Hard Work and Ramen Noodles

Are you working your fingers to the bone? Are you burning the midnight oil and the daytime gas? Are you pouring blood, sweat and tears all of your work and still finding your bank account dry as a bone?

No need to feel alone or ashamed! I've been there and lived that. Trust me, I've seen my fair share of rough times. During these times, I was stressed the freak out! And to make matters worse, my cell was on the verge of disconnection, my rent was severely delinquent and my cabinets...let's just say we found creative many ways to jazz up a package of Top Ramen that wouldn't probably warrant a cookbook!

It's hell when you have loads of passion with little profit. My friends and family thought I was avoiding work. How insulting! I work harder and put in longer hours in my own business than I ever did working for "The Man"! I am passionate, hard working, willing to put in long hours and I love what I do. But I was in the poor house. It was time to understand why in Sam Hill I didn't have any money.

You see, when anyone says, "I work so much and I'm still broke", it's more than likely that at least one of three issues are at the root cause:

1. Spending Beyond Your Means
2. Not Charging Appropriately For Your Products or Services
3. Poor Time Management

Now, don't feel disheartened. There is hope, my love. Let's break it down and fix this issue now do you can be the business owner you really want to be.

Spending Beyond Your Means
I don't want to get to deep in this subject. The bottom line is, if you overspend, you're not alone but you're also not growing. I shared a personal story about a time I was overspending in business in a post a year ago. You should READ IT before we continue our discussion. I know you'll be able to relate.

Not Charging Appropriately
Setting prices seems to be such a huge mystery to many of us in the wedding industry. We do silly things like price our products and services by copying what someone else is doing or by mystery calling and pretending to be a bride (or a groom, as I recently heard someone share). However, there is a better way to go about this.

Figure out the actual time you spend on your client. This includes responding to emails, driving to appointments, taking and making calls, conducting online research, productions and assembly, etc. You need to charge your clients for ALL the time you spend working for them. If you divide your pricing by the actual hours you spend on their wedding or event, and you find that you have an incredibly low hourly rate, then it's high time to adjust your prices.

If you are looking for a great way to track your time on a project, I highly recommend Harvest.

Poor Time Management
How much time do you spend on unprofitable activities? If you were managing paid opportunities throughout you day, you'd be benefitting financially. So, what's really going on?

I challenge you to accurately record your time for a week. Don't change your actions, just document. No one has to see this, so by fudging, you'll only be lying to and cheating yourself. Be sure to write down the revenue you're bringing in for that activity.

I would bet $1Million that you're wasting ridiculous amounts of time and bringing in $0 for your business!

Follow my advice, implement even the smallest changes and you will start to see a positive difference to your bottom line. I promise.

We all know that sharing is caring, so I need you to do me a solid...
1. Share a time you've had too much work and not enough cash-ola. How did you turn it around?
2. Share this post with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

As always, thank you for reading our blog. If you want to understand more about making and increasing your money, you will LOVE hearing Linnyette Richardson-Hall at Backstage Bridal Pro Academy in September. REGISTER today to reserve your seat! You won't want to miss this!

Your Wedding Business: Negative Reviews

Today I'm composing the outline for my Welcome Session for Backstage Bridal Pro Adademy. I'm so hype to speak to everyone in person, I can hardly stand it! And I'm even more excited to learn and build deeper relationships with all of you that I've met online.

But then I suddenly felt nervous! Why? Because what if you hate me? What if my topic isn't interesting to you? And the worst fear of all...what if I receive negative reviews!?! AHHH!

So this brought me to the topic of dealing with negative reviews. I did a little brainstorming about how I would deal with negative reviews and thought I'd share with you.

Receiving negative reviews can be one of THE most upsetting situations you'll run into as a business owner. No matter how great your products or services are, there will be people who are simply unhappy with their purchase.

When those unhappy clients leave negative reviews about your business online, it can do real damage to your confidence, reputation and revenue - unless you know how to deal with it.

As you know, you can't erase negative reviews, but you an handle the criticism with smart strategy. And get this...

You can even make negative reviews good for your business! {TWEET THIS}

No company or even person is perfect. Therefore, negative reviews are something we may all have to deal with at some point or another. Negative reviews are actually feedback from your clients that you should deal treat as golden. It's an opportunity to learn how to improve your business. Depending on how you respond, it's an opportunity to show what you're made of.

Here are THREE steps to help you deal with negative reviews:

1. Thank the reviewer and apologize. This means thanking them for taking the time to leave a review and genuinely apologize. Take responsibility for any mistakes. DO NOT be defensive. Why is this important? When people see negative reviews they will also see your thoughtful response. This is critical in turning a frown upside down. Take the high road.

2. Explain exactly what you are doing to fix the problem. You can share new policies, new technologies or additions to your staff. Whatever's it is, the point is to show specific details and what you are going to do to ensure this never happens again.

3. Make it right! Give the reviewer an email address or phone number with a chance to contact you offline. Making it right can mean giving a full refund or giving them an opportunity to experience your service or products again with a discount. You need to refocus your energy on positive responses to feedback such as this.

Take a look at this shining example to a negative review left by a guest at Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills on TripAdvisor.

Since this is a really important subject of all of us, I'd LOVE to hear your feedback on dealing with negative reviews. Whether you have responded to criticism about your business or have stories to share about companies you've had issues with. Let us know at least one specific strategy (what works or doesn't work) in the comments below.

BE KIND! This can be a sensitive and emotional subject so please comment from a place of love, peace and light. I will not tolerate Internet bashing or bullying. This truth is we ALL make mistakes.

Are you loving the content of Backstage Bridal Blog? If so, then you will NOT want to miss Backstage Bridal Pro Academy in September! It is THE wedding education experience for wedding pros just like you! Register NOW to reserve your seat for this incredible event!

I want to hear from you! If you have questions or want advice about sticky situations in your wedding business, me at seeyou@bbproacademy.com. Your name and business name will remain confidential. I can't wait to hear from you!

Backstage With Danielle Pasternak

As I gear up for Backstage Bridal Pro Academy , I have really been enjoying getting to know the attendees. Because they are all so awesome, I wanted to share their awesomesauce with all of you.

Enter our new series, where you get a chance to get to know those that are attending or have attended Backstage Bridal Pro Academy!



Meet the talented and adorable Danielle Pasternak, owner of Danielle Pasternak, Wedding Coordinator. Danielle is located in the northeast region of Pennsylvania, specifically Scranton, which happens to also be the home of The Office! We asked Danielle a few questions about being in the wedding industry. Here is what she had to say...



Danielle, how long have you been in business?
Research and development began in the late stages of 2009 and my first wedding was in March of 2010.

Why did you decide to enter the wedding industry? How did you get your start?
My history includes a lot of dance, theater and production. I experienced an ankle injury during a rehearsal and knew that my moments on stage had quite possibly come to an end. Within a year, I had decided to retire from performing and move into a different career role. I quit every job I had, traveled across the country and back for 41 days and did a LOT of soul searching. I reflected on things I was great at, things I wasn't so great at, and things I loved to do when I was younger. All of those things combined with my production experience led me directly to the wedding industry, specifically coordination.

How did you choose your company name?
My company is simply my own name. I had brainstormed several names at first, but looked at the bigger names in the industry and felt like that was the route that worked best for me. In business, that's a key factor: doing what works for your own company.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
During my time in the wedding industry so far, I've achieved things that I never thought possible. I gave myself a big pat on the back when I was announced the winner of the Backstage Bridal Pro Scholarship. Other proud moments included being named the Best Wedding Planner in my area based on community votes, being published on 100 Layer Cake, Style Me Pretty and Green Wedding Shoes, and ultimately, I get extremely proud of each of my weddings. My clients are the best clients for me and our relationships continue past their wedding day - that is so important to me.

What are your greatest challenges or fears?
Challenges and fears?? I don't have any (<--BIG LIE). Ok, I'm scared of snakes, heights and failing. I have a quote on my desk that reads "You miss 100% of the opportunities you do not take". When I first started in this industry, I was intimidated. I said no to opportunities and felt incredibly unworthy of the options being presented to me. Finally, I woke up one day and decided to take on those challenges head on and do my best. It's opened so many doors that would have stayed locked if I didn't say "yes".

Share your favorite wedding photo or item.



photo by Amanda Young of Swoon Over It Photography taken at terrain at Styer's in Glen Mills, PA. This photo speaks so much to me. My couple is happy, in love, celebrating and completely at ease. I love it.

Where do you see your company going in the next 5 years?
I have some very exciting things in the works that I can't completely share yet. But I definitely see my company growing and developing with the needs of my community. Coordination is still considered a high-end luxury in my area and I really hope to be a part of what changes that in the near future.

Why did you choose to attend Backstage Bridal Pro Academy?
I had followed BBPro for a while and had done a lot of research about the courses, instructors and overall experience. But my decision to do whatever I could to attend this workshop came when I saw the video done with Tami and Amber Gustafson. I saw a lot of myself in Amber and knew I would be getting so much out of this experience that I had to find a way. A recent rebranding cost made funding impossible so I'm incredibly grateful to have been chosen as the Grand Prize Winner of the scholarship contest. Now, the ball is in my court to make every moment count to the fullest.

Thank you so much, Danielle, for taking the time to chat with us today! We can't wait to meet you in September!

Have YOU registered for Backstage Bridal Pro Academy? If not, what are you waiting for?  Resister TODAY to reserve your seat!

Your Wedding Business: Courage

I can't count how many times I've heard people say they want to be self employed, but they don’t (or can’t) move forward on their dreams because they’re afraid. There are so many things to be afraid of when you’re self employed: fear of failure, fear of success, fear of illness, fear of lawsuits. No money, no time, no skills, no help, no support.

Being self employed takes a particular type of courage. You have to be willing to take action with no guarantees of success. You have to be willing to put all your heart and soul into your enterprise, and you have to be willing to face and overcome the roadblocks that get in your way. You have to be willing to dream big dreams, and have the guts to learn new things that you never knew how to do before.

On top of all that, you need the type of courage that shouts, “I must do this or I won’t have lived my life purpose.” It takes strength, focus and responsibility to succeed or fail on your own merits, and to be willing to ask for help or education when you need it.

Do you have the courage to face your fears and keep walking towards your dream anyway? Do you have the strength and dignity to act consistently and responsibly towards your business, on a daily basis, without whimpering in self-defeating behaviors and excuses? Do you have the guts to set a big goal, create reasonable action plans that stretch and challenge you, and move forward on those tasks knowing that you have no guarantee of success?

Every self employed person feels fear at one time or another. The next time you hear yourself saying, “I’m afraid,” reply with a knowing smile and say to yourself, “Join the crowd.” Then, summon up that well of courage and take responsibility to create the life and business you’ve dreamed of.

Because, if you don’t have that type of courage, you probably shouldn’t be self employed in the first place. Being self employed is about challenging yourself and the world. It’s not about taking the easy way; it’s about taking the only way that will give you a sense of self-fulfillment and success.

How I Effed Up in Social Media

Me, a perfectionist? No way! Ok, maybe a little. I prefer to say that I'm highly motivated to do everything I do with the best intent and results. I really REALLY strive to deliver on everything I teach. I actually write every post you see from me on our blog. I actually do the things I write about and show results and effort on a daily basis. I am very rigid about this. I am passionate. I have integrity. It means a lot to me.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS SOCIAL... HELLO!
We know, or at least we should know that social media is supposed to be social. We know, or at least we should know that everyone has different ideas, methods and approaches to their social media marketing tactics. One thing that's difficult for me is to see direct marketing pitches. Let me explain.

We're in the wedding business. We should all be talking about our companies, products and services in our timelines. We should all be getting into conversations about our companies, products and services with our fans and followers. We should share interesting, relevant and valuable information about what to do in our streams. At the end of the day, that's why we're on Facebook and Twitter, right?

But I'm referring to the new follower who never engages with you at all... EVER! You know the one who posts on your wall, invites you to random events on the other side of the world. The one who does things like mentioning you on Twitter with a pitch and a link. Yeah that one! You know the one. So freaking annoying, right?!

This frequent fail in social media has caused me to be cautious and sensitive to our pitches in OUR social media strategy. However, there has to be a balance. I was totally unbalanced. I was on the other end of the spectrum. Being friendly and nice and not pitching much about Backstage Bridal Pro Academy. ME! I screwed up my own rigid social media plan!

SHOOT ME NOW!
So how did I know I was doing it wrong? You will not believe this. It's tragic. But here goes...laid out for all the world to see...judge...spit on! {this is where I take a few deep cleansing breaths and press on}

A friend, {like my actual friend not just a social media friend} who follows me religiously, was speaking to me about her endeavors. Then she asked "So what have you been up to?" So I begin to dig right in on Backstage Bridal Pro Academy because of course she knows since she follows me so closely and all. And...she had no flipping flapping idea what in the world I was talking about!! {BLASPHEMY! SAY IT ISN'T SO!} I proceeded to explain and she said...wait for it, wait for it...

"OMG! I had no idea this is what you've been up to. This is amazing! I haven't heard about until now!"

Can we say OUCH? Or better yet, can we say DEFLATED! *picks face up off of floor and the egg that was all over my face as well #sadface

FAIL on my part. I'll take that. It sucks. But it is what it is and I'm humbled once again. Ah well. Lesson learned. I truly failed our social media marketing strategy, tactics and methodology. I became so over sensitive about our message being too loud that I turn the volume all the way down. I was failing at getting our message across to even our most supportive audience. Not good. And even worse, those that know me well did not even know what we do as an organization. FAIL FAIL FAIL!

3 LESSONS
1). Although you should never be over eager to pitch your products or service, you must ensure that your message is getting across to your audience.
2). The people you have built relationships with should never be the LAST in your audience to understand what you do.
3). Build relationships, help other people but ensure that the value of your brand, product and messaging cuts through.

I've spent the last few weeks pondering where our messaging was so far off that it got to this point. We're implementing some changes to some things internally and personally with our content and conversations to remedy this. When people that you know and like don't know what you do, you may need a little bit more media in your social media. I am utterly embarrassed, yet motivated to ensure the enormous value that Backstage Bridal Pro Academy delivers to the wedding industry gets heard!

What changes to your social media strategy and engagement needs a little bit of an adjustment? Do your relationships know what you do?

EVALUATE, ADJUST, EXECUTE!
At the risk of swinging back to the left a bit too far, I'm going to ensure that I give an opportunity for you to know exactly what Backstage Bridal Pro Academy does for wedding industry professionals, such as yourself by having you click HERE! Learn more about this amazing, groundbreaking educational experience just for wedding pros like you!