(Image via Milos Milosevic)
I’d like to thank you so much for all the suggestions and topics you gave me last Friday for what I should talk about in my speeches.
It was certainly a huge help and I’ll be incorporating many of your ideas into my talks.
When I write my blog every morning, I try to write about subjects I have struggled with in my years of being in business.
This week, I’d love to ask you one more question.
As I prepare my blogging editorial calendar, what is one thing you would you like me to blog about?
I’ll try to incorporate all of your suggestions into our edit calendar.
Thank you.
PREVIOUS
George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
Harold Abrams
January 21, 2011
Preston — I’d like to know the best way to submit proposals and follow up. I recently submitted a souvenir proposal for an national organizations annual convention. They wanted creative and unique items they could distribute to attendees. I submitted several virtual proofs and sample of ideas that incorporated my original designs. Prior to the submission, there was a lot of communication. Once they received the proposal, all my calls were forwarded to voice-mail and no e-mails have been returned. It’s been over three months. The convention takes place summer 2011 and I need several months lead time to get potentially thousands of items produced. My packet was a very polished and professional proposal that included as instructed unique and original concepts. I have my own vendors on-hold and inquiring if anything is going to move forward. 1. What do you recommend I tell my vendors. I don’t want to jeopardize these relationships 2. What’s the most effective way to communicate with the decision makers? Calls? E-mails? Snail mail? How often? What are your thoughts? Many thanks, Harold
Elle
January 21, 2011
Great question, Preston! Thanks for giving us the opportunity to post feedback. I’d love to read more about the steps involved in the design process, starting with how you draw inspiration, but going into more depth about the process between inspiration and client approval. (Sourcing, mock ups, budgets, etc…) Merci Beacoup!
crismarcuyares
January 21, 2011
Hi Preston a good topics for you blog:
1. What happens behind the scene? Problems, mistakes… etc.
2. How get the cretivity or inspiration for design a good party or a good wedding
3. And tell us about your anecdoties with your clients, your workes….
I was a blogger too (www.cocteldehormonas.blogspot.com), and I had days, that my inspiration for keep writting is OFF… and I stoped for weeks or days, until found muy own inspirations, and almost always found it in everyday situations.
Bye!!
Aleah + Nick Valley
January 21, 2011
We’d love to hear more about how you put together the amazing events you’ve designed. An “Event Day in the Life of Preston Bailey” would be so interesting. How long does an installation usually take? We’d love an inside peek!
Lorna
January 21, 2011
I would like to know what is the best way to book a client after meeting with them?
Ashley
January 21, 2011
1. When a bride has a million ideas, how do you decide on one cohesive theme that will still have her vision but not make it look gawdy or thrown together?
2. What if your client suggests something that will not match or look awful?
3. Behind the scenes of an event.
4. Mistakes and how you fixed it or what you learned from it
Thanks!
Joana Tomova
January 22, 2011
1. Did you made the wedding decor in the movie “Braking down” /Twilight series/ ? And if you did, tell as more about it I can’t wait to see it!
2. How many florist make the arrangements for a big wedding /like Donald Trum’s for example/
3. How do you feel about coming to Bulgaria and making a workshop and lection? And what I have to do to get you here?
Mr. Goodwill Hunting
January 22, 2011
Thank you Preston for giving us the opportunity to ask questions. Blogging will eventually turn into v-logging (video blogging) very soon. Can you take us on a small video tour on what a typical event day is for you. From morning, midday, event installation, execution, progress, ending…
Also, perhaps we could take a tour with one of your assistants and see how amazing or stressful it is to work with you.
Mr. Goodwill Hunting
Galina Zakatova
January 23, 2011
Hello, Preston!
My name is Zakatova Galina, I live in Russia. I the big fan of your creativity and work, you give inspiration! Today a mine birthday and I have decided to tell to you about the dream: I dream to be the designer of ceremonies and to create a lot of fine for pleasure and admiration of people! Much to our regret, in Russia there is no school where would train in such speciality, there are various kinds of design, but the design of ceremonies isn’t present. Literatures on this question, the experts, similar to you – too aren’t present. But my dream is too desired to leave it. Therefore I have decided to be trained at home, have found some courses and books, but it is not enough of it. I have to you a big request: Preston, tell please as well as where you have learned this art, what books you read, what it is necessary to study, without what not to manage, with what you began? To you I will be very grateful for your answer! In advance, I thank!
Yours faithfully, Zakatova Galina.
Yvonne
January 24, 2011
Quite similar to Mr. Goodwill Hunting’s and obviously requiring the client’s consent, I am dying to read about one of the events you designed from the very beginning till the end.. through blog posts and videos like The Preston Touch. From the client meeting to doing the proposal to discussing details with clients, to actual planning, meetings with staff, ordering of props and flowers, conditioning and arranging flowers, then installation and setting up, the actual wedding, and lastly removing everything from the site. Am particularly intrigued by the numbers : the quantity of flowers ordered, the number of staff involved in creating the arrangements, how many hours it took etc…
Maria Kirk
January 24, 2011
I would love to know more about PR. I struggle to get ‘my name out there’ and as a wedding planner it is vitally important to be noticed. Magazines never seem to print my articles and I don’t really know where I am going wrong!
I can’t really afford to take large adverts in magazines to ensure that they allow me editorial space. Do you have any suggestions?
pippa
January 25, 2011
I agree with Maria Kirk, the biggest struggle for me is the public relations angle. My local area is particularly competitive for business – which is great as it constantly motivates me to be more creative and give better service, however it’s extremely frustrating to see busineses that don’t give great service trading on a preestablished name. What are your tips for establishing a name for my (small) business, without huge expenditure?
Savannah (Pearls and Pages)
January 25, 2011
Blog Topic: What do you do when you have a design in mind for your client and they have ideas of their own that they’d like to see utilized, but you don’t necessarily want to meld the two visions completely together? Their taste isn’t yours, per se.
How do you maintain the integrity and thumbprint of your style, while pleasing the client, when there are artistic or design differences? How do you manage their wants and taste with your own? They may want something that you wouldn’t necessarily see yourself designing, but they are the paying client, after all. Is there a happy medium for instances like this? What do you do?
This would be a great blog topic– maintaining your design style, your poise, and the client, with clients who have strong design opinions that may not match yours. What does Mr. Preston Bailey do in this situation??
All the Best,
Savannah
Goody
January 25, 2011
I appreciate your asking.
I love your blog and I would love to learn more about how you source and choose vendors.
Thank you.
Michele
February 6, 2011
Hi Preston–
I’ve been in this business for a few years and have made mistakes (and learned from them!). One thing that I sometimes have difficulty with, is getting clients to take my word about things that I absolutely KNOW will not work. I hesitate to keep clients on that stubbornly forge ahead because I know the quality of my work will suffer. How do you bring them around?