If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes! This is another listener suggestion, this time from Cedric on Facebook. I don’t know if he used this phrase, or if it was my interpretation. The analogy comes from visualizing a dog sled team. Imagine a sled being pulled by 5 dogs. One in front, and two pairs of two other dogs behind it. If you’re the lead dog, you have a clear view of where you’re going. If you’re one of the other dogs, you have a view of the rear end of the dog in front of yo...
Dec 20, 2023•8 min
I had been meaning to do an episode based upon this phrase after reading it in Brene Brown’s book “Dare to Lead.” And then I got an email about an article in the NY Times talking about the same thing (it’s a sign!). Very often we make assumptions about what happened, what someone is thinking, why someone did or didn’t do something. The problem is that often we don’t really know why someone did or didn’t do something, or their motivations. The story we tell ourselves is very often different than ...
Dec 13, 2023•10 min
Why Customers Leave – with David Avrin I was reading (listening) to my friend David Avrin’s book “Why Customers Leave and How to Win Them Back” and there were so many good nuggets in there that I just had to have him on the podcast. We talked about the customer experience and how so many times you lose the sale without even knowing that you were being considered. Listen to this new episode for some straight talk about the customer experience so you can find the kinks in your business pipeline an...
Dec 11, 2023•32 min
When presented with a new opportunity, do you look at what could go wrong, or how it could fail? Do you ask yourself “Why should I?” Or, do you focus on the positive outcomes and ask “Why shouldn’t I?” Too many people place their emphasis on the negative, not the potential. After all, the easiest thing to do when presented with an opportunity is to do nothing. Listen to this new 7-minute episode to hear how you can change your focus to achieve more and have more fun, in life and business! If you...
Dec 06, 2023•9 min
Don't try to be the best you can ever be! Are you satisfied with where you are and how good you are? I’m not, and I’ll never be. Yes, I like to look back and reflect on my successes, but my personal philosophy is that I want to be better each time than I was the last time. Whether it’s in business or in my personal life, it’s a constant push to do better, every time. Listen to this new 6-minute episode to hear why I don’t ever want to be the best I can ever be… and neither should you! If you hav...
Nov 29, 2023•7 min
After reading “The Go-Giver” for the second time, and then reading “Go-Givers Sell More”, I just had to have the author, Bob Burg, on the podcast. There are so many great lessons and nuggets that we can all apply to our businesses and lives in these books. I also just started reading “The Go-Giver Influencer”, and I’ve already been making notes. These books are so easy to read, using parables (short stories) which make it easy to relate to the characters. I enjoyed our conversation and I think y...
Nov 27, 2023•32 min
Very often I see wedding and event pros trying to educate your customers on why they should choose a professional for your product or service. Or maybe it’s educating them on your actual product or service. Is that your responsibility? By the time they get to your website or marketing, are they looking for that education? Or have they already decided they want your product or service and now you need to educate them on something else. Listen to this new 5-minute episode to get an idea on what yo...
Nov 22, 2023•6 min
One of my presentations at the Wedding MBA conference this year was on Secret-Shopping. We inquired with over 200 companies throughout the year, and around the country, pretending to be an engaged couple, asking for pricing and package information – as so many real couples do. We filled out the contact form on these company’s websites and then waited and tracked the results. Hint: it wasn’t pretty! Listen to this new 14-minute episode to hear how these companies did (and no, we’re not revealing ...
Nov 15, 2023•15 min
When I saw that my friend in New Zealand, Elias Kanaris, became CEO of the Customer Contact Network New Zealand, I just knew that I had to have him on the podcast to talk about the customer experience. There are so many things about customer experience and customer service that transcend borders. We had a great conversation that has so many applications to your business, no matter whether you’re a solopreneur or run a team. Listen to this new episode for insight and tips into how you can create ...
Nov 13, 2023•41 min
This is another listener suggestion, this time from Meg in Las Vegas. They asked if I could do an episode on working cold leads. For this episode, I’m going to assume they mean wedding expo leads, or lists you might get by being referred by a venue or another industry partner. They send you a list of the people they’ve booked, and you get a chance to reach out to them… but they haven’t yet asked for you to contact them. As I started my career in the wedding industry selling magazine ads that cam...
Nov 08, 2023•14 min
Whenever I do sales training for businesses like yours, large and small, one of the things I like to stress is that the person talking isn't learning anything. Everything you say, you already know. That’s true for me and for all of you. While we might occasionally come up with new phrasing or a new twist on an idea, we still started with the underlying knowledge. The only way we can learn something new is by listening. That, of course, means asking better questions, and really listening to the a...
Nov 01, 2023•10 min
I’ve spoken about raising your rates before, and this time I invited my friend Eric Rhodes (you might know him from his Tik-Tok and IG videos) to talk about his journey to raising his rates higher than he’d ever imagined. And he’s not in a big city, he’s in Boise Idaho! Hear how he grew and then scaled back his business, and was already getting much more in his market than most others before his videos went viral. Listen to this new episode for inspiration in seeing the value you’re already prov...
Oct 30, 2023•30 min
I recently had a problem with a product that ended well, with the company replacing the damaged one, but I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. But why? I got what I wanted in the end. This was a great lesson to share because we have to realize that our goal is more than just to get the customer what they want and need. It’s to make them feel great about the process and interaction. Listen to this new 12-minute episode for the rest of the story, and some tips on how you can become more aware o...
Oct 25, 2023•13 min
This is another listener suggestion. I got an email from Scott, asking if his closing rate was good. He had good stats on his conversion from inquiry to conversation to sale. That already puts him ahead of most wedding and event pros. What I explained to him, and to you in this episode, is what stats you’d want to have, and whether or not you need to know what your closing rate is. You’ll hear how I have stats that I pay to more attention to than my closing rate. Listen to this new 8-minute epis...
Oct 18, 2023•9 min
I was watching an Instagram post by my friend Vanessa Joy where she was discussing the wedding gap. It intrigued me as I had heard some rumblings about it, but hadn’t had a chance yet to discuss it and find out more. So, I invited Vanessa on for her take on it and what it means to you. Listen to this new episode for some clarity on what the wedding gap is, and what you can do to prepare and thrive through it. About Vanessa Joy Since 2002, Vanessa Joy has been photographing weddings and portraits...
Oct 16, 2023•30 min
This is another listener suggestion. A friend of mine noticed that many wedding and event pros are asking their couples and customers to fill out questionnaires before they get to have a real conversation with them. While this is easier for you, because you get more information before your meeting/call/Zoom, it also adds friction and effort to the process. The thing is that in doing this, you may be missing out on good prospects. You never know who chooses not to reach out to you because of the ...
Oct 11, 2023•11 min
I’ve done episodes about reviews before, so this time I want to address why so many wedding and event pros still aren’t replying to your good reviews. Many of you are replying to the less than stellar reviews, but not every review. Why not? You’re missing a great opportunity to stand out. Don’t worry, you don’t have to reply to every review you’ve ever gotten… just some. I spell that out in this episode as well. Listen to this new 12-minute episode for why you should reply to all of your reviews...
Oct 04, 2023•13 min
Every so often I read a book and think “I need to have them on my podcast!” I’ve known David Newman for years through the National Speakers Association, and I just finished listening to his book “Do It! Selling”, and while his target client is different than yours, there are so many takeaways and useful ideas for you. Listen to this episode and be sure to have your pen or keyboard ready to take notes. Whether you’re a seasoned wedding and event pro or just getting started, David drops nugget aft...
Oct 02, 2023•43 min
This is another listener suggestion, this time from Brian in South Florida. He had a couple in to his venue for a wedding and they weren’t responding to the questions that seem to work with other couples. He wanted to know what to do in situations like that. What are some different questions? How do you get the quiet ones talking? Listen to this new 9-minute episode for some questions you can use when your customers aren’t being responsive to your questions. If you have any questions about anyth...
Sep 27, 2023•10 min
I was doing a sales training for a small group and the question came up about figuring out who the decision maker is when you’re dealing with a group of people. In this episode I expand on this topic to figuring out who the decision-maker is when you’re on the phone, or when you don’t get to meet with everyone who will be involved in the final decision. Listen to this new 8-minute episode for some tips to help you figure out when you’re dealing with all of the decision-makers. If you have any qu...
Sep 20, 2023•9 min
There are so many analytics that you can get for your business, but which ones are going to make a difference for you and your bottom line? To help bring clarity to this I invited my friend Christie Osborne to join me for a conversation about business insights. This isn’t about Google Analytics, at least not very much, and you’re going to want to hear the business metrics that you really do need to know. Listen to this new episode for an enlightening conversation with a really smart friend. Abou...
Sep 18, 2023•39 min
If you’ve heard me speak, read my books or had me do sales training, then you certainly know about the power of the choice of two. If you want someone to make a decision, you need to give them the perception of choice, while at the same time limiting their choices. That’s a balancing act, for sure, but not as difficult as it sounds. Once you can get their choices down to one or two, you can ask for the sale, and it won’t feel pushy or aggressive at all. Listen to this new 10-minute episode for s...
Sep 13, 2023•11 min
This is another great listener suggestion, from Marylee, who was having issues with a demanding client and wanted to know when and how it’s OK to fire them. This is certainly a tough situation and I’m sure it’s happened to many of you, as it has to me. There’s more to this than just saying “You’re fired”, and timing will affect this. Listen to this new 8-minute episode for some ideas and perspective on situations like these so you’ll be better prepared when and if they come up for you. If you ha...
Sep 06, 2023•10 min
Being intentional about your inclusion – Kirsten Paladino You’ve no doubt been hearing a lot about DEI – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and maybe you’re a little confused as to what to do in your business. I was so fortunate to have my friend Kirsten Paladino, Co-founder and editorial director of equallywed.com, join me and help us understand better how we can all be intentional in how we show our customers and prospects that we’re not only open to doing business with them, we’re competent and...
Sep 04, 2023•44 min
I’m preparing a new presentation for this year’s Wedding MBA on my experiences and findings from the secret shopping I do. Sometimes clients hire us to secret shop them and sometimes we do it when someone inquires but doesn’t hire us, just to see how badly they might need help (cue the smiley emoji). What amazes us is how many times companies don’t reply at all to our inquiry, even when it’s directly through their website. Sometimes it’s a technological issue (easy to fix when you know about it)...
Aug 30, 2023•13 min
Are you going to Wedding MBA? Use the promo code - Alan - to save $20 off your tickets, at www.WeddingMBA.com And don't worry, if you can't use your tickets this year, they're transferrable or you can hold them to use next year. I'm Alan Berg. Thanks for listening. If you have any questions about this or if you'd like to suggest other topics for " The Wedding Business Solutions Podcast " please let me know. My email is Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com. Look forward to seeing you on the next epi...
Aug 23, 2023•7 min
From the corporate world to mobile bars – a pivot into a niche – Sarah Murphy I love having on guests who have pivoted into their business, narrowed their niche and then pivoted again! Sarah Murphy went from the corporate world to starting, growing and selling a mobile bar business. Then she pivoted to training other mobile bar operators on how to have a better business. After all, knowing how to mix drinks doesn’t qualify you to have a good business. Those are different skills. Listen to this e...
Aug 21, 2023•32 min
I'm the neighbor's parents, are you? When I do sales training, whether for just a couple of people, dozens or more, I always consult with the management about the things that they want me to emphasize for their team (whether it’s just a couple of people, or a large group). As long as we’re in alignment on those things, I have no problem hammering home those points. Very often the management has been trying to get their team to learn, accept and use those same concepts, but it hasn’t been sinking...
Aug 16, 2023•7 min
Weddings are down, get used to it! I’ve been hearing and having a lot of talk about weddings being down this year. Yeah, and? We’re coming off an unfair benchmark, and a time that’s roiled the waters to the point that we’re still sailing on choppy seas. In this episode I try to give some perspective on where we came from and where we’re going, and what that might mean for you and your business. Listen to this 8-minute episode for some musings on the current and future state of weddings and event...
Aug 09, 2023•10 min
Davida Perry, Esq. – Are Dress Codes Still a Thing? Have you noticed how the people you encounter at different businesses have very different ways of dressing for work? At some there seems to be a consistent dress code, while at others it seems like the wild west. Surely it should match the brand image of that business, but sometimes it doesn’t seem to. I was curious as to what you, as the business owner or manager can legally require of your employees. So, I invited Davida Perry, an expert on e...
Aug 07, 2023•31 min
