.com/getleads
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Get on the waitlist for our membership, The Vendors Circle, to be the first to know when we open for enrollment again!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Knowing how the actual science of decision making works, really helps in building a foundation for making good decisions, and making good decisions is the foundation for not just everything in daily life, but also for your business.
How do we stop anxiety from intruding on our decisions?
Be mindful.
Mindfulness is a muscle.
It strengthens the front of the brain, allowing you to make more grounded, relevant decisions!
The ability to be mindful actually limits the influence of things that don’t matter, so you can move onto the things that do. Isn’t that amazing?
We talk about mindset a lot, mindfulness is a huge part of strengthening our mindset.
Where is the anxiety and indecision really coming from?
Stress triggers distraction and engages the part of the brain that confuses decision making.
How would you make decisions if you KNEW there was not a wrong decision?
Anxiety can trick you into thinking one choice is good and the other is bad, when really, either might be good.
If you’re feeling really stuck between two, it likely is a sign that neither is wrong. Isn’t that a calming thought?
Once you have your choices narrowed down ot one, and you make your decision, you’lll start organizing your environment, your behavior, and your responses to make sure it works out.
Let’s use a couple getting married for an example…
Once they choose their venue, now more things they can do become “unlocked”. They can now do invites, event times, surrounding location choices such as hotel blocks… then they can move onto the next steps automatically. It’s a “one foot in front of the other” approach.
Let’s think about something in your business the same way. The decision you’re trying to make is what direction to go in next for your marketing. Is it maximizing your SEO? Your FB engagement? Your Instagram? Speaking of IG, is it stories, reels, newsfeed, IGTV, guides, redoing your bio, redoing your bio link? Is it being more present on Pinterest? Is it working on your network and referrals? Feeling paralyzed yet? This is exactly what I’m talking about, there’s no wrong decision here, other than to let the paralysis keep you from deciding on one.
Once you choose one of them, it unlocks the next things to do to develop it.
Imagine how much better the decision for what you do want will be like, instead of just settling for what you don’t want!
Knowing this is a game changer for your confidence!
Hot tip: apply these skills when helping your couples make decisions!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
I'm so honored to have Lou & Tami Santini stop by and generously share their time and expertise around the power of having destination wedding planning in your business.
Lou & Tami are the founders of Paradise Getaways, an award-winning, multi-six figure destination wedding agency & Creators of The 20K System & Toolkit, the premiere destination wedding business building course.
Tami has won many awards in the wedding and travel industry, including being named the #1 Destination Wedding Agent in the USA for Playa Resorts & a three-time Chairman’s Royal Club Award winner.
Along with her husband Lou, they have built Paradise Getaways into a multiple six-figure wedding & travel business.
Lou also worked in the wedding industry for over a decade as a highly successful wedding DJ for Power Mix Productions & Mid-Michigan Entertainment often getting many 5-star reviews.
Lou and Tami are dynamic speakers and have shared both the physical & virtual stage with such powerful influencers as Kim Walsh Phillips of Powerful Professionals, Laura Gawne and Susan Bain - the creators of Charm Weddings and The Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest, and Kevin O’ Leary a.k.a. Mr. Wonderful!
They are now sharing their success secrets with others so they too can stay in overwater villas in Bora Bora, swim with sharks & stingrays, or hum the Jurassic Park theme song while flying over majestic waterfalls in Hawaii.
Because, hey, why not?
In this episode, Lou & Tami give us the inside scoop on why now is the best time to have destination wedding planning as part of your business, and how it fits into any business type within the wedding industry!
The cash injection it provides you, technology making it all so efficient, and the fact that there isn't much competition, just to name a few reasons.
I learned so much in this episode. Even the difference between the planning process locally vs destination.
Adding destination weddings into their business completely changed the Santini's lives, and they're teaching you how it can do the same for you.
Lou's hot tip will literally blow your mind, make sure you're sitting down and/or not driving for this one!
He explains how you can make $2500 ON TOP OF the commissions paid by the resorts when you book ONE destination wedding... and you don't even have to leave your house!
Their upcoming free masterclass takes a deeper dive, go to www.destinationweddingclass.com to sign up!
You can find Tami on social media at these links: Instagram @tamisantini and Facebook @destinationweddingcoach.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
This episode’s review was on Apple Podcasts. It reads, "Lots of info in short bursts. Michelle has a clear, easy to listen to voice and she knows her stuff! I love the quick tip format. No wasting time, just quick great tips."
We appreciate your reviews so much!
Why is it beneficial to maximize your reviews (we're going to talk about how to do it in a minute...)
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Social proof is huge! Think about when you read reviews on Amazon, hotels, anything! It's proof that you have experience and that you are trustworthy.
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It creates FOMO and makes you who couples want to book for their wedding.
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It helps make vendor connections and is a great way to get on preferred vendor lists. It's actually one of our strategies to get started getting on them.
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We work hard to get these reviews, don't just leave them hanging out where they were left. It's so easy to forget about them. Couples will find them, but why make them dig around for them, right? Let's get to the how!
How to showcase your reviews on social media:
- Take advantage of the pin feature on Facebook. After you do a post about your review, pin the post to the top of your page. It will be the first thing new visitors see when they go to your page.
Similarly, if you have a Facebook Group, the feature is "Mark as an Announcement".
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When you make a post of a review on Instagram, save it to your Highlights. Same situation as the pin or announcement feature on Facebook.
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Make them into graphics using Canva or something similar. I personally love Canva. They have templates for reviews and testimonials, you should also use screenshots from the platform their were left on, but you can even make the screenshot pretty in Canva. Just consider if you want to show their name or omit it, only you will know the right way, but in doubt, leave it out.
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Make it part of your posting rotation. Use content pillars. Reviews are a good pillar to have. If you're in my membership, The Vendors Circle, you know about content pillars. It's 6-9 different topics that you consistently post about.
Our hot tip is all about how to keep track of all of your reviews in one central, easy to access, location. Listen to the podcast for the explanation.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
This episode’s review came in the form of a share on an Instagram story. Tami Santini shared a screenshot of Episode 41, with the caption: Great tips to slay the day!
Tami and her husband Lou are amazing wedding professionals, they both work full time in their business, just like my husband Joe and I, we have so much respect for them.
They have a masterclass starting June 14, called Discover 4 Key Ingredients You Need to Have a Thriving and Successful Destination Wedding Business.
Even better? Destination weddings are a great aspect to add to any existing wedding business, definitely not for travel agents only.
Here's your link to sign up for the class: www.destinationweddingclass.com
Now let’s get on to the show.
You know I love social media, and I love sharing with you when a fun new feature is released.
I stumbled onto this on a couple of days ago, and tested it out in two of my groups.
In my membership for wedding pros, The Vendors Circle, and also in my free group, The Wedding Vendors Community.
I have it on my personal page too, but it hasn’t shown up on my business page yet, I’m assuming it’s just starting to roll out, I haven’t seen or heard many people talking about it or using it, but we’ve all had a fun time with it this weekend.
When you do a new post, it’s called “Host a Q&A”. It was at the very top of my list, but this morning it was at the very bottom.
I’m assuming it was at the top until I used it the first time, to call attention to it.
To play with it for the first time, I decided to do an “AMA: Ask Me Anything” and got some fun questions.
Listen in for the rest, including this episodes super hot tip!
Shoot me a message and let me know how you like it!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
June 4, 2021
The Wedding Pro Show
Episode 42: Do You Have Your Own Preferred Vendor List?
Making your own preferred vendor list is one of the very most important things to learn for your wedding business.
But first... our featured review is from Chelly of We Can Make That. She says, "This is the perfect podcast for entrepreneurs in the wedding industry!! And I love the bite sized episodes that drop some knowledge bombs. Thanks Michelle!"
Chelly has a summit coming up at the end of June, it's designed to help entrepreneurs up level their creative businesses. Find out more at www.wecanmakethat.me/summit
Never ask another vendor to be on their preferred list without asking them to be on yours first.
When you use this method there’s a good chance you won’t even have to ask!
When you make your own preferred vendor lists…
For your couples, this is your Resources list.
It proves credibility to your future clients and other vendors.
It improves your SEO.
It enhances your website and social media presence.
It gives you intentional social media content.
There are so many reasons to have a Resources page! Listen in for more!
Our hot tip is about asking them to be on your preferred vendor list, not the other way around. Ask your ideal vendors to be on your Resources page.
Having a preferred vendor list is one of the creative ways to get leads into your business in our free guide. Go grab it at www.bridepath.com/getleads to get the rest of them!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
RJ on our team was wearing a "Slay the Day" mask one day on a video call, he inspired this episode.
Our featured review for this episode was left by another member of The Vendors Circle membership, Stephanie Sparrow of S.A.N.D Events and Gifts. She says, "The Wedding Pro Show is amazing and very informational. The host is always wanting to help other wedding professionals with development and guide them."
Thank you for your kind words, Stephanie!
These are my favorite ways to create time in my day, pick one or two to try out!
Get up at least 15 minutes sooner than you do now. Do it tomorrow, it's awesome.
Here's what I do, everyone's schedule is different of course! My husband and I are empty nesters, so my schedule is much easier than someone with small children. I've done this from when our daughter was pretty small but I wish I would have started sooner.
- (I need time for my devotion, I Marco Polo with a friend, clear my head space.). My husband gets up around 7:30am. We hang out and catch up, map out the day. We're ready to take it on by 9am. By 9am we need to start communicating with people. Notifications are coming in, etc. We work together full time so he's in and out all of the time, schedule starts getting less dependable throughout the day. Then we do dinner, evening, and I like to go to bed early.
- Train yourself to wake up without an alarm. It can be done! It sounds weird, but I tell myself when I'm going to sleep when I need to get up, and I do. I've been doing that forever so it works. By all means try not to hit snooze!
When you have a lot of tasks to do and feel like you don't have time, set a timer. Literally set it for 10 minutes, you'll find yourself so much more focused and you'll get a ton more done than you think. I start with a "brain dump" for 10 minutes, into a notebook, then go from there. I LOVE journaling. Someday I'll design my own, for now I'll settle for something blank from TJ Maxx. Lol
Designate a break time, I try for 2pm - 3pm but it doesn't always happen.
Handle things as them come.
We talk about this a lot in my membership, The Vendors Circle, we have very effective systems in place that keep you and your business running efficiently. Check it out at www.bridepath.com/yes.
Hot tip: At the end of the day, whatever that is to you, map out the next day so you don't have to think about what to start on when you get going in the morning. Whether you work from home or go to work somewhere, this works.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
I hope you're having a blast today, that you have the day off and you're spending some time with your friends and family.
Today's episode is special, because it falls on Memorial Day.
I came across this sweet Memorial Day prayer, it's so relevant for today, and I'm sharing it here in this episode.
Today's hot tip is to take a moment of silence and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy the freedoms we have.
If you need prayer for anything at all, please contact me at mybridepath@gmail.com and I'll happily pray for and with you.
Thank you so much for being here with me on this episode and every other one.
I truly hope you enjoy them and much as we love creating them for you. ❤️
Other (less) important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
My special guest on this episode is Dr. Holley Goodnight and you're in for a real treat.
I know I always say that, but it's true again this time.
Are you struggling to hire people to help with your weddings and events?
Holley has your solution, and guess what? It even works as a referral system! Can you EVEN?
This is soooooo good!
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The age group of 16 - 19 years old is so underutilized... how and why
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The benefits for the students/team
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The benefits for you, the wedding pro, team building and referrals
Hot tip: Set expectations
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage
(((Thank you Allison Carver, for your review!)))
Do you use email marketing in your business?
Here's the definition: marketing (I like to use the term connecting) directly with a subscriber through email
Do you feel like something's missing in your business? This could very well be your missing piece.
We're going to use the specialty of wedding photographer in these examples, but it could be anything.
Let's say a couple is shopping around for vendors for their dream wedding, but they're not ready to book yet, they might not even be engaged yet. They're in the dreaming stage.
They come across your website (yay you, you're coming up for your ideal clients!). They love everything about you. Your editing style, your portfolio, your collections, your story, everything.
Now they visit other photographers' sites, Pinterest, their friends and family tell them about their favorite photographer, soon you're a forgotten memory.
Now let's say that first time they visited your website, you had a form. Not your inquiry form, a form to keep them updated on your latest news, or better yet, a free resource for them to download.
Either way, they enter their name and email address, and now they're on your email marketing list.
You send them a welcome email.
Then you send them a sweet and valuable email each week.
Now they're ready to book their photographer.
They can't help but remember you, and they book you!
Now imagine that you don't do this but your competitor does. Ouch.
Yes showing up on social media is similar, as long as the algorithm allows it.
Emails are 20 times more likely to get opened, than the likeliness that your social media content crosses their feed.
Social media is still important. It's still important to stay consistent there. They will visit your social media to check you out. You have to be there and you have to show up.
BUT.... building your entire business on it is like building your home on someone else's land. You wouldn't do it.
What if you wake up today and your favorite social media has disappeared? Is your business gone, or do you have your email list to fall back on?
Hot tip: Now how do you get started? Use this (aff.) link to check out Flodesk. It's the email marketing platform we recommend. My link gives you 50% off for every month you subscribe to it. It's easy to use, has forms for you to use on your website, and let's you send unlimited emails. Most of all, it's GORGEOUS, so your brides will love getting your emails!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage
I always love reading reviews, don’t you!?
I also love getting them, don’t we all, especially here in the wedding industry, but I also love giving shoutouts to my fellow wedding pros, so I thought this would be a fun thing to start doing.
I’m going to start doing this on a regular basis, so go ahead and leave your review and I’ll give you a shoutout too!
This one happens to be from one of my amazing members of The Vendors Circle.
I dreamed about having this podcast for so long, and I absolutely love it. It goes to a whole new level for me when I see reviews like this.
It’s by Amy at Humble Hall. Humble Hall is an absolutely stunning new venue in the Dallas Ft. Worth area. Definitely check it out and connect with her if you’re in that area too.
It reads: "Love this podcast because it’s short and to the point. Filled with so much useful information. Veteran in the industry helping others succeed!"
It seriously melts my heart to help you succeed. It’s always been my goal and always will be. I do my best to keep the solo episodes to 5 minutes, so let’s dive in.
Have you ever considered opening your own FB Group?
Maybe you already have one.
There are a lot of benefits to it, but only under the right conditions...
Let's talk benefits:
- Your page is like a billboard, your group is a community.
- While your Facebook page is a great place for your ideal client to start learning to know, like, and trust you, the community aspect deepens that relationship.
- It creates an amazing environment for referrals.
- The FB algorithm favors groups over pages. Just think about your feed. If you’re in FB groups, be watching your feed to see what shows up more often, pages or groups.
- It’s totally free and you can make it whatever type of environment you want it to be. When I started mine, I set it up as a space that is encouraging and uplifting, and one of the things I have my members agree to when they join is that they have a heart to serve their couples. And that’s what it is. I’m so proud of it. If you’d like to be a part of it, head over to Facebook and join it. It’s called The Wedding Vendors Community and we all really do love it so much. It’s a great place to network and build each other up.
I hope you consider this as something you do for your business in the future. You can do a group based on a specific topic or location. If you haven’t fo und a group you love in your geographic area (and your business is local), that’s a great sign of a need that can be filled.
Listen in for more, especially the hot tip!
It’s a really great way to get leads into your wedding business, and is actually one of the ideas we give you in our free resource all about creative ways to get leads into your wedding business.
You can download it at www.bridepath.com/getleads
Other important mentions:
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Let's start with a definition... because as a wedding professional, you're probably also a "creative".
Creative: having the quality of something created rather than imitated, in a way that goes beyond conventional limitations
I want you to get creative when it comes to attracting leads into your business….
BUT… you don’t have to start from scratch.
I know it’s so easy to get tired of trying to figure out how to get more clients?
We have a proven way to actually get quality leads so you can book more weddings, without wasting your precious time and money!
What makes this even better??? (Shhhh...they're ideas your competitors aren't using!)
We have a list of 10 creative ways to bring leads into your business, and we’re giving it away to you on this episode.
This free guide is super easy to use and will really get those ideas flowing!
When you're a wedding professional, growing your business involves getting leads.
Unfortunately, most wedding pros who are just starting out, or even those who have been at it for so long that they get kind of stuck in a rut, make the mistake of waiting for leads to come to you (or even of getting on expensive lead generating websites that send the same cold leads to you and 10 of your competitors).
That's why we created this list just for you.
You'll stop throwing away tons of money and waiting precious months for bookings, and start getting qualified, quality leads in an effective way, that's even fun!
You're on your way to stop wasting months of time not getting the results you and your business deserve.
Hot tip: Start with just one of these ideas. Choose your favorite one, the one that feels the easiest to achieve or the one that looks like the most fun to you, and tackle it first.
Each is an ongoing lead generating system in itself, so there’s lots of juicy ways for you to get started.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
You are going to have a blast with today's episode, I can promise you that Allison and I sure did!
Allison Carver is a manifestation expert and coach, who has her own talk show on TV, a brand new eBook launching, and so much more!
She's one of my accountability partners and best friends, you're in for a treat.
Allison brings these 3 "how to" points to you on this episode:
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Change your money language
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Creating space for money to come into your business and your life
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Move away from "lack mentality"
Allison paints the clearest pictures through analogy, I just can't get enough of her and I know you'll feel the same way.
Listen for a couple of simple challenges she has for you, that will make a big impact in how you view manifestation and a healthy money mindset.
When you do these challenges, tag Allison on Instagram at @manifestationsociety, and I always love your tags @michellebraswellxo. We can't wait to see!
Follow Allison for even more amazing guidance in your mindset and manifestation journey, and to stay updated on everything she has to offer.
I was honored to be on Allison's TV show twice, the next episode airs tomorrow night (tomorrow, as in the day after this episode airs). Tune in and check it out!
We always have a hot tip for you, and this episode is no different. Allison brings you the hot tip of reflecting your healthy money mindset for your couples.
Couples typically come to us with a budget, and even a lot of times their language is similar to what Allison talked about here. If we reflect a healthy money mindset, it's contagious and they won't be able to resist feeling the same way.
When they win, you win, and when you win, they win, and the referrals will snowball!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Our daughter and son in law own a full time multi op DJ company.
Any time there’s a staffing issue (as a lot of people are dealing with in the climate we’re in right now), my daughter, Lauryn, and I take the gig.
They’re both amazing DJs, plus they know the flow of a wedding and reception from top to bottom, and are amazing networkers, so it’s really fun for me to go out with them every once in a while.
After selling our full service venues and retiring from events, and because I now do consulting and coaching for other wedding pros full time online, I love the excuse to get out to weddings every once in a while, and of course never miss an opportunity to hang out with my girl.
We love arriving just early enough to have plenty of time to set up and have background music on while the finishing touches are put on.
For this one, everything was done at the venue the night before, in a lovely organically boho chic vibe, and we were sweetly greeted by the awesome coordinator.
If you’ve been around me more than 5ish minutes, you know I love meeting other wedding pros, and always teach vendors who are involved in the day-of festivites at all, to take advantage of the built in networking opportunity.
In episode 31, I talked all about tagging other vendors on social media, we always do this after every wedding, and it’s one of the reasons we’re sold out every weekend and our calendar is full several years out.
The gorgeous cake arrived, and the delivery came and went quick before we had a chance to find out who brought it, we’ll have to do a little research for that one.
Then the caterers arrived, and the photographer came with the bride and groom of course.
By the end of the reception, we had a cute, effective post for Facebook and Instagram, which also means Pinterest… and I’m talking about it here too so it’s pretty meta, also a podcast episode!
The bride, groom, wedding party, guests, and even us vendors all had an amazing time. There was even a kids dance battle that had the guests highly entertained, of course!
I’d love to hear all about your most recent experience, email me!
Hot tip: Always always always go out of your way to introduce yourself to the other vendors, even if you’re someone like the bakery and are just there for a quick delivery, the referrals that come from it are endless, through social media tags and also direct referrals from the vendors and even preferred vendor lists.
And make sure to reciprocate and reshare those tags!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
What's a quick, inexpensive thing you can do that makes a giant impact? A handwritten note. Thinking of you, thank you, it all matters.
Especially in the fast paced, instant gratification, social media world we live in, a handwritten note makes a HUGE impact.
Take a few minutes and sit down and write pre-thank you notes to your upcoming couples.
Make sure you do it so they arrive one to two weeks before their wedding.
Tell them you’re thinking of them, you’re looking forward to their best day ever, and that you’re honored and appreciative that they chose you to trust with their special day.
You’ll have a superfan for life, who refers everyone they see to you.
You’re serving them well, even before their day.
I’ve had brides come up to me in tears over this little thing you can do.
Hot tip: It really goes even farther still. If there is a hiccup in the day, it makes them more forgiving because of the trust and care you have instilled with them along the way. They know that you have attention to detail and care about them.
This is like an exclamation point on the service you have provided them leading up to it.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
The least used tab on IG could be your biggest networking tool.
We're working together in Instagram for this one, so if you're multitasking, come back to me! (Lol, iykyk)
Think of a venue you would love to get referred by, and go to their instagram account.
We're looking at the last tab on the far right of their feed, their tagged posts.
Scroll down through and tap on each one, paying attention to the vendors who show up in the black tags.
Also pay attention to the account who is tagging them.
Do you know any of them? Are any of them vendors you know or have worked with before?
This is networking at it's finest.
Knowledge is power, and these tags give you so much gold. (Also as we know, with great knowledge comes great responsibility, so use it responsibly and ethically.)
We're here to serve first, so don't go straight to asking to be on their preferred vendor list, that's usually the fastest path to a "no".
We talk about nurturing this first inside our next level group, The Vendors Circle.
Make sure you listen in for the hot tip, you'll be glad you did!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Who should you tag, and when?
Tagging clients on social media helps you reach future couples by showing up in the feed of your couples' loved ones, through your tagged posts.
Tagging other wedding pros helps establish and strengthen those all important vendor relationships and creates built in networking.
Knowing your going to tag them and introducing yourself, and getting their social media, and following them and tagging them at the actual event, creates a bond and even better team work at the event.
Make sure you have a photo release in your contract.
Avoid showing the faces of minors, to be on the safe side.
There's so much more inside the episode, make sure you listen, it's quick and value packed!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Confirm, confirm, confirm.
Confirm the appointment, of course.
Also confirm (we also sometimes call this vetting or prequalifying) details with them.
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Availability
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Fit
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Budget
Hot tip: Be connected with another pro in your same specialty so you never have to tell them no, you can tell them you're not, but someone else might be. Guess what that leads to? Future referrals!!!!!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Social media really has made things easier when it comes to networking and referrals.
It has also made the world noisier and harder to stand out in. But not you, you’re willing to do the things to make you stand out!
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Make sure you have a Facebook business page set up
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Make sure that page shows up as a link at the top of your personal Facebook profile, so when you're out making the wedding world awesome, networking in groups, and doing all the things, when people click on you because they want to connect with you, they can!
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Make sure that info on your personal profile is set to public
When you own a business your personal profile becomes an extension of it, so keep that in mind with everything you post there too.
Hot tip: When adding your business Facebook page to your profile links, also add your other links, including Instagram, Pinterest, your website, everywhere you want to connect online!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
I personally love video. It makes connections with your audience that you just can't make any other way except in person.
When you do get to meet in person, they already know you, so they're much more likely to choose you.
-
How to find a space to be on video
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How to use angles to your advantage
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How to get good lighting without a fancy setup
Hot tip: How to dress for success on video
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
I asked this question in our free Facebook Group (The Wedding Vendors Community) last week and there were 43 responses.
If you're not in there already, we'd love to have you jump in, you'll see the responses.
They ranged from some who did it a long time ago, some who just did it, some who have it as a short term goal, and some who have it as a long term goal.
Whatever stage they were in, the overwhelming response was that it is definitely something many want in their lifestyle.
3 things we discuss in this episode:
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Go at it wholeheartedly
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Get creative
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Burn the boat
Always be smart and responsible. If it's something you want, go all in with it as a goal.
Our hot tip involves ways you can actually save money by not working at your "9-5".
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
If you're ready to invest in yourself and focus on going full time, this is a great place for you!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Today we were having our Execute Mastermind here in St. Louis and we were talking about ways to help our couples trust us with their big day.
One of those ways (we’ll talk about more of them on a future episode), is to always have a backup plan.
Even if we never need it, it ’s assuring for them to hear that we have checks and balances in place.
One of the backup plans we brainstormed about was a connection with another similar vendor in our field.
No matter what type of vendor you are, an unexpected disaster could happen.
AND no matter what type of vendor you are, you have unique qualities, unique only to you.
BUT, if a worst case scenario happens, a connection with another trustworthy vendor is always a good idea.
Along this same thoughtline, having connections with other wedding pros of your same type is also one of the best ways to fill your calendar, and helping them fill theirs, especially right now with all of the reschedules and new bookings all needing the inventory. The inventory of available dates.
So after dinner I was scrolling aimlessly through Facebook and ran across a post by another wedding pro from our group. We’re Facebook friends too so I got the pleasure of seeing the post on his page, and it stopped my scroll.
Let me read it to you.
I have his permission to share, but not the other vendors so I’ll use a fake name for them.
I want to say THANK YOU to "ABC DJ Company" for their recommendation of my company for a wedding on a date that that they were already booked. I appreciate your confidence and will not let you or the bride down in any way. And, I cannot wait to be able to return the favor.
Then it gets better.
They commented back.
They said “You’re very welcome! Glad they are in good hands.”
This my friends, is what it’s all about.
Hot tip: Notice that it even shows the power of reciprocation, like we talked about in episode 10.
He’s looking forward to referring a couple to them that he’s already booked for.
It totally sucks to have to tell a couple no, it’s way more fun to be able to tell them no, BUT here’s another option for you.
And it keeps your network working. Win win.
This works.
Connect with a like minded wedding pro in your area, you won’t be sorry.
Huge shoutout to Royce with Mr. Music Karaoke and DJ Services in Arizona, big props to you and your network my friend. Give him a follow on Facebook, I linked him in the show notes on our website at bridepath.com/26.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
When our daughter, Lauryn, was planning her wedding, we found out why couples say their biggest struggle is getting vendors to return their communications, and we only needed a venue!
I kind of had an idea about it, because I’ve had couples book over and over saying we were the only ones who responded, but I didn’t actually know what it felt like, and my mind was blown.
It’s not something that makes sense to me as a professional and a business owner, but I do have an idea of a few things that might prompt vendors to not feel like they need to answer.
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The date the couple is asking for in the initial contact isn’t available.
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The couple doesn’t feel like a good fit at the initial contact
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Either busy or filters make the contacts get missed.
This leaves a door swinging wide open to get ahead of your competitors, by doing the simplest thing, responding to every single inquiry.
FIRST of all… respond quickly, no matter their request. Get ahead of your competitors that do respond.
- If the date isn’t available, reply back anyway! They may be flexible than they appear, or you might be able to refer them to someone else in your network who you’ve partnered up with. They will do the same for you when a couple comes to them and they’re booked. It’s literally one of the best ways to fill both of your calendars.
OR… they keep shopping around and don’t get a response from anyone and THEN decide to be more flexible for their date.
Either way, they’ll love you for responding and it just might get you a referral to one of their friends getting married in the future for it.
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If they don’t seem like a good fit, reply back anyway. For example, you’re a photog, they’re asking for senior portraits and you only do weddings. Refer back to what we just went over about sending them to someone else in your network who does senior portraits. Connect with them well, you know as well as I do how fast time goes by and they’ll be looking for their wedding before we know it.
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Keep a close eye on all the ways they could connect. Check your email spam, and your filtered FB messenger and IG DM requests. Reply back even if it has been a minute since they initially reached out, be honest, you never know, they might still be looking, especially knowing that so many never respond, and maybe aren’t looking in these places for inquiries.
Here’s your hot tip… follow up! As we know, couples are equally guilty of not responding. Keep following up until they either tell you to stop or that they’ve gone in another direction. Of course be cool about it, and send that last follow up as a kind of “release” to them.
Of course I’ve got an awesome tool that goes right along with this, it’s our bonus that teaches you how to get responses back to your communications with your couples, complete with an email template.
You can get it by joining our VIP membership, The Vendors Circle. As a listener to this podcast, you get your first month for only $5 by using the code TRIAL5 when you choose the monthly option at www.bridepath.com/yes.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you leave a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Accountable: to be responsible to someone
I have 3 reasons why to get an accountability partner for you today, but there really are many more.
- To keep you moving forward and meeting your goals
One of the great ways for someone to keep you accountable, is to tell them what goal you want to acheive, and give it a date.
Just the act of saying it outloud is super powerful, plus the added benefit of knowing they’re holding you to it, is proven to keep you on task.
It’s so much more motivating and exciting knowing someone is rooting for you in your corner, and that you don’t want to disappoint them.
If you heard the podcast episode just before this one, number 23, you heard one of my accountability partners on it.
She lives in New Jersey and flew in to spend a week with me here in St. Louis.
We worked together and helped each other. We would take little breaks and go out sightseeing or to eat while still brainstorming as we were out.
I did the same thing with another of my accountability partners in January, I flew in to her in Bismarck, North Dakota. We go somewhere for it every year.
And again did the same thing last year in February with another one in Virginia Beach.
We even spend time with each others families.
We’ve all become the best of friends, there’s really nothing like it.
You’ll hear from them all on episodes in the near future.
- To help you work through something that’s just in your head. Getting it out and talking through it, is often all you need to put that something into action.
Several of my accountability partners and I use the app Marco Polo. It’s a video app where you record yourself then send it. Then they record themself and send it. Kind of like a video version of texting.
- To eliminate the lonliness that can sometimes come along with being an entrepreneur.
While it’s the absolute best thing in the world, and we’re in the absolute best industry in the world, it can still feel a little lonely sometimes.
Even if not lonely, it can often feel like you’re loved ones really don’t understand what you do.
I mean, don’t we all just party all the time and only work one or two days a week? Insert laughing emoji here.
We actually have several of the members of our wedding pro community coming to St. Louis in just a few days from now, where I’m hosting what we call “Execute”. We’re going to have a working accountability session where we’ll execute those things we’ve been needing to get done.
We also do similar to that online with our VIP group, The Vendors Circle.
You, as a podcast listener, have a $5 trial code for it, as a matter of fact!
Just go to bridepath.com/yes, click the “monthly” button, and enter TRIAL5.
We'll all love to see you there.
This hot tip is a little on the obvious side: find an accountability bud. Your actionable tip is to go into the Facebook group of our VIP membership, The Vendors Circle, and post that you’re looking for an accountability buddy.
We talk even more about the benefits of having an accountability bud in there.
If you need more help, I’m always here for you, where we learn, grow, and connect together.
PS… I couldn’t resist this PS, I’ve never done one on a podcast episode before, but if you get my emails you know I always put them on there.
One of my accountability buds actually texted me during the recording of this podcast about accountability buds (you probably heard the “ping”, I left it in there on purpose).
What I was describing in this episode was happening in real time. She was asking me about some copy that she wrote for her website.
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
How to Free Up Your Time Before Building a Team
Do you know what your zone of genius is? It’s where your superpower, something that is easy for you that’s hard for other people AND you’re passionate about it AND energizes you intersect.
I promise you have something, everyone does!
Consider things you can outsource personally, and that will start freeing up some of your time that you can use to be more productive in your business.
Things such as grocery delivery, house cleaning, lawn service, projects around the house, a bookkeeper, etc… just be thinking about tasks that you don’t love to do but take a lot of your time, and find ways to outsource them.
It might be something that costs less to have someone else do that is in their zone of genius, than what you would make doing something in your business or your own zone of genius.
Might even be a tool like Dubsado, Canva Pro, Asana, social media scheduling (I like Creators Studio natively in FB, free and for scheduling FB and IG posts), an amazing planner (my favorite is The Entrepreneur Planner by Chelly Ontis) or even a coaching group like our VIP membership.
Even a system that you can implement where you can do batch work and get more done.
Just doing a few of these things is a great exercise in getting your mindset focused on starting to build your team.
Hot tip: Exercise - make a list and brainstorm some things you can outsource in your life.
Find Maria Hedian on Instagram on Into the Fashion Industry and on her site.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Cold Leads
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have no idea they need you until they see you
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takes time and money to find
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requires a foolproof strategy and lots of nurturing to move into a warm lead
Examples: connection on social media, search result on google or Pinterest, listing from a directory or lead generating site or app
Leads have different "temperatures", depending on your contact with you, and how they are coming to you.
A cold lead is your target market. You want them to know you, but they don't know they need you until they come across you in your marketing. They might find you on social media, a lead generating site like The Knot, or your website through a search engine.
You'll need to spend some time getting in front of them and impressing them until they know they want what you have to offer.
They are cold, so of course you need to invest the time and money into your marketing to warm them up.
Warm leads can come in many forms. A recommendation is always the best type of lead.
-
likely to be a recommendation, from an individual or another wedding business, could even be someone who was a guest at a wedding and you impressed them so much they want you for theirs
-
a brief strategy may be needed but they already know they want you
Hot Leads
-
wants your product or service now, and are at the right buying stage
-
will convert in a very short time
-
they often come to you with the question “are you available” instead of “how much are your services”
Word of mouth is a great example of a lead who is anywhere from warm to hot, depending on many things, including the following...
-
your relationship with the person or business who is referring them to you and their level of trust and enthusiasm for you. Another business is generally a hot lead, for example, from a preferred vendor list.
-
the level of trust your website and social media communicates to them
-
the communication you have with them when they reach out to you. Are you excited for them? Enthusiastic?
Hot leads are as close as you can get to a promised sale for you. The couple who needs what you offer, contacts you, and if it what they need and what you offer match, they will book.
Hot leads normally have a quick turn around and are from your target market.
The beauty of the hot leads is that if you treat them well, the likelihood is they will be your best cheerleader for more warm leads.
Hot tip: As you work with a client, remember that their loved ones are always your next potential client, nurture the whole group along the way for a built in stream of warm leads.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Here’s an example that you can swipe to get started.
You get this email from “Lauryn”.
I heard you were the planner for the Smith’s wedding last fall.
We just got engaged, can you send me some information? Our
wedding is October 1, 2021.
Your response:
Hi Lauryn, congratulations on your engagement, this is such an
exciting time for you!
Thank you for reaching out, I’m looking so forward to hearing all
about your plans for your big day.
The Smiths are such an amazing couple! One of my favorite things
about their reception was their table decor. Did you get to go to it?
I know you’re crazy busy, I’m here to make it easy for you.
You can find everything you need to know about our collections
on our website at www.thebestplannerever.com/easyinfo .
October is definitely a popular month, we actually are available for
your date and would love the opportunity to be your wedding
planner.
What do you have in mind for your wedding planning needs?
XOXO,
Michelle
PS I can’t wait to hear more about your wedding vision!
This email comes in at 140 words. See, you can say a lot in under
those 200 words!
Of course you’ll adapt it to your type of wedding business and
services.
Your next step? If you would like me to review your email
responses and give you some ideas about how to make it easier to
answer and more exciting to book from, send it to me!
Copy and paste and send it to me at mybridepath@gmail.com
I’m looking forward to seeing how this increases your results, and
hearing more from you!
Hot tip: When you do these things, and you'll find yourself serving your dream
couples over and over.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
I read an article today that was condemning the popular concept of underpromising and overdelivering.
It was saying that doing the overdelivery part was a waste of time and unappreiciated by everyone, including clients.
Is this true?
Maybe it depends on the situation, just like everything does, but I don’t find it to be true in the wedding industry in general, or in my business. But then again I always want to stay in a positive mindset so none of this would really occur to me anyway.
Try asking a few personal questions on their initial booking questionnaire.
Like “what’s your fave movie candy?” and having it for them at the wedding. Don’t tell them that’s why you’re asking, just make it look like it’s for fun and suprise them with it.
It would be irrelevant to promise it, but it goes a long way when actually doing it.
Why else would you not want to promise it? If something comes up and you can’t deliver on those extras. No one wants an overdelivery to become a disappointment!
It’s a lot of fun to do, and you’ll be so surprised how far it goes with getting referrals from those who you surprise and delight for. Another vendor might even see you do it too and also be impressed, as if they weren’t already. It’s the icing on the cake!
Same thing with client gifts and gifts for other vendors who you want to nurture a relationship.
Unexpected gifts are always the best!
I personally love sending handwritten notes to the members of my VIP group, and to other people within the industry and my personal life who I come in contact with, and I teach my students to do the same thing.
Every once in a while I also send them a surprise gift.
Do I want to tell them mail is coming for them? Usually no, I love to surprise and delight, to underpromise and over deliver.
Hot tip is a challenge: Think of a way you can surprise and delight, or underpromise and overdeliver to your clients. There’s something magic that happens when you surprise and delight, it brightens your day as much or even more than the person on the receiving end.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
This episode has extra special guests, again!
My daughter, Lauryn, and son-in-law, Cole, own a DJ company and genuinely are the best wedding professionals.
They're an amazing couple, great team, and invaluable members of our team here.
They have some exciting new things happening in their business that will be released on another upcoming episode.
For now, they're giving some insight on wedding music as the DJ.
Our conversations are consistently filled with lots of riffing and fun banter about business. We held back a little here and had a little more formal interview style, but still across the kitchen table (really it was the island), and we had a blast.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.
What does "We A.R.E." mean in the episode title? Always Re-evaluate Everything.
You get back out what you put in.
You're not going to get any closer to your goals by quitting.
We always end with a hot tip, and this one was a triple threat.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Other important mentions:
- Follow Cole & Lauryn's DJ company on Facebook at House DJ
- Go get influenced by Lauryn on Instagram
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Start friendly, use their first name. (Hi Lauryn,)
Congratulate them. (Congratulations on your
engagement, this is so exciting!)
Thank them for reaching out to you. (Thank you for your
inquiry.)
Compliment them. (If they give you a little nugget of
something going on in their life or in their wedding planning.
Let’s say you’re a photographer, your potential client’s email
inquiry says “My friend, Lexi, got married last year. I was a
bridesmaid and you were her photographer. Are you
available for my wedding on October 1?”. You reply with
“Lexi’s wedding was one of my favorites, I absolutely loved
your dresses!”. Remember, anyone they’re referring back to
as the way they found you, is someone they love. Even if your
compliment was about someone else’s wedding, it is an
indirect compliment to your future couple. You can also use
this as a place to spotlight one of your services.)
Stay short and sweet. Studies show that emails 200 words
or less get the best response rates.
Use a new line for each sentence. They’re
probably reading it on their phone, keep it easy and
clean for them.
Connect. This is a great place to address a pain
point. (I know with the excitement of being engaged, you’re
also really busy, so I’ll make this super easy for you.)
Let this email be the conversation, and your website be
the information. If what they’re asking for requires details
that can be on your website, direct them there.
Assume the sale, humbly. Give them the info, then ask if you can check a date
for availability.
Add genuine scarcity. You’re awesome, help them make their
decision by showing them that you’re in demand. They say they’re
wanting to get married in September. Tell them you do have
a couple of dates left, then ask them what they’re looking for.
Make it clear what their next step is.
Leave it open ended to allow a conversation.
Add a P.S. It’s natural to skim, and the P.S. is the last part
they’ll see if they do.
Answer every email. What if their email to you asks if you’re
available for a specific date. You’re not. Do you let it go
because it’s not going to end in a booking and you’re busy, or
do you answer it and refer them to a fellow wedding vendor,
or ask if it’s flexible, or just simply make a connection with
them? You answer it. Every time. You might make a
connection that comes back around to you, or that they
might refer to a friend, or that you can help a vendor out with
and it strengthens your preferred vendor list relationship. If
you don’t, you’re leaving money on the table.
Follow up. Really. Do it. Even if you think they’ve moved on.
They’re busy. If you’re the one making it easy for them to
book, and your competitors aren’t, guess who gets the
booking? YOU! You’re the one with the unfair advantage of
knowing this information, you’re the one getting the
booking. Go you! When you really think about it, what do you
have to lose?
HOT TIP: Also apply these same rules when working with
other vendors to build those super important vendor
relationships that will grow your business exponentially.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Have you considered educating your audience to create and attract clients?
What are some things you can teach them?
It depends on your specialty, of course, but let’s play with a few examples.
You’re a travel agent, you can teach them the benefits of using a travel agent to book their honeymoon vs piecing it together on their own.
You’re a wedding planner, you can teach them what you’ll do for them that sets you apart.
You’re a DJ, you could show them how you do your planning for their wedding as a little behind the scenes.
You’re a photographer, you can go a little deeper into your packages and the features of them.
You have a product. You can educate them about the product itself AND why they need it.
You see the pattern here? Most of these ideas are interchangable across specialties and you just got a handful of ideas.
Now what platforms can you use to educate them on?
A blog post, a FB post, FB lives, an IG post, and IG story, an IG Reels, TikTok, Pinterest pins, a CH room, a podcast (as a guest or on your own), email marketing, your own course or VIP membership, wherever you put out content!
At the same time, you also should always be staying educated.
I personally have to be in a coaching program at all times to keep myself personally, and my business, moving forward and growing.
I get so overwhelmed if I'm not plugged into the coaching programs I'm in and getting supported.
We have just that kind of group coaching membership program for you if you want to uplevel your business too and go deeper with us.
We support you in your business growth and your personal growth.
We do weekly strategy sessions in bite sized applications.
We help you grow your social media.
We bring in experts.
We help you be more efficient so you have more time to grow your business or even some down time.
We even help you put out the content to educate your audience. Super meta, right?
We have a private Facebook group just for members of The Vendors Circle.
We have a portal for the membership in a very clean, easy to use, app included format.
To check out more of the features, benefits, and to enroll, go to: www.bridepath.com/yes
We're waiting for you and can't wait to greet you on the inside! We even have a trial code for you to enter at checkout just for our podcast listeners, that’s you!
As always, you can email me at mybridepath@gmail.com any time! ❤️
Hot tip: If you’re not learning, you’re not growing. Everything moves so fast now that if you’re not growing, you’re falling behind.
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals, The Vendors Circle. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
www.bridepath.com/yes
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Making decisions is all about taking action.
Let this episode be your encouragement for getting that decision made!
"It is not selfish to do what is best for you."
"Be decisive. Make a decision. The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision." NotSalmon.com
"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Not making a decision is actually a decision. It’s the decision to stay the same." Lysa Terkeurst
"What if I fall? Oh, but my darling what if you fly?
"Always trust your gut. It knows what your head hasn’t figured out yet."
"In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take, the relationships we were afraid to have, and the decisions we waited too long to make." Lewis Carroll
"She’s gonna forever say “I got this: even with tears in her eyes.”" Relationship Rules
"Look closely at the present you are constructing. It should look like the future you are dreaming." Alice Walker
"The more you love your decisions, the less you need others to love them."
"A person who really wants something will find a way, a person who doesn’t will find an excuse."
"Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make them or they’re made for you, but you can’t avoid them." Mhairi McFarlane
"The worst thing you can do is to make life decisions while you are emotional, while your heart and mind are in disagreement." Leon Brown
"Remember. The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. Be patient. Be humble. Keep moving forward and know that all this hard work you’re putting in day in and day out will produce the results you’re looking for. Your time is coming. Do not give up."
"I trust my decisions. I trust myself. I know there is a reason for everything." ThetaHealing
"I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions." Stephen Covey
"If it costs your peace it’s too expensive."
"It’s about the tiny little decisions."
"Yes there is a plan. Your soul knows what it is."
"Let the adventure begin."
"Choose with courage."
"Her intuition was her favorite superpower".
"Even a correct decision is wrong when it was taken too late." Theviennablog.com
"One day or day one. It’s your decision."
"When you need to make a hard decision, flip a coin. Why? Because when that coin is in the air you suddenly know what you’re hoping for."
"Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable."
"Someone else’s opinion of you is none of your business." Rachel Hollis
"Don’t make yourself small so others feel more comfortable." Rachel Hollis
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Do you WANT one?!?
If your answer was "YES!", here's your guide!
If your answer was "NO WAY", here's me trying to change your mind. Lol
For many wedding pros, the ultimate goal of growing your wedding business is to get it to a point where all of your weddings are booked through word of mouth.
It's a huge advantage because your awesome reputation goes ahead of you in building trust with your future couples.
It does more for your business than just make booking easier, faster, and at a low to no cost for marketing.
It also brings you couples who already trust you. Can you imagine each couple coming to you ready to book, and trusting you the whole way?
No more trying to prove to them that you really care and have a heart to help them.
A word of mouth couple is less stressed because of this built in trust level, so in turn they have a better wedding planning experience, so they're raving about you to their friends without any prompting. Imagine the snowball effect this has for your business!
Similarly, they're also the ones leaving you the most gushing reviews.
A word of mouth lead can be anywhere from a warm lead to a hot lead.
Let's talk about the definition of a lead, it's a pretty general term that is taken a lot of different ways.
Lead: The most general meaning in sales is contact with a potential client.
For wedding businesses, there are many different levels of leads, many different qualities of leads, and even different points that someone who you come into contact with becomes a lead.
What is the same across definitions, is that a lead has the potential to become a future client.
A recommendation, or referral, as we say more often in the wedding and events industry, can come from a past client, another wedding business, a friend of a friend, or even a potential client who you handled so gracefully, that even though there was a circumstance that made you not the best fit for each other, they still love you and trust you enough to refer you to their friends!
These leads are great! They're of course, #goals!
Preferred vendor lists can feel difficult to get involved in, but we have a process that makes it easy.
We talk about this a lot in our VIP group, The Vendors Circle. I'm there to cover creating and connecting with warm leads. As you've seen here, it really is the most powerful and strategic way to serve more couples, while growing your income and freedom to life changing levels.
Hot tip: Growing your business to the point that it becomes fully word of mouth can even just be a mindset shift you need to make so that you know it's possible.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
I'm super passionate about recurring revenue and having at least one passive revenue source in your life.
If you've considered an alternate revenue stream to "2020 proof" your business, you're in the right place.
I believe strongly in signs, and I believe you're here for a reason.
The impact you'll make for others who need to be learning from you, and for your family, is something you just can't duplicate in a one on one business model.
Is your wedding business important? ABSOLUTELY! Is it important for you to make an impact with your couples and also in your business and your revenue for your family? Of course!
We're talking in addition to your wedding business. Who knows, you might want to sell it or retire early, or travel the world (or there could be a pandemic... surely not, right?...), it's just good to have a little backup passive revenue established.
I'll tell you how our recurring revenue businesses have evolved, and we currently have several forms of recurring revenue.
I'm here for you and will help you out along the way.
I'll give you some solid examples of some things you might not have considered.
Click here for the party favor I mentioned. ❤️
It's a free guide from Stu McLaren, the king of memberships, and my favorite business coach. Your bonus is that as he does trainings in April 2021, I'll be right here with you and will answer any questions you have. Just sign up for the party favor above.
As always, I have a hot tip for you at the end!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
This episode is a special one for me, featuring my dream guest, my amazing husband, Joe.
I knew he would have some hot gems for you, and he did, make sure you stick around for his hot tip at the end.
What's your favorite wedding song? This one is an emotional one for me!
We always wrap up each episode with a hot tip, and this one is no different. You'll definitely want to stay for his hot tip, it really will change how you view everything in your life.
Thanks for being here with us and getting a rare glimpse of Joe in the "front of the house", in this case on the show instead of behind the scenes... although he had such a good time, and so did I, I know he'll be back.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Do you believe in luck?
What about hard work, good decision making, faith, prayer, manifestation, or alignment?
Let's discuss your reaction when a loved ones sees your success and says "you're so lucky"!
As always, I wrap it up with a hot tip.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
There is so much magic in good vendor relationships.
Having a dream team of vendors who you love working with, is crucial to the growth of your business.
It gives you other vendors to refer to, and to get referrals from.
It also gives you vendor friends who you get to work with, you can trust with the details, and who can work as a well oiled machine to make a couples' best day ever their best day ever.
Sometimes our couples don't even know what we're all behind the scenes working together on, and that's perfectly fine.
Other times, they don't know and may stress unnecessarily.
Listen to this episode for the process of having your own preferred vendor list, and a story about a couple who ended up in the hospital because of the stress of something that never happened.
As always, I wrap it up with a hot tip.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
In this episode you'll hear the definition of a preferred vendor list.
It creates a dream team experience is what will have them referring their loved ones to you over and over again.
A preferred vendor list ensures a great client experience and smooth event.
The hot tip in this episode is the #1 vendor type you should be connecting with, and it's probably not who you think, you know I'm going to make you listen to find out!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Email me, I love hearing from you!
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Be specific in your goal setting.
Goal setting moves the needle forward in your business.
If you grow your business 1% each month, you will have grown your business 12% over a year, that's huge, AND completely doable!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Just for you, here's a code for a $5 trial for the first month in our exclusive VIP membership for wedding professionals. TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
In case you don’t already know, YOU are amazing!
This episode is a love note from me to you.
If you’re in any of my programs, you know I always include affirmations, I think everyone should choose one to repeat to themselves daily.
I was talking to a friend this morning about a designer bag she wanted to buy. I told her about one of my favorite shopping websites, and that they even send you daily affirmations.
That’s the part that got her excited. It’s so funny to me that something so small can be so powerful in daily life, even enough that I referred someone for giving them.
I’m always going to encourage you to set yourself up for success, an important foundation of this is KNOWING how important you are!
Sometimes things that are worth it are uncomfortable, the good news is that YOU can do hard things.
Let’s get into some affirmations. When you tell yourself these, you’ll use first person. I want this to be a message from me to you, so I’m speaking directly to you today. As always, don't miss the hot tip!
Other important mentions:
Click here for your free PDF of the affirmations from this episode.
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
As promised in the episode, just for you, the code for the $5 trial for the first month is TRIAL5. Just enter at checkout!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
You have the privilege of hearing Joe Bunn on this episode with me.
Joe is the owner of Bunn DJ Company, The DJs Vault, and Bunn Gear.
He's a DJ, but really a self proclaimed hustler for the DJ industry in general.
Hear what Joe loves teaching about, what he would love to tell his younger self, and his extremely encouraging hot tip.
I love our conversation about the events industry still being the absolute best place to be.
This and so much more, you'll just have to tune in to hear the rest!
Find Joe on Instagram at @joebunn
and even on his other accounts: @bunngear, @bunndjco, and @thedjsvault
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
This episode is kind of a part 2 to the last episode where I talked about attending a wedding as a guest and things you might not think about as a vendor.
First of all, we didn’t know how to dress as a guest. All of our wedding clothes are what I call ninja black and lean more business than social.
Next we’re on our drive. When you’re working it as the venue, or really in any capacity as a wedding pro, the stressful things are the unknowns.
You’ve done everything humanly possible to prepare, and to prepare for plan B.
Every time you think you’ve seen it all, something happens that proves you wrong.
That’s typically what the drive time convo is when you’re working it.
We wonder which one of the guests who arrived first will approach us about the room being chilly.
Fun fact, did you know it has to start out that way because body heat warms it up fast, no matter what the temperature is outside?
We wonder which of the guests will be harder to dismiss in a safe way at the end of the night.
It’s just a lot of unknowns and we fully enjoyed not worrying about any of them as guests, and are looking so forward to the next one!
These are the same conversations that make it so rewarding to work with you and help you be fully equipped, no matter what part of the wedding industry you’re in.
Listen close to the hot tip at the end!
That’s what grows your business, and that’s what lights me up.
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
We got to go to a wedding as GUESTS!
Clearly this doesn't happen a lot, but we're looking forward to it even more.
You probably already know that we sold our full service wedding businesses. Our goal was to "retire" from them by 2020, and we did. I think we're too young to be retired so I call it "graduated".
As wedding pros, we see things at a wedding that other people never notice.
Just giving you a peek at a few quick things to think about that will make a wedding go a little smoother.
As always, we have a hot tip and it's another way to connect with other vendors and do a little extra to get referrals from them.
The wedding was amazingly gorgeous and the sweet couple is beyond happy. Always the main goal at the end of the day!
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
- Join us in our exclusive insiders group, The Vendors Circle
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
If you're like me, everyone is always curious how you got started on this crazy entrepreneur journey.
Especially when you're in the events industry, it's super exciting and so much fun to be a part of.
In this episode, I broke down 24+ years of what Joe and I have done along the way.
Having overlapping and multiple streams of revenue, especially recurring revenue, is a game changer for us.
I can't wait to hear what you think!
Listen for these gems throughout the episode:
0:40 Tell me how you got started!
1:22 Our first recurring revenue stream
3:00 The key to our growth
4:32 Hot tip
Other important mentions:
- Check out our amazing and supportive membership (The Vendors Circle) that will leapfrog your business years ahead. Skip learning the hard way like I did.
- I mentioned Stu McLaren's Tribe program, I'll have a link to his brand new training for you in the next few days!
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with an entrepreneur friend or two!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review.
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
We have the most amazing community of wedding pros who have a huge heart to serve their couples and also other weddings vendors like you (join us to continue this conversation on Facebook at The Wedding Vendors Community).
When I was talking to them about the concept of this podcast, the first vendor who asked to be addressed specifically was an officiant.
I thought this was so interesting, so this episode is dedicated to those extremely important officiants!
We also discuss how other vendors play an important role in this relationship, so tune in no matter what important part you play in your couples' big day ever!
Listen for these gems throughout the episode:
1:25 Let the pros be the pros
1:35 The skills wedding officiants have
2:19 Vendor relationships
3:31 Hot tip
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
We're starting with one of the number one struggles I hear from amazing wedding pros like you, "I need more time to do all the things!"
Let's start reclaiming our time here today!
Time is our most valuable resource, and it's the only one that you can't get back.
On this episode, we're talking about 3 ways to get the most done in the least amount of time.
Listen for these gems throughout the episode:
0:35 Set a timer
1:20 Batch your work
2:08 Accountability
3:00 Hot tip
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review over on Apple Podcasts!
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Vendor relationships are the best and most often overlooked way to fill your calendar.
You get warm leads contacting you ready to book, on a consistent basis.
Your couples get a dream team of vendors who love working together, and know how to work together like a well oiled machine.
Your vendor friends have you referring back to them on a consistent basis.
It's a whole cycle that is a game changer for your business.
On this episode, we're talking about 3 ways to get started and keep it going.
Listen for these gems throughout the episode:
0:41 Make your own preferred vendor list
1:20 Ask other vendors who you want to refer to be on it
2:05 Double dip to save time
3:23 How do they refer
4:00 Hot tip
Other important mentions:
- Join us in our free group for wedding pros on Facebook in "The Wedding Vendors Community" to further the discussion
- Join our other members in The Vendors Circle who are also serious about growing their wedding business in the best possible ways
- Join Joe Bunn & Aaron Traylor in Cratehackers
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Share this podcast with a wedding pro friend or two!
Did you enjoy this episode?? Subscribe to The Wedding Pro Show podcast to be notified when new ones are released. I would be so honored if you took a minute to tell me what you loved in a review.
Your reviews are important to how we rank and help us bring you even more content to encourage more entrepreneurs like you.
Hi, I'm Michelle, your host of The Wedding Pro Show.
Welcome!
The Wedding Pro Show is for you, the wedding business owner.
This is your fun and interactive podcast where we connect, learn, and grow, both personally and professionally.
If you’re anything like me, while it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, we’re more than just weddings.
We’re friends, family members, leaders, and team members.
Being an entrepreneur can often feel a little lonely, but that ends here.
My husband Joe and I, and our daughter and son-in-law, are all full time entrepreneurs.
You’ll meet them soon enough, just know that you’re always understood here, and in good company.
Joe and I had a big goal of “retiring” (we’re on a podcast so you can’t see the air quotes I’m throwing… lol) from our events businesses by the year 2020, and what a year it was.
We’re blessed to have wrapped up the sale of both of our full service venues in 2020, and we’re thoroughly enjoying some flexibility.
We’ll talk more about that later, but it also means that I’m now a full time business coach and online educator, and I’m here for you!
I’ll be here three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, in bite sized, less than 5 minute episodes.
You’ll get a dose of encouragement, out of the box marketing strategies, referral tips, and overall positive mindset growth to get you the business of your dreams in the best industry ever!
Consider me your business BFF…. and be listening for some of our other BFFs for entertaining expert interviews, in a “what-do-I-do” game type format.
Tune in with me as we go on this journey together.
To find out when each new episode drops, just hit that subscribe button, and of course I’d love to hear from you in the form of a review.
Thanks for spending some time with me today, have a great day, and we’ll talk again soon!
www.bridepath.com/podcast