Own Your Business: Recent Episodes
Sam Jacobson with Ideaction
A podcast for event professionals who want the knowledge and skills to grow a business with confidence. Industry authority Sam Jacobson hosts solo or with fellow sales and marketing expert, Katy Taylor Jacobson, with bite-sized, 20-minute episodes. Listeners take away one big idea with simple steps to put what you learn into action. Topics focus on sales, pricing, websites, and growing a team. Follow up questions answered in a private FB group.
Most wedding pros are treating AI like a shortcut for captions, blogs, and emails, but that’s not what gets clients to say yes. The real opportunity with AI is using it to sharpen your sales game. In this episode, we dig into how AI can help you read your clients better, position yourself against competitors, and keep momentum alive in the sales process. Instead of saving time, you’ll learn how to use AI to close more bookings.
Takeaways
- Why treating AI like a content machine is keeping you from stronger sales
- The real risks of relying on generic captions, blogs, and emails to win business
- How to use AI for smarter sales insights drawn from feedback, competitors, and your own notes
- What it looks like to shift from busywork to bookings with a Sales IQ approach
AI is everywhere, and wedding pros are feeling the pressure to use it. But most are jumping in without a real plan. They’re grabbing tools, copying templates, and hoping it saves time. Instead, they end up with content that sounds bland, robotic, or totally off-brand.
In this episode, we’re calling out the biggest mistakes creatives make when using AI and showing you how to shift from “get it done fast” to “make it work for me.” If you want to use AI without sounding like everyone else, this one’s for you.
Takeaways:
- Why using AI just to “save time” actually wastes it
- How to spot misaligned, off-brand AI content before it hurts your business
- The right mindset shift to use AI as a creative partner
- Strategic ideas for weaving AI into your workflow without sounding generic
Summary:
You say you’re ready to pivot, but weeks or months later, nothing has actually changed. This episode is for every wedding pro who knows their current strategy isn’t working but can’t seem to gain traction on a new direction. We unpack why strategy shifts so often stall out, the mental spiral that keeps you stuck, and what to do before making any big move. If you feel like you’re circling the same business problems over and over, this conversation will help you find your way out.
Takeaways:
- How to recognize the signs that your strategy needs a reset
- Why common “fixes” like rebranding or hiring a coach often don’t solve the core issue
- The hidden costs of avoiding deeper strategic work
- A smarter, slower way to start shifting direction for real
Bookings feel slower. Buyers seem harder to reach. The market feels crowded and uncertain. If you’ve been wondering what’s going on, you’re not alone.
In this solo episode, I’m walking through what I see happening across the wedding industry right now. I’ll share my perspective on shifting buyer behavior, rising competition, changing definitions of luxury, and the day-to-day challenges of trying to grow a creative business in a more complex market.
This episode is here to give you clarity. Not just about what’s happening, but about what to focus on. Things feel different because they are. But that doesn’t mean your business can’t grow. You just need a clear view of the landscape and a plan for how to show up inside it.
Takeaways:
- Luxury is about how you make people feel. A beautiful design means less if the experience behind it is stressful or disconnected.
- There are only so many premium clients to go around. More vendors are chasing fewer seats at the high-end table, which makes relationships and consistency even more important.
- You don’t need a perfect booking. Two out of three is enough. If the price is right, the project is interesting, or the client is kind, take the win.
- Results follow effort. Keep improving your follow-up, your portfolio, your proposal, and your presence. Focus on what you can control and keep showing up.
A candid, behind-the-scenes conversation with top wedding industry pros about what’s really going on in 2025 and how to move forward.
If you’ve been wondering whether the slowdowns, buyer shifts, or budget stalls are just you, you’re not alone.
This panel brings together five of the sharpest minds in the business to tackle the hard truths shaping today’s market. No fluff. No sugarcoating. Just real talk from people who are in it every day, with clear insights into what it takes to thrive in a rapidly changing industry.
Whether you’re feeling stuck, confused, or ready to pivot, this replay is your chance to get clarity and direction for the road ahead.
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Panelists:
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Abby Jiu, Photographer, Abby Jiu Photography, Duet Social Media
- Daniel Kim, Photographer, Daniel Kim Photography
- Laura Ritchie, Principal Designer, Grit & Grace Inc.
- Eleanor Scola, Director of Sales, Nuage
- Kimberly Richmond, VP of Sales (Weddings), ALHI
- Sam Jacobson, Founder, Ideaction Consulting and Duet Social Media
What You’ll Hear:
- What’s really behind slower bookings and sales this year
- Why traditional marketing and sales tactics are falling flat, and what to do instead
- How top-tier vendors are adapting to buyer behavior shifts
- What to expect in 2026 and how to prepare your business now
- The biggest mistakes people are making and how to avoid them
Key Themes:
- Market contraction versus mindset traps
- Elevated expectations with lower lead quality
- Sales cycle realities and buyer psychology
- Recession-proofing your brand and offer
This episode unpacks the biggest myth in the wedding industry: that “luxury” means expensive visuals and high-end aesthetics. If you’ve been chasing the look of luxury without getting luxury clients, this one’s for you. We break down what today’s buyers really want, why most pros get it wrong, and how to make your brand feel elevated through clarity, systems, and experience.
In this episode:
- Why chasing luxury aesthetics leaves you burned out and stuck
- What modern luxury clients expect (hint: it’s not just pretty)
- The difference between looking high-end and delivering high-end
- How to upgrade your process to feel effortless and elevated
More clients, more revenue, more help — but also more chaos? You might not be growing a business. You might just be making more work.
Summary:
In this episode, we break down the common trap creative entrepreneurs fall into: mistaking hustle and busyness for true business growth. We’ll explore why your efforts to “grow” might actually be making your life harder — and how to redefine growth in a way that gives you margin, clarity, and freedom. If you’re feeling stretched thin but still stuck, this one’s for you.
Takeaways:
- The subtle but dangerous difference between growing a business and just making more work
- Why hiring, more services, or new offers often don’t solve the overwhelm
- How brand clarity and systems are the real drivers of sustainable growth
- What it looks like to pursue “margin over movement” in your business
CTA:
Want to get out of the hustle and into actual growth? Join us at the Shift Business Retreat — a live, in-person experience where we help wedding pros like you reset, refocus, and build a business that runs with you, not on you
If your offer is good — maybe even great — but you’re still not booking enough of the right clients, you’re not alone.
In this episode, we unpack why even the most refined services can fall flat when they’re not framed around what the client truly wants. From over-explaining deliverables to diluting your messaging with too much detail, we walk through the real reasons your offer might be getting passed over — and how to shift your approach so your value lands with clarity and confidence.
Takeaways:
- Why a strong offer can still fall flat if it’s framed around you, not your client
- What business owners do when bookings are low — and why those fixes backfire
- How messaging becomes diluted when you grasp for attention or try too hard
- The difference between selling the outcome and selling your process
Show Notes
If you’re doing all the right things but still not attracting the right clients, the problem probably isn’t your visibility — it’s your clarity. In this episode, we talk about what unclear messaging sounds like, how it confuses your buyer, and why posting more, showing up more, or networking harder often backfires. You’ll learn how to spot the real issue and what to focus on instead if you want better inquiries from clients who actually get what you do.
Takeaways:
- What unclear messaging sounds like and how it shows up in your business
- Why visibility without clarity creates noise, not conversions
- The long-term impact of fixing surface problems without solving the root messaging issue
- What changes when your message is actually clear and buyer-aligned
Think your sales process is helping you book more couples? It might be doing the exact opposite. In this replay of one of our most popular episodes, Sam breaks down six sales tactics that seem smart on the surface but actually hurt your chances of booking. From proposal deadlines to automated replies, you’ll learn why these strategies often fail and what to do instead to convert more inquiries into paying clients.
Takeaways:
- Why scarcity tactics like proposal expiration dates can push buyers away instead of prompting action
- How over-qualifying leads can hurt your booking rate, especially if you’re not getting enough inquiries
- The problem with treating discovery calls like sales pitches and how to shift your approach
- Why quick, personal responses often matter more than polished automation in a luxury market
Last week, we talked about them—your buyers. Their psychology. Their motivations. What makes them say yes.
But this week? We’re turning the mirror around.
Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: Too many business owners are building companies to please other people.
Trying to match what their peers are doing. Trying to win over buyers who may not even be the right fit. Trying to make their business look impressive from the outside while feeling completely misaligned on the inside.
If that’s you, I want to shake you by the shoulders (gently) and say: You didn’t start your business to impress strangers. You started it to create freedom from a 9-5, from boring work, from doing what other people tell you to do.
So let’s go back to the real question: Why do you own your business?
What motivated you to step out on your own in the first place? What do you really want from this thing you’re building?
This episode isn’t about your clients. It’s about you.
I’ll walk you through the 9 core psychological motivators that shape not just how we buy but why we start businesses, how we grow them, and the decisions we make along the way. I’ll share my own stories, from my early days of chasing esteem and achievement to what actually fuels me now: autonomy and empowerment.
And I’ll challenge you to get brutally honest about what’s driving you so you can start building a business that actually serves the life you want.
No more old goals. No more outside validation.
If you’re looking to stare burnout in the face and laugh, it’s a helluva lot easier when you believe 1000% in why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Let’s talk about how to own YOUR business.
Today’s wedding couples aren’t booking vendors just for pretty pictures - they’re booking for how you make them feel. In this listener-favorite episode, we break down the emotional and psychological drivers that influence their decisions.
You’ll learn why surface-level wants like flowers or photos are really about deeper needs like belonging, esteem, and connection, and how to uncover those needs in your clients.
Packed with practical examples for planners, photographers, stationers, and more, this episode will help you craft messaging and experiences that resonate at an emotional level and inspire couples to say “yes.”
What You’ll Learn:
- The 4 core desires driving wedding clients
- Why emotions matter more than details
- How to craft messaging that connects on a deeper level
Selling to BTS Decision-Makers with Amrit Dhillon‑Bains
Selling and managing luxury weddings is hard enough. Add multiple decision makers, deep cultural traditions, and high emotional stakes — and it becomes a true test of your sales and client service skills.
In this episode, Sam sits down with Amrit Dhillon‑Bains, founder of Anaïs Events, a Northern California–based planning and design firm specializing in upscale, highly personalized South Asian weddings. Amrit brings a rare blend of creativity, business acumen, and cultural insight to her work, helping families plan multi‑day celebrations with hundreds (sometimes thousands) of guests — while keeping everyone aligned.
Amrit shares how she:
- Identifies and maps out key stakeholders early in the process
- Gains trust and buy‑in from even the quietest or most resistant decision makers
- Handles sensitive family dynamics with empathy and authority
- Prepares clients to make informed budget decisions without alienating them
- Personalizes proposals and sales conversations for each unique family and situation
- Balances flexibility and boundaries to maintain a sustainable business
Whether you work in luxury weddings or simply want to improve your ability to sell and serve complex client groups, this episode is packed with insights you can apply right away.
Connect with Amrit Dhillon‑Bains:
Instagram: @anaisevents
Website: www.anaisevents.com
Welcome back to the podcast! This time of year, so many wedding pros are deep in the ramp-up for busy season juggling timelines, emails, client meetings, vendor questions, and still trying to execute this weekend’s wedding on top of it all. It’s exciting, but it’s also exhausting. And if you’re not careful, it’s easy to say yes to everything… and end up with nothing left in the tank when it really counts.
That’s why today I’m sharing a replay of one of my favorite episodes all about the power of saying no.
If you’ve ever found yourself stretched too thin, feeling like there’s no room left for the work that really lights you up, this conversation is for you. We talk about how saying no — even during your busiest months — can actually help you prevent burnout, recharge your batteries, and keep you focused on what matters most.
Because when your calendar is packed with low-priority tasks, there’s no space left to say yes to the big opportunities that can move your business forward.
So as you head into the thick of wedding season, take a breath and listen in. Let’s dive into the replay.
In this episode, I’m joined by negotiation expert Alex Carter and executive presence coach Anne Marie Nest for a conversation about what it really means to lead with presence. We talk about the myths around confidence, how to interrupt negative self-talk, and why executive presence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you can learn and practice. Alex and Anne-Marie share personal stories, practical tips, and simple strategies you can start using right away. If you want to show up with more clarity, confidence, and command in your business, this episode is for you.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your pricing, messaging, or marketing — this episode is for you. We’re digging into the real difference between confidence and competence, and why clarity is the missing link for so many creative entrepreneurs. You’ll hear why “fake it till you make it” rarely works in the long run, how competence builds true confidence, and what to focus on if you want better inquiries, stronger sales, and more aligned clients. Ready to stop guessing and start growing? Let’s get into it.
What happens when a luxury brand scales without losing its heart?
In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Eleanor Scola and Pablo Oliveira from Nuage Designs to explore exactly that.
You’ll hear how a hospitality setback led to the founding of one of the most beloved names in high-end event rentals—and how trust, humility, and shared values have shaped a thriving leadership dynamic. This one’s a masterclass in growing with integrity and trusting your team.
Let’s dive in.
Success doesn't happen by accident. It’s done on purpose, when someone decides what they want with clarity and then maps out a plan to make it happen.
Today's guest, Twah Dougherty, started her career as a wedding photographer with a very specific intention. If you asked her, she would say it was her vision - and a big part of it relied on building expertise in a few key areas for her business.
Today, Twah shares her story of stacking those skills she needed to grow her business into the powerhouse it is now.
- How to communicate with affluent and ultra-affluent buyers
- How to pinpoint your ideal client avatar and create messages that matter
- How to identify the soul of your business and remain true to it as you grow
Social media strategy is more than just posting pretty pictures.
At least that's what we say at Duet Social Media, the new agency, Abby Jiu and I cofounded during the winter.
I had Abby on a few months ago to discuss 2025 social media trends, and we had an outstanding response from the audience. On today's episode, we talk about how to create a strategy for mid and long-term success based on more than just showcasing your portfolio in your IG grid.
You'll take away from the conversation:
- Core components for a solid social strategy
- The power of a personal brand story on IG
- Simple ways to engage your audience to boost your posts
- Three common misconceptions about social media in the wedding industry at the luxury level
Get ready for your head to get bigger - and hopefully your inbox fill with more ideal clients - in the next 40 minutes.
Everyone in the wedding industry wants to level up their business. So it's not a matter of if, it’s more how.
How do you pick the right kind of client? How do you align yourself with the right kind of professional in your network? How do you prioritize all the different tasks that need to be done as the boss? How do you allocate your time, money, energy, and resources to get from where you are to where you want to be?
Today I bring on my friend and client Julian Leaver, to talk about his journey over the last decade building a wedding business that targeted very specific ideal clients in three distinct phases as he grew his company.
We dive into:
- What kind of ideal client he started with when his business got going
- When he knew that it was time to level up
- Why he chose to pursue a safer path with more steps rather than make big leaps
- How he found that fast is slow and slow is smooth when it comes to elevating your brand
If you're looking for real talk about what it's like to level up your business from someone who made the moves over the last decade, this is a conversation you don't wanna miss.
Many business owners in the wedding industry got their start accidentally. Others found their way here because of a passion for creativity or art, and wanted to express it as a profession.
But there are a handful of others who had a dream of being an entrepreneur, and found the wedding space as fertile ground for planning the seeds of their business ideas.
Today's guest, Brittany Lo, founder and owner of Beautini and Beia, joins me on the podcast to discuss her journey as an entrepreneur over the last decade, including:
- How she delegates work to a team in order to grow her business
- What she spends most of her time on as the CEO of the companies
- Where she seeks guidance and support when she's expected to have all the answers
- Recommendations for spending more of your time working on the business rather than in business
If you wanna take your company to the next level, you have to know how to be a boss. Brittany shares exactly how to do that.
Who wants more time back for personal life? Or maybe you want to spend more time doing things you love with your business rather than things you don't or things that are difficult?
The key to making these things happen is freeing up room in your calendar by getting other people to do work for you.
One of the best ways to bring in somebody to help take care of miscellaneous tasks that are under your pay grade or you don't like doing - or both - is to hire a VA. Where do you begin? And how do you find the right one? And what do you have them work on?
Today, I sit down with Katie Hendricks, owner of the VA agency, Masterfully Managed, who runs a team of VAs for luxury wedding vendors who want to spend more time doing what they love and less time stressed about the details they don’t want to worry about.
You’ll learn:
- When is it time to consider a VA?
- How could you tell which VA will be the right fit for you?
- What kind of work can a VA help with?
- Are there any red flags to watch out for when hiring or assigned to a new VA?
When I ask clients: What does success look like to you? I get a variety of responses. The two most popular are, 1) I want to move into the luxury market, and 2) I want to scale my business to include a team.
We spend a lot of time on the podcast talking about how to move into the luxury market, but not nearly as much time exploring what it looks like to scale your business with the team.
This week I bring in Taryn Blake, one of our clients who found wild success in all the places most people tend to struggle.
In our conversation we cover:
- What motivated her to build a team in the first place
- How she kept quality standards at the forefront in her strategy
- The roles in the company that she spends most of our time on
- Her version of a solid company culture
If you've ever considered growing your team beyond just yourself, this is the perfect episode to see what it's like from somebody else's proven path.
Many of you work directly with your spouse - and if you do, you know it’s not always easy.
Today, I chat with Jessica and Michael Masi, who co-lead Masi Events, one of the top wedding planners by Over the Moon. We explore:
- Why they decided to partner in business, not just life
- How they divide client-facing and BTS work
- What they learned about themselves over the years to make it better to work together
- Specific recommendations to release pressure when times get tense
Even if you don’t work with your spouse, the insights we discuss are a good way to divide and conquer with anyone on your team as you learn your own role as the boss of your business.
The recent and current market conditions are tough to navigate. I wish things were different for the wedding industry right now, but they are not. I always provided advice on how to market and sell your services to book more ideal clients at higher prices, and I know many listeners benefit from the tactics that we talk about.
It’s not “business as usual” right now - and so I’m taking a break from regular programming to address the elephant in the room more directly.
Trial and error is very very unforgiving in tough times. You might not get a chance to learn from your mistakes if you make too many of them. In good times you have a safety net. But not now. You’ve got to play it smart and do so as early as possible when you sense difficult times ahead.
Three things today:
- Expectations for the near term
- Financial moves you can make
- Strategies to consider for the next 3-6 months
Wouldn’t it be great to get inside the mind of couples doing research for their wedding plans?
Until that happens, monitoring their online behavior is the best we can do.
Today, I bring in co-founder and CEO of PartySlate, Julie Novack, to share insights and data based on millions of visitors to their site. She shares:
- What kind of content to share in the early stages of the buyer’s journey
- What couples want to see immediately when they land on your site
- And we discuss the current market conditions and what to expect in the short- and mid-term
Julie’s studied buyer behavior in digital spaces for decades. Let’s hear what she has to say about what tomorrow’s couples want from your marketing efforts.
Today's wedding client is not interested in yesterday's celebrations - and today's wedding business owner should adapt accordingly.
But how do you change things up? What areas do you focus on? How do you know if it will work?
Well, there's not one simple answer for any or all businesses to these questions. It depends very much on a number of different factors, but they all start with knowing yourself and what you stand for and what you want. If you don't know these things you can’t take the first step, let alone reach success.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I bring on Elizabeth McKellar, the founder and principal planner for The Nouveau Romantics, to discuss what it's like to operate your business with a sense of integrity and authenticity.
Learn to think deeply about yourself and your business, so you can avoid the mistakes she made and capitalize on the wisdom she’s gained along the way.
Too many wedding pros spend their time trying to fake it till they make it. Not only is it a slow way to success, it’s stressful - what if “they” find out?
One problem - and I mean only one of the many many many problems with “winging it” as a business owner - is that you end up guessing your way through important situations.
- How do you raise your prices?
- When and how do you rebrand?
- When and how do you talk about pricing?
- What’s your social media strategy?
- And where do you focus your limited energy when pulled in so many different directions?
Today, I talk about how the collective wisdom of the wedding industry often points you in the wrong direction on these important topics.
Stay tuned as I bust these myths you’ve probably heard.
People don’t want information, they want transformation.
And the best way to do that is to share a story with a beginning, middle and end that follows a narrative arc. It hooks them, draws them in even more, and then builds desire to learn the outcome.
In today’s attention economy, stories are a very successful way to communicate with potential customers. To market and sell your services.
In this episode, I’ll share:
- 3 key elements of a great story
- 6 ways you can implement stories in your own marketing and sales material
- 2 things you can do today to start telling stories your clients and professional network actually want to hear
Last week I sat down with Rock Paper Coin for a conversation about pricing. We covered a range of topics, including how to talk about budget with potential clients.
It reminded me how hard it can be to talk about the topic of money - from both sides of the conversation: couples and vendors. Money matters are hard for most people. So today I thought it would be a good idea to bring back this oldie, but goodie from the podcast way back in 2021.
Originally episode 12, this podcast is the one I refer 1:1 clients to more than any other for “homework” after our session if we talk about about discovery calls.
Confidence is often about competence. Competence is knowing what you’re doing. Take the next 20 minutes to get the skills you need to talk about budget with potential clients.
Katy and I want to take a minute to provide a PSA to business owners, copywriters, and VAs.
Don’t steal other people’s stuff.
In our world as copywriters, that means intellectual property. Art. Writing.
We see businesses crib our clients’ website copy all the time, which is baffling. It’s like taking someone’s photo and passing it off as your own in a portfolio. Who does that?
You’d be surprised. Tune in to today’s podcast for a conversation on a topic no one wants to talk about: Plagiarism.
What’s holding you back from reaching your full potential as a business owner?
From getting more inquiries?
From booking better clients?
From charging more for your services?
From success at the next level of luxury?
In today’s episode, Katy and I talk about what is NOT holding you back - and what is really at the root of the issue for most wedding business owners.
Quick note before we begin, February 24, 2025 is the opening day for enrollment in Sway, our 12-month mastermind that walks you through every aspect of your sales and marketing so you can elevate your business to the next level of luxury - whatever that looks like to you.
Check out more at www.ideactionconsulting.com, or hit me up on IG in the DMs.
One of my favorite parts of being a business coach is hearing success stories from our clients. No journey is the same as another, but they tend to follow a similar arc.
- Feel the call of something more in your professional life
- Boot strap to get the business started
- DIY it until you hit a ceiling or find the courage to invest in your business
- Bring in an expert to guide you through the tough stuff
- Gain confidence in yourself and competence with your skills
- See success and feel satisfied
Today, I bring on Erika Aileen, one of our Sway Mastermind members to share her journey over the past several years - not just with us, but as a business owner searching for the right direction and guidance.
If you feel like you’re on the verge of something - whatever that is for you - and you want to feel inspired, and even get a few strategies to try out, well, tune in. This is one of my favorite client case studies I’ve done for the podcast.
I’ve obsessed about marketing and selling weddings for over 18 years now. Here’s one thing I’ve learned:
Your pitch is important.
Unfortunately, most wedding professionals don’t offer a proper proposal for their services. The most common approach is a menu of services, like a McDonald’s ordering kiosk. Many others use a brochure - basically a bunch of information.
But couples and the BTS decision-makers don’t want information, they want transformation. They want to know how you’re going to get them from where they are now (wanting something for their wedding) and where they want to be (basking in the benefits you offer to get that need met).
The best way to tell that story is with a short-form sales page approach to a custom proposal.
Today, I bring on one of my long-time coaching clients who was one one of our first proposal template users back in 2021. Tune in to hear how she’s leveraged the power of a compelling proposal to help triple her prices in 4 years.
I’ve coached hundreds of wedding pros over the years, and the #1 area for improvement is always always always the discovery call.
Why?
It’s so difficult to do well. So many moving parts. So much pressure for both people. So many ways it can go wrong.
Here are five ways to know if your discovery call needs improvement:
- You think of it as a “sales call”
- You share your screen or talk through a brochure
- You currently use or want to buy from someone a “script”
- You ask the same questions in the same order from a list
- You start with personal questions like “how did you to meet” or “how did he propose”
If this sounds like you, keep listening.
If you’re not doing these things, I’ve got solid info in the next 20 minutes to help you level up your game too!
We started the year with a simple road map for success based on five milestones.
Do the activities in key areas to make it easy for couples to travel the buyer’s journey.
- We’ve focused on knowing, understanding and messaging to your ideal client
- Created a content strategy and putting it up on IG with Abby Jiu
- Today we talk about website fixes you can make in key areas
- Next week I’ll share discovery call questions you can use to guide the conversation
- Follow up with direction on what to include on your proposal with my friend and client, Erika Delgado
These are the 5 areas I’d like you to focus on for the first couple months of the year, because I think they give the most results for time (and money) spent to attract and book better clients.
Today we dive into the website. Listen in for tips you can put into practice in very little time with almost no technical or creative skills.
Most wedding pros I talk to have a love-hate relationship with social media. You love scrolling your own feed, but hate posting on your own account. Kidding. But not really.
Social media is hard. What do you post? How do you write the caption? What cards do you drop in your Story? What images look good in this Carousel? Do you put your face on the screen? If so, what do you talk about? How much of your personal life do you include? How often do you go through this cycle of pain and misery every week with posts?
And yet, it’s a crucial part of your future success. Instagram is a place to be found for the first time, but it’s also an important layover on the way to your website when you get a referral from a vendor or client.
Today, I sit down with Abby Jiu, my long-time client and now-business partner with Duet Social Media. We discuss
- How social media played a role as she moved into the luxury space
- What she sees as the biggest problems business owners run into - and how to solve them
- 3 must-dos on IG right now
-
1 thing she wished she did years ago for her social media feed
A few weeks ago I did an episode about how wedding business owners are being sold a single version of luxury and told it’s the only version available. It struck a chord with many of my clients and others who reached out, because I busted this myth that if you want to find success you have to do it a certain way - usually represented the way the people on top have done it themselves.
I think that road to success is well-paved and well-travelled by people who want the same kind of success. Million-dollar budgets, Lake Como and the Amalfi Coast every weekend, clients who all look like models.
But I’ve talked with thousands of wedding professionals who have a different version of what success can look like, of what it means to build a business they’re proud of, one that gets them what they want in life.
And their ideal clients look different too. Just like there’s more than one version of success, and more than one version of luxury, there’s also more than one version of an ideal client. Sure, we all want couples who pay higher prices - but what else should we look for?
And how do we speak to them in our marketing and in our sales process?
Today I bring in Katy, my wife and business partner - and ideal client expert - to talk shop about ICAs.
What’s the difference between simple and easy?
It’s pretty nuanced, but the distinction is important.
Here’s what a quick search turned up on Google:
While simple and easy can sometimes be used interchangeably, simple refers to something that is not complicated or complex in its structure, while easy refers to something that requires minimal effort to accomplish.
Let me say that again, because, as I said, the distinction is essential.
Simple refers to something that is not complicated or complex in its structure, while easy refers to something that requires minimal effort to accomplish.
It’s the new year, so we’ve all got goals on our minds. One of mine is improving my health, which can be a rabbit hole of information and approaches. But most experts agree:
If you eat real food in modest amounts, cut booze from your diet, move your body for an hour a day, sleep well, and spend time around people you love you’ll be in pretty darn good mental and physical health.
Simple, right?
But is that easy? Right?
It’s the same thing with your business. If you want to get it in shape, you can choose to go the complex, convoluted approach - or you can use the KISS method. Keep. It. Simple.
Today’s episode follows the new year, new you theme with what you need to DO in order to reach your goals. As you’ll see, I’ll keep it simple for you.
Welcome to part two of my top 10 Engage takeaways.
The first five aired last week, so if you haven’t listened to them yet, you should go back and start with that episode. I provide useful context to the conversation, and it’s all done in my most gravelly, shot out, baritone voice in 173 episodes.
Here’s a quick summary of the first set of takeaways:
- Go in with no plan
- Pay attention to those who pay attention to you
- Pick your priorities
- Don’t trip over dimes to pick up pennies
- There isn’t enough business right now for those who want it
Today, I’m going to dig into the remaining five big insights I took away from the summit.
I hope you get some inspiration as you plan out your 2025 business strategies.
11 years ago I attended my first Engage. It was like a roller coaster. At first I was scared to got, but then once I was on it was the time of my life. And when I was done, I wanted to jump in line and go again.
Engage has been a big part of my life since that first one in Scottsdale, Arizona. I met my wife, Katy, at my 3rd Engage, in Grand Cayman. I got a job running Todd Fiscus’s companies at that same one in Grand Cayman. Katy and I got engaged on a birthday trip we piggybacked on to an Engage in 2017. And later that year I spoke at a breakout session for the first time.
Engage Amelia Island was my 17th Engage and 6th time speaking. My topic was about how to educate your clients the right way.
Earlier this year, I hosted my annual State of the Industry panel, where we discussed what’s happening in the industry and what business owners should be focused on for success.
This year’s theme was “educating” your clients. Everyone talked about it multiple times. In fact, I ran a 14-second clip at Engage showing all the times one of the panelists said “education.”
But what does it mean to “educate” your clients? How do you do it well? And when in the buyer’s journey? And what’s the best way to do it?
These were the questions I answered in my talk last week, and I’ll share some highlights with you on my podcast today.
But I’ll also include what I picked up from others who shared the stage over the week, because there was so much to think about based on the content I heard.
I’ve done this Engage wrap-up after every one I’ve attended since 2017. I hope you get as many takeaways from this summary as I did from the summit itself.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth.
The wedding industry pushes an unrealistic version of what it means to work in “luxury.”
Million-dollar budgets? Amangiri and the Amalfi Coast for every wedding? Couples who look like models in every photo?
Sorry, but that’s not the luxury wedding market. That’s ultra-luxe. The top 1%, not 10%.
And that pie-in-the-sky version of “luxury” is a lot harder to achieve than most industry leaders let on.
The simple fact is you have to make it to the next level of luxury before you can rise to the top.
How do you do that in a way that feels true to you? How do you do that working with clients you love, not neurotic, narcissistic monsters?
Tune into today’s episode.
We’ve all heard of “growth mindsets,” but what does it really mean? Here’s a definition:
A belief that intelligence, abilities, and talents can be developed through effort, hard work and guidance from others.
I first heard about it in the book Mindset by Carol Dweck, a Stanford professor who coined the term back in 2006. In her research, she found the growth mindset was the #1 predictor of long-term success.
Now you might think, well duh, of course people believe they can improve themselves. Ahhh, but that’s actually NOT the case.
Many people believe for many different reasons, they can’t improve.
Look at the current conditions in the wedding industry. It’s tough out there, and will be for a while.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the down market is an explanation for why it’s harder to fill your calendar, but it’s not an excuse.
Someone with a growth mindset sees the challenge in today’s industry and wonders, how will I adapt to the new environment in order to achieve my goals.
The opposite is a fixed mindset. They see the exact same scenario, and think, well crap, I hope things get better soon so I can fill my calendar or raise my prices.
Today, I bring on to the podcast one of my dearest friends in the wedding world, Anja Winikka, former right hand to the founder of The Knot, industry innovator, and CEO of Freeda, a new kind of community for established wedding pros who want genuine community with other wedding pros.
I always feel better about the world when I hear what Anja has to say about things. I know you will too.
We all know it’s a crowded marketplace out there right now. I’ve never believed there’s enough business for everyone who wants it (well, maybe in 2022). But now, more than ever, wedding pros are feeling the pinch of not enough business to go around.
Even if you are filling your calendar, it’s harder than it’s been in a long time. Not counting the early days of the pandemic, I’ve not seen times this tough since 2008-2010 during the Great Recession - and it was BAD back then.
So what can you do to stand out in this competitive market?
One thing is for sure: Couples want to know the person they pick to produce a certain part of their wedding is the absolute best they can get for the money they’re spending.
Yes, of course, everyone wants the best. But unless you can afford the absolute best, you have to settle for the most you can get with the money you’re willing to spend.
This means every wedding pro at every price point needs to do all you can to convince buyers not just that you’re worth it, or to like you, but to TRUST you.
And one of the best ways to do that is show yourself to be an expert in whatever it is you do.
The measure of your unhappiness is the distance between where you are and where you want to be.
For many right now, that’s a big gap.
You should work smarter and harder to close the gap - but don’t fixate on how far you’ve got to go.
When times get tough, it’s more motivating to look at how far you’ve come.
At my family for Thanksgiving, we did that cheesy thing where you hold hands and say what you’re most grateful for.
2024 was a hard year for many in the industry. It’s easy to look at what you don’t have on the books, instead of what you do have that will help feed your business through lean times.
Today, I talk about overreaching, overambition, and its negative effect on not just the journey, but also the likelihood of making it to your destination. In business, and in life.
One of the things we’re seeing with couples is their lack of decisiveness. It’s taking a lot longer to make a decision.
I see lots of reasons for this, including overscheduled lives, multiple decision-makers, a noisy marketplace, and general concern about the economy.
As a business owner, you can’t control ANY of these things. Sorry, I wish it was different - but it’s not.
Instead, I want you to focus on the things you can impact.
One of those is called “purchase intent.” How much does someone want to buy your services. You have to create desire with messaging, and tap into momentum in the buyer’s journey.
Unfortunately, most wedding professionals aren’t doing these things well. Either of them.
Marketing and sales messages aren’t clear or communicated frequently enough.
And too much friction is injected into the sales process, which makes it harder, not easier, to buy.
Today, Katy and I will show you how to talk about the right aspects of your business so you can increase the desire for your services.
If you like buyer psychology, get ready to geek out!
www.ideactionconsulting.com/
Today’s episode is focused on tips and tricks to DIY a website. But it’s also a big day for Katy and me, and our entire team, because we’re opening up our Showit template shop.
Of course, everyone who owns their business would gladly have an expert take care of their website if it was as easy as, say, emailing the marketing department of the company you work for and saying, “Hey, we need a new site! Make one, please.”
But it doesn’t work that way when you’re not only the Creative Director for your company, but also the Marketing Dept. Which means you’re the one who’s in charge of the website.
But the CFO for your company - also YOU - knows that money doesn’t grow on trees, and you (probably) don’t have a pile of cash laying around to give to an outside expert to do the work for you.
All this means that, yup, you’re right, YOU have to step up and do your website. Ugh.
DIYing isn’t the ideal way to create anything in your business except the product and services you give your clients. THOSE are YOUR area of expertise. That’s what you’re good at.
Building websites is not a skill you can “fake it till you make it.” It’s complicated, with lots of moving parts surrounding design, layout, copy, messaging, image selection and a ton more.
It’s also time consuming. We spend between 60-80 hours working on a site when we’re hired to do copywriting and design. But that doesn’t count the 15-20 hours our clients spend selecting images, making edits, and collecting other necessary information for the site to be successful.
If professionals spend that much time on a project, you can bet that amateur DIYers will spend significantly more time through trial and error, struggling with the hook (even our seasoned copywriters run into writer’s block, and trying to get design right, especially on mobile.
This is exactly why we created our new templates, which we call Compass Website Templates, because not only are they gorgeous Showit designs, but we actually provide you with real direction on how to fill in the template with incredibly effective copy and images that trigger your ideal client’s biggest desires.
How do we do that? We offer what other template providers don’t:
-Our conversion copywriting formulas for each and every section of the site
-Ideal client avatar workup so you know you’re creating a site that’ll attract the right kind of buyer
-Image selection guide to choose the best images based on buyer motivations and emotions
-A hefty copywriting workbook to help you create messages designed to trigger your ideal client’s needs
-3+ hours of video tutorials with Katy (and a little of me) teaching you section by section, page by page what goes where, how, and why
-Regular ask-me-anything office hours (not a lame FB group) with a copywriting expert and website designer answering live questions
-Finally, you get a website review from us to tell you what can be done to make the site even better
If you plan on DIYing your site, our templates are your place to begin. Because we do it WITH you rather than you doing it alone.
And if you want step-by-step, page-by-page tutorials, office hours, workbooks and guides to help make your new website incredibly effective, check the show notes or visit www.ideactionconsulting.com.
We’re running special bonuses for everyone who buys a template between November 12-19. Don’t miss these extra perks!
On today’s podcast, Katy and I will share a few tips and tricks with you on how to improve your current website, or DIY your next one.
If you are DIYing it. If the inner CFO in you is telling the Creative Director that the Marketing Dept. is on leave, and you’re the only one left to do the hard work of making your new website, well, listen up.
Katy and I are going to spill 5 of the most impactful tips from our Compass Website Templates tutorials live, right now.
Enjoy the episode.
I hear a lot of talk about ideal clients in the wedding industry, including us.
We put out content on the regular to share information about who and how and why and what for those perfect buyers you want on your calendar.
And we’ll talk about it on today’s episode too.
But we’ll also dive into what it means to be an ideal service provider, because very few people are talking about that - and it’s incredibly important.
In fact, that’s exactly what your clients are searching for when they head to Google, scroll social media, or ask a friend for a recommendation.
Think about it from the couples’ perspective. They want the perfect provider for their wedding, and they’re searching for signals in all the noise as to who that might be.
Today, Katy and I talk about the concept of being an ideal service provider, and, more importantly, how to communicate that at different stages in the buyer’s journey.
https://ideaction-consulting-9.showitpreview.com/3-ways-to-book-when-slow-workshop
Not gonna lie: Copywriting is tough. Especially for websites.
You have to do so much all at once. Communicate messages. Maintain interest. Stay in voice. Persuade people. Provide reassurance. Provoke desire. Impress Google.
Like any skill or craft, it takes a long time to get good at it.
And like any skill, when you get training and insights from an expert it shaves years off the learning curve.
Obviously, you want to bring in experts for important projects like your website. But I get it, not everyone can afford to hire someone who’s incredible at their craft.
Today, I bring on my wife, business partner, and copywriting expert, Katy Taylor Jacobson, to share 8 copywriting hacks to make it easier to write copy on your website.
So if you’re trying to DIY your website with copywriting on your own, stay tuned, because you’re about to get a crash course in what to do and not do when you sit down at the keyboard.
https://ideaction-consulting-9.showitpreview.com/3-ways-to-book-when-slow-workshop
If money grew on trees, you’d have the best of the best do everything for you. But money doesn’t grow on trees or fall from the sky, and extra zeros don’t show up on your bank account statements.
So we have to deal with reality - which, for entrepreneurs, means wearing all the hats. Social media, bookkeeping, sales, system set up, technology. You name it, and you probably do it at some level in your company.
What’s wild to think about is how NOT normal this is.
In companies with more than one or two people, for example, a marketing department would handle social media. IT would take care of all your app and tech needs. Finance would take care of invoicing, and all you’d get is a report once a month to make sure everything’s on track.
One of the biggest and most important areas DIYed by wedding professionals is the website. And it’s also one of the most important, which means if you’re going to attempt to develop or manage your own site, you should start with some standard best practices.
Today, I bring on Katy Taylor Jacobson, my wife and Ideaction website expert, to share some tips and tricks to remedy often-overlooked issues on your site.
To rebrand, or not to rebrand. That is the question on the minds of many right now.
What exactly does it mean to rebrand, though? Is it just a new logo? Is it a full overhaul of your style kit? Does it always have to involve a name change?
More importantly, when is it a good idea to do? And when should you hold out to see where you can get with your current brand?
Because rebrands are not inexpensive - in either money or time. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from clients who end up halfway through a project like this, and they run out of energy, time, or money to get the rebrand and new site launched.
Today, I discuss a recent rebrand with Kate Ford, one of our long-time clients who recently went through a full rebrand, doing everything directly with us. Kate changed it all. Name, style kit, ideal client avatar, marketing messages, website design and, of course, copywriting.
You’ll hear:
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Why she did it
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How it came together
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What she learned along the way
If you’re considering an overhaul, this podcast is for you. Or earmark it for later if you’re not yet ready to dig in, because these things take time to plan out.
For those who don’t know, I write a newsletter for nearly 6,000 subscribers every week. I’ve done it for nearly 6 years now, and it’s filled with great advice like you get on the podcast.
One of the cool things about a newsletter is that I can talk about exactly what’s going on in the industry right now. It’s why I usually only do 2-3 at a time when I batch out content, because I want to make sure I’m in tune with what’s happening rather than sharing evergreen content like I do on the podcast.
This past week, I wrote a newsletter that got a ton of positive feedback from subscribers, and I want to share it with you today.
As you know, I hosted the State of the Industry panel on September 18, and we had a massive turnout for the discussion. Lots of engagement with the audience in the week that followed. Many people wanted my take on it, because I stayed fairly quiet in lieu of having the panelists do most of the talking.
However, I DO want to share my thoughts on what’s going on in the industry, and more importantly, what you should consider doing about it with your business.
Enjoy the ideas. I think they’re amongst the most important I’ve shared in a while.
There’s this terrible myth out there that SEO doesn’t matter as much as it did, say, 5-10 years ago. Or even last year.
The SEO-is-irrelevant idea is especially widespread in the luxury space - which is a crying shame for all those wedding pros who’ve put ALL your eggs into the referral basket.
Yes, referrals are important, even essential, when you get to luxury. However, you can’t NOT have key SEO elements on your search engine results page.
Think about it from the couples’ perspective: They get a throaty endorsement from a past client who hired you, or maybe their planner adds your name to the short list.
The couple still has to look you up to learn more. And where do they go? Google.
Yes, contrary to popular belief, wealthy people ALSO use Google. There’s not a secret search engine for the affluent.
So if you’re in luxury or not, you must get SEO right.
That’s why I brought on my favorite SEO guru in the wedding industry, Sara Dunn, to talk all things SEO for 2024.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
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Top three mistakes people make with their SEO
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What areas you can probably DIY - and what ones are best left to the pros
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When to hire your SEO expert when you’re considering doing or refreshing your site
Anyone else feel like it’s a little “weird” in the wedding industry right now? Actually, it’s probably been about a year since it started, but we’re just now starting to talk about it openly. The sentiment hit a tipping point recently, and people are beginning to share how hard it’s been to book couples.
Today’s episode is a megaphone on the conversation. But it’s not just me, it’s a panel of industry experts from around the country in different fields at different price points.
If you’re struggling with filling your calendar, tune in for advice on how to get couples to move faster in saying “yes.”
If you’re doing well, but know you have more potential that’s still untapped, you’re in the right place. The panel has luxury and ultra-luxury perspectives that will give you the inside track on how to connect with clients at the highest levels.
If you enjoy the conversation, please share with others you know who could use the help and encouragement right now.
Everyone talks a big game when it comes to attracting ideal clients, so why is it so hard to actually make it happen?
It’s because there’s a LOT of work that goes into getting from A to Z, from I know what I want in an ideal client and now I have a calendar filled with them.
That gap is filled by the buyer’s journey, and your job as a marketer and salesperson for your business is to craft a path that’s easy and inspiring to travel.
If you’re anything like most other wedding pros, though, you’re probably throwing up obstacle after obstacle for couples to become clients.
Tune into our conversation about what’s getting in the way of you and your favorite couples.
Filling your calendar with clients you love is almost as hard as finding a potential partner on a dating app.
It’s hit or miss - with a lot of ghosting.
Before you blame the game, though, look at how you’re playing it. I’m not going to offer dating advice on this episode, but Katy and I will share 10 mistakes we see wedding pros make on your websites and in your sales processes.
Take note so you can make quick updates in key areas.
Website review
Sales process audit
Today you’re going to get a first - and a second.
What do I mean by that?
In the past 3 years we’ve run a new episode each and every week. We’ve done a few different kinds of podcast approaches:
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Solo episode
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Guest expert on a particular topic
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Katy talking about websites and copywriting with me
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Celebrity guest talking about their career trajectory
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Client case studies to dive deep into how pros make improvements
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Panels to discuss a topic from a variety of perspectives
Today, I’m going to introduce a new episode genre: Oldie but goodie.
I’m going to bring back episodes from the early days that I feel are super important but are buried under 100+ newer episodes.
Here’s why I’m doing it: Some of the best content we have to share was done when we didn’t have much of an audience.
But when I look back on what’s most useful for you, dear listener, to improve your business today, these older episodes are just as relevant!
In fact, I regularly send links to many podcasts from 2021 to my current 1:1 clients to review after we touch on a topic in our session.
One of those is pricing presentation. How do you share your pricing in a way that increases the likelihood of someone buying your product or service?
I did two sales process audits this week and found the same mistake with both clients. They used a “base plus a la carte” approach on their proposal, which is very popular - but ultimately not as effective as my recommendation.
And what is that? You’ll have to listen in to learn, and to understand why menus and single options are not the most effective way to engineer your packages and pricing.
Sign up for our new panel on the state of the industry for 2024.
https://ideactionconsulting.com/state-of-the-industry-2024-panel
Hi, I’m Sam, and I’m a perfectionist.
I used to think I wasn’t a perfectionist. After all, I tend not to focus on the details, and I often leave projects undone, let alone done perfectly.
Then my therapist called BS on that, and because she is not only a licensed expert but also knows me better than anyone else - well, I listened to what she had to say.
Once I became aware of my version of perfectionism - which is one of FIVE kinds - I saw my tendencies everywhere.
Then this year I read a book that rocked my world: The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler.
Two things: First, listen in on my conversation with Katy - a fellow perfectionist, but with different tendencies. Second, if you feel like you too might be a perfectionist, read the book. It’ll make you feel seen in powerful ways - and give you the courage to adapt your version of perfectionism in healthy ways.
Today I discuss luxury weddings with KT Merry. She’s one of the savviest, experienced, and plugged in wedding pros I know, and I value her perspective. Not only does she photograph in the ultra-lux space herself, but she leads a vibrant community of aspiring luxury photographers with her signature education program, The Abundance Plan.
I think you’ll see from the breadth and depth of the conversation today she’s got a strong pulse on what’s happening with affluent buyers right now. We’re both fortunate to work directly with other wedding pros every day, which means we get a variety of perspectives, not just our own.
And that’s what I want you, dear listener, to know more about. I toyed with the idea of calling this episode “The New Rules for Luxury Weddings,” but it felt more like click-bait than the real story. Because, as you’ll see, even though we all need to adapt to current conditions, most of what you need to do is still the same.
Enjoy the conversation. People like KT have the power to transform your business.
We all know referrals are helpful to booking more clients at higher prices.
It’s too bad too many wedding professionals waste too much time, energy, and money chasing the wrong referral partners.
I want to be clear: Many educators, mentors, course creators, speakers, conference organizers, etc. offer excellent advice. In this episode, I’m not speaking to, about or against what they’re saying. In reality, I actually try to remain ignorant of what others teach, because I don’t want to infect my mind subconsciously with others’ content too much. I do me, they do them.
When I research approaches, I focus on information from what works with my clients, and inspiration from outside the industry, especially from researchers and experts in behavioral economics. Then I use those insights to create my own strategic approaches.
Finally, I take my 30 years of sales experience to guide practical tactics for everyday use. That’s the recipe for my secret sauce.
This approach has worked not just for referral strategy, but for everything I share, coach and train - both wedding pros like you and team members who do work for our clients.
Now, with that out of the way, I’m going to give you three tips to consider as you create your referral strategy, or maybe just tweak the one you’re currently using.
Communication experts have known for a long time that what you say is not nearly as important as how you say it. The most often-cited study I know concluded that 93% of communication is made through non-verbal and vocal communication, while only 7% comes from the words being said.
The study was done a long time ago with a fairly small sample size and in a sales situation, so the numbers I just mentioned are not necessarily as accurate as people who recite the information suggest. But they are for us, because we’re talking about sales!
If less than 10% of what is being “said” is not actually being said, how do you improve your communication? How do you “say” what needs to be said to potential clients so they become your customers?
That is the question for today’s episode. I’ll add color and context to the conversation, and then reveal the #1 most important skill you have to develop if you want to connect with couples - or anyone for that matter.
For masterclass information:
https://ideactionconsulting.com/wedding-business-templates
Are you getting enough inquiries? I don’t know. But I do have a formula for figuring it out - and I’m going to share it with you on today’s episode.
It’s essential information if you’re going to develop a solid marketing plan for your business.
How can you know when you’ve crossed the finish line if you don’t know where it is?
Many people are happy with their current inquiry count but actually need many more. Others out there are getting enough inquiries to charge more for their services, but aren’t - and so are leaving gobs of money on the table.
Enjoy the listen.
https://ideactionconsulting.com/wedding-copywriting
https://ideactionconsulting.com/wedding-business-website-audits
https://ideactionconsulting.com/wedding-business-sales-coaching
You hear a lot about ideal clients from educators and experts, us included. We don’t have the market cornered on the information, but we certainly feel we add a nuanced and sophisticated approach to the concept.
On this podcast, you’ve heard about buyer types and psychological motivations, which isn’t discussed much by others. We feel it’s important to do deep research on who your favorite couples are, what they believe, how they behave, and what emotional and social desires they hold deep down but don’t know how to express.
When you know how to speak directly to what matters most to ideal couples, they become clients. You charge more for your services. You enjoy the experience of serving them, rather than dreading their wedding date.
Over the years, I’ve steered our company upstream to help get more ideal couples for our clients. I started as a business coach, but for wedding pros to reach their goals they needed to convert more sales. To get more inquiries, Katy, my wife and business partner, started writing conversion copy for the websites of my coaching clients. We eventually expanded to additional pages like custom proposals and built a team of 10 to handle all the projects.
Now we’re going even further upstream by integrating branding and website design into our in-house services.
But like sales and copywriting, we’re not scratching the surface with approach. Oh no, we’re diving deep into the user experience and merging it with our work on buyer psychology and communication preferences.
Today, I’m bringing Katy on to discuss the process of creating different designs for different buyer types based on how they prefer to process information on websites.
Enjoy the discussion. Especially if you’re not getting enough inquiries, or inquiries from the right kinds of couples.
Have you ever shown up at a party feeling like you missed the dress code cue on the invitation? It’s awful. You stand around talking to people, but the only thing on your mind is how uncomfortable you feel about the way you look.
It’s called the “spotlight effect,” when we feel like everyone’s looking at us more than we actually are. Most of the time when we feel like everyone’s watching very few actually are. They’re paying too much attention to themselves to really care. When everyone’s thinking about themselves no one is focused on you.
But if the party you underdressed for is a wedding, people ARE looking at you, because it’s a part of the experience. Everyone’s looking at the couple, no doubt. But also the wedding party. And the parents as they walk down the aisle or do the first dance. Everyone’s being primed to look at how people are dressed, even if they’re not the star of the show.
Which means as a vendor you have to show up looking like you fit in with ‘fit.
I know, I know, I can hear many of you already. “But I have to be on my feet all day.” Yes, I agree - but you can’t show up to a black tie event wearing padded sneakers.
So what’s the criteria for wedding pros working at weddings?
As with most advice, it depends on the situation. I brought in Julian Leaver, luxury event planner and The Dapper Diplomat, to talk with me about grooming and attire on the wedding day. Because you don’t want to book at higher price points and then lower your brand value by going too casual at the event.
CRMs are a big part of any successful business. They help organize information, get contracts signed, collect payments, build a database of potential referrers, and streamline workflows.
But I see too many wedding pros take CRMS to the extreme, especially when it comes to automation.
What’s easy and convenient for you, the business owner, often feels impersonal and generic to the couple. Even worse, you might create a “workspace” through your CRM that requires people to operate the way you want without considering it from their perspective.
Clearly, no one wants that kind of client experience - so how do you balance automation with personalization?
That’s why I brought Sara Kinkaid on the podcast today. She’s VP of Operations at Aisle Planner, one of the most popular CRMs for wedding planners, and now any field in the wedding industry.
I want to be super upfront about this episode. I do not get ANY money or commission or favors from Aisle Planner for bringing Sara on. In fact, I ran her through the ringer for 30 minutes before formally inviting her to the show. Why? I wanted to make sure their approaches aligned with what we recommend on the podcast, other content we share, and coaching advice I offer clients.
Knowing that, I hope you enjoy the discussion and find a way to leverage the power of a CRM without sacrificing the all-important client experience.
Trust isn’t given, it’s earned. And if you’re not focused on making deposits with potential clients, you better start now.
Sure, marketing and sales requires you to do lots of different things well. Showcase a solid portfolio. Connect with the couples who inquire. Lead the discovery call to uncover emotional and social desires. Deliver a compelling custom proposal.
But at the root of all these things is trust. People on your website and in your inbox want to know you’re going to deliver the goods.
That’s why they care about your portfolio. They want to know you’ve delivered the things they want for their own wedding to others before.
That’s why they want to connect with you. They want to know you’re likable, and a good listener, and an authority in what you do.
That’s why they want to feel empathy from you. They want to know you’re get them and have helped others with what they’re looking for.
It all comes down to trust. Will you do what you say you’ll do when you say you’ll do it.
The problem is too many wedding pros aren’t paying enough attention to building trust. And as you’ll hear in a story about how I lost trust with a willing buyer, it’s not easy to recover once you’ve bankrupted the trust account.
Let’s get the story started, and then I’ll share my top 10 ways to build trust in the sales process.
Friction in the buyer’s journey grinds away on deal momentum slowly and silently. I’ve looked at hundreds of sales processes over the years, and I can tell you it’s usually not one big, dramatic reason why people ghost you.
When a deal dies, it’s more like death by a thousand paper cuts. One nick and it’s not that bad. Two, you can keep things going. But after a while the little things start to mount up and create real problems.
The challenge is most people are creating friction in the buyer’s journey, but have no idea when and where and how.
Today, I bring in Katy Taylor Jacobson to help break down where wedding pros are creating friction unknowingly on their websites and in the sales process. We’ll give you a list of approaches to avoid, so you can stop slowing down deal momentum and get more bookings on your calendar.
People buy from people, not businesses. Especially in the wedding industry where couples can work closely together with vendors for over a year.
So why are you making it hard for couples to connect with you on your website? And to be clear, I’m not talking about putting up a photo of you with a blurb that reads like a dating profile or resume.
Today, I bring on Katy Taylor Jacobson to share what mistakes she sees on About pages - and what to do instead, so you can attract more ideal clients to your inbox.
Because, well, don’t we all want that right now?
Zoom is one of those artifacts from the pandemic that’s not going away. People got used to talking with each other remotely with this app, and the behavior stuck.
Here’s the thing: I’m okay with it. In fact, I kinda like it.
When done well, Zoom allows us to connect in a richer, more helpful way than phone calls do. It can also add to your swag by boosting the brand of your business in the same way a nice office does - or did.
But it can also hurt your chances of booking new clients if your Zoom skills are subpar.
The bad news is most people I chat with on Zoom offer a below average Zoom experience. That’s the #1 reason I’m doing this episode. I feel obligated to help, because it’s gotten worse over the years.
The good news is all the terrible Zoomers out there mean it’s easier to stand out, to be effective, and to build trust with potential buyers.
So listen up for my Top 14 Zoom no-nos - and what to do instead.
Today I chat with top photographer, Joseph Rogero Mills, a client I first met back in 2023. I remember getting the inquiry and looking him up online. By all accounts, he was very successful:
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Lots of IG followers
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Published plenty of times
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Brides Top Photographer
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Stunning portfolio
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Gorgeous website
I was curious why he reached out.
When I did the discovery call to find out, I was even more confused. He was knowledgeable, articulate, friendly, and believed in his company, abilities and product.
So what was up? Why did he need my help?
As we’ll talk about in the conversation, it was a minor tweak or two at critical points in the sales process. That was all. A little acupuncture needle at the right pressure point to change the entire buying experience.
You see, Joseph knows what he does well. How he helps his clients. Why those that book him absolutely adore their images. He has more conviction about what he calls his “ethos” than most wedding pros I know.
And that’s led to his success. I simply helped him translate it differently to different couples when they inquired.
Listen in on our conversation to hear more about Joseph’s journey as a business owner, which has proven to be an intense experience of self-reflection and personal discovery.
Couples are overwhelmed by all the noise in today’s wedding marketplace. It’s crowded. It’s loud. It all sounds and looks the same to the untrained buyer simply hoping to book vendors for a pretty, fun celebration with family and friends.
So how do you compete in this situation? How do you fill your calendar? With the right kinds of couples? Who pay higher prices you deserve for your amazing work?
That’s exactly what I’m talking about today with Katy Taylor Jacobson, my wife and our Head Copywriter, who’s spent more than 50,000 hours - yes, that’s correct - thinking about and practicing how to get wedding couples to buy services from her, her team, or clients she’s guiding the way for.
When you live and breathe wedding sales and marketing over a quarter century you learn a thing or two about how to stand out, and that’s what we’ll explore in today’s conversation.
Get your notepad out, and enjoy the discussion!
The pandemic might be over, but we’re still feeling the ripple effects.
Anyone with kids who were supposed to be in school for the second half of 2020 and most of 2021 know what I’m talking about. I’m reading a book called “The Stolen Year” because it’s so terrible for our educational system as a whole.
The economy is…confused. Some signs point good, others not so good. Even the decision-makers aren’t sure what the hell is going on, which means their uncertainty creates unpredictability in the markets. Never a good thing for businesses.
In the wedding industry, specifically, one of the ripple effects is couples taking longer to make decisions. Some of this is related to the horror stories their friends shared or family members went through with their own weddings between 2020 and 2022.
I have a family member who just got back from Mexico celebrating her friend’s 40th birthday. Why Mexico? Because the friend had put a deposit down on a venue at a resort, but they didn’t end up doing the wedding there and the resort wouldn’t refund (only credit) the couple. So the friends grouped together to do the vacation there, used her credit, and then venmoed her their share with actual money so she could get the cash back.
So if you think couples are “over” the pandemic, you’re not seeing things from their perspective. It lives on, like a recurring nightmare we’re all trudging through.
But how else are post-pandemic ripple effects impacting our industry and your business? Listen in today for some explanations and insights - as well as what to do about certain buyer behavior that makes it hard (and now hardER) to make decisions.
My brother owns a talent company in Los Angeles, and I once asked him what he did for his clients. He thought for a while, then said, “I manage their expectations.”
He went on to explain that a lot of writers and directors - the types of clients he represented at the time - go to Hollywood with big dreams. They have talent, ideas, and are willing to work hard to get where they want to go.
Unfortunately, so do thousands of others - and studios only have so many shows they’ll produce each year, which means the spots at the top of success are few and far between. It takes time to earn one. In my brother’s line of work, that means years, maybe even decades of putting in your dues before you get the rewards you want.
That’s a tough sell, because Americans love an overnight success story. We think it happens all the time (which it doesn’t). Most people worked their way up the ladder for years before getting any recognition. Years.
Just because you (or some journalist or influencer) found out about them only recently doesn’t mean they started recently.
I see this all the time in the wedding industry. The need for immediate gratification. Short-term thinking. A general lack of patience. I get it: We all want to win with our businesses. But this is an infinite game that takes years to even learn the rules.
I remember hearing Bryan Rafanelli on the main stage at my first Engage back in 2013. He said he took every opportunity that came his way for the first 10 years, till he was full. Ten years. That’s how long it took him to fill his calendar with a steady stream of clients at luxury levels.
For the record, I was listening to him 17 years after he started his company. 17 years.
When I first heard Bryan talk in 2013, he was three years past his biggest break, which was planning the wedding of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky. You know who else worked with him on that wedding? Today’s guest for my podcast, Gigi de Manio.
For the record, she had been photographing for 20 years - 14 of those in the wedding industry - before she became a household name.
Today, Gigi and I talk about hitting singles instead of home runs with your business. Swing for the fences every time and you’ll end up striking out. Success in the wedding industry is a long game, one that takes time to develop talent and hone your skills and put yourself in a position to win big when it matters most.
I hope you find as much inspiration and information on how to build a career in the wedding industry as I did in this conversation with Gigi.
Last week I sent out a newsletter about a “correction” in the wedding market last year, and the impact we’re feeling in our businesses this year - and likely next year too.
It made quite a bit of noise on IG, which is great. Thank you Reagan Events for amplifying the ideas I shared and adding in a planner’s perspective on a speculative market in downstream vendors.
Ironically, I’d just cut this episode with Lindsay Landman the day before all this happened. Instead of airing it in June, as planned, I want it to come out today.
Lindsay is one of the top planners in the world, and one of the savviest minds in our industry. When she says something, I listen. And so should you.
Today we talk about
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Market correction after a 2022 boom
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How to value your services in the current market
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What couples think about vendor prices
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Top ways to sabotage your relationships with planners
Enjoy the show. This is a good one.
I remember my first day on the job working in a restaurant in 1994 at the age of 16. I’d eaten at them while growing up, but I’d never known how it all went together behind the scenes, behind the swing door going into the kitchen - and I was transfixed when that first day in the back-of-house watching it all go down.
Same thing happened when I worked my first wedding 17 years ago. I’d attended two weddings in my life up until that point, but even so I was blown away by how much work went in behind the scenes to make it happen. So many moving pieces all coming together.
When I started doing ultra-luxury weddings with Todd Events in 2015 it was another eye-popping experience.
Now, I spend my time not working directly with couples putting together their wedding, but with wedding professionals to create a successful company. A big part of anyone’s business is their website - and I’ve seen a lot of them come together over the years.
Our company has been a part of over 350 in the past 4+ years, which is like 10-15 years experience in design years. Remember, we currently have seven people working full-time to create brand strategies, design sites, and write copy.
Today, I’m bringing my wife and business partner, Katy Taylor Jacobson, on the podcast to talk about what goes into building a new site, and offer tips to take when you decide to undertake an overhaul or refresh, whether or not you choose us to bring the site together.
Enjoy the conversation!
In the intro to the podcast you hear me say it’s hard to own your own business. Especially if it’s a business of one.
Why? Because you’ve got to do ALL the things - even if you’re not good at them or love doing them. When you’re starting out or struggling, or too stubborn to hire out important work to experts, you end up doing all of it by yourself.
And it’s tiring. You only get so much energy to devote to important things every day. Your brain can only do so many things with its logical, rational way of thinking - your System 2 mind. After a while, it switches over to System 1, where it makes decisions largely on autopilot using your emotional mind.
For those of you with ADHD, it’s even tougher, because executive functioning skills like focus, attention and memory don’t come naturally like they do to many others.
Here’s something for you: Did you know that people with ADHD are 3-4x more likely to start and operate their own business than the regular population. Some estimates are that 1 in 5 entrepreneurs have ADHD, which means that hundreds of you who listen to this podcast regularly are going to get much-needed insight from my friend, colleague Megan Gillikin.
Megan was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago, after struggling with certain parts of her life but constantly being told, “No, it’s not ADHD.” Finally, after advocating for herself and finding the right people, she got the information, insights, and resources she needed to overcome obstacles, and enjoy daily work more regularly.
If you have ADHD, listen in, because Megan will share ideas for you to follow.
If you think you might have undiagnosed ADHD, she’ll tell you how she went from curious about a diagnosis to determined to succeed with one.
And if you’re just a regular solopreneur struggling to find ways to focus on your most important work, tune in as well, because you’ll hear new ways to make the most of your time in the office.
Want to know why you’re not attracting the right kinds of couples to your inbox?
First place to look is your website. But don’t look at it like a filter, or a screen. Think of it like a magnet.
Are you putting out content that triggers interest in ideal clients?
We look at literally thousands of websites and galleries every year, and I can assure you that most people are putting out images that do NOT appeal to their ideal clients.
Yes, they tell a story of the wedding day.
Yes, they reflect your style.
But they don’t connect with what matters most to people when they’re considering a purchase:
What motivates them in life.
If you want to get more interest from your favorite kinds of couples, you’re going to enjoy this episode.
Are you pitching your packages and pricing on discovery calls?
If so, listen up.
You might be booking couples with your current approach. But are you booking as many as you could if you chose to delay your pitch…
Until they were at the right stage in the buyer’s journey?
Until you’d built enough trust and respect with the couple?
Until they were eager to hear that kind of information?
Until all the decision-makers were paying attention?
In today's episode, I’ll share a story about how a salesperson recently struck out on a major sale with me, why it happened, and how it’s - unfortunately - very similar to the sales approach many wedding professionals take with their inquiries.
Today, I bring in Julian Leaver, the Dapper Diplomat and owner of Julian Leaver Events.
Julian was on the podcast a few months ago for episode 123 to talk about the power of a strong personal brand. It was one of the most popular podcasts we’ve done over the past year, which got me thinking about how to dive even deeper into the knowledge he can share with the audience.
So I’m bringing him in quarterly, now, to talk about important topics like personal brand, grooming and attire, etiquette, communication, client experience, and how to handle difficult situations.
I like his no-nonsense approach, and self-effacing take on what it means to work with luxury clients and vendors.
Today’s discussion is about networking, because it’s a) crucial for long-term success in the wedding industry, and b) a challenge for many, maybe even most people in the audience. Even if you think you’re doing a great job at networking, it’s quite possible - maybe even likely - that you’re messing it up and don’t even know it.
I’ve learned a ton from Julian over the years. I know you will too.
You listen to the podcast because you want to be a more successful business owner. You want to get better at selling your services. At creating a solid website. At making messages that connect with your ideal clients.
I share information on the podcast, because I know how to do these things. And I love helping others like you who are open to the insights, the information, and most importantly, are willing to do the work to make the improvements.
While I might be good at sales, marketing and buyer psychology, I was not always a good listener. It's been a weak spot in my skill set, not just in business, but as a person. As a friend, as a brother, as a son.
So 10 years ago, I decided to do something about it. Like you, I sought out a coach, an expert who could show me the way.
I learned a ton, not just from my coach, Laura, but from the resources she shared, the books I’ve read over the past decade, and the mentors who’ve taught me the value of listening is often more helpful in life and business than being a good talker.
Today I’ll share a few techniques that will help YOU be a better listener. For people who inquire, for current clients, for friendors you collaborate with, and for everyone else in your life that wants to connect with you in real, meaningful ways.
Listening may seem like a soft skill, but there’s nothing fluffy about the content I’m going to share over the next 15 minutes.
I tend to focus on practical advice about strategies and tactics on this podcast. Sales. Pricing. Copywriting. Website design. Communication. I take general behavioral science insights and apply them to your work as a wedding professional.
However, don’t confuse my focus on these few areas with a belief that other areas aren’t important. They are the ones I choose to talk about, because I feel like there’s a gap in these topics in the wedding industry, and I’m uniquely qualified to provide expertise and advice in them. It’s my passion, and what I know most about.
But you have more responsibilities as a business owner or wedding pro than just sales, pricing, copywriting, websites and communication - which is why I bring on different guests to talk about areas they’re expert in, about topics you can benefit from.
This week I’m bringing in my friend and colleague, Gurminder Banga, to talk about mental health as a business owner - and as a regular human being.
Although I don’t talk about mental health much in my professional work, I’m very interested in it outside of work. Both my parents were therapists. I’ve focused on self-development regularly since I was in college. I’ve used therapy for grief, marital counseling, and parenting over the years. And right now, as I record this episode, I’m involved in a 12-week program to recover my own vitality as a fully present man in a crazy, chaotic world.
Banga, which is how most people know him, has taken his own journey cleaning up his mental health - both as a business owner and human being. And along the way, he’s made it a point to educate himself in how to help others on their journeys to be a better version of themselves, particularly as it relates to full, whole success as a business owner.
I hope you enjoy this conversation. It’s a good one.
We’ve all heard about the “inquiry season” or “booking season.” But does it really exist?
The digging I’ve done shows that it’s not as much of a thing as you might think.
I surveyed dozens of clients inquiries and bookings from the past several years, and what I discovered might surprise you:
There’s not a definitive bump in counts in the first quarter of the year compared to other times of the year.
If inquiries were evenly distributed throughout the year, that would mean about 25% would occur in every quarter. Here’s what I found:
Q1 - 26%
Q2 - 22%
Q3 - 28%
Q4 - 24%
Three things then:
It’s fairly consistent throughout the year
The traditional booking season is not really a big deal
Q3, which is when most wedding pros are quite busy, is when most inquiries come in
So what does this all mean?
You have to focus on sales and marketing all year long
You have to pay attention to next year’s couples when you’re servicing next week’s clients
If you’re down in bookings, you still have a great chance to fill in your calendar with clients who are inquiring right now - no matter what time of the year it is that you hear this
Today, I bring in Katy for a conversation on how you can generate inquiries with a few simple steps.
Let me tell you what I’ve learned after talking to hundreds of wedding pros who aren’t getting enough bookings or the right kinds of bookings.
Most of the challenges you’re running into are self-created. You’re doing it to yourself.
In the wedding industry, we tend to blame outside forces acting upon our business for the reasons why we’re not doing well, or not reaching our full potential.
The economy. The election cycle. Declining engagement rates. Wars overseas. Yes, these impact the macro conditions we all work in.
But how do you explain some people having banner years while others are struggling? Yesterday I had a call with a long-term coaching and copywriting client who’s fully booked for 2024 at her highest rates yet as a full-service planner, and then I opened my inbox to find an inquiry from a photographer who’s not booked anything in six months?
The economy, election cycle, engagement rates, and wars affect both of them equally.
Both were getting enough inquiries, but only one was converting them. Why is one thriving with a full calendar and the other is trying to figure out how to get the next booking?
Much of it has to do with two things:
How the sales process is designed
Your sales skills
Here’s the good news: If you’re running into issues with a poorly designed sales process, we can fix some of it in this episode, because the first big issue to fix is the inquiry response.
You’re going to discover four big no-nos, why they’re wreaking havoc on your conversion rates, and what to do about it instead.
Most wedding pros aren’t getting enough inquiries to feed their businesses - and the website is often the reason why.
Yes, even for those of you in the luxury market.
My general rule of thumb for the luxury market is to get 10x the number of inquiries as you need bookings if you want to get the most from your bookings.
For those NOT in luxury, it’s more like 4x-6x as many inquiries as the number of bookings you want.
It’s easier than ever for couples to inquire, but why does it seem like there’s not enough good ones in your inbox.
Today, I’m bringing in my business partner and better half to talk shop about how your website is making it harder to get the right kinds of clients to inquire.
You know the saying: It’s good to learn from your mistakes?
I think it’s overrated.
Yeah, sure, you should absolutely learn from what didn’t work so you can improve your chances of something else working in the future.
But it’s slow - and stressful - to go through life making mistakes. Why not learn from the mistakes others make? Let them screw up or screw around on the way to success.
You can observe what they’ve done from a distance and learn not just what DIDN’T work, but also what DID work.
This week, I’m sharing insights from a panel I hosted a few weeks ago as part of our Sway Mastermind promotion. It features a photographer, planner, videographer and DJ, all of whom have made it to places most wedding pros want to be: the elusive luxury space.
If you’re looking to level up into luxury, this will fast-track your success.
If you’re already at those price points, well done. And you can STILL learn from others’ wins and losses, because it’s only getting harder and more complex to navigate the way forward in this coveted market.
Enjoy the episode. Lots to learn. I know I walked away with new insights.
I’ve featured some of the best in the business on my podcast. Abby Jiu, KT Merry, Bob Spiegel, Alex Le Roux, Shannon Leahy, Chris Jespersen, and so many others. It’s great to hear their insights and reflections on the route they took to the top of their fields in the event industry.
But I find it equally important - and even more inspiring - to hear from people who are in the middle of their journey. Who are seeing success, but haven’t come close to reaching their full potential.
I try to bring clients who embody what it takes to find success every month or two to share their story, to talk about what it’s like to be in the midst of making it big, to give you a feeling for how they get as far as they have - and what they did to push through the obstacles.
Today’s episode is a conversation with Tara Blunk, one of our masterminders from 2023 who taught me a lot about what it means to work harder AND smarter. To fill her cup with knowledge, but know it is nowhere close to full. And to learn from a variety of instructors:
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Fear, uncertainty and doubt
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Past failures
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Creative mentors
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Technical masters
If you’re anything like me, you’ll get sucked into this story - because it could’ve been my own in so many ways. And it could be yours too.
Enjoy the conversation…
Is it just me, or does the 2024 booking season feel a little different than other years?
I’ve been in this industry for 17 years now. I’ve seen the Wedding Boom, the pandemic, the Golden Age, and the Great Recession. But this year feels…flat.
I’m not saying it’s a bad start to the year. Oh no! In fact, many of our clients are having record bookings these past few months.
But many others aren’t doing well. It’s stressful, even scary.
On today’s episode, I try to explain what’s going on, why it’s happening, and how you can move from scared to psyched about the upcoming year.
What’s in store for 2024?
The short answer is: Whatever you make it.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a magic button you could push and all your dreams would come true? Or at least some of them?
I was reading Arnold Scharzenegger’s recent memoir, Be Useful, and in it he says: “If there is one unavoidable truth in this world, it’s that there is no substitute for putting in the work. People have tried to cut corners and skip steps in this process for as long as hard work has been hard.”
I love this, because it’s so true. If you want to see the results, you have to put the work in. And, no, you can’t cut corners. You can’t skip steps if you want to create long-term success.
It’s one of the biggest myths we see in the wedding industry - and it can be dangerous for pros like you hoping to make it to the top. Try jumping three rungs on the ladder at one time and you’ll likely fall flat on your face.
For instance, you can’t simply raise your rates by 30, 40, 50% at once because your work is great and a planner told you you should charge more…without putting in the work to create context and build value for that significantly higher price. But people do it all the time.
And fall flat on their faces.
In this episode, Katy and I’ll talk about several other myths about getting into luxury that prevent hard-working pros like you from making the move to elevate your business. We’ll also discuss 8 proven steps that even Arnold would support on your journey to create success for your business and your life.
Quick note if you’re listening to this before February 7, 2024, our Sway Mastermind is officially open for enrollment. It’s a complete level-up for wedding pros interested in either a) moving into the luxury market, or b) trying to book more consistently at higher prices if you’re already on the monogrammed dance floor with affluent clients.
Check out the link in IG profile or go straight to www.ideactionconsulting.com/mastermind for more information on the ridiculous VIP offer on the table through Feb. 1, including a lifetime discount on Ideaction services.
Last week, I shared insights on why couples aren’t booking vendors at higher price points. It’s largely due to an imbalanced value proposition. Price is higher than the value offered by the vendor.
It’s one of the biggest obstacles that wedding pros run into when trying to make the move into premium and luxury markets.
But it’s not the only thing getting in the way of you charging higher prices. Today, I want to bring in my better half for a conversation on what’s getting in the way of your success - and what you can do to overcome these obstacles.
Quick note if you’re listening to this before February 7, 2024, our Sway Mastermind is officially open for enrollment. It’s a complete level-up for wedding pros interested in either a) moving into the luxury market, or b) trying to book more consistently at higher prices if you’re already on the monogrammed dance floor with affluent clients.
Check out the link in IG profile or go straight to www.ideactionconsulting.com/mastermind for more information on the ridiculous VIP offer on the table through Feb. 1, including a lifetime discount on Ideaction services.
The single biggest reason wedding pros struggle to convert couples at higher prices is because you’re not justifying the extra expense compared to someone who’s cheaper.
Let’s be honest, most of you offer packages with features that are nearly identical to others in your field. You want to know how to stand out in a crowded marketplace? And get clients to gladly pay more for what you’re offering?
Build value. Create desire.
Which is exactly what I’ll talk about in this short episode that shows you where to focus your energy in 2024, especially during inquiry season.
Most wedding pros I know are trying to charge more for their services. Is this one of your goals?
If so, keep listening to the Own Your Business podcast, because it’s about booking more of your ideal clients at higher price points.
But strategies and tactics for sales, pricing and copywriting are only a few of the skills you’ll need to pick up if you want to break into the premium and luxury markets. One of the big areas you have to level up if you want to stay in those elevated markets is your personal brand.
Today, I bring on Julian Leaver, aka The Dapper Diplomat. I had Julian on the podcast a couple years ago to share his success as one of the premier wedding planners in the country. But he’s got another side to him that is incredibly helpful for business owners and professionals who want to feel confident about their personal brand. He’s a certified protocol officer, which means he knows the ins and outs of modern etiquette, which has the ultimate goal of making people around you feel comfortable.
As an etiquette expert, Julian helps individuals and teams polish their interpersonal skills in important areas like communication, networking, entertaining clients, and dining. He also offers advice and guidance on grooming and attire for both men and women.
Let’s be honest: Many of you need help in these areas. If you show up on IG or your website not looking like you fit in at the weddings you work, you won’t last long in the premium markets. If you drop 10k on attending a conference like Engage, but don’t know how to work a cocktail party or dine with the affluent, you might be wasting your money and time. If you don’t know how to style stretch to communicate with different people in different ways to make them feel comfortable, you’re losing business you could otherwise book.
And so much more.
I’m thinking about having Juilan on once every few months to talk about your personal brand on the podcast, because if you want to attract the right kinds of clients and earn their trust for word-of-mouth referrals, you have to look, act and believe you belong.
Let’s get started with our first conversation!
Link for personal brand workshop with Julian: https://bit.ly/48hxkcF
Before we get the main episode underway, a quick announcement for those listening before Jan. 15.
I’m co-hosting a free workshop on how to build a luxury personal brand in the wedding industry. I’ll be joined by my friend, luxury planner and certified protocol officer, Julian Leaver to talk about what it takes to present yourself and communicate in a way wealthy clientele trust and respect.
Trust is the #1 criteria for purchase decisions among affluent buyers. We’ll talk about specifics on creating and building trust not only during the buyer’s journey, but also while you service your clients before, during and after the wedding.
Register now through the link at the bottom of the show notes.
Now, on to the episode!
What does it take to find success in luxury photography?
Gorgeous images? Solid referral base? Strong brand reputation?
Yes, 100%. But these are just table stakes for a seat with the affluent couples and their planners.
On today’s podcast, I bring together four of the top photographers in the wedding world to discuss:
-What else besides beautiful images you need to make your mark in the luxury space
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The #1 key to delivering exceptional customer service
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Their “secret weapons” for before, during and after the wedding to surprise and delight clients
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What they know now that they wish they knew way back when
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How to sell through planners
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Biggest myths you believe that they want to bust
Tune in to hear from KT Merry, Abby Jiu, Gione da Silva, and Charla Storey on what it takes to break into and book consistently in the luxury market.
Link to register to the Luxury Personal Brand Workshop (free, and replay available): bit.ly/48hxkcF
What a year! It wasn’t as crazy as the past three, but that didn’t make it any less interesting. No pandemic, but we sure felt the ripple effects, even if it was more about getting back to normal after riding the boom wave for 18 months.
It’s tempting to wrap up 2023 without looking back on it, because we’re so eager for what the future holds. But most successful planning involves a few moments reflecting on what you see in the rear view mirror.
Join us on this quick conversation as Katy and I go month-by-month on insights we picked up, which can help your business prepare for a more successful and enjoyable year ahead.
The single most difficult sales skill to develop is the discovery call.
It’s also the most important. It’s when you qualify the client. And connect with them. And it’s where you set yourself up for an easy close. If you’re getting ghosted after you share pricing it’s because you blew it earlier on in the discovery call.
I’m not perfect at them either. I get ghosted too! But not as much after I stopped making the common mistakes I’ll share with you on today’s podcast.
But first a story about the absolute worst discovery call I’ve been on. And no, it wasn’t a client. It was a person I wanted to give money to for a service I really wanted.
PSA: You’re not perfect. You’re going to make mistakes. The question is: Will you learn from them? If so, how will you learn from them?
People tend to improve what you pay attention to in their business. So how do you know what needs to be improved - especially if you’re not deconstructing what went well and what didn’t.
In today’s episode of Own Your Business, I talk about:
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Why post-mortems are a non-negotiable for your future success
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What to include in your post-season analysis
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What to do with the information you gather
Do yourself a favor. Block off two two-hour sessions on your calendar to follow through on the recommendations I make. Your future self will thank you.
Katy and I cut this episode right after we returned from our Shift Retreat in Costa Rica a couple weeks ago. Ironically, when this episode goes to air on Dec. 4, we’ll be in the middle of a second retreat helping business owners clarify what success looks like, and then create action plan to get there.
Spending a solid week with clients to dig into what’s going on and how to help them revealed some patterns in what we saw.
Today, Katy and I sit down for a quick conversation about what we’re seeing business owners go through with their companies, and offer insights into how you can steer yourself and your team in the right direction for 2024.
Hope you enjoy the episode!
What goes into a successful website? A beautiful design? Yes, of course. A stunning visual brand? For sure.
But what else? Yes, copywriting is important too. But before that, before the branding, before the design, you’ve got to build the site on a solid foundation if you want it to last.
In today’s episode of Own Your Business, Katy and I talk about the six components of a successful site. And give you the step-by-step on how to build one yourself.
Enjoy the listen…
It’s Thanksgiving week in the US, so I thought it would be fun to do an episode on gratitude. But this isn’t a week off from the science of growing your business. Oh no! We’re pulling back the curtain on what seems like woo-woo, so you can see how:
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Our negativity bias creates a pressure cooker for everyday life
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Where you might be setting yourself up for failure the harder you try for success
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Why losses are so much more intense than wins
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Most importantly, you’ll get the tools to rewire your brain to focus on the good things in life, rather than the bad
Take 20 minutes for this week’s episode. You’ll thank me later.
Want to know what I’ve learned looking at hundreds of wedding pros’ offerings and pricing?
Most people are doing it wrong. And unfortunately, it’s costing you business - both in clients lost and money left on the table.
Here’s the good news: I’ve got insights to share with you today that will help convert more couples and get them to feel comfortable paying higher prices for your services.
In today’s episode of Own Your Business, I share:
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How I got my start practicing choice architecture at The Olive Garden
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What behavioral economics has to say about package and pricing design, and
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Three keys to sharing your pricing to make it easy for people to say yes
Enjoy the show today!
Let me ask a question that most wedding pros I know can’t answer:
What’s your exit strategy?
Here’s another one:
What’s your growth strategy?
And let’s be clear: Charging more is NOT a growth strategy. Yes, getting couples to pay higher prices is part of success. But at some point you’ll hit a ceiling with how much people are willing to pay.
Real growth - and most exit plans - are built on your ability to get others to do the work you’re currently doing now.
It’s the old adage that the first thing you should do when you get a new job is find a way to replace yourself. That’s because you can’t grow your career if you don’t get a promotion.
But how do you do that if you’re the owner of the business? That’s what I talk about today with Eatherley Shultz, the Owner of Floressence Flowers out of Asheville, North Carolina.
Eatherley and I started working together back in 2018 after we met on a walk along the Bow River in Banff, Canada. She’d already achieved solid success with her business, but not she wanted less.
Yes, you heard me correctly: Less. Not more.
Less stress.
Less chaos and confusion.
Less time doing all the things her clients needed her company to do.
Less turnover with her team.
And so many other things.
Tune into today’s podcast to hear Eatherley’s story, which is a triumphant one, about how she got out of her own way to let the team reach its full potential - and give her a sense of fulfillment that was more impactful than any big price tag she’s put on an invoice.
Because when you reach a certain level of success, it’s not about how to charge more for your services. It’s about how to get more from your company.
We all want more ideal clients. But how do you get more of them to land in your inbox?
It’s not magic. But it’s also not as simple as cold-DMing planners and upgrading your branding.
In this episode Katy and I talk about:
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What goes into an ideal client avatar
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How you can communicate messages to trigger ideal clients
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Why some messages connect and others don’t
Stay tuned. You won’t want to miss this short deep-dive that gives you a blueprint for getting better inquiries and bigger budgets.
PLANNERS: Here's a link for our advanced training program to book more full-service clients at higher prices.
www.breakthroughweddingplanning.com
Scarcity is a powerful persuasive tool. But it’s also a dangerous one, because when used too often or with too heavy of a hand it can backfire - and kill a deal faster than you can say, actually there’s not really an expiration on the proposal I sent you.
In today’s episode, I’ll share with you:
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Ways you might be using scarcity without even knowing it
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How it impacts buyers positively and negatively
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What buyer type sees huge value in hard-to-get services, and
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The two buyer types who shut down when you use scarcity to urge the sale
This is powerful stuff. I hope you tune in all the way through. You might have to listen twice, it's that nuanced.
Do you ever feel like you have 28 hours of things to do every day? Yeah, me too.
In fact, I recently read about a mindset called “time poor,” which I suffer very badly from. It’s awful. I never feel like I have enough time.
And to top it all off, I still feel guilty for not putting enough time into the things that matter to me. Just the other day, I started work at 700am and felt awful, like I was playing hookie with my day.
Over the past 100+ episodes, we’ve devoted a total of ZERO to time management. And many of you are in the thick of it, because September and October are the two busiest months for weddings. So…it’s a perfect chance to bring in my time management guru, Katy Taylor Jacobson, to talk about:
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How to pick the big rocks to put on your calendar
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Missteps even the best make when planning out their time
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The next big move you can make to create more space for the important things in work and life
No one spends more time with couples getting married than full-service wedding planners. They’re in the mix of it all, including:
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Budget conversations between couples and with their parents
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Mulling over how to pick what vendors
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What are their priorities for the wedding
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How they feel about each aspect of the experience
And so. much. more.
Which means if you want to know what’s going on in the mind of today’s couple you go to the planners because they know the most.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to waste time guessing about things, especially when it’s so easy to simply know something by asking others or looking it up. Who’s got time for trial and error? Or the stress that goes with faking it till you make it?
So this week, I’m sharing a replay of a conversation I hosted last week with three top wedding planners, Caitlin Fulton Kuchemba, Megan Gillikin and Liz McKellar, to get their take on:
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Vendor referrals and how NOT to approach planners
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What couples want for their weddings in 2024
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How you can stand out in a crowded marketplace
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Why planning timelines are all over the place
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Value shifts from Millennials to Gen Z
Buckle up. It’s a candid, real, and honest conversation about what works and doesn’t work anymore post-pandemic.
People ask me all the time what to expect for the upcoming season. Will inquiries be up? Down? Should I plan for it to be slower or busier?
The short answer is unless we face another pandemic, the new normal is likely to be business as usual. Here’s what I mean by that: Go back to what you were dealing with in 2018 and 2019. THAT is what it will be like for the rest of 2023 and throughout 2024.
Basically, you’ve got to stand out from the crowd to get enough inquiries from the right kinds of couples, and then you need to convert them with excellent sales skills. Simple right? Ha!
So today, I’m bringing in copywriting ringer and my better half in business and life, Katy Taylor Jacobson, to share with you ways to cut through the noise and connect with you best buyers.
Enjoy the conversation.
Katy and I may get a lot of the spotlight when it comes to our company, but it’s not just us doing the Good Work of helping business professionals reach their goals. Oh no, we’ve got an entire team working behind the scenes and directly with clients to make the magic happen. We’re currently at seven full-time team members, and we’re looking to bring back our eighth this fall.
I thought it’d be fun to have our senior copywriter join me today for a conversation about what it’s like to work on website projects for our company. What our clients learn during the experience. How they apply new insights to their business. What surprises them as they bring their website to life.
Lauren Bryan has a lot to share after working on nearly 100 copywriting projects these past few years. I know you’ll learn more than a few things from her over the next half hour.
Do you remember that app Clubhouse? The one that had that brief two or three months in the spotlight over the 2021 winter? I loved that app. Maybe you did too, and it might be the reason you’re listening to this podcast in the first place. It certainly was my inspiration.
One of the best things that came from my time on Clubhouse was a long-lasting relationship with John Bunn and Nick Miller, two videographers who run How to Film Weddings. John reached out after a Clubhouse binge I went on back in January 2021, and the three of us hit it off right away.
I’ve been a guest on their podcast several times, presented in their mastermind four times, and gave a talk at their last retreat. We’ve also done an advanced group coaching program called Momentum specifically for videographers, so if you’re interested in signing up for the next one this winter, reach out.
But today, we’re turning the tables and bringing Nick and John on MY podcast to share their own business journeys as videographers. Because in addition to offering advice to their community, they’ve brought me on as a business coach and our copywriters as the wordsmiths for their websites.
Videographers, pay attention. But so should anyone who wants to elevate their business to charge more, feel proud of what you promote, and know with 100% confidence you’re doing the right things with your company.
This is the story of how you can work less and make more in the real world.
It’s hard to get it all done as a business owner. We often spend too much time as an employee of our company rather than the CEO. This weekend’s wedding is filled with fires you have to put out, but it takes away your opportunity to plan out next year’s success.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I’ll walk you through:
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Four different areas of your business that require months of work before you see rewards
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Three things you can do today to put a plan in place for future goals
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And the #1 thing you’ve got to do if you want to raise your prices for next year
Over 1,000 people have watched or listened to the State of the Industry panel I hosted a couple weeks ago. We’ve had a ton of good feedback from wedding pros.
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Everyone said how refreshing it was to hear us talking about real numbers, rather than just what’s going on with a few businesses.
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Many of you shared how comforting it was to know that you’re not the only one feeling a slowdown.
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Some of you reached out in surprise that so many were so slow.
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A few wanted more specifics on why this was happening - and what you can do about it.
I’m pushing our regularly schedule programming back a week to do this episode, which will be like an FAQ follow-up for the State of the Industry panel. It’s also a peek into the kinds of conversations I’m having with my clients.
Here’s a tale of two consultations from this week:
One client came to me because bookings were down. He felt maybe it was because the industry as a whole was feeling a decline. I’m glad he called, because an hour later, we’d identified a bunch of changes made to the proposal that needed to be tweaked, and packages and pricing that weren't communicating the value necessary to justify the higher prices.
Later that day, I had a planning and design client reach out to me saying she just filled her 2024 calendar at $20k+ fees for the first time ever.
Why are some doing amazingly well? And others are on the struggle bus?
The numbers show weddings are a little down, we might be in an engagement, spending is down and so are guest counts. But I don’t believe that’s a reason - and certainly not an excuse - for bookings being off by 50%. Or even 20%.
The macro-changes in the market are important to pay attention to. But as I’ll share, the cause of your success or concerns is likely what YOU have done - or not done - with your business.
The best part about that is you can impact a different outcome by doing different activities.
Tune in to find out what those are.
Last week I hosted a panel with three wedding market experts to discuss the state of the industry.
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Where have we been
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Where are we now
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Where are we going
We tackled big-picture topics like declining engagement rates, lower guest counts, and what to do as a business owner in our volatile market over the next 6-12 months.
Hundreds of people attended the panel, but the conversation was too good to put on a file and never let it see the light of day again.
So, I’m putting it on the podcast as an episode for our audience to hear - and look back on when you’re unsure about the direction to take in the coming months.
Enjoy the conversation. It’s one that needs to be heard and shared in the industry, so if you feel like a colleague could benefit from it, send their way!
We all know how important it is to get referrals from clients and colleagues if you want to level up your business. Couples who come in on recommendations from others usually convert at 4-6x the normal percentages of people who inquire after finding you on social media, Google, or a listing site.
But it’s not just about expanding your network. It’s also about strengthening it. Cultivating it. Deepening it.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I’ll share:
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How other people’s recommendations got me where I am today
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3 tips to retain current referral partners
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1 simple way to make colleagues feel great about referring you business
As a business owner, you wear a lot of hats. Director of Marketing. Sales Manager. Creative Director. Head whatever-it-is-that-you-do. You can even try Bookkeeper if you feel comfortable doing some of the work before sending over to your accountant.
But one hat you should never try to wear yourself is legal counsel. It’s too important. And there’s a whole field filled with landmines to step on and an army of opposing attorneys ready to pounce on you when you make a mistake.
Today, I talk with Magi Fisher. Not only is she an attorney who specializes in creative fields, but she owns her own photography studio on the East Coast.
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We dive into plenty of hot-button topics you should pay attention to, including:Contractors v. employees
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Sales tax
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Intellectual property rights
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Image ownership
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And, of course, contracts
Enjoy the listen. I know you’ll find a lot of good advice in the time you spend.
Luxury photography is one of the most competitive fields in the wedding industry. And hardest to break into, because you have to be good at so many things.
Yes, your craft. That’s a given. If your photos aren’t incredible, you’ve got no chance.
But beautiful images aren't enough to charge top dollar. Or book at five-figure prices consistently.
On today’s episode, I sit down with Carter Rose, one of our clients who reached out a few years ago to get help making the move from premium to luxury. With just a handful of 1:1 sessions and a new website focusing on the right kind of client, Carter’s been able to increase his prices by 250% and halve the number of weddings he’s taken.
He’s proof that the “work less, make more” dream is possible.
If you’re a photographer, tune in. If you’re not - but you want to break into luxury in whatever field you’re in - you should tune in too. Because the formula is the same.
This has been one of my favorite podcasts to record. Carter is a savvy business owner, and we all have a lot to learn from his success.
Can you believe it? You’re listening to episode 100 of the Own Your Business podcast.
Pretty stinking cool.
If you’ve listened to most of them, you know I usually share insights and takeaways to apply to your business in sales, pricing and copywriting. I’ve also done some great interviews with the best in the business over the past two years.
So in today’s episode, I asked Katy to sit down with me to talk about what I’ve learned creating all this content and interviewing all the amazing people over the past two years.
We dive into:
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How the purpose of the podcast has changed (and not changed) over time
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What I’ve learned talking with industry icons
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Common characteristics I’ve seen in the most successful pros out there
Tune in. Enjoy the show. We’re celebrating 100 episodes!
Looking for a good book to read? Or an entire curriculum to get you through the next several months.
Take 15 minutes to listen to this episode, where I provide my top 10 general books on business, and how each can help you grow your business and make it more fun to go to work every day.
People talk about short attention spans all the time. But you know what’s sad? The most common solution is to provide less information. Or content. Or connection.
Yes, we can blame social media for some of it. Maybe even most of it. But I think a lot of it has to do with boring content. Bad writing. Uninteresting narratives.
Good stories grab you from the very beginning - and then keep you engaged at every opportunity.
So what makes for an attention-grabbing start?
That’s what Katy and I talk about on today’s episode of Own Your Business.
What’s the formula for an effective hook?
Where do you need to use one?
How can you attract and repel the right readers?
Do you want to make more and work less?
Great. This is the episode for you.
Today, I’m going to break down how you can get into the luxury market. Or, if you’re already there, show you the formula to create more consistency with your bookings.
In this episode, we’ll dive into:
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How I learned to market and sell high-end wedding services
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When you know you’re in luxury - and you might be surprised to hear you’re already there
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Common obstacles you run into when moving from premium to luxury markets
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Proven strategies and tactics to push past these frequent problems
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The #1 thing you have to do if you want to book more high-paying clients
Let’s get going. It’s a good one.
Of all the fields and markets in the wedding industry, I have to confess: Luxury wedding planners probably have it the hardest.
And I’m not talking about the long hours, crazy clients, and relatively low pay they get compared to others who work as hard as they do. You know, when you put it like that, it’s amazing anyone wants to take this career path.
But those who do the work loooove what they do - for all sorts of reasons. So good for you, if you’re one of them, or you’re a mid-market or premium planner hoping to level up into luxury.
And the good news for you is that there’s a path to make it easier. And more consistent. With less work. And more fun.
How? What’s the secret?
Today, I’ve got Kaitlin Ford on the podcast. When she first came to us for help she was a premium planner with a few luxury clients booking full-service packages. But inquiries were mostly under her starting budget, and the celebrations weren’t always interesting.
As you’ll hear, a few 1:1 sessions and a new website made all the difference. She started attracting ideal clients. Who were willing to pay top dollar - two, even three times what she was charging before. And the projects were interesting, and engaged her creativity.
If you’re a planner who wants to get into luxury, or feel more secure with your bookings, this episode is for you.
If you’re not a planner, listen in still…because the blueprint to level up is nearly the same for everyone. It’s just applied differently depending on what you do and how far you have to go to reach success.
Many of you are struggling to get enough bookings right now. Even inquiries are slow, which is always stressful.
The simple fact is there’s a lot stacked up against the wedding industry at the moment. Inflation. Pessimistic outlook. Fewer engagements. Uncertainty in the financial sector.
You can’t change the way people feel about the economy or how many people are getting engaged, but you can lean into a number of different activities to help create buzz about your business - and put yourself in the best spot for good things to happen to you.
In this episode, we break down:
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What’s going on with the economy and engagements
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What you can do to attract more interest
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How to convert more of what’s hitting your inbox
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Ways to keep a healthy, positive mindset
Do you want to charge more for your services? Of course you do! But how do you make that dream a reality?
Clients pay higher prices when they expect to receive more value. And you create that by sharing what you do. How you solve their problems. The services you offer.
Unfortunately, many of you aren’t talking about that on your website. You talk about yourself, your work, and how to contact you. But you’re leaving out the thing that matters most.
How you help your clients.
In this episode of Own Your Business, Katy and I discuss:
The five stages of awareness, and what content to share at each stage
What role your Services page plays on your website
What NOT to put on the Services page
We all want to be successful. What does success look like for you? Is it lots of money? Recognition for your peers or industry experts? Ultra creative projects? Or maybe you’re like me, and you measure success by the number of vacation days you take rather than the number of clients you book for your business?
Whatever you have for goals, it’s important for them to be realistic. Every week, I talk with wedding pros who come to me for a path to success. You’d be surprised by how many set unrealistic expectations, and, of course, end up disappointed.
In today’s episode of Own Your Business, I’ll share:
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How hedonic adaptation plays a role in your goals
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What the 2022 boom did to our expectations
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How the next 6-18 months might look for inquiries
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What I learned on two recent experiences: Hiking 200 miles across England, and spending a day in a car with my ex-wife
Enjoy the show today. I feel like it’s already one of my favorites.
Also, if you’re interested in clarifying your own business goals, and setting up a strategy to reach them, check out our Shift Retreats. We’re actively accepting attendees for 8 or so more spots for both November and December. Check out last week’s episode with Romin Zandi to hear how it transformed not just his business, but also his life.
www.shiftbusinessretreat.com
I’m doing something new on this week’s episode of the Own Your Business Podcast.
Over the past 90+ episodes, I’ve done a few different types of approaches:
Me talking about a specific topic
Having Katy, my wife and copywriting expert, on to talk shop with me about websites
Bringing on an expert, like Katelyn Magnuson or Sara Dunn, in a specific field to share their expertise where we can’t
Industry stars, like KT Merry and Shannon Leahy, to share their journey to the top
Today, we’re going to add a fifth type of episode, and that’s a client case study.
Done before on video lives over the past few winters, and even a couple times in early 2022 on the podcast, and we’ve had great responses from the audience.
I’m folding them into the content calendar over the next several months because it’s helpful to hear the transformation people go through to get from where they are to where they want to be.
Information is good. Don’t get me wrong.
But the hills people climb and hurdles they have to overcome make it interesting.
And show us that success doesn’t happen overnight. Everyone struggles. Including me!
And my clients, when they first come to me.
It takes courage to ask for help. The three hardest words for any business owner or boss are often, I don't’ know.
That’s exactly what Romin, today’s guest, said to me when he first reached out five years ago. Things were going well for him, but he know he hadn’t reached his full potential. He didn’t know what he didn’t know, but he knew that much - and that was all he needed when he first reached out.
Romin and I were on a call yesterday, in fact, and he said he’s the happiest he’s been as a person, and feels more fulfilled as a business owner than he’s ever been.
Enjoy the conversation about how he got there. It’s a good one.
If you’ve heard me talk about the four main buyer types, you know how important it is to shift your communication style to meet others where they’re at.
Now flip the script, and instead of looking at buyer types, think of you and your natural selling style. How you sell makes a big impact on how successful your business will be.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I share:
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Different superpowers business owners like you have
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How even naturally gifted salespeople hit a ceiling
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4 primary selling styles - and which one is most successful
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Common problems each runs into
Have you heard all the buzz about Ideal Client Avatars lately? Yeah, so have we! Which is why we thought it would be a good idea to share more insights into:
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What makes an ideal client anyway
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The top component to a solid ICA that most people miss
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How to create your own
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What to do with the information in your marketing and sales process
I’m joined today by my wife and our head copywriter, Katy Taylor Jacobson, and we share a bunch of actionable ideas you can put to use today.
If you’re looking for more help than just a podcast, and want to have experts build your ideal client avatar (and a website around them), reach out to sam@ideactionconsulting.com or visit www.ideactionconsulting.com for more information on how to get started.
It’s not easy to chart a course from where you are to a place you’ve never been to before. But that’s exactly what many wedding pros who own their own business do. Unfortunately, many of you end up in the wrong destination because you got started in the wrong direction to begin with.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I talk about:
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Why it’s so hard to create a solid strategy
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5 big mistakes I see others make when creating a path for their business
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How to give yourself the best chance for successful future strategy
You’ll hear me mention our Shift Retreat a few times in the conversation. If you’re interested in attending or learning more, check out our version of an annual planning workshop meets luxury vacation at www.shiftbusinessretreat.com.
Enjoy the episode. I know you’re going to learn a lot!
One of the biggest mistakes I see on websites is putting up an entire page about your pricing. Why focus the conversation on the scariest thing you do for your clients (that is, take money from them)?!!
Instead you should feature all your amazing services. And in this episode, I sit down with my wife and our head copywriter, Katy Taylor Jacobson, to break down:
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Why pricing pages kill inquiries
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What goes into a solid services page
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What names work and don’t work on the main navigation
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Whether or not to include an FAQ on your website
If you want help evaluating your current website, here's a link to a half-off website review offer. For less than $150 we’ll comb through your site offering specific recommendations to convert more couples to your inbox starting immediately:
https://ideactionconsulting.thrivecart.com/website-review/
Enjoy the listen today!
I’ve looked at hundreds, maybe more than a thousand, proposals and pricing guides over the past 6+ years. Nine out of ten look the same. Trust me, your “I believe” statement, your bio, your images, and - importantly - your collections all look pretty much the same.
If you want to stand out, it’s time to present your proposals differently.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I talk about:
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5 big mistakes I see all the time with proposals
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How to build desire early in the proposal
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What to include to make yourself stand out
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How you can make nervous buyer feel reassured you’re the best choice
Enjoy the episode!
I’ve read hundreds of books about business, marketing and selling over the past 20 years. In this episode, I share my top 10 to grow your business. The list includes:
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The best book you can read to be a better listener
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How to feel comfortable at networking events
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Lots of science on selling
One of my favorite episode types is the myth-buster. We take commonly held ideas and perspectives, and then take a wrecking ball to them so you get a different outlook and new insights you can use.
Today, I’m joined by my wife and business partner, and our head copywriter, to talk about five big myths related to websites and copywriting. We discuss:
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Formal v. conversational voice for luxury vendors
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What comes first: website design or copywriting
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What to do with price on your website
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And other big myths you might’ve heard about in the industry
Enjoy the episode!
Have you heard of the phrase “Start with Why”? It was made popular by Simon Sinek many years ago in his TED Talk and book. Short version of the concept is to begin with your “why” instead of your “what,” which is what most people tend to do.
But what is your “why”? And how do you come up with it? And where do you use it in your marketing and sales process?
In this episode of Own Your Business, I’m interviewed by Katy Taylor Jacobson, my wife and business partner, and head copywriter for our company. We talk about:
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Why your “why” matters
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How you can attract more ideal clients with it
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And we’ll model a way to create your “why” by Katy asking me questions to surface the responses
If you’re interested in having us guide you through the experience 1:1, reach out to us at sam@ideactionconsulting.com, or visit www.ideactionconsulting.com.
If you feel a little lost or burned out, and you want to feel inspired and reinvigorated, consider attending our Shift Retreat this November or December. We’re gathering a small group of wedding pros like you who are interested in making sure 2024 heads in the right direction for you, your business, and your life.
Visit www.shiftbusinessretreat.com for more information or to sign up.
Every business goes through a predictable series of steps to achieve success. You, as the owner of your business, will run into obstacles at major transitions from one stage to the next.
The key is to recognize when you’ve hit that barrier. Then you can pull out tools and get the training you need to push through each one when you reach it.
In today’s episode of Own Your Business, I explore:
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The 4 Saints: Starting, Struggling, Stuck and Stretched
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How our own company met these challenges head on
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Ways to work through the challenges no matter what stage you’re at with your business
If you’re feeling stuck or stretched, check out our Shift Retreat, a fully immersive business workshop for wedding pros who are ready to break through the barriers of being stuck, or reimagine your business to eliminate that constant feeling of being burned out.
Head to www.shiftbusinessretreat.com for more information.
It’s not easy to attract and book ultra-luxury clients. It’s even harder to do on scale, where you’re not the only one delivering the services. It takes a system. And it takes a team to get it all done.
This week, I talk with Shannon Leahy, a planner who’s received just about every accolade you can imagine in the wedding industry. But the one she’s most proud of? Building a team that serves clients at the highest level.
On today’s episode of Own Your Busines, Shannon and I talk about:
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How she got her start as a wedding planner
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Big mistakes and lessons learned from the early years
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How she’s managed to create a company bigger than herself
Top sales people aren’t born, they’re made. They’re trained. They’re coached to improve in key areas to develop skills that help them book more clients at higher prices.
But what exactly do you need to get better at if you want to reach your full potential? What skills should you focus on?
In this episode of Own Your Business, I breakdown:
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7 core competencies for people in the event industry
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Skills you have to stack in order to excel in each area
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4 distinct selling styles
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Potential blindspots for each style
Sales is a numbers game. It’s all about optimizing conversion rates at different points in the buyer’s journey. Get the couple to inquire. Then to respond to your inquiry. Then to like you on the discovery call, read your proposal, and finally send in a contract and deposit.
You’ll guide a potential buyer through dozens of micro-commitments throughout the sales process. Unless you blow it. Unless you make it hard for them to move forward. Unless you scare them from making the next step.
That’s exactly what I’m talking about on today’s episode of Own Your Business, where I’m diving into sales tactics that might work some of the time, but often backfire and blow up the potential for a couple to book your services.
I talk about:
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Scarcity, that double-edge sword that kills more deals than it converts
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The fine line between prequalifying and over-qualifying
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Why too many pros confuse elusive with exclusive
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What item on your email signature is costing you thousands in lost sales
If you’re like most wedding pros I know, your inbox isn’t flooded with inquiries right now. And if you’re getting at least a trickle, you know how important it is to make the most of the few that are flowing through.
That’s why it’s crucial to get the kinks out of your sales process - and a great place to start is when and how you’re trying to close the deal.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I talk about:
Three big reasons why you’re getting ghosted or getting nos
5 popular approaches to closing that actually backfire more than they work
Simple ways to tweak the process - not overhaul it - to convert more inquiries at higher prices
Oh, really quick, before we begin the program in 15 seconds: If you’re a wedding planner and it’s Monday or Tuesday BEFORE March 8, 2023, check out breakthroughweddingplanning.com for information on the new training program I’ve partnered on with Megan Gillikin from The Planner’s Vault. We’re showing event managers how to sell and service full-planning clients so you can make more with every date on the calendar and get more of your weekends back!
It’s hard not to feel a little burned out after COVID, postponements, and the ‘22 wedding boom. Four months ago, everyone was in the weeds. Two months ago, we were grateful for the holiday season and the rest that it brought with it. And now we’re back in it trying to get ready for another go-round in the spring and summer.
Today, I interview Bob Spiegel, the chef owner of Pinch Food Design in New York City. He didn’t lose his motivation during the pandemic. In fact, he found renewed inspiration. This wasn’t his first experience with a rough stretch. He’s been through them before, because he’s been catering parties for the past 40 years.
And even though he’s got more years on his resume than many wedding pros do years on this planet, he still approaches daily work like a kid. He’s curious. He’s constantly challenging himself. And he’s committed to his team like few other business owners I know in the industry.
In today’s episode, you’ll hear:
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How Bob balances running a business with feeding his creative spirit
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What gives him the edge he needs to keep things sharp day in and day out for four decades
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And what he does to refill his passion and put purpose to everyday work
I hope you enjoy the conversation.
A short message about a new program for planners I’m doing with Megan Gillikin of The Planner’s Vault. If you or someone you know want to get out of the month-of rut and book more full-planning clients, check out Breakthrough.
It’s a three-month intensive designed to show planners how to sell and service more than month-of couples.
www.breakthroughweddingplanning.com
If you want to get to the top of your market or field, you have to be the best. Not in just one area, but several. Sometimes you’re naturally good, or you get lucky and knock it out of the park on the first try. But most of the time you’ve got to refine your approaches with little tweaks here and there.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I sit down with Alex le Roux, the founder and CEO of ALR Music, Europe’s biggest event entertainment company that’s quickly expanding to the Middle East and United States.
We chat about
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How his entrepreneurial upbringing impacts his current success
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Ways to scale the business without doing it all yourself
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How to pick the right people for your team
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And where he gets inspiration to keep coming up with new ideas 10+ years in
I think Alex is one of the smartest, savviest business owners in the events industry, and after this interview I think you’ll see why.
Enjoy the conversation!
Oh, a quick note. If you’re a wedding planner who’s stuck booking month-of clients, but want to fill your calendar with more full-service clients, check out the new three-month training program I’m doing with Megan Gillikin of The Planner’s Vault.
Visit the link in show notes to get early-bird VIP access starting Monday, February 27.
Booking more events is a good goal for any wedding pro. But as your business grows and you start filling your calendar, it’s super important to get more from each date you book.It’s the only way you can live the fantasy of “work less, make more.”Unfortunately, many wedding pros get in their own way when it comes to booking higher packages. Some of it is mindset. Some of it is bad pricing and package design.In this week’s episode, I talk with my friend and fellow educator, Megan Gillikin, about what stands in your way of getting more for the dates you fill - and what to do about it.Also, a quick heads up for you planners out there: Megan and I are hosting a free workshop on Monday, February 20th. It’s called “Why Couples Don’t Book Full-Service Planning - and What to Do about It.” Register with the link in show notes, and join us.If you’re stuck in the vicious cycle of booking month-of clients and you want more full-planning couples you won’t want to miss this one.www.ideactionconsulting.com/book-more-full-service-clients-workshop
Special treat for you this week. Replay of a panel we hosted last week with Kate Turner, Abby Jiu and Julian Leaver.
All three are clients of Ideaction Consulting, and also The Media Socialites, the company we’re doing the Social and Sway Mastermind with this year.
We brought them together for a conversation because we wanted our audience to hear their perspective on what helped them get where they are today, which is near or at the top of their respective markets.
As you’ll hear, there are lots of ways to get where you want to go - but the fastest and most enjoyable approaches share a lot in common.
Here are some of the big highlights from the discussion that you’ll get:
Top 10 Takeaways
- Success isn’t granted. You have to go out and get it, especially when it's slow.
- When you think you’re doing really well, there’s so much more out there - but you have to do things differently to take it to the next level and stop leaving money on the table.
- Ideal clients want to see themselves in your work, so know what to post and how to present it on social media and your website.
- Sales is something that has to be learned. Find an expert and do what they say.
- Everyone “plateaus” or “hits a ceiling.” The pros who push through do it by getting help from experts who know the way.
- Guessing what to post on social media and how to sell to couples is the slowest way to success.
- You improve what you focus on. Pick carefully and be strategic.
- You can’t do it all. Find others to round out your team in key areas.
- Get good at the hard things, because everyone else is struggling and if you can be just a bit better than you’ll win the business more often.
- People at the top don’t get there by themselves. They have help from coaches and advisors, and their biggest regret is not hiring them sooner.
We had nearly 100 people on live with us, and we kept them all on for the duration of the conversation.
If you don’t make it to the end, do yourself a favor and check out more information on Social and Sway, the new mastermind we’ve created for wedding pros who want to attract and book more ideal clients.
Click the link in show notes and go to www.socialandsway.com
The curriculum for the program is 25% social media, 25% other marketing, and 50% sales.
This mastermind tells you exactly what to do in areas you’re either a) getting stuck, or b) leaving money on the table.
It’s not an expense, it’s a money-maker for your business.
Last day to sign up for this one is Tuesday, February 7 at midnight.
Who wants more ideal clients in their inbox? And signing contracts? That’s what I thought.
If only wishing made it happen.
The reality is ideal clients are hard to get if hope is your strategy. That’s why I asked the one and only Katy Taylor Jacobson to join me in a conversation about:
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What is an “ideal client” (besides one with a big budget)?
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How do you attract them in the first place?
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Why do they want to connect with your brand?
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And how to deal with behind-the-scenes decision-makers who are less than ideal?
Oh, and we’re sharing information on our new mastermind, Social and Sway, co-created with Persephone and her team at The Media Socialites.
Get more information about the mastermind at www.socialandsway.com
It’s inquiry season, and many wedding pros we’ve talked with aren’t getting much in their inboxes right now. So I brought on our head copywriter (who happens to be my lovely wife), Katy Taylor Jacobson, to talk shop about ways to make your website more effective.
In today’s episode of Own Your Business, we explore 7 big website mistakes that cost you inquiries - and what you can do to fix them before it’s too late to leverage for this year’s booking season.
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You’ll discover ways to make it easier to move through your site
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The #1 thing attracting price shoppers to your inbox
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The biggest mistake that makes it hard to inquire
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And why your images aren’t attracting the right clients
Go here to get on the waitlist for discounted website reviews:
www.ideactionconsulting.com/website-review-waitlist
This week I’m joined by Persephone Maglaya, Founder and CEO of The Media Socialites and Bridal Vogue, an instagram account she founded 6 years ago with over 200k followers.
The Media Socialites work with over 100 companies in the luxury wedding market, many of whom work with our business to book more clients at higher prices. She helps attract more ideal clients to the website, and we work to get more inquiries to your inbox and bookings on your calendar. It’s a natural fit.
Check out the episode to get insights into:
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Big myths and misconceptions about content creation
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What trends to pay attention to - and what ones to avoid
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Ways to boost referrals from past and current clients
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And the #1 reason most wedding pros struggle with social media
Hope you enjoy the conversation with Persephone.
We had such a great time recording it, we decided to do a full workshop on how to create content that connects with your ideal client on social media.
We’re going to focus on how to do three things:
- Showcase your brand style
- Tell stories that stick with couples
- Trigger the deepest psychological needs in your ideal clients
If you’re interested in attending our free workshop this month, press the link to register.
www.ideactionconsulting.com/content-that-connects-workshop
We’re doing it live so we can answer questions. But people who sign up will also get access to the replay.
Hope to see you there!
www.ideactionconsulting.com/content-that-connects-workshop
Do you ever wonder why certain people seem to have all the luck? Let me tell you a little secret: It’s because they make their own.
The sales process I train clients (and podcast listeners like you) on is one of many ways you can sell your services. Other approaches will work…but not as much as one I’ve created, because this one is designed around the way humans make decisions.
On this episode of Own Your Business, I’m share with you:
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Why small improvements in key areas will produce BIG results
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7 deadly sins most wedding pros make in their sales process
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My simple step-by-step for guiding clients through the buyer’s journey
I’m also announcing my first mastermind - and it’s going to be co-led with Persephone from The Media Socialites. We open the doors later this month, but for now we’re giving away solid gold nuggets in a free workshop you can sign up for with the link in my show notes.
You’ll walk away with techniques you can put into practice immediately to create social media content that connects with your ideal client.
www.ideactionconsulting.com/content-that-connects-workshop
It’s that time of the year again. You know, when we set down our goals for the upcoming year - only to completely abandon them before February rolls around.
But what if you picked goals that aligned more with what you really want? With why you’re motivated to do things in life? That overlap with how you love to spend your time?
In this episode of Own Your Business, I share some a-ha moments I’ve had over the years, as well as some that my clients have had, using a simple process that you can also use for your business, and life.
Big takeaways include:
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How to set up the right environment to create your goals
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A four-step process that lays out a roadmap to success
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Why picking the right goal is more important than the action plan
You’ll also get some information on our new Shift Retreat, a strategic business workshop for wedding pros who want clarity.
Information page for Shift Retreats: www.shiftbusinessretreat.com
You’ve heard me talk about four different types of buyers for your services.
(If not, go listen to episodes 4, 32 and 54 after this one.)
Selling to different kinds of buyers takes skill.
But also takes knowledge to get started and practice to get good.
I’m doing a deep dive on each buyer type for the podcast:
Relaters
Analyzers
Bosses
Dreamers
I’ll share a few insights on
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How do you identify them from other buyer types?
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What do they want most from you?
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How can you tweak the buyer’s journey to make it easier for them to book your services - no matter what services you offer?
Today, we talk about Dreamers.
These buyers see a world of opportunity. In this episode I’ll show you how to help Dreamers buy your ideas, not your services or products.
You’ve heard me talk about four different types of buyers for your services.
(If not, go listen to episodes 4, 32 and 54 after this one.)
Selling to different kinds of buyers takes skill.
But also takes knowledge to get started and practice to get good.
I’m doing a deep dive on each buyer type:
Relaters
Analyzers
Bosses
Dreamers
I’ll share a few insights on
-
How do you identify them from other buyer types?
-
What do they want most from you?
-
How can you tweak the buyer’s journey to make it easier for them to book your services - no matter what services you offer?
Today, we talk about Bosses.
These buyers experience the world by getting things done. In this episode I’ll show you how to help Bosses buy positive outcomes, not products or services.
What happens when you take your biggest competition and make them your business partner?
That’s what James Christianson and Otto Schulze did seven years ago - and they haven’t looked back on their way to the top ranks of wedding photographers.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I dive deep into James and Otto’s artistic education and individual careers to learn how their unique approaches make for a successful partnership.
During the conversation we dig into:
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How complementary skills and mindsets create a well-rounded business
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Why their clients get more with four expert eyes instead of only two
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What steps they took to grow - and how they put in effort every single day
This episode will provide a peek behind the curtain of how to look 5-10 years down the road, rather than just next year. And you’ll see how seeds you plant today need to be fed and watered and fertilized for years before they’ll bear fruit.
James and Otto are two of the savviest business people I know in the wedding industry. Enjoy the insights into how they think and why they’re so good at what they do.
Who says you can’t do luxury outside big markets like New York City, Los Angeles, and DC?
Well, this week’s podcast guests prove you can. You might not find as many weddings with massive budgets, but luxury pros can create a successful business in mid-sized cities and even destination markets.
Jennifer Thye and Sarrah Gaboury, owners of Imoni Events in Phoenix, Arizona, join me on today’s episode of Own Your Business.
They’ve carved out a very successful business over the past decade for themselves - and more importantly, elevated the level of luxury throughout the city in the process.
Tune in to learn how you, too, can:
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Attract the right clients and avoid those who aren’t a good fit
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Find vendors locally and nationally to collaborate on the event
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Put yourself in a position to make the leap from premium to luxury
You’ve heard me talk about four different types of buyers for your services.
(If not, go listen to episodes 4, 32 and 54 after this one.)
Selling to different kinds of buyers takes skill.
But also takes knowledge to get started and practice to get good.
I’m doing a deep dive on each buyer type:
Relaters
Analyzers
Bosses
Dreamers
I’ll share a few insights on
-
How do you identify them from other buyer types?
-
What do they want most from you?
-
How can you tweak the buyer’s journey to make it easier for them to book your services - no matter what services you offer?
Today, we talk about Analyzers.
These buyers filter the world through information. In this episode I’ll show you how to help Analyzers buy your product or service, not you.
You’ve heard me talk about four different types of buyers for your services.
(If not, go listen to episodes 4, 32 and 54 after this one.)
Selling to different kinds of buyers takes skill.
But also takes knowledge to get started and practice to get good.
Over the next couple months I’m going to do a deep dive on each buyer type:
Relaters
Analyzers
Bosses
Dreamers
I’ll share a few insights on
-
How do you identify them from other buyer types?
-
What do they want most from you?
-
How can you tweak the buyer’s journey to make it easier for them to book your services - no matter what services you offer?
Today, we start with Relaters.
These buyers filter the world through their relationships with others. In this episode I’ll show you how to help Relaters buy you, not your product or service.
This week’s guest on Own Your Business is a risk-taker who rose to the top by jumping off cliffs and building parachutes on the way down.
Chris Jespersen is the owner of Storybox Cinema and one of Harper’s Bazaar’s top videographers. He also founded The Madison, a large event space in Cleveland, Ohio, which is fast becoming one of the go-to venues in the city.
And he just turned 30.
How did he do it all so quickly?
He’s the first to say that it started by saying “yes” to the opportunities that came his way. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t doubt himself. And he didn’t wait for the perfect time.
He seized the moment in front of him - whatever that happened to be.
I hope you enjoy our conversation. It’s a lesson in how you, too, can thrive when you choose to not just survive.
This interview with Abby Jiu is the second in my series of deep dives with wedding pros who sit at the top of their fields - and offer a fresh perspective on what it means to find success with the business. I chose Abby because I wanted listeners to hear more about how she’s done two of the hardest things a wedding pro can do: 1) Thrive in the luxury market and 2) Scale her business. The fact that she’s done both at the same time makes her rise in the industry truly remarkable. She doesn’t just offer one of the best portfolios in the luxury space. Or an unparalleled client experience. Or a team of associates who are nearly as talented as her. She does all three - and more. Today’s conversation ranges from lessons Abby learned selling pharmaceuticals early in her professional career to how she focused on designing a business around luxury mindsets. You’ll hear not just how she implemented strategies, but also WHY they worked for her. And you’ll walk away knowing it’s possible not to sacrifice client experience when you scale. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as I did recording it with Abby.
After every Engage! Luxury Wedding Summit, I like to list out insights I received during the experience or from speakers on stage. Then I tell you how to apply them in your own business. I’m fresh off the plane from Ireland with my best pieces of advice for wedding professionals interested in a more successful business and rewarding life.
Destination weddings are the perfect mix of business and pleasure. Not only are they often fun to do, but they can be very lucrative as well. The markets in Mexico, Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe are sizable - and getting bigger. But how do you tap into them?
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I talk with Destination I Do founder and editor, Jennifer Stein, to share insights and perspectives that will:
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Get you more inquiries from destination clients
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Build content to attract couples in locations you want to work
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Show you who to reach out to for referrals
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Give insights into a post-pandemic destination wedding market
No one wants to sound sales-y when they’re selling their services to couples. So how do you close deals without being aggressive, or cheesy…or clumsy? It’s easy if you have a simple approach that leverages buyer psychology.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business I’ll share with you:
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The number one competitor for each and every inquiry
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Ways NOT to close deals
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Three simple strategies to get to yes - and feel totally comfortable making the ask
Discovery calls are complex - and crucial to your businesses success. It’s when you find out if the client is a good fit, when you build value to charge higher prices, and when you learn what triggers their deepest desires for your services.
On this episode of Own Your Business, I give you six must-dos on every discovery call. Tune in to hear more about:
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A simple trick to mirror clients and get them to like you
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Good and bad question types, including which questions backfire
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My top way to dig beneath the surface for deeper-seeded needs
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How to end the discovery call with a lasting impression
This week’s episode is the first in what will be many many interviews that dive deeper than usual. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have recording them.
My first guest is KT Merry, one of the most recognized and celebrated photographers in the industry. Over the past three or four years, I’ve heard more of my clients - mostly other photographers, but also pros from other fields - tell me they look up to KT as their role model more than any other wedding pro.
Why KT? Here’s what others told me they admired about her:
Her professionalism.
Her mindset.
Her personal brand.
Her creativity with the camera.
Her sophistication.
Her leadership.
Her values and conservationism.
Yes, KT’s in the top echelon of her field. And you’ll hear that it didn’t happen through luck. It took hard work. Grit. And a deliberate focus to turn then-current weaknesses into future strengths.
What you’ll find in this interview is how she took her raw talent and creativity, and then redefined what winning looked like.
You’ll find it’s the practice and preparation before the wedding that makes her so successful.
And you’ll find she’s built on her individual success to create a community filled with photographers who want to learn how to thrive in the luxury market. Who want to become, well, the next KT Merry.
______
A quick note if you’re listening to this before Oct. 13, 2022. KT is offering free workshops for wedding photographers who want to learn more from her about thriving as a business owner in the luxury space.
Click this link to register for free and access live learning or video replays.
Most wedding pros think couples buy their services because of a strong personal connection. Or their portfolio. Or the awards they’ve won or publications they’re featured in. Or how beautiful their branding is. All these are important, but they only get you so far.
At some point, you have to move them from the “I’m interested” stage to the “I know what I want and you are the one to help get it for me” stage. And that happens on the discovery call.
But so much more does too. That’s why I’m breaking down discovery calls on this episode of Own Your Business, where I’ll talk about:
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How my most successful 1:1 clients reach their goals
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3 things you must do to convert more couples
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Why a good discovery call will help close more deals
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And, finally, 5 big mistakes most pros make on their discovery calls
Finances are one of the most important parts of owning your own business. And they’re also one of the scariest, too. But like most things in life that we’re afraid of, it's because we don’t know how easy it can be to do.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I sit down with finance expert, Katelyn Magnuson, to discuss:
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What holds you back from feeling confident about managing your business’s finances
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3 big mistakes owners make with their money
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What you can DIY, and what you should outsource
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Ways to get your books done without stressing yourself out
We all talk a lot about “ideal clients.” Wouldn’t it be nice if they were all ideal? Too bad they’re not, because, let’s be honest: Those who inquire run the gamut from perfect fits to completely awful. Some couples are dream clients. Other people are good…just not good for you.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I’m going to share with you:
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4 different buyer types
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What motivates each one
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What you have to change to book more than only your “ideal” client
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What clues to pay attention to if you can afford to be more selective about who you work with
A great way to make more money is to sell more services to each couple who hires you. Unfortunately, what most people do is either a) stuff their packages with more services, or b) offer a la carte options on top of the packages. But both of these options consistently backfire with your buyers.
On this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I’ll tell you:
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How to get more from every date on your calendar, including couples who already booked
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Three psychological principles that encourage couples to spend more
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What NOT to do on your proposals because it’s causing interested buyers to ghost you
It’s tough for couples to pick all the vendors they need for their wedding. It could be 20, maybe 30 or more. And that means a ton of research to find the right ones. Reviews and other forms of social proof help potential clients cut through the noise and reduce the risk in choosing you over others.
But it’s not easy to get clients to take the time to leave you a review. And even if they do, it’s not always meaningful. In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I dive into:
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What keeps couples from leaving you a review
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Why it’s so important to get them in the first place
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8 practical tips to get make it easy to get them to fill out the form and post the review
Humans make 35,000 decisions every day. Most of them are made automatically without even thinking. The very small percentage that use conscious thought require lots of energy, and, if too many need to be made, can lead to decision-fatigue.
Is your sales process making it easier or harder for couples to decide on your services? My guess is you’re sabotaging your own success in ways you didn’t even know. In this episode of Own Your Business, I’ll tell you:
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How our brains are wired to make choices
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2 ways of thinking about decisions
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3 common mistakes that lead couples to analysis paralysis
Tired of running out of hours in the day? Or days in the week? Or months in the year? Katy and I like to say the days are long and the months are short, because we always feel like we’re doing so much, but it’s never enough time.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I share my insights on how to free up more time to spend on priorities for your company. I’ll cover:
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My #1 tip to increase your productivity
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Why we become less effective the more we have on our plates
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6 practical ways to say no more often
We’ve all heard the phrase, It’s a marathon not a sprint. But it’s not just about slowing things down. It’s also about going the distance. Many wedding pros start off at a breakneck pace, but don’t know how to take it down a notch. Even seasoned professionals still get stuck at high speed each year during peak season.
If you want a career that lasts - and you love doing it everyday, no matter what time of year - you have to operate with principles for long-term success. In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I share:
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How booking too much business can sink your success
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8 principles I learned actually running a marathon
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Practical ways to apply it all to your business this peak season
Do you dread peak wedding season? That time of the year when you have more work to do than hours in the day? It seems like no matter what you do to streamline your workflows or hire help to get you through, it just doesn’t work.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I’ll explore how to create a “place of bliss” in your business. We’ll explore:
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How three different pieces create long-term success in your business
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Ways to make more money with less effort
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The one thing you have to know if you want to prevent burnout during peak season
We all start our companies for different reasons. What’s yours? Even more important to know - very, very clearly - is why you’re still driven to keep it going today. It’s easy to get distracted by what motivates others in their business. Or keep running in place on the hamster wheel that you’ve created for yourself. But the sooner you connect with what drives you the faster you can build a strategy for your company that’s viable in the long run.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I’ll share:
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Nine psychological motivations that influence human decisions
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How to identify what drives you as a business owner
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Why it’s important to keep it at the forefront of your long-term strategy
Blogging is not dead. In fact, it’s quite alive with your ideal clients. Why? Because when people want answers to their questions, they don’t go to your Home page or your About page or even your services page. That’s for later in the buyer’s journey. When couples are starting out their search for wedding vendors, they’re plugging in questions to Google and scanning the articles that come up. Those articles are almost always posts about specialized topics (aka: blogs).
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, Katy and I talk about:
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How to create a blog with evergreen content
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What stage of awareness in the buyer’s journey to direct your posts
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Criteria for a successful blog, including how often to post and how long each post should be
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Ways to generate ideas for blog content that’ll hook your ideal clients
Instagram is where people go to kill time. Pinterest is the place where they fantasize about a better future. If you want to work with people who dream big - and have budgets to match - it’s time to put out content on Pinterest. On this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I chat with Carolina Guzik, a luxury photographer who made her mark in the industry by attracting clients with pin-worthy images. We discuss:
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Common misconceptions about Pinterest that hold wedding pros back
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Why couples use Pinterest - and how you can trigger their interest in your brand
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Ways Pinterest connects with other marketing strategies
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How to get tens of thousands of viewers without spending tons of time
Think SEO is for couples who aren’t your ideal clients? Think again. Potential clients don’t use Google when they’re lost. They use it when they’re starting out, including those who could be the perfect match for your services and price point. Tune in this week to Own Your Business for a conversation with SEO expert Sara Dunn, who dives into:
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3 big myths about SEO that cost you business
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Why SEO works for services at ALL prices
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Top changes to make today for a better online presence
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How SEO ties into every other marketing strategy
Your network is your safety net when things go wrong and your fishing net to feed your business. So how do you go about building relationships - and capitalizing on them - in a way that feels authentic to you? In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I sit down with Megan Gillikin, a master networker and one of the most genuine human beings I know to:
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Network successfully even if you’re an introvert or have imposter syndrome
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Surprise and delight couples during the client journey
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Connect with new friendors who align well with your brand
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Earn more referrals without sounding cheesy
It’s impossible to translate the experiences at Engage to someone who didn’t attend. The program is so immersive, and designed around, well, engaging with others at the event. But we can share our biggest takeaways with you. If you missed the New Orleans Summit - or you were there but want my perspective - tune in to this week’s episode of Own Your Business.
Let’s be honest: Planner referrals are a necessity if you want to move up in the wedding industry. Not only do they recommend clients, but they typically pay more and offer super interesting projects. But how do you get on a planner’s list in the first place? In this episode of Own Your Business, I sit down with Shannon Leahy, one of the most respected (and decorated) planners in the industry to dive deep into:
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Different ways planners refer vendors to their clients
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How information is shared with couples
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Important criteria planners consider before making a recommendation
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What you can do to get a foot in the door with planners like her
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How to lose your spot on a planner’s list
Inside Scoop: Engage! Summits
Engage is THE luxury wedding community to be a part of - and Katy and I are giving you the BTS of our personal experiences over the past nine years. We’ve attended a combined 25 of them since December 2013, including the new Retreat program, and in this episode we’ll share:
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Why the investment is worth every last penny
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How to decide if Engage is “right” for you
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Top tips on networking, attire and maintaining your energy
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Our favorite moments over the years
Websites are big projects to tackle. Templates, branding, copy, image selection, site design/customization, blog migration, portfolio updates…and so. much. more. What parts take how long? What comes first: Copy or Design? What slows down the process? And how can you speed it up so the project doesn’t drag out for a year or more?
Karley Kiker of Writefully Said (the designers we work with most on our copywriting projects) joins me in this episode of Own Your Business to discuss:
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Common misconceptions about copywriting and design
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How much time a website project takes to complete
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What you can do to speed it up – and still get great results
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Quick tips to improve your current site
Owning a successful business means you meet your goals on a regular basis. But what if you don’t have any goals? Or they aren’t broken down into milestones that show you’re on the right path at the right pace? It’s absolutely necessary – and quite simple – to set a destination and create a road map for your revenue. In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I’ll share with you:
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Two common pitfalls I see when setting revenue goals
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Why many sales and pricing plans aren’t realistic
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A simple reframe on how many weddings you want to book – and why it makes all the difference
Here’s a good rule of thumb for referrals: For every year you’ve been serving couples, 10% of your booked business should come from past and current clients. Each season builds on top of the next, and eventually, most of your couples will come on recommendation from those they trust most, and who also know your services the best.
If you’re not seeing enough referrals from clients, tune into this episode of Own Your Business, where I’ll share:
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Why client referrals always trump vendor referrals
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The difference between a sales funnel and a referral flywheel
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5 specific strategies you can put into practice today to get more inquiries from your most qualified buyers
Remember, the key to sales success is to provide the right information at the right time in the right way. Those who do will unlock the opportunity for your business grow.
But if you screen your couples too much you may prevent unidentified but still ideal clients from getting into your inbox, or all the way through to contract.
In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I talk about:
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4 reasons couples struggle to book the right vendors
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3 areas to focus on if you want to book more clients at higher prices
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14 ways you’re making it hard for couples to make progress in the buyer’s journey
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8 tactics you can use to make it easier to say “yes” to your services
We all want to like the people we work with. But have you spent much time thinking about it from the couples’ perspective. Remember: They want to like the people they work with too. It’s not just about how well you can meet their needs on the wedding day. They need to know you every day until then will be worth it too.
In this episode of Own Your Business, I’ll introduce you to:
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Mirror neurons and sales mirroring
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Why they help humans to survive
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How they’ll help your business thrive
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5 specific tactics you can use to mirror couples during the sales process
What’s the best way to present your pricing and packages to potential clients? I see a range of approaches in the wedding industry, from one option to a la carte, and the most popular: base-plus-a-la-carte. But research shows these ways can create push-back and analysis paralysis, among other issues. Tune in this week to learn:
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How many options for your couples is ideal?
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Why “framing” works?
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How to make expensive options look more affordable?
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When to split up the sale – and how to do it?
A massive challenge every wedding pro faces when selling your services is when and how to share what you do for couples. Sales success comes when you offer the right information at the right time in the right way. The problem is, how do you know what’s the right thing to share and when? In this episode, I’m going to walk you through:
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5 stages of awareness to make purchase choices
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How to tell where your couples are in the process
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What you should be sharing on social media
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What you should be targeting on your website
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How to use your proposal more effectively
Creating an effective website isn’t as easy as picking a pretty template and then filling in the boxes with photos, videos and copy. In fact, “pretty” isn’t the only factor to consider when you pick the template or layout your site. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what looks and feels amazing for one person is hard to navigate or overwhelming for another.
In today’s episode, Katy Taylor Jacobson, wedding sales expert and conversion copywriter, shares insights into how to layout a website based on our four buyer types, including quick changes you can make to your site today.
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Four different buyer types in the wedding world
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How each likes to experience your website
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3-5 must-dos on your site for each buyer type
Couples come to you with what they want. But your job – if you want to book more couples at higher prices – is to know how to trigger what they really need. They may not know it themselves, which is why you’ll be a step ahead of everyone else if you learn how to identify what core motivation is driving the couple’s decision. In this episode you’ll learn
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How to sell from the intersection of sales and psychology
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9 core desires pushing consumer purchases
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4 most common triggers for couples
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How to incorporate these into your marketing and sales efforts
Do you think people don’t read any more? Think again. In fact, the higher your net-worth, the more likely you are to read compared to someone who’s living on a middle income. But it’s not as simple as putting more words on your website. You’ve got to hook the reader – and then tell a great story that leaves them wanting more. In this episode you’ll learn:
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The differences between content copywriting and conversion copywriting
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How to hook your reader from the very beginning
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Why your ideal clients need you to go “negative”
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How our copy clients get 70% more site visitors to their Contact pages
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Resources for getting high-converting copy on your site asap
Your website is your online storefront – and entrance to your inbox. If you can’t generate enough inquiries, you’ll have a hard time booking more couples. But it’s not as easy as buying a template and DIYing your way to success. If you’re not going to hire a pro – or if you just want to make a few quick fixes – tune in today to learn:
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How many inquiries you need to make your numbers each year
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What are the hardest parts of your website to DIY
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5 quick fixes that make a big impact on conversions
We talk about “connecting” with the couple during the inquiry process. But what does that mean? And how does it impact the professional relationship you have with potential clients? In this episode, I’ll share with you lessons I learned over 25 years in hospitality, including:
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The top book I know to make you better at getting people to like you
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6 principles to live by when you’re trying to connect with others
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3 areas in the sales process you can implement concrete ideas to get more bookings
The best way to find consistent success with anything is to prep and practice. Discovery calls are no different. Getting good at conducting these important interactions with potential clients takes practice and patience. But you can easily prepare for them with simple tips and techniques. In this episode, you’ll learn:
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Why discovery calls are so challenging for most wedding pros
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9 ways to prep for calls
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3 go-to questions you can ask early on in the call to get them started
It shouldn’t be news to you that “brides” aren’t the only ones planning the wedding these days. Even if you’re working with two grooms - or a couple who don’t identify with a gender at all – it’s not just one person who’s calling the shots.
Couples today are making joint decisions more than ever – and you’ve got to adjust your sales process to meet their decision-making process. In this episode, you’ll takeaway:
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Why you’re getting ghosted when others get involved
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Five different roles in complex decisions like vendor decisions
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Five ways you can involve others without sounding awkward
It’s tempting to jump to solutions with couples who inquire. “Are you available, and can you send me packages and pricing?” Send them the information, right? Not so fast. And certainly not if you want to book more couples at higher rates.
In this week’s episode you’ll see:
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When and why you should to hold back your solutions
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How to create more desire for your services
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Two common missteps wedding pros make on inquiries
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Why it’s hard to sell your packages and pricing on a phone call – and what to do instead
Feeling a little stuck on how to get couples moving forward with the deal? If you’re getting ghosted from the start, losing momentum in the middle, or feeling pushback at the end of the decision, tune into this week’s episode: You’ll discover:
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6 principles of influence you can tap into
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How scarcity negatively and positively affects people during the decision-making process
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Ways to use scarcity as a strategy without sounding sales-y
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How you can tap into micro-commitments to get couples to say yes more easily
Check out www.blueprinttobookmore.com starting February 22, 2022 for the chance to get access to our signature sales course.
It’s hard to hear “no” from couples when you offer your services. It’s even harder when they don’t say “no” directly, but they just disappear from the sales process. And the worst is when they say “yes,” but it ends up being a no. In this episode, you’ll:
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Find out why couples say “no” so much
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See if it’s possible to skip the phone call without lowering your conversion rate
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Discover how much talking and how much listening to do on a call with potential clients
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Get tips on creating momentum in the sales process
Reason #294 why you’re getting ghosted? Your inquiry response. Truly. Most wedding pros end up over sharing and overwhelming, because you don’t understand the way you’re making couples feel when they first inquire. In this episode you’ll:
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Dig into 7 frequent missteps you might be making on your first email
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See why your excitement is actually smothering any spark you hope to create
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Pick up three solid tips for your next response
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Learn 5 questions to ask when getting an inquiry from a planner or venue
It’s not easy to keep up with all the emails in your inbox. But one kind of email is more important than any other – the initial inquiry – and you’ve got to find a way to prioritize it. Your business depends on it. In this episode you’ll:
- Find out what researchers consider “too slow” for response time
· How outsourcing your sales work can kill a business
· Quick ways to get back faster
· Dos and don’ts for autoresponders
Your business exists to solve problems for your customers. But are you communicating that value in the specific services you offer each couple? If you’re not, it’s a big reason you’re leaving money on the table. In this episode, you’ll:
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Understand the difference between a feature and a benefit
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Learn how to translate your buyer’s desires into services you offer
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Get a breakdown of why my sales process
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Learn the psychology on why it creates the ultimate buying experience for your clients
Nothing says luxury like a personal service approach. And that’s exactly what Julian Leaver, one of the top wedding planners in the country, does for his clients - before they even start working with him. On this episode, hear how Julian shows couples through their buying experience what they can expect from his high-touch wedding planning experience.
Mike Zawadzki, a photographer out of New Jersey, found success quickly after immersing himself in the same approaches I talk about on this podcast. On this episode, I sit down for an interview to hear more about how he blew past his highest goals and what worked well for him, especially buyer types and the discovery call.
Do you ever feel like you’re working hard but not making much progress? It’s common to feel this way during an extended crisis like the pandemic. The fastest way to get traction is to prioritize your activities and tie them to a sense of purpose. In this episode, you’ll:
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Learn the difference between taking your foot off the gas and pumping the brakes
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See why time – and not just money – is a profit from your company
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Pick your primary motivation – and start to pursue it
Your couples will tell you everything you need to know to book them – if you can hear what they have to say. It’s the number one skill for a wedding pro who wants to conduct successful discovery calls. In this episode, you’ll learn:
-How your potential clients look to you as their leader
-How you’re accidentally shifting the conversation back to yourself
-The power of paraphrasing
-What couples feel when you’re not paying attention
Putting pricing on your website is a double-edged proposition for wedding pros. How do you get couples the information they need without scaring them away? If you share too much or in the wrong way, then you could end up pushing off potential inquiries – even from affluent buyers. In this episode, listeners will get answers to questions like:
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Do you put a pricing page in your main navigation?
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Do you mention your “average” or “starting at” prices?
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Is the word “investment” helpful to selling luxury?
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And 7 other questions about pricing on your website
The fastest way to make more profit is to raise your rates. It’s also the number one way to get more of your time back. But if you increase too quickly, and you might get ghosted. Increase too slowly, and you might keep leaving money on the table. Listeners will take away:
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5 different indicators it’s time to bump rates
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High and low conversion rates for inquiries-to-bookings
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How much to increase prices at a time
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When to lift rates up with the least risk
Stop jumping to solutions when you don’t even know what issues you’re trying to resolve. Fast is slow, and slow is smooth. Learn 6 key indicators to pay attention to before you make any big changes - or investments - in your business. Listeners will take away:
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How to tell what areas are working well
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What needs to be improved in your buyer’s journey
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Identify what you should spend your time and money on in the coming months
Couples expect you to feel confident talking about budget. But if you don’t know what to ask - or worse, talk about it too early - you could scare away potential clients. Get the prep you need to feel 100% discussing how much they want to spend - and why you’re worth every penny. Listeners will take away:
- Why your contact form is NOT the place to ask about budget
- How you know it’s time to get into pricing on the call
- Why couples often provide information that could trip you up
- Three questions you should ask in order if you want to stop wasting their time and yours
Turn Your Blog into a Storyselling Machine
Real weddings are a hot commodity in wedding marketing. But you can’t just dump a bunch of photos onto a blog post and call it a day. The best marketers are storytellers, and when you know the formula you can become one on your website. Listeners will take away:
- Two different types of blog posts
- Why real weddings resonate with couples so much
- How to hook your reader and keep their attention while scrolling
- Why people love conflict, even in wedding stories
- Kinds of tension and where to include it in your blog posts
- How to format a real wedding blog post
Let Your Website Sell for You
You don’t have time to be a full-time salesperson for your business. And you can’t afford to spend time getting on the phone with everyone who’s interested. That’s why you should let your website do the heavy lifting for you – both to get more inquiries and also to help close the deal. Listeners will take away:
- How much sales work is done before couples inquire
- Why you have to sell couples on more than just yourself
- The two stages in the decision-making process your website works hardest for you
- Ways to open the door to more inquiries
- Tips to close the deal with multiple decision-makers
The Perfect Contact Form
Is there such a thing as the “perfect contact” form? The short answer is no, because every business has different goals. And every business has different strategies to reach those goals. What we do know is that YOUR perfect contact form exists somewhere on a spectrum, and you need to ask good questions to find out exactly where. Listeners will take away:
- Touch on why contact forms are such a hot-button issue
- Two different approaches to getting more inquiries
- Two questions to ask yourself before choosing which option is right for you
- Handful of fields to put on your form if you want to get better inquiries
- Five fields to include if you simply want more inquiries
The Power of Social Proof
It’s scary for couples to make the decision to work with you. Or anyone on their wedding. In fact, it’s a little terrifying to even get married! One of the best ways you can offer reassurance and reduce the risk in choosing your brand over others is to pull on the persuasive power of the “herd effect.” Listeners will take away:
- What is social proof and how does it work
- Different kinds of social proof
- Where most wedding pros mess up testimonials
- The most compelling ways to use it on your website
If you’re not using personalized proposals to sell your services, you could be leaving huge amounts of money on the table. If you’re ready to make the switch or already doing it and want to convert more bookings, check out this episode to learn what makes the most persuasive proposals. Listeners will take away:
- Why selling wedding services is so hard
- How to design a successful sales process
- 3 mistakes wedding pros make with pricing guides
- Why custom proposals work best
- 4 key components of every compelling proposal
Putting the right photos on your website sounds easier than it actually is. Will it catch their attention? Will it stand out? Will it trigger their biggest desires? The key to answering YES! to these questions and others is to choose photos based on the psychographics for your ideal client. Listeners will take away:
- The one thing you have to do before any work on your website
- What is a communication strategy and how it applies to your brand
- 4 different buyer types and what they desire most
- Deep dive on picking a hero image for one of the most common buyer types in the wedding industry
We all know video is THE way to capture your clients’ attention. But it’s not always easy to create – or know where to use it. Discover the best places in the buyer’s journey to drop in a video to build value and provide reassurance to would-be couples. Listeners will take away:
- Why a well-designed sales process is like bringing a Ferrari to a horse race
- What to bake into your sales workflow to build the most value
- 6 solid tips on how to leverage the power of video in the buyer’s journey
Ever worked with a client who rubbed you the wrong way? Or had a couple who you gelled with immediately? That’s because we’re all wired a certain way, and when you know how each client prefers to communicate you can make it easy to connect with every couple, not just your ideal ones. Listeners will take away:
- What leadership training can teach us about sales work
- The number one skillset to develop if you want to succeed with your business
- My enneagram, MBTI and DISC profiles
- Background on the four different buyer types you’ll see in your clients
- How you can sell the same thing differently to different buyer types
Not sure how to set your prices? Or maybe you’re too cheap to refer? Or what about that event you need to book, but it’s lower than what you know you need to charge? The good news is you have a few different pricing strategies to choose from. Learn about the upsides and downsides to each, as well as which one is best for you right now. Listeners will take away:
- Difference between pricing strategies and tactics
- Define 3 common strategies
- Talk about when to use each one
- Share when not to use each one
Wedding pros are too busy to waste time with price shoppers. You know the ones who inquire, get pricing, and then ghost you? Or say they have the budget and then go for someone cheaper? Stop spending time chasing the wrong couples and start using your website and sales workflow to filter out the wrong clients. Listeners will take away:
- Why it’s more important than ever to qualify clients before you talk with them
- How to prequalify without repelling ideal clients
- Ways to automate the process so you can save time to put it towards your best buyers
Wedding pros aren’t born knowing everything. And most didn’t go to school to learn how to be a business owner. It’s hard to know how to run your company, but once you have the insight and skills you’ll feel confident in the day-to-day, and level up to reach your goals. Stop learning from trial and error – or faking it till you make it - and start to (finally) own your business. Listeners will take away:
- Why I started the Own Your Business podcast
- Who the podcast is for
- What to expect from each episode
- 5 big ways this from the podcast if you listen every week
- Get to know me and my background
- Talk about three different types of business owners and how they approach problems in their companies