Interview Tips on Business

The transcript of my interview with weddingmarketnews.com was published today! While I was giving advice about the wedding industry, I was also talking about running a business successfully.

This is the Transcript of the #WeddingMarketChat on May 30th, 2012 with The Party Goddess Marley Majcher (me!). The answers were made on Twitter and formatted into this article.

Interviewer: What are the main areas you get sales leads from?

Marley: Word of mouth of course and past events. My goal is to find 5 potential clients at each event & then stalk them. As a planner you're in the unique position of having the guest list ahead of time. You Google the peeps & see who would be a great candidate as a client: future bride, corporate client, etc.

Q: In what ways do you "stalk" potential clients?

A: You "stalk" by Googling them, figuring out where they hang out, what charities/schools/organizations/clubs they support and then start being in those places. Get them to know, like & trust you and you're off to the races!

Q: What are the main reasons wedding pros don’t increase their sales?

A: Because they get stuck working with high maintenance clients that suck the life out of them.

Q: What should be the order of concentration to increase sales?

A: Track your time so you know where you're spending it. Then figure out who your target bride is, EXACTLY... & where that target client "lives." Then figure out how to get more of her. Then track your time again!! By the way, to track your time, I love an app for your phone & computer called PayMo. Super, super easy!

Q: What are your thoughts on bridal shows, advertising in magazines & websites?

A: Depending on the market, I think they can be great. You just really need to track how many leads you get from each though and FOLLOW UP. It's not the magazine's fault if you got tons of leads and didn't ever pursue them. We ALL have limited ad $$. Wasting money isn't cool no matter how much of it you have. 🙂 Just sayin'

Q: Can you tell me more about your book?

A: My #book is on #Amazon & focuses on the ROI of your time so you can work less & make more. For small biz owners! The title of the #book is: "But Are You Making Any Money?" An in-the-trenches war story so you don't make my mistakes.

Random advice: Don't try & go it alone. Find a mentor in your industry. Keep reading, asking questions & refining your $. So key! one more quick piece of advice. Get it out of your head. Google "mind mapping". It's how Leonardo da Vinci worked. Remember, you can do it. Focus, focus, focus. Define your goals. Write them down & review them every single solitary day.

Q: What is one tip for a start-up entrepreneur? How do you build your clientele?

A:  You build your clientele by determining who the influencers are in your community. Do an event for them.. & then look for potential clients there, get great photos, build up your testimonials. Rinse/repeat.

Q: "Do an event for your community influencers" Do you recommend to offer services free or discounted?

A: Influencers are huge, so try to do events as joint ventures with other planners so things are free, and yes you might need to donate your time as part of your marketing budget.

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