Results for To Do Tag

recommendations for the wedding and event planning industry

MORE ON RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE WEDDING AND EVENT PLANNING INDUSTRY

(Image via sarae) This morning I introduced the topic of recommendations and how, unfortunately, some recommendation tactics in the wedding and event planning industry aren’t always fair or reliable. We’ve already discussed those dreaded preferred vendor lists from venues. Now, I’d like to tackle commissions and nasty gossip. If you recommend me for a job, [...]

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Wedding Industry Etiquette Making Money

THE ONE MISTAKE YOU DON’T WANT TO MAKE

(Image via John C Abell) Most of the wedding designers, wedding planners, wedding photographers, and other wedding vendors I meet and work with are very talented. And talent, well, that’s the hard part. So it has always struck me that vendors who have the hard part down (the skills!) are sometimes so bad at the [...]

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event planning wedding new business

PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST MEETING WITH A POTENTIAL CLIENT

(Image via midwestgrrl) So, you’ve convinced a potential client to come in and meet you. You’re excited and very eager to get the job for this wedding, corporate event, birthday party, etc… And even though I strongly believe that we’re not right for every client, and every client is not right for us, of course you still [...]

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budget-conscious brides

CONVINCING POTENTIAL CLIENTS TO MEET IN PERSON

(Image via pshegubj) Today’s venting post is in response to one of you, my lovely readers, who wrote in asking for my help with brides who want a price quote before they’ll agree to meet with a vendor. We vendors typically prefer to meet with a potential client before quoting any prices. The reader who [...]

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bride and wedding designer

COMMON MISTAKES: DEALING WITH CONTROLLING BRIDES

(Image via h.koppdelaney) I’ve never had a client who came in and said “Preston, you’re the wedding designer. Do whatever you want for my wedding.” Sometimes, clients aren’t positive what they want, but, in these cases, I know the right questions to ask, and pretty quickly I have a good sense of what they envision [...]

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wedding decoration candles

REMINDER: TOP 10 WAYS TO CREATE AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENT

(Image via Arghya a.k.a Orgho) When I ask my clients to describe the most unique weddings they’ve ever attended, I’m  always surprised that they can usually think of no more than one or two. Here’s my top 10 list on how to create a unique wedding or event using a few key reception ideas: 1. [...]

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sleepwalkers

REMINDER: MY TOP 10 DO’S AND DON’TS FOR PLANNERS

(Image via oedipusphinx ) This week it’s all about finding a good middle ground for planners, designers and clients, so that we can all work together effectively and efficiently. Today, I’m sharing my top 10  suggestions and reminders specifically for planners: 1. It’s very important for designers and other vendors to meet with clients directly. [...]

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flower market in Hong Kong

Reminder: My Top 10 Flower Dos and Don’t

(Image via maureen lunn ) I frequently mention how much I’ve learned from my many mistakes in these Wednesday Reminder posts. However, now that the wedding season is near and spring is officially upon us – even if it doesn’t quite feel like it yet, I’d like to dedicate today’s post to all of my [...]

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Showing Respect to Nature

REMINDER: It Isn’t Your Event, It’s Your Client’s

(Image via gwaar ) I wonder if this ever happens to you… you start working for a specific client, and you have such a clear vision of what the event should look like that you catch yourself thinking, “I know best.” This has happened to me many times, especially when I also happen to love [...]

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Burnout

Reminder: Maintaining a Good Life/Work Balance

(Image via aeu04117) Every minute is precious, as we discussed Monday. Most of us don’t ever feel like we have enough time and work longer and longer hours to get all our jobs done. I don’t want to sound like a hypocrite because I am definitely a workaholic but I think we should always remember [...]

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Portfolio Facelift Boxes

To Do: Give Your Portfolio a Facelift

(Image via) In our To Do list this week I’d like us to work on giving our portfolio a facelift. Changing and updating our most powerful sales tool should be constantly at the top of our to do list. Here are a few guidelines: Make sure you do not have more than 20 images in [...]

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research, market value, graphics, improvement

To Do: Conduct Market Research

I am finally becoming adjusted to the importance of market research. In other words, what the hell are my competitors doing and how much are they charging? Not too long ago I ran my business with blinders, not caring or oblivious to what anyone was doing.  The problem with this is that you have no [...]

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Theo-Performing

To Do: Enjoy Your Work Like Play

I am in awe when folks take their childhood love and make it into a business. Within my group of associates, I have what I call “my brilliant nerd squad.” I am constantly surprised by their vast knowledge of the Internet. What they all have in common is that since they were kids, the Internet [...]

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design_like_a_fashionista

To Do: Design Like a Fashionista: Step 2

In our To do list last week I suggested that, like fashion designers, it’s a great practice for us to come up with at least one completely new design or completely new way of giving great service. This will help us position ourselves in becoming trend setters and also help us have the cutting edge [...]

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john-galliano-haute-couture-300x211

To Do: Design Like a Fashionista: Step 1

(Image via) It’s time to get ready for the new season, so let’s take a page out of a fashion designer’s book. Every season they need to come up with a brand new idea for their fashion collection. In most cases, this means designing at least four complete new looks every year. I find this [...]

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To Do: Downsizing

In other words, getting rid of junk, both mentally and physically. In my post last Friday I asked you to tell me at least three things you could not live without and I was more than pleasantly surprised that in most cases your “things” fell into these three categories in this order: 1. Your family [...]

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To Do: Let go of excuses

While writing this week’s to do list this morning, I thought I’d start by writing three things I want to change and will actually change, and three others I want to change yet thought was too risky. It’s so much easier to think things are going to be to difficult to change, rather than actually [...]

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To Do: Let go of bad habits & encourage good ones

Letting go of bad habits can be very uncomfortable. I have a side of me that procrastinates when dealing with any form of conflict. At times, I even employed the magical thinking that if I wait long enough, the problem will simply…go away. I catch myself constantly dealing with the bad habit of avoidance, especially [...]

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PB_VW-300x200

To Do: The Gift of Mentoring

I have been on both sides of this spectrum–I have been a mentor for more than one and I have had (and still have) many friends and colleagues who constantly give me the gift of mentoring. For me, mentoring is about helping someone discover his or her gift. Almost 30 years ago, my good friend [...]

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PB_Prada-300x200

To Do: Getting the Big Bucks

What I really wanted to call this post was: My name is Preston Bailey and I am a shoe junkie–but I figured you’d want to know more about getting the big bucks, right? Confession time: I am capable of being incredibly superficial. Nothing gives me more pleasure than walking into Prada and dropping $1500 on [...]

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