The Wedding Business Magazine July 2017

"People Don't Buy What You Do. They Buy Why You Do It" Simon Sinek Jul y 2017

creatingmemorabl e weddings We find out from Top UAE Wedding Planner Zainab Alsalih what it is that makes each Carousel wedding so unique.

adressfor every occasion We meet Ever-Pretty founder Anna Shi and discover what it takes to build an occasion wear fashion empire.

I n This I ssue 8

From t he Editor A welcome note and introduction to this month's magazine theme. By Kylie Carlson

12

WED Social What's Your Money Mindset Story?

By Shannon DePalma

18

WED Expert Overcoming Mindset Block in Business

By Kellie Daab

30

WED Biz Are You Setting Yourself Up To Fail?

By Heather Waits

34

WED Feat ure An Interview with Zainab Alsalih of Carousel Weddings. By Meghan Ely

49

WED BizCoach How to Get Your Brides to Book You With Ease. By Emma Etheridge

52

WED Pro An interview with Bethel Nathan.

By Meghan Ely

56

WED PR Real Wedding Submissions: Working with the Couple and Vendors

By Meghan Ely

64

WED Guru An Interview With Anna Shi of Ever-Pretty By Meghan Ely

68

WED SEO Get Found in Google Maps? Even If You Work from Home.

By Kathy DalPra

76

WED Inspire Always a Bridesmaid for Hire with With Jen Glantz. By Meghan Ely

80

WED Promo Clone Your Best Clients.

By Heidi Thompson

84

Int roducing The Event ice!

Interview with Rebecca Wilson, ESP Recruitment. By Martha Tobyn

90

WED Digital Streamline Wedding Planning Workflow with Eddie Babbage.

By Meghan Ely

96

WED Legal The Worst Thing You Can Hear is No? or Is It? By Christina Scalera

Contributors Christ ine Ligt hart Christine Ligthart is the Director of Education for the International Academy of Wedding & Event Planning and is the Founder of The I-Do Crew.

Websit e: www.idocrew.com.au

Heidi Thompson Heidi Thompson is the chief marketing geek & founder of Evolve Your Wedding Business and she is on a mission to help you book more weddings without all of the struggle and stress.

Websit e: www.evol veyourweddingbusiness.com

Kel l ie Daab Kellie Daab is a wedding business architect and owner of iDo Collective. She helps wedding professionals identify and fix what's not working in their wedding business.

Websit e: www.idocol l ect ive.com

Meghan El y OFD Consulting owner Meghan Ely has over a decade of experience in the wedding industry. She is also a prominent national speaker on a broad range of wedding marketing and wedding PR topics.

Websit e: www.of dconsul t ing.com

Kat hy Dal Pra Kathy takes the overwhelm out of SEO, sales and website conversion so wedding businesses can turn more curious visitors into high paying clients.

Websit e: brideappeal .com

Shannon DePal ma Shannon DePalma is a business coach and digital marketing strategist for wedding professionals and creatives. She?s a successful entrepreneur that grew and sold her first wedding business in two years.

Websit e: www.shannondepal ma.com

Emma Et heridge Emma is the founder of The Wedding Biz Coach and supports wedding-prenuers to grow their wonderful wedding businesses by teaching real-life, practical, actionable strategies that work.

Websit e: www.weddingbizcoach.com

Heat her Wait s Heather is the founder of Profitable Weddings, a mentoring community teaching wedding professionals how to turn their passion into a profitable business.

Websit e: www.prof it abl eweddings.com

Sam Ll oyd Based in the UK Sam is the founder of The Wedding Owl, and is an experienced, specialist wedding business consultant with extensive, practical knowledge of the Wedding Industry.

Websit e: www.t heweddingowl .com

Christ ina Scal era Christina Scalera is the attorney and founder behind TheContract.Shop, a contract template store for creative entrepreneurs, wedding professionals, and coaches.

When she?s not staring at a computer or awkwardly standing on cafe chairs for the perfect overhead latte photo, you can find her in the woods doing things that are sometimes dangerous but always fun, like riding horses, skiing and reluctantly camping.

Websit e: www.christ inascal era.com

Fromtheeditor

K ylieCarlson It doesn't seem possible that we are already over halfway through the year and before we know it we will be sitting down to update our business plans in readiness for the new year ahead. For me this is something that I try to do as much as possible during the year, and as this issue of the magazine is all about the psychology of being in business I thought it would be a good subject for me to talk about.

I like to think about my business plan as plotting a journey. When you decide to travel somewhere there are usually several routes you can take and it is a question of taking the one that makes the most sense for you. Sometimes your route changes mid journey due to unforeseen circumstances, such as roadworks or diversions, and a business plan is very similar. During the course of any year you never know what might rear its head or what opportunities are thrown in your path. This means you need to be flexible and allow your business plan to be fluid, changing as your needs change.

By constantly re-evaluating where you are and making changes you are giving yourself the best chance at success. I know for many people a business plan is something they create when they first start their business and it is put away in the back of the cupboard somewhere gathering dust never to see the light of day again.

In reality though this document should be one that is revisited on a regular basis, changed, tweaked, added to etc. to allow both you and your company to grow.

Your business plan becomes part of your daily routine and plan as you strive towards the end goal, as set out in that plan. I don't know about you, but I need to have a plan for each working day otherwise I drift from task to task without any real purpose. ?A goal without a plan is just a wish. ? ? Antoine de Saint-ExupĂŠry

K yliex TheStyled Shoot Team Wind in t he Wil l ows Inspired Wedding -

Pl anning & Design: Hanami Dream Locat ion: Old Swan & Minster Mill Phot ography: Farrow Photography Hair and Make-up: Lucy Beesley Bridal Bridal Dress and Accesories : Mae Bridal Groom's Cl ot hing: Keates of Witney Fl owers: Classic Flowers Cake: The Pretty Cake Company St at ionery (incl uding paper f l oral arch): Paper Tree Design Cut l ery & Crockery: Vintage Gold China Copper Geomet ric Tea Light s: sourced by Lark Rise Flowers Favours: Stones Field Soap Company Transport : Angela Martin - British Classic Car Hire Model s: Jess & Henry

Quote of the

M onth

50%of Business isPsychology.

BusinessisaParty of Peoplenot Computers.

A lfred H errhausen

W hat's Y our M oney M indset Story?

B y Shannon D eP alma

#WEDsocial Weddings and money go hand in hand but for wedding professionals it can cause another level of stress. When it comes to charging your worth, how many times have you found yourself saying ?I should charge more?? but then found yourself saying ?What if no one will pay??

Most creative entrepreneurs struggle with pricing more than marketing, sales, etc. It is the # 1 thing that most of us over look or avoid because we love creating, designing, or making our brides that we would gladly do it for free. A business can't run that way. When it comes to addressing how much you?re charging in your business it goes deeper than how much linens cost or how many hours you?ll spend working. It goes to the level of what type of feelings do you have around money? How do you treat money? How does money make you feel?

When it comes to money, we all come to it with different beliefs, habits, and thoughts. We pick up our money stories from lots of different places, you could have picked up your money story from how your parents treated money, what society says about money, or a traumatic experience you might have had around money. Then you create your business around those beliefs.

When I first started my floral design business I would base my packages off of what I would pay for flowers, not what others would pay, especially my ideal client. I would take any package that came to me and work with ANY budget. You have $500 for flowers, sure I could totally do that. Once I became aware of how I was treating money and most importantly how little I was accounting for my time to deliver these goods, I started to realize how negative my money story was. It started to become obvious how much of my money story was in a state of lack, scarcity, or fear. Instead of operating from a place of confidence, respect for my time, and a place of success was without a doubt made for me. Operating from THAT place, made such a difference. I raised my prices to $2K minimums for flower packages, not only attracting MORE of my ideal clients but I also tripled my revenue that year. Once I got super clear about my money story, I began to make more money, and start to get the clients I WANTED.

Here?s my 3 step process for getting clear on your money story: 1)Get cl ear on how much money you want t o generat e. Be really specific about it, tell me how much money do you want? How are you going to create that money? There?s no limits to this question, dream big, and create the money you want in the way you want.

2)What bel ief s does t hat person have; that person who is creating that amount of money and doing it in the way they want; what beliefs does that person have? What beliefs do they have about money? What beliefs do they have about themselves? What beliefs does that person have about the future of their business? What beliefs does that person have about hitting future revenue goals? Really dig deep with this person, you want to connect with them, and really step into what type of person they are.

3)What habit s does t hat person have? Are their prices the same as yours now?

Are they doing more marketing? Are they putting themselves out there more?

Are they taking better care of themselves even personally like, exercising more or eating better? Is there more self care in their routine?

4)STEP RIGHT IN BABY. That?s right step right in to that person. If her prices aren?t the same as yours, then change them to match him/ her. Change your habits to match them and of course change your beliefs to match them. The magic happens not when you change the habits but when you change the beliefs. Once you truly 110% believe in yourself and your success, your actions + habits just naturally start to change to reflect that person.

All these steps are what I took to become the girl who went from taking ANY wedding package to only taking $2K minimums for flower packages. Even when I felt the fear of will anyone pay!? Even when I felt the fear of I?ve never done a $2k package before?! I just knew that this was who I needed to become in order to hit the goals and revenue I wanted. It?s time to change your money story!

Words by Shannon DePalma

This issue of the Wedding Business Magazine is about the psychology of being in business in the wedding industry. So, I wanted to share with you an interview I did with Bernadette Chapman, who is not only the founder of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners, but she is also a wedding planner for her company Dream Occasions. In this interview Bernadette shares some great advice and wisdom for those looking to start their own business as a wedding planner.

l earnfromtheexperts

OvercomingM indset B lock in B usiness B y K ellieD aab Henry Ford said, "Whet her you t hink you can, or you t hink can't - you are correct !"

What we believe deeply inside of ourselves often reflects in the success of our business. This is especially true in the wedding industry. With a majority of the businesses being single-owner operated (by heart centered, multi-talented people) our mindset directly affects our success.

#WEDexpert Most of us share similar core desires. We want to live our purpose, find joy in our work, change the lives of others, create financial freedom for ourselves and our families, and have the time to enjoy that success. We want to be respected, sought after, and influential in our market. We want to create a business that allows us to stand in our confidence and in turn be paid what we?re worth.

Yet, we often find ourselves feeling frustrated, under-accomplished, and stuck.

We know what we want but are blocked in mindsets that keep us from thriving.

Do you know what's holding you back? Let's discuss 5 mindset blocks and how they rear their ugly head in your business.

Sel f Doubt You wonder if people will really pay for your experience? You wonder if you have the capabilities to be great at what you do? You don't believe that you are as good as the neighboring business. Or that you're qualities aren't strong enough to persuade a client to choose you! You may even avoid taking new opportunities because you don't think you are capable of achievement.

Breaking through self doubt is less about confidence and more about acceptance. Accept that there are areas where you excel. Begin to build structures and services that maximize what you're great at. Create a plan or get help for the areas where you're less accomplished. Once you begin acting and providing services that fall into your zone of genius, you'll find that self doubt can be replaced with bravery.

Scarcit y The voices of scarcity creep in when you begin telling yourself there isn't enough work. Or you're too expensive. Or even, if I raise my prices people will stop wanting to work with me. Maybe you're worried that there aren't enough weddings for the number of people in your vendor category.

The problem is, the scarcity mindset leads to behaviors that typically detract clients and hurt businesses. Your emails and correspondence have a tone of desperation. You might follow up too many times. You begin counting pennies instead of investing in the tools and marketing that helps you grow your business.

You begin to act in a way that actually brings scarcity to life. Bust through this mindset by replacing it with an enough approach. There is always more than enough business for everyone. Especially when you've begun the process of identifying the clients you attract.

Skept icism Have you been burned in the past? Tried to build relationships that backfired?

Gone above and beyond for a client only to have them take advantage of you?

Often times that leaves you feeling a bit skeptical of others. It's only human nature to protect ourselves from being burned again.

Skepticism shows up in your business as fear. Fear you won?t get what you paid for. Fear that you are getting ?ripped off?. Fear that you're going to be taken advantage of. As a result, you begin believing that nothing will really work. You might even start to feel a little eery of the success stories of others. It?s easy for skeptics to make excuses and then blame others for their lack of progress.

If you find yourself dealing with skepticism, take control by owning your decisions 100% . Rest assured that you feel deep down that you've made the right decisions regardless of what the results will be. Take pride in having done your best and continue with an attitude that you'll continue to live up to the standards you've set for yourself and your business. Regardless if others meet them.

Comparison If you haven't had a bout of "Will people like me?" disease then hang on. It will come. Every business begins with a certain amount of concern that you won't be accepted, liked, and appreciated across the industry. We often begin changing and molding our ways to accommodate what we think people will like.

Comparison shows itself in your business through brand confusion. If you can't explain exactly why, how, what, when and who to your potential clients - you are likely confused about who you are as a business! Often times we try adopting services or pricing structures we've learned about without further investigating if it fits our brand aesthetic or our clients needs.

But, if you want to stand in your truth, you have to make bold decisions. You have to make unique choices for your brand and not apologize for them. You have to speak in your own voice and use your own style. You have to stand for what you do and do not believe in. And most importantly, you have to not be afraid to create a business structure, service offerings, or products that you believe in. Believe that you've created the best thing for you and use that courage to sell!

It 's Too Hard Yep! Being a business owner, especially in an industry where repeat business is scarce, is really hard. Often times, you've reached a place where you think you've out tapped your abilities. Many times you find yourself with the notion to stop there and give up. I don't think I'll ever learn how to do that well!

What begins to happen when you adopt this mindset is a marked decline in your success. Your competitors will continue to learn, technology and the ever changing world will continue to grow, and your clients will need you to know the things you think are too hard! By not trying to surmount the things you believe are too much of a struggle you're actually plotting the demise of your business.

Tap into ways you can learn. Research how to solve a problem. Create a team of people who are experts and can teach you. Hire a consultant to help you learn.

Invest in yourself and your business and you'll begin to reap the rewards of a "Can Do" mindset.

With a little bit of planning and a whole lot of courage, you'll have the power to overcome any mindset hurdles your business might encounter. Never put off until tomorrow what you can begin today.

Words by Kellie Daab

TheD iploma in Floral & Event Styling The Academy is excited to introduce a new course to our Wedding and Design streams; the Diploma in Floral and Event Styling. This one of a kind course is led by floral expert Dee McMeeking and will teach you how to combine your love of flowers, design and styling, so you are ready to launch your business as a Floral and Event Stylist. You will also appreciate this course if you have a desire to pursue a career as a Stylist, or would like to enhance the services you already offer within your Wedding business.

This course is currently being offered by our Australian and UK Campuses and can be studied online regardless of where you are located. Contact the campus nearest you to find out more.

UK

AU

#WEDEdu engage!17italy Dat e: October 23rd-26th , 2017 Locat ion: Venice, Italy Websit e: www.engagesummits.com

creativity worl dforum Dat e: November 1st & 2nd, 2017 Locat ion: Aarhus, Denmark Websit e: www.cwf2017.com

associationfor business psychol ogy conference Dat e: October 12th-13th, 2017 Locat ion: London, UK Websit e: www.theabp.org.uk

Every month we share the latest workshops, conferences and educational events we hear about from across the globe.

HAPPYOLOGIST Dat e: Bespoke workshop bookings Locat ion: UK Websit e: www.happyologist.co.uk

thehotel showdubai Dat e: September 18th-20th, 2017 Locat ion: Dubai Websit e: www.thehotelshow.com

creativeat heart conference Dat e: August 6th-9th, 2017 Locat ion: Raleigh, North Carolina Websit e: www.creativeatheartconference.com

our favouritethings In each issue we share with you some of the tools we can't do without, things we've found when researching and some gems we've been told about by others. They make our lives easier and save us huge amounts of time within our working life. In some cases they are just great Apps that we love to play with. Enjoy!

- ProVenue A training management tool & compliance solution for independent venues, chain restaurants & bars, multi-site hotels or council sites.

Website: www.provenuet raining.com

- StyledImages Beautifully Styled Images & Custom Brand Styling for Creative Entrepreneurs adding just the right ?style?to your online presence.

Websit e: www.st yl edimages.com.au

- TinEye Determine your colours and search images with the perfect colour combination. Very likely the best colour search engine in the world!

Websit e: l abs.t ineye.com

- Gimp Like Photoshop? but free. This photo editor provides users with a good basic suite of image manipulation.

Websit e: www.gimp.org

- Zapier An App that allows you to share content quickly and easily across Apps that don?t have inbuilt integrations.

Websit e: www.zapier.com

the2018International WeddingTrendReport We are thrilled to share that the search for the top 2018 wedding trends has begun!

Our annual International Wedding Trend Report will be released at the start of engagement season and we?re eager to share your inspiration shoots with readers globally. Each year, our team hand selects stylised shoots to complement the Report, which includes insight from top wedding professionals throughout the world.

We?re thrilled to have leading wedding editor Sara Burnett of Burnett?s Boards on hand to serve as this year?s judge. The winner will win a coveted spot on Sara?s editorial calendar with a featured dedicated to their shoot.

So what are we looking for? In short, we?re eager for your take on what?s going to be BIG in 2018. Think fresh and inspiring details that get you excited for next year.

The top shoots will be incorporated into our Report, as well as distributed internationally to the media.

Interested in making an impact on the 2018 wedding trends? Please email the following to mart ha@weddingacademygl obal .com no later than September 1, 2017: -

A link to a selection of 50-75 downloadable images from your favorite shoot A comprehensive list of wedding professionals involved in the shoot- to include their name, URL, Facebook and Instagram handles A brief narrative on the shoot- tell us If you are not the photographer, then we?ll need a brief email from the photographer stating you have their permission to submit the images

Please note that stylized shoots can be previously published work.

Questions? Please contact us at martha@weddingacademyglobal.com Sign up here f or your FREE copy of t he report sent st raight t o your inbox when it l aunches on January 5t h, 2018.

#WEDBIZ

A reY ou Setting Y ourself UpToFail?

B y H eather W aits No one sets out in business and says, ?Gee, I want to fail.? Yet a whopping 80% of businesses fail within the first 18 months; 50% of the remaining bite the dust within the first five years (Source: Forbes). You have stellar intentions to boldly go where no other wedding vendor has gone before, but somehow your mission gets lost in translation (or the heaps of piles of papers and mounting bills on your desk) and instead you end up wallowing in a sea of ?could-have been?s.?

My career as an entrepreneur began nearly two decades ago. I?ve tried a lot, failed a lot (sometimes miserably and costly), but I learned from each one and my successes surpassed my pitfalls. Why? Because I have two things that every entrepreneur must have: drive and brains. Wanting it isn?t enough; you have to be willing to go get it and then have the smarts to know what to do with it.

Running a business is so much more than just having the talent and passion for the craft, it's also having the know-how to run the business, profitably. I'm not saying the only reason you are here is to make money, but at the end of the day, that money, that income, is what keeps your business going.

I can?t help you learn ?drive,? but I am here to help you with the ?brains? part.

Here?s five tips to prevent ultimate failure?Let?s get started!

1.) Have a Business Model . Lead comes in. You meet with a bride for a consultation. Do you have a contract? What is your retainer amount? When is the balance due? What?s your procedure for day-of setup? In other words, a Standard Operating Procedures guide. You must have a step-by-step procedure for every aspect of your business. Write it down. Are you a one-person show and think you don?t need a SOPG? Think again. What if you grow and hire employees? You?ll wish then you had all this in place BEFORE hiring.

2.) Of f er What Cl ient s Real l y Want . Sure, if you think it?s cool there?s bound be someone else out there who also thinks so, but if you can?t find enough of them, you will go out of business. If you are a photographer and you are hearing that potential clients really want digital images, provide this option. If you are a cake baker and your client wants a naked cake, do it. It?s fine to have a niche, but if your market isn?t big enough or you don?t appeal well, you will loose.

3.) Underst and Cash Fl ow and Prof it abil it y. I?ve read that most new entrepreneurs do not understand the numbers. I was one of them?but quickly (oh so quickly) learned. Hire a CPA; take a course at the community college; read Accounting for Dummies even. I stress this with the utmost importance: If you do not understand how cash flow works and how to turn a profit you will fail with no chance of coming back.

4.) Be Dif f erent and Know How t o Communicat e. If you are just like everyone else in your field you will suffer a quick death. If you cannot clearly communicate how you are different and why people should hire you, you will fade away and never be noticed. Your logo, slogan, marketing materials, website, even the way you present yourself must all be in line with one another. Over the years I?ve read some terribly written marketing pieces?you are pre-judged by your potential clients so you better make it good. Not a writer? Freelance.com and Fiverr.com can help.

5.) Be Conf ident ! Some entrepreneurs are seen as smug, arrogant even. Ever watch Shark Tank? Those people have millions of dollars to their names and offer no apology for it. You will doom yourself to self-destruction by not believing in yourself and possessing 100% confidence in what you do. Be it. Believe it. Don?t settle for second best.

Make no mistake: to succeed, you must first fail. Mini-failures along the way that you learn from will make you stronger and more successful, but some failures (like what is listed above) will simply put you out of business.

Words by Heather Waits

A n I nterviewwith Z ainabA lsalih

#WEDFeature Zanaib Alsalih has always had a passion for weddings and for all things beautiful.

She started her career as a Credit Officer in Alahli Bank of Kuwait and in customer service with the National Bank of Dubai, but found herself forever helping friends plan the weddings of their dreams. It was her desire to make people happy that was the driving factor that led her to wedding planning in a more official capacity and start Carousel.

Tel l us a l it t l e bit about yoursel f and t he st ory behind st art ing Carousel . How did you get your st art and t hen evol ve t o where you are now? ?A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.?

I did not start with a clear plan to get to where I am today, so it was not so much about having a plan, as much as it was about the way I did things, and following a path that laid itself out before me. The key was my attitude towards what I do, how I do it, and whom I do it for. It was never about me, and always about my brides. Looking back, I can now ?connect the dots,? as Steve Jobs once said, and see how I got to where I got, but I honestly cannot say I had a clear plan laid out in advance. It is only in looking back that I am able to connect the dots, and can clearly identify a successful formula that worked for me. I have always loved making people happy. There?s something deeply gratifying about bringing people joy and sharing it with them, so I always knew whatever I did, it needed to give me the opportunity to make people happy, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on people?s lives.

"Good news travels far and fast, and when you do create memorable weddings, everyone hears about them" With time, I also began to better understand and appreciate what my natural strengths: an artistic flair, a gift for communicating, and an obsessive attention to detail. I was also lucky to have people around me who recognized these talents in me, and encouraged me to develop them and apply them. I find it interesting how we can look at ourselves from within and not recognize some of our gifts, and it often takes someone on the outside looking in, to help us recognize and appreciate our own strengths. My husband, my friends and my mother all played a key role in encouraging me to do what I am doing today.

How has t he wedding indust ry in t he UAE changed over t he past several years?

Where do you see it heading in t he f ut ure?

The industry has become much more specialized, and sophisticated, not only in how weddings are designed, but the overall process leading up to the big day. A decade ago or more ago, weddings were traditionally managed by the family, with assistance from the hotel staff where the wedding was held. As such, the idea of a professional wedding planning and design firm was considered out of reach of most people, but today it is very much the norm to hire a wedding designer and planner.

Having a prof essional wedding pl anner is a newer concept in t he UAE. Has t hat changed?

When Carousel first started, wedding planning was a very new concept in this part of the world, where typically the family took care of all the wedding details.

Convincing the couple and their family to surrender control and sit back and relax was very challenging. While our clients always have total trust in us, they still feel that they need to do more, so we are constantly having to reassure them that all is in order and going as planned. In addition, planning a wedding is a very personal and emotional experience, so we must be able to deal with the inevitable emotional ups and downs.

How do you approach market ing in your business? When is it val uabl e.

Marketing is vital, and for us, our most powerful tool is word of mouth. Every wedding we do, generates a strong and positive reaction, and buzz, and gets people talking about us, and telling everyone they know. Then of course, there is the power of social media. Good news travels far and fast, and when you do create memorable weddings, everyone hears about them, and social media (our own and that of our clients) has become an immensely powerful tool, and has exponentially increased the power of positive word-of-mouth.

What kinds of set backs have you experienced as a business owner? What advice do you have f or ot her business owners on how t o get t hrough t hem?

For us, everything we do is about teamwork, and therefore, having the right teammates is vital. We therefore have to always make sure our own staff are the best at what they do, always work as a team, and always maintain a very positive attitude. The same applies to our vendors, suppliers and partners. In the past ten years, this has not always been easy, and sometimes you have to deal with partners and employees who may not share our passion and our vision, and that is always a challenge. Today, I feel I have a team of associates, suppliers, vendors and partners hat are the true secret to our success.

What keeps you creat ive? How do you f ind inspirat ion?

My brides have been my single greatest source of inspiration. Once I get to know them and learn more about who they are and what makes them unique and beautiful individuals, I can then design their wedding around their colourful and unique personalities. It?s what makes each and every Carousel wedding as unique as a snowflake, where no two Carousel weddings are alike.

What are some of t he st rengt hs someone needs t o have t o be a successf ul ent repreneur?

Do it with passion or not at all! This is one of my mantras, which I think applies to any business you wish to start. You must be passionate about what you do. Only then can you do it well. Being a Wedding Planner has a certain charm to it, and people think it would be a ?fun? job, but the truth is, it is extremely hard work, and there is a tremendous amount of responsibility, and pressure, on your shoulders. If you are not meticulous, hard-working, and deeply passionate about it, you will not do well.

You have been married f or al most 20 years and have t hree sons. How have you been abl e t o bal ance your business and personal l if e?

First and foremost, having an understanding family and husband is key to my success. I could not do this without the support of my family. In my case, they are not only my biggest supporters, they are also my biggest fans.

What are you most l ooking f orward t o in t he f ut ure?

I always feel my next wedding is my greatest yet, and I always look forward to the next one, and then the next one, and then the one after that. That has been my attitude and approach to all I do. I am always looking forward, and I always feel my best is yet to come.

Words by Meghan Ely

w w w.car ou sel.ae

academy tv Free-to-air videos for aspiring, novice & established wedding professionals.

We take you behind-the-scenes at conferences, workshops and industry events, as well as going into the studio to produce some great educational content to help you in your career in the wedding industry.

No subject is off limits and we cover everything from pricing to client consultations. Recently we have filmed a series of videos exploring other event career roles outside of the mainstream planners and designers. In this episode we look at the role of the PR Consultant in the Event Industry.

intheir shoes Val M attinson of B enessamy W edding and Event P lanning Val Mattinson is the founder and creative director of Benessamy Wedding and Event Planning. She has spent nearly ten years working with numerous clients as well as providing coaching, mentoring, motivation and direction to business owners, helping them recognize their full potential.

Your company special izes in bespoke wedding services and, in t his compet it ive market , what makes Benessamy Weddings and Event s st and out ?

At Benessamy we plan beautiful, inspired celebrations throughout the UK, in the Caribbean and beyond. We limit the number of weddings and events we work on each year to make sure our clients receive a focused and personal service.

"Don?t assume. Ask! Not all clients want the same thing."

Each wedding is planned with a high level of care and attention. The most important thing for me is that our clients feel special and can see that going the extra mile is the way we do business at Benessamy.

Known for our confident, calm approach, we consistently exceed expectations, allowing our clients to enjoy the fun parts of planning a wedding while an expert takes care of everything else. I don?t believe in a ?one size fits all?approach to wedding planning so services are bespoke - always tailored to meet the client?s requirements.

I enjoy sourcing and working with quality venues and suppliers to ensure clients have a wedding day beyond their expectations. Our clients like choice, high quality and value for money. At Benessamy - we do not accept commission from suppliers and any discounts obtained are always passed onto our clients which may often mean a saving for them. This helps to maintain our independence as wedding planners and ensures any advice, support and recommendations we provide to clients is appropriate to their tastes, priorities and budget.

What drew you t o t he wedding indust ry and what prompt ed you t o open your own business?

I began my professional and business career as a solicitor in the public sector before moving into external and corporate affairs where I gained my event planning and organisational experience organising corporate, ministerial and special events.

I guess I ?caught the bug? for organising events when I secured the role of Head of External Affairs for the Chief Executive of Nottingham City Council. In this role I was responsible for the planning and co-ordination of ministerial, royal and other special visits to Nottingham. I stayed in that role for three years before being appointed as Director of Corporate and External Affairs for a large Further Education College in Nottingham, where my responsibilities included PR, communications and marketing.

I had enjoyed organising many special occasion events over the years but I think the one which helped me to realise that it was time to put my passion, organisation (and list making!) skills into a business was my brother and sister in law?s wedding on the beautiful island of Barbados a few years ago. My initial curiosity and interest in the detail of their plans turned into the need to quite literally roll up my sleeves and assist with the on the day co-ordination to ensure their dream wedding ran smoothly and in accordance with their plans. I loved every minute of it!

In 2010 I decided to leave the world of corporate affairs to set up Benessamy Wedding & Event Planning. Having trained with the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners (UKAWP) I launched Benessamy in 2011 ? The name ?Benessamy?is a combination of the names of my two children Ben and Jessamy. They are two of my proudest achievements and along with my husband Mike, they give me purpose and keep me centered.

I?m a proud and active Member of the UKAWP and am thrilled to be their Regional Ambassador for the Midlands, a position I have held since being appointed in 2014.

I have made many industry colleagues and friends and enjoy building and developing great collaborative relationships across the wedding industry at a local, regional and national level.

How woul d you describe your ?get t ing t o know you?st age of cl ient int ake?

Our services begin with an initial complimentary consultation. I believe the consultation is an important 2 way opportunity. It provides the chance for couples to meet us, find out more about the services we offer and how we work. We also use the consultation as the chance to find out about the couple, how they met, what ideas they have for their wedding, their likes and dislikes and any concerns or worries they have about the planning process. During the consultation, we discuss their ideas and any wedding plans they?ve made so far. We also discuss any queries or questions they may have about planning their wedding day. Many of the couples we work with are based across the UK or overseas so this initial consultation is often via Skype with the opportunity for a follow up face to face meeting later in the planning process.

Following the consultation, we prepare a detailed proposal which is sent to the couple for them to consider, Once the booking has been confirmed we have regular contact with our clients. The frequency and proximity to their wedding date will depend on which of our services they have booked. Typically, our full wedding planning clients have a number of planning consultations with us throughout their wedding planning journey to ensure we get to know them and can ensure their planning runs smoothly.

Why do you f ind it essent ial t o t ap int o your cl ient s?t hought s and personal it ies bef ore diving int o pl anning and design?

This is crucial! Finding out as much as we can about who are clients are, what their lifestyle is like, their expectations, likes and dislikes, things they enjoy doing together, places they like to visit, eat out, shop, etc. This is all important information to help us to get to know them and to ensure that they are reflected in the day we are planning and designing with them and for them.

Why has cust omizat ion become such a major aspect of t oday?s weddings?

I think that increasingly clients want a day that truly reflects who they are as a couple. They strive to balance what is expected of them by others with what they want. Our clients have become more confident in adapting or dispensing with some of the more traditional wedding etiquette and expectation with options that are more in keeping with their personality and style. We've had clients with children 'giving them away', grooms women, brides making a speech instead of or in place of the traditional groom's speech and couples with sweetheart tables incorporated into their room layout.

How do you and your company meet t he needs of t oday?s mil l ennial s? What are your recommendat ions f or market ing your business t o mil l ennial coupl es?

As part of the initial consultation process and during the booking stage, we find out from our clients the best way to communicate with them and how they wish to be kept updated. Many of our clients like us to use emails rather than to telephone them (especially as many of them work during the day) For this reason too, we offer consultation and planning meetings on weekday evenings and at weekends. These are either face to face or via Skype or Facetime.

We are active on social media with a presence on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Our weekly blogs are shared via our social media and we also have a Facebook group for brides and grooms to share their wedding planning journey

experiences and where they can receive advice, hints and tips from us too. This is not a group for wedding suppliers so there is no sales pressure in there. We like our posts to be more along the lines of advice and support rather than pure sales posts. We think millennials like this balance and are put off by overly hard sell posts and contact.

What are your t op 5 t ips f or t rul y underst anding what your cl ient s want ?

Who is Your ideal Cl ient ? Having a clear idea of who you are trying to target with your services is a great place to start. If your target market is couples planning a wedding in a stately home or manor house then perhaps sharing content about outdoor and festival weddings is not the way to reach them.

Don?t assume. Ask! Not all clients want the same thing. Each couple is unique and so will their wedding and how they wish to work with you be.

Check in. During the planning process continue to check in with your clients to make sure that they way you?re working with them is still meeting their needs. For example, if their working week has changed, would they rather receive a fortnightly email update or would a brief telephone call on evening better suit them.

Lean Forward and Ant icipat e. This is something that I am trying to do more of at the moment as part of my commitment to raise Benessamy services above and beyond our clients?expectations - Focus on what customers will want tomorrow.

Try to use scenario planning and what you learn about your clients as you work with them to provide support in ways they will be delighted you have spotted they need before they do!

Ask f or Feedback. After the wedding when you?ve reached the end of the client journey, follow up with your clients. Let them know how much you have enjoyed working with them and ask them to share with you what their experience of working with you has been like. This is invaluable feedback that you can use to review your ways of working and of course, you can add any kind words to your website and social media testimonials!

Words by Meghan Ely

www.benessamy.co.uk

FromM oochingtoSmooching H owtoGet Y our B rides to B ook Y ou W ithEase B y Emma Etheridge There are two real stages a bride goes through when she is looking for her wedding suppliers. Stage one is the mooching stage. This is where she is browsing from one website to another, from one wedding fair to another, from one wedding magazine to another. In this stage she is open to ideas and is just window shopping.

UNTIL. She moves to the smooching stage. This is when she falls in love. This is when she buys, she commits, she says ?Yes! You are the one for me!?. She seals the deal with a smooch.

The difficult bit is moving your brides from mooching to smooching.

But it doesn?t need to be difficult, when you get some key things in place: -

You need to get specific with who your soul bride is.

You need to have a clear message that resonates.

You need to have offerings they want.

You need to get out there so brides can see you.

You need to have quality content that draws them in.

You need to have fun because this passion shows and raises your magnetic vibe that brides just cannot resist.

Now I know it is easier for me to write these steps than it is to do them BUT it doesn?t have to be that hard, really truly it doesn?t. As business owners we just think it is.

#wedbizcoach You already have half of the formula in the bag, because you are here reading this article in this fabulous magazine. You are already committed to making your wedding business work. You are already taking action. You are willing to learn and make the changes you need to.

Let?s start with the # 1 step Today let me help you with one of the things I believe is the most important ? getting specific on your soul bride. The bride you want to work with, the bride you want to build your beautiful business around. When you truly know her, you can talk to her in everything you do in your business. Every social media post you write, every blog you write, every newsletter you send, every new product or package you design.

When you know who you are selling to you can connect with them on a deeper level and this will move them from moochers to smoochers with far more ease.

Because it really doesn?t need to be as hard as we think.

So, let?s get specific on your soul bride. Who she is.

So many people get stuck on this, especially when they are just starting out in their wedding business journey, so please do not feel bad if this is you. Being aware that it is a block for you is a good thing because once you have recognised it, you can take action to move past it.

One of the key reasons people get stuck on this is because they get too focussed on the wrong things. I don?t want you to say ?My ideal bride is called Claire, she is 32 years old, is a solicitor and has a dog.? I want you to focus on what type of wedding she wants, what she wants to feel at her wedding, what is worrying her about her wedding, what style of wedding she wants. I want you to think about what is important to her and her partner for their wedding.

This is the stuff that really connects, and this is how you can build a wedding business around what you want to be doing. Knowing this kind of stuff about your soul bride really helps you to do the other steps listed above with ease because you are in total alignment.

The other stuff such as age, location, job etc is useful to know because it helps you with things such as Facebook targeting etc., but that can be done afterwards, first we want to get into the feelings of your soul bride because this will connect you with them on a much deeper level which means they will find you, love you and buy from you far easier than you think.

If you want to know more about this and the other steps of the mooch to smooch formula, I am running a free 6 day video training series and you can sign up here ? it will be released in July. bitly.com/ moochtosmooch and I would love to see you there.

Words by Emma Etheridge

#wedpro B ethel N athan Bethel Nathan is a business coach and speaker, helping wedding industry professionals to have more robust and sustainable businesses, focusing largely on systems, processes, and their customer journey ? the unsexy but key things to a long-term business. She also marries awesome couples, as a San Diego-based officiant - and with over 750 couples married over the past 8 years, she knows what a difference it makes to work with your ideal clients and exceed all their expectations. Today, Bethel shares more on the customer journey.

A simple formula that will help your wedding business achieve success: ideal client + exceeded expectations throughout their customer journey = raving fan.

And yes, I know there are many of other business pieces that you also have to get right, but, work with non-ideal couples and/ or don?t exceed expectations throughout their customer journey and you are pretty much guaranteed, at best, mediocrity, and at worst, failure. Now let?s look at the what, how, and the why of this formula.

The what . Ideal client: your ideal clients are couples who are not only looking for what you offer, but they are also looking for your style, personality, service level, price point, etc. Customer journey: the path your business leads a couple on from the time they find you until either they stop working with you (don?t hire you) or you stop working with them (job is complete).

w w w.elevat ebybet h el.com

The how. To make the formula work, you need to build your business with an understanding of the psychology of those who you identify as your ideal couples, and based on that psychology, what should be their expectations when working with your business. This should start with research of the general traits of your ideal clients. For example, in the wedding industry, we know that the bulk of our potential customers are going to be in a certain age range. From there, if you have been doing what you are doing for a while, identify those past couples you would consider your ideal couples and use what they have said in reviews and testimonials to build a picture of what they liked and loved, and even disliked, when working with you, and you should even take it a step further by talking to them. Ask them, what did they like about working with you? How would they describe you and the process of working with you? Were there any pain points?

For those that are just starting a business, since you don?t have past clients, ask your friends (assuming they will be honest), plus find others in the industry who are very similar to you and talk to them. You can even look at their reviews and testimonials. Using what you read and hear can help you develop a customer journey that will exceed your couple?s expectations.

And f inal l y, t he why. I did want to first mention that by creating a customer journey that is targeted to your ideal couples, you streamline your processes and systems, thus not wasting your time and money. Having said that, the main benefit is increased business. If you are doing it right, your marketing was created specifically to attract your ideal couples with the goal of getting them to inquire with you. Once they inquire, they begin their customer journey with your business.

And that means that based on your messaging, your reviews, and your price point, they inquire with some level of expectation formed about you and your business.

If those expectations are exceeded through your initial communications and during the initial meeting, the couple will most likely book you and continue their customer journey with your business. But that is only the beginning ? to create a raving fan, the entire customer journey they take needs to exceed their expectations. As we all know, when making any purchase and being parted from our hard-earned money, we have an expectation about not only what we are actually purchasing, but also the service and experience that surrounds that product or service offering ? that is the essence of the customer journey and we all want it to be better than we even imagined it would be.

Words by Meghan Ely

"Ideal client + exceeded expectations throughout their customer journey = raving fan"

#wedpr

B y M eghan Ely

Real W eddingSubmissions: W orkingwiththeCoupleand Vendors Real wedding submissions are an essential aspect of wedding PR, but coordinating them can sometimes seem like a challenge. With so many other team members involved, it can be easy to quickly find yourself with too many proverbial cooks in the question.

The question then remains- how do you balance meeting your PR goals for your business while keeping the peace among everyone else?

First and foremost, it?s essential that everyone is on board with the game plan.

First and foremost, the photographer owns the copyright to the images so if you aren?t the one who captured the Big Day, reach out to him and her to see if they were open to collaborating with you. Keep in mind that the photographer may already have his or her own plans- or that it may be as big of a priority. To avoid any surprises, don?t hesitate to reach out to the photographer prior to the celebration to gauge his or her interest.

Next, focus on the couple. If they are on board, you?ll need them to sign off on the image usage ? the best way to do this is to ensure that it?s in your contract from the get-go. Contract a lawyer in order to guarantee that your image release clause is ironclad. With that said, it never hurts to ask the couple for permission again.

Sometimes circumstances change and they would prefer the photos remain private. In that instance, put client experience above publicity and honor their request.

Then you?ll want to reel it back in and serve as the ringleader for the project, making sure to include only photographer in the image selection as well as the

media direction. As for your clients, it?s best to keep couples involved only in the creation of the narrative you plan to submit. Otherwise, you may suffer from what I like to call ?death by committee? ? in essence, too many opinions that will slow down the submission process.

In some cases, the couple may come to you with media ideas and you will have to decide how far you take that. Oftentimes, brides and grooms are so close to their wedding that they simply don?t have an editorial eye for what actually would be a fit and by honoring their wishes, you may ?ding? one of your own media relationships by sending along a wedding to an editor that you know isn?t a fit.

Our general rule of thumb is that if they are steadfast on a media direction that isn?t necessarily the right fit and you fear repercussion by not following along, simply hand the submission to them and let them do the work.

Once the feature has been published, it?s time to send along to the couple and vendors with pride! If there is an error (remember- editors are people too!), make it your primary goal to focus on a solution. Be gracious to the editor and see if there?s a way to rectify the situation as soon as possible. Then, you can let everyone know that it?s being addressed.

What if the couple or vendors aren?t satisfied with a final feature? Well, remember that the media mention is just icing on the cake ? a well-executed event and a happy marriage are far more important than whether your favorite tablescape photo was used.

And above all, remember- there is no substitute for relationships- whether with your clients or your fellow wedding professionals. It will serve you well to carry that notion with you through the wedding PR process.

Words by Meghan Ely

TopTips Thepsychol ogy of sel l ingtotoday?s coupl e Selling to today?s couple is all about selling yourself as a brand, developing a great bond and harmonious relationship, and making the couple feel extremely comfortable and excited to work with you.

Selling with your personality is a dynamic selling skill, as you are always selling yourself first. Nurture a brand that helps you stand out in the crowd. Your brand is your unique set of skills, talents and know-how. The couple will feel at ease if you are organsied, on the ball with the wedding plans, regularly checking in with them and keeping them excited about their special day. Sell with energy, vigor and understanding exactly what your couple wants.

A wedding for most couples is one of the most important days of their lives. In order to seal the deal and plan the wedding from start to finish it is vital to create a bond with the couple, get to know them, their likes and dislikes, what they envision for their big day and present to them how you will bring their vision to life. An exciting way to get the couple enthusiastic to work with you is to take the initiative and set up a meeting. Welcome them with a glorious smile, champagne to get the festivities going and show case to them what amazing ideas you have for their big day and enthrall them with an enticing wedding presentation.

Make sure to add personal touches and pay attention to details as this will make all the difference in developing a long lasting, trustful and happy relationship with the couple.

Vicky Crease Cat ering + Event s

TopTips Two decades ago one could still argue that your wedding day was the biggest day of your life and you should spare no expense in designing an elaborate occasion rivaled only by some royal nuptials! Today, second (and even third) marriages are entirely common, matrimony doesn?t have the same religious significance, and the days of the economic surplus are gone. In spite of all that, weddings are more expensive than ever, with couples willing to spend lavish amounts of money, often money they don't really even have. So as the economy dips and dives, swirls and curls, don't kid yourself, there is PLENTY of opportunity in the wedding biz.

Based on my experience lately, the keys to being "the one", the planner, florist or caterer chosen to produce a couple's special day includes: Speed! You MUST respond quickly, efficiently, professionally and often. This is the biggest piece of advice I have. New clients want to hear from you fast initially and then with timely responses. Next, make sure you make it all about THEM. This is not about a planner's experience or track record, rather how that event professional is going to deliver what THEY (the client) want, when they want it. And next, don't be afraid to ask too many questions. I've found the more questions I ask the more subtleties are revealed that deliver the most wins. Don't just pay attention to what they say, but how they say it, tone of voice, repetition of common concerns or desires and play to those. And whatever you do, please people, CHARGE WHAT YOU'RE WORTH. If you're good, you can and should charge for it. I promise you, the right clients will pay.

Marl ey Majcher of The Part y Goddess!

A D ress for Every Occasion W ithA nna Shi, Ever-P retty Anna Shi is the founder of Ever-Pretty, an online site that is a one-stop dress shop for all occasions, including everything from weddings, date night, vacations, and more. Anna started with the dream of changing women?s dress fashion on a global scale, by creating superior quality dresses at affordable prices with designs that are timeless and will last forever. Her goal of creating an easy and fun experience for shoppers has also resulted in being named one of Alibaba?s Top 10 Global E-Commerce sites in 2012.

Pl ease give us a l it t l e background on how you got int erest ed in f ashion and what inspired you t o st art Ever-Pret t y.

I think my interest in fashion stemmed from being a woman - I always loved dresses and playing dress up as a kid. When I was in school, I always had to wear a school uniform so I didn?t have freedom of expression in fashion. As an adult, I definitely made up for lost time. Shopping and trying out new looks quickly became my favorite past time. I always loved dresses in particular since they are outfits all in one - it always impressed me how a single article of clothing could make such an impressive statement. As I got older, I thought "hey, maybe I can do this myself," and that is what started my journey to what is now Ever-Pretty.

Fashion truly has been my passion and has always brought me joy, and it?s always been important for me to go into business doing something I loved.

www.ever-pret t y.com

How woul d you describe t he Ever-Pret t y brand, and what do you t hink has resonat ed wit h your cust omers?

Ever-Pretty is a fun brand and it has grown a lot over the last decade. It has matured along with me, and I think it will continue to change and develop.

Currently, I would describe Ever-Pretty as a brand that is on a mission to make every woman feel "pretty" at every stage and special event in her life. This has always been my mission, and is actually what inspired me to name the company Ever-Pretty. We are firm believers that high-quality dresses should not have to cost a fortune, and I think that is what has really resonated with our customers. We make it possible for bridesmaids to actually enjoy their friends?big day and not stress about having to pay hundreds of dollars for a dress that realistically they are only going to wear once or twice.

How are you abl e t o compet e wit h some of t he big ret ail ers t hat are of f ering discount ed prices on cl ot hes l ike Amazon? What makes you dif f erent ?

I think the biggest thing that sets us apart from other retailers is our singular focus on product quality. Over the years, we have continued to innovate and improve the product quality while still maintaining low prices for the customers. We know that if our product is low quality, we have nothing to stand on, so that has been our biggest emphasis over the years and where we invest the most. We guarantee you will not be able to find similar products with our quality standard for the price we are able to offer.

What woul d you say is your biggest mot ivat or each day t o keep going?

My biggest motivation each day is to always strive to do better. I try to make each day be better than the day before. I am always trying to improve myself, the products and the company.

In your experience, what charact erist ics make someone a great ent repreneur?

The three most important characteristics, in my opinion, are determination, persistence and curiosity. Starting your own business is very difficult - bad things will inevitably happen and you will absolutely get discouraged at some point.

The important thing is to never give up and have faith that you are on the right path. Curiosity is important because you need to constantly be learning new things. This will inspire you with new ideas and keep your mind open with new ways of doing things. If you remain fixed in your ways, your company will not change with the times and may also get stuck or fail. You need to be constantly improving not only your product, but also yourself. You also need to be willing to take risks and try new things. If you are always playing it safe, you will never be truly successful.

What is t he best piece of advice you received when you f irst st art ed t he idea of l aunching Ever-Pret t y?

The best advice I received was from my father. His advice to me was to "work hard" and to "trust myself, you can do it." This was so impactful to me because for the first three years of Ever-Pretty, I ate, slept and breathed Ever-Pretty. And I use "sleep" lightly here, because most of my dreams were about the company. If I hadn't worked so hard, I would never be where I am today. His advice to trust myself really got me through the hard times; because of his advice I really did believe that I could and would do it, even it if it was hard at the time. Whenever I was down, his advice would help me believe I would always get back up.

What is some advice you woul d l ike t o give t o ent repreneurs t hat are just st art ing out on t heir f irst big idea?

It's great to start with a big idea. However, a new entrepreneur will need to realize that they will need to take small steps to achieve that big idea. It will not happen overnight. Taking small steps is important to achieving your big goal.

Final l y, where do you see f emal e ent repreneurship in t he next f ive or even 10 years?

I think female entrepreneurship will only increase over the next five to 10 years.

The current time is an awakening for women. They are realizing just how powerful they are; that we really can do anything men can do if we want to. I think because of this, more and more women will start launching their own businesses that are female-focused and fill a lot of holes in the market.

Interview by Meghan Ely

#wedSEo Get Found in Google M aps?Even I f Y ou W ork from H ome B y K athy D alP ra Unless you?re a destination wedding planner, local couples will be the lifeblood of your business. They live, plan and buy nearby. Most of which is happening on their mobile phones.

Which is why, having a presence on Google Maps should be an essential part of your SEO and growth strategy. It?s how mobile, millennial couples will find you!!!

Google knows this.

If you?ve ever done a little competitive research on Google to see what shows up when you type in ?wedding planner? from your locale, you may have noticed that the very first thing on the page is a map, along with a list of 3 businesses.

It comes before any organic website listings.

Why? Because Google knows its users prefer local results for local searches.

The most local resource is the one right down the street, right? And Google Maps tells searchers which business are right down the street.

Thus, it?s logical that Google would want to display Google Maps first when answering a query that seems locally-driven.

In other words, when Google senses that a certain search query (aka keyword) has a ?local intent? (the person searching is looking for a local resource), it will automatically display a Google Map at the top of the search results page, along with three brick-and-mortar businesses that appear on its map.

Whether searching on mobile, desktop or using the Google Maps app, searchers can quickly see which wedding planner businesses are near them.

Which begs the questions, how do you get on Google Maps and how do you get listed in those top 3 results of Google Maps?

How t o Get On Googl e Maps Google Maps displays businesses with a physical address, so getting on Maps requires you to submit your physical business address.

1. Search for your business on Google Maps (try as many variations of your name as may exist) 2. If you find your business on Google Maps, claim that listing. If not, go to Googl e My Business and create a new listing, using your physical business address.

3. Verify your address first by mail when you receive a verification postcard, then in-person by meeting a Google representative at your office at the scheduled date and time.

What To Do If You Work f rom Home While it is certainly an option to submit your home address to Google My Business, this will publicly list your home address on Google Maps, which may not be desired by you or your family for privacy reasons.

You can choose to hide your address on Maps, but using it is not a recommended practice for Local SEO because it will show up elsewhere when you begin promoting your business, which is a necessary process for ranking higher in the Maps listings.

Instead, consider one of my favorite alternatives: The Virt ual Of f ice As more and more small businesses, and even corporate employees, go ?virtual? by working from home rather than a physical office, new commercial real estate opportunities have opened up.

These days, you can pay a low monthly fee (often around $100-150 in the U.S.) to become a member of a shared office space community, which includes the privilege of using the office?s physical building address as your own. Membership usually includes mail forwarding, reception desk call service, use of offices and conference rooms and more.

The beauty of this option is that it allows you to qualify for Google Maps and have a real physical address to use in your Local SEO marketing activities without publicizing where you live.

To find these types of opportunities, Google keywords such as ?virtual office? or ?shared office space.?

How t o Get in ?The Big Three?

Showing up in Google Maps is only part of the process.

To get the best visibility possible when local couples are searching for wedding planners nearby, you want to get ranked in the top 3 Google Map listings too.

Like any ranking effort in Google, getting listed in those top 3 Map positions won?t likely be a walk in the part. It will take effort.

Here are 5 tips for improving your rankings with Google Maps: -

Distance to Epicenter: One of the top factors that will influence how well you Maps listing ranks for your target city is the distance your office address is to the formal epicenter of the town. So do everything you can to get an address that is closer to the city center than other planners in the area.

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Google My Business Optimization: The category you choose and the keywords you use in your Google My Business listing description will highly influence whether you show up for the keywords you are targeting. If you want to get ranked for "Portland wedding planner? be sure to use these words to describe your business in your Google My Business profile description.

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Website Optimization: Similarly to your Map listing, your website needs to be optimized for both your target keywords (ex. ?wedding planner?) and your location (ex. ?Portland?). Make sure your home page Title tag and Description tag use your primary target keywords. Then, mention your location, profession and services throughout your other webpages too.

TIP: See this quick 10-Minute daily Wedding Planner SEO routine for step-by-step instructions and downloadable guide -

Business List ings: In addition to your Google My Business listing, your business needs to be mentioned in other local business directories as well.

This appearance of your business name, address and phone number on other local websites is a signal Google will look for when considering how high to rank you in Maps.

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Reviews: Online reviews, especially those left on your Google My Business listing, are critical for moving your Maps listing up in position. Both the quantity of reviews and the positive nature of reviews can impact your local rankings. Try to deliver top customer service so that your past clients will review you in a positive light. Not only will this help your reputation and influence more clicks, it is also believed to be a factor in ranking your local presence higher.

Words by Kathy DalPra

Q& A Most of my l eads are cl assed as Mil ennial s. I ama l ittl e ol der and real ly don't understand how to sel l to this generation. Doyouhaveany tips?

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when selling to the Millennial generation is to underestimate how important their experience as a customer, is to them. This generation place a high value on customer service, product quality and a brand's support for society. When selling to this generation you need to make a mind-shift; from closing the deal, to helping the customer. They also enjoy the feeling of collaboration when engaging with a brand so think about how you can create that feeling for them as your customer.

Social Media has become the primary way we communicate with our potential cl ient. Are there any shifts in how we shoul d be using the mediumthat we as a wedding business shoul dbeawareof?

One of the key shifts, especially when thinking about marketing to Millennial Brides and Grooms, is that Millennials will pay more attention to a brand that has more to say than just how good its products and services are. Millennials are looking for brands that use social media to engage in conversations that make them part of the culture. An example might be the way in which a Wedding Planning company participates in conversations about eco or sustainable weddings, or stamping out the incidence of child brides.

#wedinspire A lways a B ridesmaid for H ire W ithJ en Glantz Jen Glantz is the founder of Bridesmaids for Hire, a service that provides bridal party members to paying couples, that quickly went viral and led to her best-selling books, All My Friends are Engaged and Always a Bridesmaid. She has been a featured guest on such programs as the Today Show and Good Morning America, as well as a speaker for conferences and workshops all across the country, like SXSW, BBYO Convention, and Google New York- just to name a few.

In our interview with Jen, she talks about what sparked her unique business idea and how she's expanded that idea into a multifaceted career.

You have been abl e t o capit al ize on such a unique and cl ever idea, can you t el l us t he st ory of how you got st art ed being a f or-hire bridesmaid and what made you decide t o writ e t he book?

I wondered if strangers of the world could use a bridesmaid for hire on their wedding day - to be their on-call therapist, personal assistant, social director and peacekeeper. I posted an ad on Craigslist offering my services to strangers and I received hundreds of emails from people all around the world who wanted to hire me. That's why I started the business!

I've always been a writer. I wrote my first book, All My Friends are Engaged, in 2013. Writing my second book, Always a Bridesmaid (For Hire), about my journey to find love, become a bridesmaid for friends - and for hire - was a fun next step in my writing career.

Are t here any brides/ coupl es t hat have real l y st ood out t o you?

I love working with couples who sit me down and say, "We don't want to have a traditional wedding." I love helping couples put together a personal and unique wedding experience.

What are some of t he best l essons you've l earned f rom your experience as a bridesmaid?

That weddings are an emotional day for a lot of people. The best thing you can do as a bridesmaid, is try to make the people around you happy, energized, and ready to get through the wedding adventure - which can often be filled with twists and turns.

Tel l us about t he process of going f rom bridesmaid f or-hire t o bl ogger, t o nat ional speaker, and business coach?

I've always had the mindset of "figure out what you want and then go after it". It's what has made me work hard for opportunities and has allowed me to keep working hard - even when things are tough and I want to give up.

What woul d you say is your biggest success t o dat e? How do you def ine success?

Writing my two books. It's not an easy process writing a book, getting someone to publish it, and then do the marketing and PR for it. It's been something that took a lot out of me - mentally and emotionally - and it's an adventure I want to keep on accomplishing.

What is your f avorit e/ l east f avorit e t hing about being a business owner?

Favorite: Making decisions. Trying new packages. Launching a program to empower other people who want to start their own wedding business.

Least: When things go wrong (and they do) it's all on you.

What advice woul d you give someone who is al so t hinking of st art ing t heir own business?

Start right now. Don't listen to anyone when they tell you to give up. Aim for failures and cheers to your mistakes.

Interview by Meghan Ely

www.bridesmaidf orhire.com

#wedpromo

CloneY our B est Clients B y H eidi Thompson Your ideal client is a whole and multidimensional person. It may sound obvious but it's something most wedding professionals forget.

Many of the problems that arise when wedding professionals inaccurately market their businesses come from not having an understanding of who their ideal client is as a whole person. Your ideal client is not just a bride or a groom. He or she is a whole human being with an entire life outside of wedding planning that consists of individual values, hopes, dreams, fears, hobbies, and life experiences. He or she is filling the role of bride or groom at this moment, but ultimately, that is not his or her identity as a person.

We often silo our clients and look at them as just a bride or just a groom, and they're not just that. Until you truly understand who they are as human beings, it's very difficult to market to them effectively. Their role in a wedding isn't who they are as a person, and marketing has to appeal to personal values. There's nothing value-based that comes from just being in the role of a bride or a groom. So instead of thinking of them as just this weird siloed off demographic, I want you to think of them as a whole person, a unique person, as a friend.

Most professionals in the wedding industry are too vague with defining their ideal client, and that's why standard, generic ideal client exercise doesn't work for them.

The way they describe their ideal client is broad, and if you are guilty of doing this, it may be because you simply don?t yet have the level of detail needed to clearly describe your ideal client.

I want you to identify exactly who your client is and in my book, Cl one Your Best Cl ient s, I share the step-by-step process for doing this. If there's someone you worked with previously and you'd like to clone them and work with them over and over again, I want you to dig into who they are. If you went out for a beer with them what would you talk about? What would they say? I want you to describe them like you're talking about one of your friends. What do they like to talk about? What do they geek out on? That's the stuff that matters. It sounds trivial, but I promise you that these are the details that will help you effectively define and market to your ideal client.

If you know your ideal client is obsessed with Game of Thrones, you can work that into your marketing, and suddenly you are so much more attractive because they feel like you get them. The goal is to eliminate uncertainty and become specific about who you serve. An effective way to define and become clear on your ideal client is to identify a few act ual peopl e and use their combined characteristics to create an ideal client profile. Why can't we just go with the vague ideas we have about this person in our heads? Well, as my father always told me, don't just assume because it makes an ass out of you and me (ass+u+me). Who wants that?

Get started with this process today by thinking about which of your clients you with you could clone and work with over and over again. Write down their names and think of them, their wedding, and what they were like, not as brides or grooms, but as people. This small shift will make all the difference in the world to the kind of clients you attract.

Words by Heidi Thompson

I ntroducingThe Eventice!

W ithRebecca W ilson, ESP Recruitment Rebecca Wilson founded ESP Recruitment in London in 1999 and with business partner Liz Sinclair grew the business into one of the leading global event recruitment companies, with offices in Dubai and London. They work closely with clients and candidates to provide a bespoke recruitment service. With their passion for the industry Rebecca also held the post of President of ILEA Middle East Chapter for 2 years, they run the salary survey for the events industry, ?Event Pay Check?, and The Eventice initiative that sees young hopefuls compete for and win exclusive jobs in the events sector.

So f or t hose of our readers t hat don?t know about it pl ease can you expl ain what The Event ice is al l about and t he concept behind it ?

The Eventice is an Apprentice style competition that we run in association with The Middle East Event Show and Biz Group here in Dubai. It allows final year students and under 26's to compete to win one of 2 exclusive jobs in the industry.

In the past our contestants have won jobs with Informa, Eclipse Group, Custard, Cheil, Red Filo and Innovations Unlimited in Doha.

Can you t el l us how The Event ice idea was born, and how t he compet it ion has evol ved int o what it is t oday?

The brainchild of Liz Sinclair, Director of esp recruitment, London, The Eventice has been running since 2011 in the UK and was successfully launched in Dubai in 2013. It can be tough for graduates and young people in general to get their first step on the ladder, so this competition creates exclusive and prestigious graduate jobs otherwise unavailable on the market.

The init ial appl icat ion invol ves st udent s submit t ing a video, t al king about t hemsel ves and why t hey deserve t o win. In t he appl icat ion inst ruct ions st udent s are real l y encouraged t o be creat ive and innovat ive wit h t heir video submission.

Over t he 6 years The Event ice has been running, what are t he highl ight ent ries t hat have real l y st ood out ?

Last year a girl with a background in video production did a very clever production with herself in 4 different guises, it really stood out. Sadly some stand out for the wrong reasons too, but we?re attracted to creativity, and open and honest people that really exude passion.

The 12 short l ist ed appl icant s are invit ed t o t ake part in a 2-3 day assessment wit h various t asks and chal l enges set f or t hem. Can you give us a sneak peek int o t he t ype of chal l enges an appl icant might f ace? And what t he expert panel are l ooking f or in a winner?

The challenges are team oriented, some physical some mental, and some creative.

They are mainly based onsite at the show, but can also see them out and about trying to interact with the public. We?re looking for those that show off a good range of their skills without being over-bearing, and who are liked by others. They need to stand out from the crowd, but be mindful of those around them.

It can be tough for young people to get on that first step on the career ladder, what experience and opportunities can taking part in The Eventice offer them?

Apart from winning the jobs, they get to see the industry at it's best, and network with the finest.

Last year I made a bol d decision t o quit my career in t he f ashion indust ry and f ol l ow my dreams by appl ying t o be apprent ice t o our Edit or and CEO of t he Int ernat ional Academy of Wedding & Event Pl anning, Kyl ie Carl son. It was a int imidat ing decision, but one I am so happy t o have made. What woul d you say t o anyone sit t ing on t he f ence or nervous about ent ering The Event ice?

There is nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain. When you apply for jobs on Linkedin there are often a thousand applicants, in this case there?s 12,for 2 jobs, and other opportunities that may come from it too, such as internships and forming relationships that lead to long term benefits We al l l ove a success st ory can you share wit h us your f avourit e Event ice successes?

Zain Zaidi was a winner in our first Eventice ME. After leaving Middlesex University Career Fair I spotted him on the steps, and approached him about the competition. I then persuaded him to enter and he went on to win, securing a first job in Qatar and working on the world record breaking fireworks display on the Palm that year. He?s since moved to Dubai and doing really well. Reshma this year went against her family wishes to get into events, having studied IT Engineering. This was her last chance, and she stormed it to win a job with Action Impact. There were a lot of happy tears.

You f ounded ESP Recruit ment in 1999 wit h your business part ner Liz Sincl air, and have since been pl acing t he right peopl e in great event rol es gl obal l y. For our readers and Academy st udent s t hinking of embarking on a career in t he event s indust ry what words of wisdom do you have f or t hem?

Event management is like wedding planning in so many ways, but whatever route you take you need to be prepared to work hard and possess true passion and dedication. The rewards, whilst not always financially oriented until you reach a senior level, are plentiful and there?s nothing better than being at an amazing event that you created and delivered, and seeing a happy client and attendees.

"We?re looking for those that show off a good range of their skills without being over-bearing, and who are liked by others. They need to stand out from the crowd, but be mindful of those around them."

Last mont h in Dubai you recent l y met wit h our Edit or Kyl ie Carl son over your shared passion f or t he event s indust ry. As Managing Direct or of t he l eading Middl e East event recruit ment special ist s can you give us some insider insight int o t he event career opport unit ies in your market ?

Dubai is a key hub of the ME events industry, and is an extremely exciting and progressive place to work, with key global players from the exhibition world here, and leading conference organisers and event management agencies large and small, not to mention world class venues. The mid-term future is rosy with EXPO 2020 on the horizon, but the reality is that the events industry here remains small compared to somewhere like London.

Final l y can I ask you t o sum up l if e in t he event s indust ry in 5 words?

More fun than real work!

Interview by Martha Tobyn

www.espint ernat ional .ae

showcase Arabic St yl ed Shoot by The Day Event s Inspired by Cosmopolitan Dubai, Rania of The Day Events has designed this Arabic themed Styled Shoot with a metropolitan twist. Rania tells us that the location chosen for her shoot is one of the most important spots in Dubai, facing the Burj Khalifa, which represents the city and is a great location for anyone considering a Destination Wedding in Dubai.

The colour palette, including that fabulous pop of hot pink was inspired by the colours of Greece, the furniture featured is rustic and the decor accessories have an Arabic style with Arabic calligraphy. A Doughnut instead of a wedding cake is a fun twist.

We hope you enjoy this Styled Shoot by Rania, who is a Student of the Arabian Academy of Wedding and Event Planning.

The Shoot Team: -

Styling and Coordination: The Day Events

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Photographer: Violet Studio

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Location: The Palace

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Furniture: Innovative Hiring

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Flowers: Firenzie

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Make-up: Salon Chique

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Bridal dress: House of Morai

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Stationery: Pret a Papier

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Gifts: My List

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Model: Marian

#weddigital StreamlineW eddingP lanning W orkflowwithEddieB abbage Eddie Babbage has over ten years of experience as a tech entrepreneur, boasting degrees from Duke University and Harvard Law School. After marrying in 2010, Eddie and his wife Brooke saw an opportunity for a new venture in the wedding industry- timelines. Timeline Genius was then created to help wedding planners across the country streamline their workflow and make crafting those endless wedding timelines a less stressful process.

Your background ? bot h educat ional l y and prof essional l y ? is ext ensive, so how did you f ind your way int o t he wedding indust ry wit h Timel ine Genius?

I have a passion for creating software and using technology to solve real problems in the world. That passion is what ultimately led me to the wedding industry.

My wife planned our wedding as a do-it-yourself bride, and she mentioned that there should have been a software to help with the logistics. I started researching the potential need for a wedding planning software by interviewing hundreds of wedding planners.

My goal in every interview was to determine the biggest pain and most tedious task in the wedding planning process. Planner after planner told me how tedious and important wedding day timelines are. After hearing this so many times, it became my mission and obsession to eradicate the timeline creation problem for all of the wedding professionals who experience it.

For t hose who are resist ant t o change, what woul d you t el l t hem are t he benef it s of embracing new-t o-t hem t echnol ogy?

I think all of us are resistant to change in some ways; that?s just human nature. Once we figure out a way to do something, our natural instinct is to want to keep doing it that way. But we have to push through that instinct and relentlessly strive to improve ourselves and our ways of operating.

In today?s world, there are so many amazing technologies that can help wedding professionals radically streamline and improve their business. Immeasurable amounts of time, energy, money, and human intellect have been poured into creating software that will let wedding professionals accomplish much more in less time.

Let?s say a given wedding industry professional could double her operational efficiency by mastering and using a suite of new technologies. (I believe this is completely feasible by the way.) How could she afford not to adopt those new technologies?

By embracing new technologies, we can all find ways to improve every important aspect of our business. We can?t afford to be overly resistant to change because change is necessary for growth.

As a l ong-t ime ent repreneur, what advice do you have f or aspiring event prof essional s when it comes t o st art ing t heir own business?

Follow your passion and your dreams! Starting and running a business is an incredibly challenging endeavor. It will test you in ways that a traditional job never will, but the rewards are profound and fulfilling on a deep personal level.

Being an entrepreneur isn?t for everybody. If you don?t feel a burn in your heart to start your own business, then it?ll be hard to persist through the inevitable adversities. But if you do feel that burn, take massive action. And don?t let anything or anybody stop you from achieving your dream.

You al so have a podcast . What was t he inspirat ion behind it ?

As a tech entrepreneur, I have to admit that I?m a podcast junkie. I?ve listened to so many different podcasts that have helped me grow and improve professionally. I wanted to pass that same value on to other people in the wedding industry.

www.t imel inegenius.com

I started the Wedding Industry Insider podcast with one simple aim. I wanted to interview the most interesting, successful wedding industry professionals I know, so they could pass on their knowledge and help others be more successful.

You no doubt have t o priorit ize st aying up-t o-dat e wit h t he l at est news in t echnol ogy. How do you st ay ahead of what 's new and t rending?

I consume a lot of information about technology. I?m constantly listening to tech-focused audiobooks and podcasts. I also read books and blogs about technology, and I watch documentaries about historical and forward-looking technical topics.

How do you see event t echnol ogy evol ving f or wedding prof essional s in t he years t o come?

As reputed entrepreneur and investor, Marc Andreessen, famously said, ?Software is eating the world.? He?s right. New software is permeating every facet of global industry, and the wedding industry is no exception.

Over the last five years, we?ve seen the emergence of a group of powerful web-based software platforms. In the years ahead, these existing services will become much more robust, and other new wedding technologies will emerge.

For wedding professionals, there will be a growing number of tools to help with all facets of business ? from streamlining operations to acquiring new clientele. And with this proliferation of tools and technology, it will be more important than ever to embrace change and to take advantage of what?s available.

Where do you see Timel ine Genius in t he f ut ure? How wil l it cont inue t o hel p event pros?

Our goal for Timeline Genius is clear and focused. We want to let wedding professionals create amazing wedding day timelines with maximum ease and efficiency.

We know how much time and energy is required to create exceptional and highly detailed wedding day timelines. And we know how important timelines are in the wedding planning process.

In the future, Timeline Genius will be sophisticated enough to eliminate over 90% of the work required to create timelines. And we will serve as a communication platform where all vendors and relevant parties can collaborate seamlessly on the planning and execution of the timeline.

Interview by Meghan Ely

B uildinga Successful Global Company withJ anineA llis Janine Allis is the founder of Boost Juice, a chain of juice and smoothie stores that has expanded into an international brand company called Retail Zoo. She is one of Australia?s most respected business women, winning the prestigious Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award in 2004 and being inducted into the Australian Franchising Hall of Fame in 2015.

Janine is talking to us about how she got her start and evolved her business into a successful international company, as well as her advice for those just getting started in the business industry.

Tel l us about st art ing Boost Juice. What inspired you t o l aunch?

I wanted to be in control of my own destiny, I didn?t want to work for someone else. I had this passion for healthy living and eating that I wanted to share with the world.

How did Boost Juice evol ve int o Ret ail Zoo? We are always looking at ways to grow and we had learnt so much growing boost from an idea to an international business. We wanted to do the same with other brands.

What are some of t he met hods you've used t o hel p your business dist inguish it sel f f rom ot hers?

We always listen to our customers. We have a fun edge that has a purpose, which is to help get as much fruit and veggies into our customers as possible.

How do you def ine success?

Happiness: To love and be loved.

What are some of t he best part s of your job?

Creating products that taste amazing, that are also good for you and seeing people love them What does Ret ail Zoo's f ut ure l ook l ike?

Great. We have a team of fantastic executives that are passionate about making this business the best it can be.

What advice woul d you give t o f ut ure ent repreneurs t hat are l ooking t o l aunch t heir f irst big idea?

Be prepared for lots of highs and lows. It takes time to grow a business and do not expect a quick return as there is more money going out at the start than coming in.

What are some of your f avorit e ways t o st ay inf ormed and up-t o-dat e on t he l at est business t rends and news?

I find the best way to stay informed is through subscriptions to business forums and magazine. Also attending business networking events. I grab lunches with people in different industries and ask lots of questions.

www.ret ail zoo.com.au

#wedl egal ?TheW orst ThingY ou Can H ear is N o??or I s I t?

B y Christina Scalera How many times have you heard, ?the worst thing you can hear is ?no?" in an attempt to give you the motivation to ask for something that feels out of reach?

I have this theory that some business owners (especially women) actually have a deep fear of hearing ?YES? for an answer.

You may have heard this called ?imposter syndrome?. It?s an upper limit problem... a fear, often at a subconscious level, of our own success. We doubt our own abilities and deep down, we aren?t even sure if we deserve to experience success and happiness.

Is the human mind complex or what?

The fear of success can sometimes be just as powerful as the fear of failure. With success comes high expectations for yourself, increased pressure to keep up momentum, and higher expectations from other people. That?s a lot of weight on your shoulders.

When you become successful, life can become challenging in unexpected ways.

The part of your brain that?s naturally wired to avoid risk will do whatever it takes to throw up stop signs and ring warning bells.

So how can you avoid getting in the way of your own success when it comes to asking for what you want in your business?

Here are 5 ways to get over your fear of asking for more from business (and life): 1. Embrace t he f ear.

Let me know if this sounds familiar: You just landed that high-ticket new client, or the store of your dreams wants to carry your products. So why are you starting to feel down in the dumps or panicky? It?s that fear of YES coming back, once again.

Next time, simply expect the fear to show up. Welcome it with open arms! Take a step back and acknowledge this feeling of discomfort is actually a positive sign that you took a risk, and it paid off. That feeling in the pit of your stomach is simply confirmation that you?re on the right track.

2. Train yoursel f t o say YES now, l earn how t o del iver l at er.

You can learn to do just about anything. Don?t hesitate when amazing, aligned opportunities come your way simply because you?re unsure of the execution.

Make it your default response to jump right in and figure out the details later.

There are exceptions to this of course, and you?ll know instantly if an opportunity is 100% wrong for you (if you?re not a doctor don?t operate on someone? ). But if you?re able to help, excited about the project, and it?s a push outside of your comfort zone? Go there! Secure the deal like a pro (link: http:/ / thecontractshop.com/ ) then jump into the nitty-gritty problem-solving.

Here?s a quote I love that puts it all in perspective: ?If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes? then learn how to do it later!? ? Richard Branson 3. Take care of your body, and pay cl ose at t ent ion t o your mind.

So many of us get sick when it?s time for a big event, opportunity, or launch in our businesses. At these pivotal moments, you might end up with a sore throat, headache or a nasty cold, because your mind and body are so deeply connected.

Too often when we have that deep fear of hearing YES, the body works hard (and even against itself) to keep us in our comfort zones. Next time you?re sick, think hard about what opportunities you might be subconsciously holding yourself back from. And in the meantime, take care of yourself until you?re feeling better.

4. Learn t o t ake a compl iment .

If you want to believe that you deserve to hear YES and that you deserve to hear positive feedback about all your hard work, it all begins with simply learning how to take a compliment.

When compliments or congratulations come your way, practice saying a simple and gracious, ?Thank you. I worked hard and it means a lot to see it pay off.? Feel free to put that into your own words - just resist the urge to downplay the compliment by giving credit to luck or some other outside factor (<<guilty as charged).

5. Find an account abil it y buddy.

As you become happier and more successful, some of your relationships will change. You?ll need to surround yourself with other people who want to grow, too.

One way to do this is to start a mastermind with like-minded friends, meeting at regular intervals to share goals, successes, and challenges as you push each other to grow.

When you feel that fear of hearing YES coming on, you?ll have a circle of friends who get it, so you can easily work through it.

Believe that you deserve to hear YES. You deserve the opportunities, success and joy that are coming your way, because you?ve worked hard. Never forget to ask for what you want? and expect to hear that YES. Let ?s break down f acing t he f ear of hearing ?YES!? one more t ime: 1. Embrace it.

2. Train yourself to say YES now, learn how to deliver later.

3. Take care of your body, and pay close attention to your mind.

4. Learn to take a compliment.

5. Find an accountability buddy.

Do you f ind yoursel f f eel ing af raid t o act ual l y get t he green l ight in your business? How does that show up in your life? Do you get sick, scared, or just want to be left alone?

Words by Christina Scalera

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The International Academy of Wedding and Event Planning is the leading training company for the wedding industry with campuses worldwide.

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UK - www.weddingplanningacademy.co.uk

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Australia - www.aawep.com.au

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UAE - www.arabianweddingacademy.com

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New Zealand - www.nzawep.co.nz

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North America - www.northamericanweddingacademy.com

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South East Asia - www.aseanweddingacademy.com