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joannaarobinson · 2 years

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Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners

Welcome to our Friday Favorites! Every few weeks we share our favorite articles from around the web that will help you succeed in your wedding planning business and in life.

Reels and TikTok Video Ideas for Wedding Planners {Sourced Co.}

How to Recover from Winning {No Side Bar}

Call Off Your Wedding Now If You Spot Any of These 7 Red Flags {Reader’s Digest}

Colin Cowie Directs You to Use Dreaming to Shape Your Future Success {Timeline Genius Blog}

How to Keep Commitments to Yourself {The Blissful Mind}

Happy Friday!

Looking for more helpful articles? Our blog has over 1,000 posts for wedding and event planners. Click here for the most popular Planner’s Lounge blog posts.

The post Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/friday-faves-for-wedding-event-planners-45/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 2 years

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Wedding Planners: Overnight Success Stories Take a Long Time

“Overnight Success Happens Only in

Fairy Tales, Trashy Novels, and Bad Movies.“

-Ernie J Zelinski

Do you get frustrated when a seemingly new event planner appears from out of nowhere and is suddenly being published in multiple places, winning awards, producing stunning weddings, and is the planner EVERYONE is talking about?

It’s annoying. It’s frustrating. It can put a dent in your self confidence. It make you question your own abilities.

But, what many experienced wedding planners have learned is that there is no such thing as quick success, even if it seems that way.

It takes time to build credibility and reputation. There are wedding and event planners out there who seem to have become an overnight success. DO NOT compare yourself to them. You have no idea what resources they had at their disposal for quick growth, how long they’ve been at it, and what they had to give up to get to where they are. If you dig into almost every “overnight success” story, you will find years worth of hard work and perseverance.

Keep in mind that what you see on social media is a lot of smoke and mirrors. There are wedding planners who portray big success who have never been profitable (and some who have had to file bankruptcy). There are event planners with huge brands who still work a full-time job to support themselves. You never know what is really going on behind the scenes with a business.

Keep your head focused on your business.

Celebrate your incremental successes.

Be patient when you have a setback.

Great achievements take time.

It takes years to become an “overnight success”.

The journey isn’t always easy, but it’s so worth it.

Do you want to feel confident and professional as a wedding planner?

The Wedding Planner’s Toolbox is a complete set of business templates and tools for professional wedding planners. As a wedding planner, you have one chance and a huge responsibility to plan and coordinate the perfect wedding day for your clients. The Wedding Planner’s Toolbox gives you the tools needed to get things done correctly.

Timeline templates, consultation forms, questions to ask vendors, planning checklist, and much more!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND DOWNLOAD TODAY!

The post Wedding Planners: Overnight Success Stories Take a Long Time first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planners-overnight-success/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Starting a Wedding Planning Business: 8 Things to Do

Thinking back to when I was started a wedding planning business in 2005, I can hardly believe I made it through 10 successful and profitable years with how little knowledge I had at the time. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20 and I’m so thankful for everything I have learned. In this post, I am sharing what I would have done differently if I had to start my wedding planning business over again.

Here are eight things I would have done differently during my first few years as a wedding planner:

1) Attended a conference during my first full year in business instead of waiting until my third year

The incredible insight and knowledge I received from attending industry conferences were priceless. My business would not have had nearly the amount of success without those conferences and the connections I made. I wish I would have started going to wedding industry conferences sooner. You can find a full list of wedding industry conferences on our Conferences+Events page.

2) Paid for mentoring or coaching sooner

I’m not even sure anyone was offering this for event planners at the time, but I wish I would have tried harder to find a wedding planner mentor or coach who could have helped me grow my wedding business faster and avoid some of the mistakes that new wedding planner business owners make. I offer coaching and mentoring services through Planner’s Lounge.

3) Had confidence in my ability as a designer and stylist sooner

It took me five years to accept and realize I could style an event. I never thought of myself as an artist before and wasn’t confident in my ability. Luckily I had a few wonderful clients who believed in me and saw my ability before I did. After working with those clients and designing their events, I gained confidence in my ability and started promoting my business as a planning AND design company. Then I made sure that all the planners I hired had natural design talent.

4) Started custom quoting events sooner

I sold planning packages for five years until I consulted with a business coach and realized how much better I could serve my clients by custom pricing events based on the logistics, style, design, guest count, budget, and location. Selling packages are a great way to start, but custom quoting made more sense for where I wanted my business to go.

If you are looking for guidance on how to price your wedding planning services, our professional guidebook, Pricing With Confidence: Secrets to Profitable Pricing & Services for Professional Wedding Planners has comprehensive information on how to price your services, ready-to-use planning package templates, and a custom programmed spreadsheet.

5) Not focused on budget brides

I wasn’t confident in my skills initially and I sold my services at such a low price that I mainly attracted wedding couples on a tight budget for the first few years. Then I spent the next few years trying to get out of that target market. Looking back, I would have priced my services higher and branded my company as a premier planning company from the start.There is a significant difference in planning a budget wedding versus a luxury wedding.

6) Read more business and marketing books

I didn’t understand the power of reading business books when I was starting my wedding planning business. It’s incredible how much I can transform myself and business from reading great books. For $10-$25, I can spend a few weeks learning what has taken others years to master.

7) Showed more of my personality and style in my website and business

When I started, I had a very general website and marketing materials. Instead of trying to market to everyone, I wish I have shown my personality and style from the start. It also would have been very helpful to define my niche and/or target market clearly.

8) I didn’t have an assistant for every event

Managing a wedding day by myself was physically and mentally exhausting. I could do a much better job by having at least one wedding planning assistant at every event. I learned this in my second year of business and make sure we have enough wedding day assistants based on the guest count, timing of the events, location(s), and logistics. Once key detail to do BEFORE hiring a wedding planning assistant is to have solid independent contractor agreements in place before hiring help. I cannot stress the importance of having this agreement in place to protect your business and intellectual property.

If you are an experienced planner, what would you have done differently when you started? Please share with us in the comments.

Start Your Own Wedding Planning Business with Confidence

The Planner’s Lounge 25 Steps to Start Your Wedding Planning Business Guide includes all of the steps necessary to start your own wedding planning business along with expert advice and resources to ensure you start your business on the path to success and sustainability.

This 70+ page guidebook and business plan template are perfect for aspiring wedding planners who are ready to start their own business.

Learn More and Get Instant Access!

The post Starting a Wedding Planning Business: 8 Things to Do first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/eight-things-i-would-have-done-differently/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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We Could Not Be More Proud!

Dear Friends,

We are so excited to announce that Dave Lutz, our illustrious managing director, has been named an inductee to the 2021 Events Industry Council Hall of Leaders. It is the event industry’s most prestigious award, which acknowledges a lifetime of pioneering and meaningful work!

Please join us in congratulating Dave, and if your schedule allows, in-person at a celebration of Dave and his esteemed fellow inductees, and other winners of the EIC Global Awards, just before IMEX America, on Sunday, November 7, 2021, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Read the full press release, and for more event and registration info, visit the EIC Web site.

Proudly,

The VCC Team: Betsy, Bill, Lisa, Michele and Sarah

The post We Could Not Be More Proud! appeared first on Velvet Chainsaw.

from Event Planning Essentials https://velvetchainsaw.com/2021/10/21/we-could-not-be-more-proud/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=we-could-not-be-more-proud via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners

Welcome to our Friday Favorites! Every few weeks we share five of our favorite articles from around the web that will help you succeed in your wedding planning business and in life.

Inclusivity in the Wedding and Events Industry {This Week in Weddings}

Social Media Ideas for Wedding Planners {Sourced Co.}

Talk About ABC’s of Luxury Sales {Renee Dalo}

How to Create a Facebook Cover Image that Converts {Amy Howard Social}

Learn How To Use Your Voice And Hands To Rock Your Next Presentation Or Video {Forbes}

Happy Friday!

Looking for more helpful articles? Our blog has over 1,000 posts for wedding and event planners. Click here for the most popular Planner’s Lounge blog posts.

The post Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/friday-faves-for-wedding-event-planners-44/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Will Use-It-or-Lose-It Budgeting Negatively Impact Expo and Sponsor Revenue?

Our crystal balls are pretty foggy when it comes to predicting the return of in-person expo and sponsor revenue. Three of the big questions are:

With the advancement of digital demos, will exhibitors opt for smaller booth spaces?

If marketing budgets intended for show participation in 2020 or 2021 were reallocated, or not spent, will corporations recall the good days and include your show in the 2022 marketing budget?

Will poor ROI from virtual shows negatively impact future spend decisions?

For larger shows, advance deposits for booth space are often paid nine months in advance. This means show organizers s who postponed in 2020 had already received 50% or more of booth fees. For many shows, those funds were carried forward to the virtual and/or next live show. This means that exhibiting companies have not allocated and spent their marketing dollars on live expos for nearly two budget years. Use-it-or-lose-it budgeting is alive and well in many corporations and is a real threat to near-term show revenue.

Three Strategies for Protecting Expo and Sponsor Revenue

1. Organize around your top customers, not your products.

Exhibiting companies despise multiple and competing asks. If you have multiple team members, or vendors, soliciting your exhibitors for booth space, sponsorship, and print and digital advertising, this is the year to bring it under one account manager. Do this for the top 10% or companies by total investment. If you have 200 exhibitors, build an account management plan around the top 20. Retain them, and others are likely to follow.

One of the keys to growing sponsorship is to have senior leadership open doors. The same holds true when you are building a plan to proactively retain your largest or anchor exhibitors. Assign senior executives to each company and schedule calls with your top investors to discuss your plans for returning to face-to-face.

2. Double down on sponsorship.

Now is the time to reimagine your sponsor menu/offerings. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Eliminate most sponsor items that are promotional or advertising. These usually include bag inserts, print advertising, banner ads and room keys.

Eliminate sponsor inventory that was not purchased during the past two conferences. If two-thirds of your inventory is not being sponsored, you have a problem.

Add new inventory that allows sponsors to be viewed as thought leaders. Also add inventory that improves the attendee or VIP experience.

Organize your sponsor menu like a restaurant would: Appetizers = Attendee Experience, Entrée = Thought Leadership, Dessert = VIP Experiences.

3. Create comprehensive, bespoke packages.

Most exhibitors and sponsors prefer to write a single check. Help them get the most bang for their buck by creating packages that provide exposure before, during and after the show. Include visibility and activation through all of your channels, including any used for virtual participation. Comprehensive and customizable packages should be organized using these buckets:

Home base/Presence – Where can sponsors meet-up with existing clients or prospects? This can include a booth, private meeting room or sponsor activation area.

Access Passes – How many conference badges are included? What VIP events can they attend? What special access can they provide to their clients and prospects?

Content and Experience – speaking or panel slot, keynote sponsor, webinar, session rebroadcast, track sponsor, featured article. Reception, charging stations, wellness programs, mobile app.

Advance/Post Recognition – promotional and registration emails, website, newsletter, social media mentions, company description on website/mobile app

Onsite Recognition – main stage, signage, mobile app, virtual access platform

What are your predictions for 2022 expo-and-sponsor revenue recovery?

The post Will Use-It-or-Lose-It Budgeting Negatively Impact Expo and Sponsor Revenue? appeared first on Velvet Chainsaw.

from Event Planning Essentials https://velvetchainsaw.com/2021/10/14/will-use-it-or-lose-it-budgeting-negatively-impact-expo-and-sponsor-revenue/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-use-it-or-lose-it-budgeting-negatively-impact-expo-and-sponsor-revenue via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Game On! Returning to Face-to-Face

With many organizations actively planning for an upcoming in-person conference or tradeshow, now is the time to make firm decisions for your attendee-experience, staffing and safety plans.

We recently held a webinar featuring leaders from two large associations that have held face-to-face events in recent weeks. Here are five of the top take-aways that can help other associations navigate their new journey.

1. Increased and Transparent Communications

Most Q3 and Q4, 2021 conferences are reporting attendance numbers that are 40 – 60% below 2019. Events with greater international participation are seeing the steepest declines. Expositions, while attracting fewer buyers, are consistently reporting high satisfaction rates with the quality and interest of the buyers: quality over quantity.

The emerging best practice is to communicate lower attendance expectations weeks or months before the conference. Where you are able, also provide insight on the quality of attendees by job title and firmographics.

2. Hybrid, or Not

We’re seeing a split down the middle for conferences offering a virtual, synchronous conference option. Just because the event media says the future is hybrid doesn’t mean that you need to go all in. Organizers are weighing cost vs. benefit options for hybrid. Nearly everyone, however, is finding a way to better capture and amplify the conference in other ways – recap videos, articles, podcasts and scheduled replays.

If you do plan for hybrid, make sure that you have dedicated staff and trusted vendors to focus on delivering that experience.

3. Business Model

Exhibit space is down 25% or more. Sponsorship revenue, however, is holding its own–and in some cases–growing. If you have not adjusted your sponsorship menu to include more thought leadership and attendee-experience elements, make it a high priority.

4. Staff and Vendors

If your association is conducting board and committee meetings virtually, there is a good chance you can send fewer staff members to your large annual. If you’re like most, quite a few of your team members have not traveled since the beginning of the pandemic. They may have concerns regarding their personal participation. Be patient, listen to their issues and consider filling in with other staff members or experienced contractors.

Enhanced communication with your trusted vendors has never been more important. In some cases, they have experienced high turnover and may have fewer team members who know and understand your event. Plan for daily touch-base meetings or huddles with key players to ensure each day runs smoothly.

If you plan on enforcing protocols, like wearing masks, it’s best not to put that responsibility on your staff. Instead, select a contractor or company that can focus their energies there. Work closely with your venue partners to explore options.

5. Observation

More than ever, track and monitor behavior activity on-site to determine the mood and vibe of your audience. Does it feel like a reunion? Is attendance on the show floor or in education sessions as expected? Are people utilizing the spaces you’ve created to network or have downtime?

Your audience may be excited or nervous (or both). So far, loyal attendees are appreciating and engaging in the familiar aspects of the event. They are also expecting you to offer new, fresh content and experiences. Don’t be afraid to take more risks. If you have small glitches, attendees will be more forgiving than ever…this time.

When are you planning your organizations return to face-to-face? What are your top concerns leading up to your event?

The post Game On! Returning to Face-to-Face appeared first on Velvet Chainsaw.

from Event Planning Essentials https://velvetchainsaw.com/2021/10/01/game-on-returning-to-face-to-face/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=game-on-returning-to-face-to-face via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners

Welcome to our Friday Favorites! Every other week we share five of our favorite articles from around the web that will help you succeed in your wedding planning business and in life.

Everything You Need to Know About Tent Weddings {Sapphire Events}

Focus on Your Own Creative Life and How to Build Confidence {Ivory Mix}

The Essential Guide to Styling Your Ballroom Wedding {Junebug Weddings}

What’s it For? A Simple Example {Seth’s Blog}

10 Ways to Add More Variety to Your Routine {The Blissful Mind}

Happy Friday!

Looking for more helpful articles? Our blog has over 1,000 posts for wedding and event planners. Click here for the most popular Planner’s Lounge blog posts.

The post Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/friday-faves-for-wedding-event-planners-43/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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[WEBINAR]: Should You Move Ahead with Fall In-person Events? 9.29.21

Register Now for our next VCC Webinar, Wednesday September 29, 2021, 12:00-1:00 PM EDT. Space is Limited

Organizations are making tough decisions about how to–or even whether to–move forward with their upcoming conferences and expos. While some have made the decision to cancel their f2f events, many others are forging ahead. Learn what worked and what didn’t from two event pros who held major in-person conferences in late August and early September, from Covid compliance to the on-site vibe.

They will share the challenges they overcame or didn’t anticipate, and how their experiences will shape future live events. Send your questions in advance to [email protected]. We’ll take plenty of questions live as well.

Click here to Register now!

Featured Guests:

Elizabeth Ambacher is the Vice President, Meetings and Expositions for the National Apartment Association (NAA) and oversees the strategy, planning, logistics and execution for all NAA meetings and events. She has over 20 years of experience in management, planning and execution of impactful meetings, events and tradeshows. Elizabeth holds a CEM from IAEE, DES from PCMA and is certified in the Neuroscience of Exhibitions & Events.

Emile K. Davis is the Director, Exhibits & Sponsorships for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and leads the sales, client experience, and operations for all SHRM events. He has over 20 years of experience in relationship management, strategic sales, competitive positioning, and producing large events and tradeshows. Emile holds a CEM from the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE), seats on the IAEE Advisory Committee, was the 2019 Trade Show Manager of the Year (SMOTY) Award and was recognized in 2016 in the 40 Under 40 Next List by Connect.

The post [WEBINAR]: Should You Move Ahead with Fall In-person Events? 9.29.21 appeared first on Velvet Chainsaw.

from Event Planning Essentials https://velvetchainsaw.com/2021/09/23/webinar-should-you-move-ahead-with-fall-in-person-events/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=webinar-should-you-move-ahead-with-fall-in-person-events via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Smart Moves to Make Today for a Sustainable Wedding Planning Business

As the world continues to deal with the ups and downs of the pandemic, it can feel like a rush to get back on track and ensure you have a sustainable wedding planning business for the future. Many of us have been waiting 12+ months for a shift to normality and to put this global pandemic in the past.

Whether you are new to the business of wedding planning or you have lived through the pandemic as a wedding entrepreneur, here are 4 key details to consider that can save you headaches down the road and help make your wedding planning business better prepared if another pandemic or unexpected disaster occurs.

4 Key Strategies for a Sustainable Wedding Business:

1) Solid Contracts for Long Term Sustainability

Is there anything we learned more about during the pandemic than the importance of contracts? It showed us how extremely important it is to have a solid wedding planning contract in place.

Since we are still in a bit of a grey area in terms of ever-changing event restrictions and mask recommendations, you should consider reviewing your existing contracts frequently. In your review, you should check to see if your policies and pricing concerning cancellations and postponements are clearly stated and addressed.

It’s also a good idea to have your contracts reviewed by a licensed attorney. This could include your service contract with clients, independent contractor agreements, and employee contracts.

2) Safety Protocols

Your business should have clear safety protocols that are communicated to all clients and to your staff. These could include:

Stating that all applicable state and local restrictions must be adhered to by both the client and their guests. This will help reinforce the expectation that whatever restrictions are in effect on the date of the wedding, you and your staff will follow them and expect compliance from clients.

Hygiene protocols for your team.

Mask requirements for your team.

Here is a great article about the Non-Negotiable COVID-19 Policies for Wedding Planners.

Masking has been a highly visible symbol of the pandemic. As restrictions are lifted, there are differing opinions about how wedding planners should handle masking for the foreseeable future. We asked event planners from around the world about their feelings and their plans for themselves and their staff. Opinions ranged from wearing masks for the foreseeable future, asking clients what their preference is with regards to staff wearing masks during the event, keeping masks on hand for when you cannot socially distance, to wanting to lose the mask completely after being vaccinated.

There is one opinion that most planners seem to all have in common: they understand that although things are still evolving with the pandemic, we need to continue to be careful and adaptable to the ongoing change occurring in our industry.

3) Considerations for Destination Weddings

While the general wedding industry was severely impacted by the pandemic, the destination wedding market was decimated. With travel being brought to an abrupt halt, borders closing, and differing restrictions around the world, destination weddings virtually disappeared in 2020.

With the rollout of the vaccine continuing, this hopefully means that travel to other countries will start to reopen, and people will be more likely to travel for in-person destination weddings. While this is great news for the destination wedding industry, wedding planners in this segment of the wedding industry have important considerations to contend with as they return to working with destination clients.

If you and your staff travel to plan destination weddings and events, consider outlining and sharing the following protocols with potential clients, current clients, and staff:

Where your company will and will not travel for weddings and events.

If you work in specific regions/countries, make sure that you understand the applicable local rules/regulations/requirements for all incoming travelers. Your clients will be relying on your expertise and knowledge to help navigate them through the destination planning process and communicating these details to their guests.

Travel requirements for you and your staff should be clearly communicated with your clients. If you are travelling out of the country, know the requirements of the destination country in terms of vaccine requirements, testing, quarantine rules upon arrival, and quarantine and testing rules upon returning to your home country. If you are going to have to spend extra time in quarantine on either side of the event, think about if and how you will be charging for that additional time.

Cancellation and event rescheduling policies should be clearly outlined in your contract.

Related post: 5 Things Wedding Planners Need to Know About Destination Weddings

Finally, if you are a destination wedding planner, be aware that even though some guests are excited to travel, there will be wedding guests who do not feel comfortable attending in-person. As the planner, this is an opportunity to offer services that make the VIP guests feel included even if they are sitting in their homes on the wedding day. Consider offering a live stream of the ceremony and parts of the reception and also offering services such as sending special gift boxes to virtual guests.

People’s comfort levels will likely be on varying levels for years to come, so having these pandemic-friendly services are an opportunity to serve your clients and their guests in a thoughtful and intentional way. You can find more creative ideas to make virtual guests feel included in this blog post: Pandemic Weddings: 7 Ideas for an Engaging, Unexpected, and Unforgettable Wedding Celebration.

4) Client Requirements for Event Insurance

Whether you are starting to book weddings as a new planner or you are an experienced planner getting back to booking weddings post-pandemic, one of the most important things to consider requiring from your clients is that they purchase an event liability and cancellation insurance policy.

Markel event insurance offers both event cancellation and event liability insurance for weddings. Although Markel’s event cancellation coverage does not provide coverage if the event has to be canceled or postponed due to an infectious disease, epidemic or pandemic, it does offer insurance protection for your clients if the wedding needs to be canceled or postponed due to such things as extreme weather, venue bankruptcy, or military deployment.

Event liability coverage can help protect your clients if they are held legally responsible for property damage to the venue or bodily injury to someone injured at the event. Markel event insurance can be a great solution for your clients with policies starting as low as $75, and a free event insurance quote from Markel takes only a few minutes online or on the phone. Get more information now on the Markel Insurance website.

Related page: Read more articles on event insurance and download Markel’s event insurance brochure

*this post is sponsored by Markel Service, Incorporated

This blog is intended for general information purposes only, and should not be construed as advice or opinions on any specific facts or circumstances. The content of this document is made available on an “as is” basis, without warranty of any kind. This publication is not intended to be legal, underwriting, or any other type of professional advice. Persons requiring advice should consult an independent adviser. Markel does not guarantee any particular outcome and makes no commitment to update any information herein, or remove any items that are no longer accurate or complete. Coverage is provided by one or more of the insurance companies within Markel and policyholder services are provided by the underwriting manager, Markel Service, Incorporated, national producer license # 27585, in California d/b/a Markel Insurance Services, license # 0645481. Certain products and services are provided through various non-admitted insurance company subsidiaries of Markel and are offered through licensed surplus lines brokers or through Markel West Insurance Services California license # 2E11302.

The post Smart Moves to Make Today for a Sustainable Wedding Planning Business first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/sustainable-wedding-planning-business-strategies/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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17hats Review: Confidently Run Your Wedding Planning Business

Being unorganized can really slow down or even ruin your wedding planning business. If you aren’t remembering to send invoices to clients or your clients are asking the same questions over and over and you’re having to spend time in your inbox repeating yourself, then you need a Client Relationship Management program, or a CRM. Say goodbye to chaos and see how 17hats is an ideal solution for your wedding planner software needs.

Imagine: No more lost sticky notes – and lost opportunities

We have used 17hats for the past 4 years and can’t imagine how we lived without it. At Planner’s Lounge, we use it to organize and automate many business tasks, and swear by it. Their feature-packed platform saves us time and money, and lets us focus on what we do best – not paperwork.

With 17hats, everything you need to run your business is in one place. With 17hats you can manage all of your clients in one central location. Contracts, invoices, bookkeeping, and even your calendar are right at your fingertips.

With 17hats you will gain a standardized way of working. Utilizing this business and financial management software will also ensure that your communications are professional, efficient, and consistent.

17hats Review: Systemize your wedding planning business in five ways:

Lead management — Stay on top of your leads, at every stage.

Booking coordination — Create and send quotes, contracts, and invoices.

Onboarding system — Engaging with clients becomes simpler.

Planning and business processes — Everyday tasks, made easier than ever with automation.

At-a-glance financials — How you did by job, month, or quarter including simple profit and loss statements.

You can also automate time-consuming tasks you have like gathering information via questionnaires or reminding clients to pay their final invoice.

17hats easily integrates with platforms you’re already using in your wedding business like Stripe, Square, The Knot, and Facebook.

As of the publication of this post, they offer a free trial for up to 3 projects/events so you can take your time to explore their platform. There is no risk in trying this wedding planning software platform!

In review: Our Favorite Features of 17hats:

Electronic Contracts & Invoices

You already know how badly you need contracts to cover yourself and your wedding planning business, but with 17hats contracts are easier than ever. Copy and paste your current contract template in 17hats, save it as a template in 17hats with one click, and you are set to use it for all future bookings. You can quickly add the client’s event details, your services, the price, and send the contract for your client to electronically sign.

You can quickly create client invoices, even recurring and future invoices. Clients can view the invoice and pay online. Easy peasy!

Related post: Wedding Planner Contract Templates

Lead Management

Create lead inquiry forms that seamlessly embed onto or link to your business website and generate business while you sleep. When using the 17hats form on your website, it will gather information, respond to prospects automatically, and you receive an alert when a lead comes in. The information the potential client enters into the form on your website automatically goes into 17hats as a lead so that you can easily manage all your leads and follow up in a timely manner.

Client Questionnaires

From finding out if prospective clients are a good fit with pre-consult online questionnaires to gathering all information needed to create the wedding day timeline, you can customize an interactive document with virtually any type or number of questions. This is also ideal for obtaining client information to put in the contract or for gathering details about the vendors a client booked before hiring you.

Daily Dashboard

See all of the highlights of your wedding business in one place. What wedding is next and what due dates are on the horizon – at a glance. You can also see what contracts still need to be signed, what invoices have been paid, and what is on your to-do list for the day. Important action items are highlighted, so nothing falls through the cracks. You can see key calendar events three days ahead, including the weather forecast!

Workflow Management

This feature is probably our very favorite, though it’s so hard to pick just one! With 17hats custom workflows, you can wake up each morning knowing just what you have to do. Action items for each project are automatically prompted when another item is completed.

You will save time because 17hats automates recurring tasks. You know where all your client projects stand at any given moment. You know what’s coming up, what’s been done, and who has the ball in their court.

We love sharing our review of 17hats with you. If you are considering investing in wedding planning software or a business management CRM for any small business, we recommend giving 17hats a try!

Start Your FREE Trial Today With 17hats!

*Planner’s Lounge uses affiliate links and may receive a commission or compensation when you purchase a product or service recommended on our website. Planner’s Lounge only recommends resources and products we have tried or feel very confident recommending.

The post 17hats Review: Confidently Run Your Wedding Planning Business first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/17hats-review-wedding-planning-business/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Day in the Life of a Wedding & Event Planner with Michelle McDermott

Welcome to our “Day in the Life” series! We feature wedding and event planners from around the world with many different levels of experience. If you would like to be featured, download our questionnaire here and email your responses and photos to [email protected]. We are excited to feature Ireland wedding and event planner Michelle McDermott today!

Name: Michelle McDermott

Business Name & Location: Dream Irish Wedding, Ireland

Years Working in the Event Industry: 25+

Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: 20 years

Website: www.dreamirishwedding.com

Business Facebook Page: Dream Irish Wedding

Instagram: @dreamirishwedd

What is your typical day like?

My day begins at 6:30am with a visit to the gym and I am usually in the office by 8am. I catch up on all the overnight correspondence from our clients in the USA and Australia before reviewing my to-do list for the day – then the real work begins!

I like to meet business colleagues or friends a few times a week for lunch. Otherwise, there is a danger of always eating lunch at my desk! I like to finish my workday around 6pm, but due to time differences and as our business is predominantly destination clients coming to Ireland from USA and UK, I can have calls with clients late into the evening.

My founding and parent company is McEvents & Weddings, but having identified the destination wedding market appeal of Ireland, I established the Dream Irish Wedding brand to target and appeal to potential overseas clients.

We are affiliated with some of Ireland’s finest and most luxurious wedding venues including Adare Manor, Dromoland Castle, and Ashford Castle & Luttrellstown Castle, but we are equally happy to host a client’s intimate elopement on the Cliffs of Moher. We also work at many other locations throughout Ireland including manor houses, coastal retreats, and boutique venues. We plan all sizes of events from small intimate weddings to events with 600+ guests!

As soon as the legislation in Ireland changed to permit gay weddings, we embraced this market and to date have done a number of fabulous bride & bride and groom & groom weddings!

I am a founding member and Vice President of the WIPA Ireland Chapter (2021) which we started in Ireland earlier this year. It is the first chapter outside of the USA. When we look back on the first four months of this year, all of our time was taken up with lobbying the government for clarification and reopening guidelines for events.

I am also a Failte Ireland (tourist board) Brand Ambassador along with only two other planners in Ireland for the luxury destination wedding market.

How did you get started in the industry?

I have a degree in Hotel Management and Business. I reached the position of Hotel General Manager and finally Events Manager of a large leading world hotel. At this point, I decided to start up my own wedding and event planning business.

I did a “Start Your Own Business Course” with a local enterprise board which set me up nicely, but my background in hotel management and business degree were enormous advantages too. My hotel management experience included event and conference planning.

I am always learning with new training opportunities and adding skills such as receiving a wedding and event styling accreditation, completing a marketing and public relations course, and recently completed a Smart Choice Leadership Program.

Pre-Covid, I would regularly visit the USA to learn and explore the latest wedding trends, fashion and event styles, new furnishings and decor, latest linen styles, and entertainment options.

Originally I did a lot of advertising in the bridal magazines and in fact, my first couple found me in an Irish bridal magazine and those same clients brought me seven weddings through word of mouth friends, family, and even one stranger they met on a flight! The power of referrals is priceless in this industry.

Through my background in hotels, I had connections to lots of venues which gave me the advantage to get on their preferred lists!

It was the early days of websites when I started, but I invested in SEO which paid off with business coming my way, particularly from the overseas market. I also attended wedding shows in Ireland, the USA, and the UK. However, I didn’t find the return particularly on the USA one to merit the outlay!

Tourism Ireland, the tourist board which promotes Ireland overseas has supported me with funding and opportunities to be featured at events in the USA and UK.

What challenges did you face when you started your own business?

In the early years, getting my name and brand out was a huge challenge. Finding good vendors was difficult in Ireland in the early days as weddings were a lot more low-key and lacked creativity. Although some vendors I worked with back then I would still rate well today!

My psychology and sociology experience certainly helped me understand and handle all of the family dynamics involved in a wedding from the couples, to the parents, to the wedding party!

At one point, I overstretched myself by taking on a luxury linen franchise that already covered all of Ireland and there really wasn’t a market large enough outside of the country to merit a second branch. But it was still a good experience that I learned a lot from.

What other advice do you have to share?

Hotel management is a great stepping stone for wedding planning and gives you a great grounding and understanding of everything from food and beverage to table and room setups, administration including the banquet event order, and executing a wedding on the day.

Test the market before becoming a wedding planner to ensure there is a strong level of business available to you to generate a successful and sustainable wedding planning business.

Decide early on if you are going to remain the main planner or expand so that you structure and plan accordingly from the start.

Aside from wedding and event planning, how do you spend your time?

I am originally from the East of Ireland, but now live with my wonderful husband in the West of Ireland on a fabulous golf course in Co. Limerick. I have two stepsons and a grandchild living in the UK. We are very close to all of our extended families throughout Ireland, UK, and Luxembourg.

My husband and I love to travel. We have a keen interest in visiting other countries to experience their culture, heritage, and food. We like to travel overseas 7-8 times per year. Most years, we visit the USA. Our favorite USA locations include Washington DC, New York, Chicago, Palm Springs, and Florida. Outside of the USA, we have enjoyed Taj Mahal, Wall of China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Rome, and Istanbul. I like to keep fit, play golf, walk, do photography, read, and experience new hotels and restaurants.

Michelle, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story and a day in your life. If you are an event planner and would like to be featured, download our questionnaire today and email it to us along with a photo. If you aren’t sure about being featured, take a few minutes to read how it can help your business.

*Photography Credits: Evelyn Woodard, Claire Brown Studio, Dream Irish Weddings

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The post Day in the Life of a Wedding & Event Planner with Michelle McDermott first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/day-in-the-life-irish-wedding-planner-michelle-mcdermott/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners

Welcome to our Friday Favorites! Every few weeks we share five of our favorite articles from around the web that will help you succeed in your wedding planning business and in life.

Finding Your Niche & Being Confident in Your Calling {Aisle Planner}

Off the Rack Self Righteousness {The Minimalists}

Talk About the Six Figure Journey with Kelsey Kerslake {Renee Dalo}

How to Support the LGBTQ+ Community on Your Google My Business Listing {Reputation}

24 Google Docs Templates That Will Make Your Life Easier {Make Use Of}

Happy Friday!

Looking for more helpful articles? Our blog has over 1,000 posts for wedding and event planners. Click here for the most popular Planner’s Lounge blog posts.

The post Friday Faves for Wedding & Event Planners first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/friday-faves-for-wedding-event-planners-42/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Day in the Life of a Wedding & Event Planner with Beverly Diane

Welcome to our “Day in the Life” series! We feature wedding and event planners from around the world with many different levels of experience. If you would like to be featured, download our questionnaire here and email your responses and photos to [email protected]. We are excited to feature Florida wedding and event planner Beverly Diane today!

Name: Beverly Diane

Business Name & Location: Beverly Diane Consultants

Years Working in the Event Industry: 10+

Website: beverlydiane.com

Business Facebook Page: Beverly Diane Consultants

Instagram: @beverlydianeconsultants

What is your typical day like?

My day starts early as I sip my Earl Grey tea and get inspired by the morning Instagram feed. Next, I will jump on my email then get to a pilates class before immersing myself in wedding timelines, vision boards, content creation, and client meetings.

I am a type “A” obsessive compulsive personality so time management, organization, communication, and attention to detail are most definitely my strong suits. I will not stop until every task is complete.

Photo Credit: Munoz Photography

How did you get started in the industry?

Ever since I was a little girl – even as far back as elementary school – I was always the one who was asked to create something whether it be the title for a science experiment, a teacher’s bulletin board, or the cover of a book report. As I got older, I continued to do such tasks on a more advanced level – and many others – as well as seamlessly coordinate every friend’s birthday party, youth group function, fundraiser, and the list goes on. I even started writing candlelighting poems for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in middle school. It just came naturally to me, and I loved it.

I went on to continue my higher education at the University of South Florida where I received a degree in Mass Communications with a major in advertising. I was fortunate to get a job at The Miami Herald where I excelled in the Sales & Marketing department, crushing sales goals and developing significant retail marketing programs. Later it became a natural progression for Special Events Manager to be added to my already prominent position which I ended up working for a total of 10 years.

Photo Credit: Toni Jade Photography

Fast forward again, and I teamed up with an incredibly good friend who owns a premier South Florida event company. We did the most incredible parties together for almost a decade. Besides assisting with events, I took care of the marketing end as well. Although we remain the best of friends, I branched out on my own. I am thrilled I have had the luxury of doing the two things I always loved to do – writing and event planning. I have come full circle and I certainly do not plan on stopping now.

“Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ― Mark Twain

What inspires you?

Everyday things inspire me…the outdoors, the ocean, the sunshine… Inspiration awaits around every corner from a magazine at the supermarket checkout and a department store window display to a piece of clothing or fabric on a chair. “They” say one should always “stop and smell the roses” and I believe this to be great advice.

Photo Credit: Emily Harris Photography

What are your favorite online resources for your business?

Social media feeds and websites belonging to the incredibly talented Colin Cowie, Martha Stewart, and Mindy Weiss are always valuable resources. Each has published books that I reference if needed.

Aside from wedding and event planning, how do you spend your time?

When I am not creating magical milestone moments or witty words for others, I can be found hanging out with my two amazing daughters & fabulous fiancé, spending time with family & friends, relaxing on the beach, or indulging in my guilty pleasure of reality tv. Talk about a “real housewife”, just try “keeping up” with this one.

Beverly, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story and a day in your life. If you are an event planner and would like to be featured, download our questionnaire today and email it to us along with a photo. If you aren’t sure about being featured, take a few minutes to read how it can help your business.

The post Day in the Life of a Wedding & Event Planner with Beverly Diane first appeared on Planner's Lounge - Become a Wedding Planner, Wedding Planner Resources, Wedding Planning Careers. from Event Planning Essentials https://plannerslounge.com/day-in-the-life-of-a-wedding-event-planner-with-beverly-diane/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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Conference Organizers: What Is Your Duty of Care?

Just when we thought we were turning the corner on a rise in Covid cases, we are hearing about short-term cancellations of conventions once again as the Delta variant causes cases to rise. Several conventions that occurred in June and July resulted in a number of positive COVID tests, including breakthrough cases among fully vaccinated participants. Some of the host organizations were transparent and shared these reported cases with attendees. Others were not.

As conference organizers, it can be helpful to consider our responsibilities from the viewpoint of duty of care — the legal definition of which is “a requirement that a person [or organization] act[s] toward others and the public with the watchfulness, attention, caution and prudence that a reasonable person in the circumstances would use. If a person’s actions do not meet this standard of care, then the acts are considered negligent…”

4 Questions to Define Your Duty of Care

Over the next year or so, conference organizers will need to define their responsibilities for duty of care, as well as what is expected of those who choose to attend your conference in person. As you develop your plan, consider these four difficult questions and how to incorporate your responses in your risk-management planning:

Will our preventive measures align with health authority guidelines or will we invest in extra precautions? Some organizations are contracting with suppliers to manage check points for proof of vaccination, enforce mask and social distancing and even employing technology solutions for contact tracing. Additional precautions like these can be polarizing for participants. Some may appreciate them as an extra layer of protection. Others may see them as an inconvenience.

What guidelines or policies should we put into place for our staff and vendors? Will attendance be required or optional? Will we require proof of vaccination or a negative test result prior to travel? How will they help ensure duty of care throughout the conference? Will they be expected to enforce the adopted guidelines?

What should be included in our crisis planning? What indicators do we monitor to make go/no-go decisions? What is our drop-dead date for making the go/no-go decision? What actions do we take if an attendee doesn’t adhere to the safety precautions and guidelines that are in place? What is our communication plan for dealing with a crisis during the conference?

How transparent will/should we be? If an attendee reports a positive COVID test during or shortly after the event, who will communicate this — and how — to other attendees? Do you send an email, make calls and/or publish on your website? To what degree will you assist with contact tracing and notification? What are the implications to your brand for over- or under-communicating?

Should We Ask Attendees to Sign a Waiver?

In risk management, shifting liability to another party is a common practice. When it comes to meeting participation, I really like the duty-of-care approach over a waiver filled with a bunch of legalese. Whichever direction you decide to take, it is important to highlight the personal responsibility that every attendee has for their own wellbeing as well as that of every other participant.

Sample Duty of Care Release

Review and download a sample “Duty of Care” release we developed that could be used as part of your meeting’s registration process. Be sure to get your attorney’s approval prior to using.

What communications plan do you have in place as part of your duty of care? What budgetary issues are you facing to ensure your duty of care at your event?

The post Conference Organizers: What Is Your Duty of Care? appeared first on Velvet Chainsaw.

from Event Planning Essentials https://velvetchainsaw.com/2021/08/31/conference-organizers-what-is-your-duty-of-care/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=conference-organizers-what-is-your-duty-of-care via http://www.rssmix.com/

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joannaarobinson · 3 years

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5 Strategies to Become a Leader and Gain Credibility in the Wedding Industry

The wedding industry can be ultra-competitive and overcrowded at times. As a wedding business owner, we want to focus on strategies that give our event planning business an edge and makes us stand out from the crowd.

Here are 5 strategies to establish yourself as a leader and help your business earn the trust of potential clients:

1) Gain Publicity

Public relations is a great way to establish trust for your business. When your peers and potential clients see a third party validation of your work, it is perceived much differently than if they see a typical advertisement for your business.

When we see an advertisement, we know the company is trying to sell us something. When a third party, such as a wedding blog or magazine, endorses our work by publishing it, our business gains credibility and trust. Engaged couples are more likely to hire us based on unbiased external endorsements than from paid advertisements.

When thinking of publicity, don’t limit your thinking to wedding magazines and blogs. Consider proposing ideas to local news stations to get TV exposure. For example, if you are an event planner, you can pitch doing a short TV news segment with summer party ideas and tips. Anyone who appears on TV instantly gets a boost in their perceived level of credibility and expertise.

Related post: How PR Can Take Your Wedding Planning Business to the Next Level

2) Speak at an Event

Being a speaker at a workshop, event, or conference instantly elevates your status as a leader in the industry. Speaking in front of an audience signals some form of expertise. To get started as a speaker in the wedding industry, think of 2-4 topics related to your field that you feel most educated about. These are often areas of business or your specific craft that come easy to you and that your industry friends ask you for help with. Once you have a few topic ideas, contact local networking and industry groups and propose those ideas as speaking topics for a future meeting.

Once you secure a speaking gig, prepare and practice your presentation often so that you give the best impression to those listening to your talk. Once you speak locally and feel comfortable, consider moving on to speak at regional events, workshops, and national conferences.

3) Teach

If you have been in your field for more than a few years, you likely have a lot of knowledge to share with someone just starting out. Consider offering a local class on getting started in your career field or look into teaching a class or workshop at a conference. If business is your strength, teach a workshop on a specific part of your wedding business such as key social media strategies that get results, how to market your business without spending a fortune, or how to make your wedding business more efficient and effective.

Don’t be shy about teaching even if you have only been in business a few years. Maybe you aren’t a “10” on the sliding scale of experience but even if your skills are a “5”, there are many people interested in starting their own wedding business who will appreciate your level “5” skills. Their industry skills and knowledge are probably a “0” or “1” on the sliding scale of experience. You have the value that they need and they are willing to pay you to teach them.

4) Win Awards

One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to establish credibility and recognition for you and your wedding planning business is to win industry awards. Awards bring a new level of prestige and trust.

When potential clients see that you’ve won an award, it can sway them to choose you over your competition because you’re seen as a credible and high-quality business. Apply for wedding industry awards first but also look for awards related to entrepreneurship and small business.

Keep in mind that while awards will help you win business, you will only build loyalty and referral business by doing high-quality work and providing excellent service to your clients.

5) Promote Your PR, Speaking, Teaching, and Awards

To get the most traction out of the first four strategies, you have to actively promote what you are doing and achieving. If you teach a class or organize an event industry workshop or conference, how are your peers going to know what you did unless YOU promote it?

That speaking gig you are doing and the workshop you are teaching? They should be promoted all over your social media and on your website before, during, and after the event. They should also be promoted in your email newsletter and on your blog.

When you win an award, there should be a permanent place on your website that has a photo or graphic representing the award. The fact that you won the award should be shared on all of your social media accounts. When you get published or do a TV segment, promote that publicity as much as possible without annoying your followers. Once you have 3 or more awards or PR experiences, create a press page on your website to showcase these.