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Expert Advice? Bring on the Peasants!

February 10, 2011 By 7 Comments

Yesterday I was accidentally made privy to a forum conversation about some of that ubiquitous bullshit advice from a self-appointed expert. Yikes there was talk of burning the source at the stake!

I am delighted to say that a leader arose, went to the source and got the offending {dis}information pulled.

I have to tell you, there is something about peasants with pitchforks rising up that warms my heart. 8-)

Is there any reason that we can’t all do the same thing?

In my post about bad experts last month I told you I didn’t have the answer…yet.

Well maybe now I do.

Here are my thoughts; let’s start calling these people out. Seriously, in mass, in true peasants with pitchforks manner. If you see bullshit, call it! Leave a comment, post it to your FB page, tweet to your network and get them to comment. Keep it up, storm the castle. Create a hashtag, #pitchfork  or #BS or #infoFAIL

Go so far as to start a BS category on your own blog and call it out there. When they start to see referrals from your site in their stats they will check it out.  OK, you are sending them traffic but your content is highlighting the absurdity of their advice.

Following the peasants with pitchforks metaphor, you have to get your network involved. Your lone comment won’t do any good, they have to see that mob with torches at the castle wall.

Or, I suppose, you can just continue to grumble about it in the forums and change nothing.

Filed Under: Ask Christine, Inspiration, Rants & Raves, Social Media Tagged With: , , ,

Re-invention and Marketing

January 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

I have been thinking about this comment of mine on a recent eWedNews article:

The vendors that I see showing real improvement are the ones that read the writing on the walls and decided to zig while the rest of the industry continued to zag

Well, as a result I did some deep thinking about a few of my favorite re-invention case studies, and you know what, it wasn’t the basics of their business that changed so much as how they looked at them and how they marketed them.

It’s kind of like the girl that never gets noticed until the makeup artist gets ahold of her and shows her that by highlighting her eyes instead of her lips she turns into a knockout. Same thing.

Both of these companies just shifted their marketing. They pumped it up and highlighted different aspects of what they had already been doing to appeal more to today’s brides.

Take a look at your own business. What parts are hiding in the shadows that would really make you stand out? Is it time for a little rebranding of your own?

Filed Under: Blog, Inspiration, Marketing, wedding marketing Tagged With: , , ,

Trends 2011

January 12, 2011 By 5 Comments

It’s time for another Trend Tracker Lightning Round.

For those of you that are new to Think, let me explain just what that is. I spend a few hours scanning rapidly through sometimes as many as a 1000 blog posts from the most popular wedding blogs, paying special attention to real weddings. I look at real weddings because these are things that today’s brides are actually doing, not what the blogger thinks they should be doing. Second, these blogs are where your brides of tomorrow are getting thier ideas. Looking back over the last few years, this method comes as close as any I have seen to actually predicting what is going to come walking through your door.

So, here we go!

  • Over all the look is bleached and delicate. The colors are softer and the look is casual and shabby chic. Even brown, which is still big, has a sun bleached quality, a softness to it. This post  from my other blog is an example of what I mean.
  • Elements include milk glass, antique glass, chandliers in barns.
  • Having said that, when a wedding with color pops up it is a very saturated riot of many colors. I am thinking about 20% went this direction.
  • Signage is still big with chalkboards taking the lead.
  • Cakes are either simple buttercream cakes with fresh flowers to decorate or very small (maybe 40-50 sevings) elaborate works of art with undecorated cakes to feed the majority of guests. Cupcakes seem to be waning.
  • Flowers: Succulents are everywhere from centerpieces to bouquets. Check out this post from Elizabth Anne Designs
  • Bouquets are finally losing that tight hand tied look for softer, fluffier looks.

{Source}

  • Flower choices seem to go in two direction:Natural or Orchids.
  • I am seeing wildflowers, daisies, daffodils and natural elements like moss, seed pods, branches and herb.
  • The other side of the coin is masses of orchids in a single color.
  • The grooms Bout’s are more creative than ever before. Decidedly more masculine than in the past.
  • Feathery touches are everywhere from fashion to decor.
  • Elaborate rose petal work is coming on big.

{source}

  • Gowns are more comfortable, with less construction. I am seeing straps and halters. (Remember, this is what I am seeing in real weddings, not the runways)

{source}

  • For the men, Chuck Taylor’s and fun, fabulous socks. Suits over tuxes is still the trend.
  • Photography seems to be trending toward fashion rather than photojournalistic style. Ironically, brides seem to want an urban edge in their engagement session even though they are going shabby chic for their wedding.
  • Yes, food trucks are getting into the game. Couples are looking for unique and this is one direction they seem to be leaning.
Filed Under: Blog, Inspiration, Trends Tagged With: , ,

Why What We Do Is Expensive

December 16, 2010 By 2 Comments

The next time your client want’s to know why they need a professional or why it costs what it does, show them this.

Time lapse photography by Whitney Carlson of Dove Photography,

Courtesy of wedding planner Angela Proffit

Location, Cheekwood Botanical Gardens, Nashville TN.

Filed Under: Blog, Building Your Business, Inspiration Tagged With: , ,

Somethings You Just Have to Write Down

October 4, 2010 By 1 Comment

…or why I am never with out pen and paper.

We live in an increasingly digital world. I use all kinds of tools like Press This and Evernote to grab things when I am doing research. My calendar is online and if you asked my my sons’ phone numbers the best I could do is give you their speed dial numbers, but there are some things that should be kept analog.

At the end of every day I rewrite my to do list by hand. The simple act of having to actually hand write the words gives them weight, it forges them into my memory. Sure it would be easier and less time consuming to keep it in Excel and just update it daily. The task of manually reentering something day after day that has been left undone causes me pain. It makes me pay attention to it in a way that just leaving it on a speadsheet never could. It makes me face it.

My notebooks

Seriously, I sit at my computer all day, what the heck do I need a notebook for? Well, to keep notes~~    I always have a spiral notebook open on my workspace. For each project I am working on I start a page and date it just to jot down notes and thoughts. I can go back and pull books from years ago and give you an idea of why I was thinking the way I was on a particular project by looking at the notes around it. For instance, what inspired a certain design? It may be someone I spoke to on the phone that day or  something about the project that preceded it. Sometimes I’ll make note on how to do something, 3 months later I may have to recreate the same result, but I have the notes on it.

When I interview a client or a source I can write down my impressions of them. That is somthing that would get lost in a digital file as I editied it for publication or for an email.

Sometimes it’s not so much the notes as the scribles in the margin.

I have since childhood kept a notebook in my purse. Today I use it to jot down ideas. Sure I could do it in my phone now but there is something transient about that. There is on the other hand, something comforting about paging back through a book to spark long forgotted ideas when you are in need of inspiration.

Something about paper and pen causes up so slow down a bit and pay more attenion. The physical act of writing connects us to our thoughts like a keyboard never will.

Filed Under: Blog, Inspiration Tagged With:

What To Do When The Phone Isn’t Ringing

September 20, 2010 By 1 Comment

I was following a thread on a pro forum today about the sudden silence on the phone and in the inbox. The original poster was panicing because they had just done a very modest price increase. She was starting to second guess herself.

Here is the very first thing you should do when you find yourself in this position. Don’t panic and look for patterns.

Go back over the last few years of your business and look for patterns in bookings. You all know when to expect to be busy with weddings, right? They are seasonal, right? Well it only stands to reason thet since bookings mirror that seasonality you will have coresponding lulls in booking, ie. your phone ringing.

I will bet that you will see the patterns.

I know that for me, I didn’t hear a peep from the end of August until the middle of September. Not only did this season affect the number of brides I had calling but weddings were down and the business I did with restaurants was off. For the first couple of years it scared the bejeebus out of me, “What had I done to cause this suden downturn?”

But then I realized that it happened every year.Cool, I could work with that!

By following the patterns I also knew that October through Valentines day would be zoo city for my little business. This early fall hiatus became a time for me to recharge and renew. Just knowing that it happened annually made me relax enough to be able to enjoy it and use it to my advantage.

Have you taken the time to look for the paterns in your business?

Filed Under: Blog, Inspiration, Personal Coaching Tagged With: , ,

Spreading the Word and Getting the Gig

August 16, 2010 By 4 Comments

I ran a cross an interesting story over the weekend. It is an interview with Robert Evans, celebrity photographer. Evans was the wedding photographer for the Jennifer Anniston/ Brad Pitt wedding and then the Katie Holmes/Tom Cruise weddings.

So how did Evans break into that rarefied world? He schmoozed the florist. No, he didn’t cozy up when he knew that they were doing the wedding, it was a part of a regular recurring plan of action. Here is the quote

Why him?

The long answer is hard work, an artist’s eye and a portfolio of unique photos. But the short answer is: flowers!

See, over the years, Evans made a habit of shooting wedding floral arrangements and mailing his best shots to the florist. LA Premiere, of Beverly Hills, was so taken with his photos that they recommended him for weddings. Including the Pitt-Aniston wedding.

OK, Evans did a couple of things by using this method.First of all he endeared himself to the vendors because he enhanced their business. By that I mean that he gave them things that made them look better to their potential clients. Better shots of their product makes them look better.

Since the vendors would be showing these shots of their arrangements to potential clients, it gave him a showcase in front of clients that he wouldn’t have had otherwise.

While not explicitly stated in the article, I’m sure that over time, his method went a long way to build relationships with these vendors. Relationships build business.

Before you get all excited, remember that this is not an overnight thing. It isn’t even something that can be accomplished in a single season.

For 10 years, he’d spent weekends shooting the first dance, the cake, the garter. Eating chicken with the band. Waiting for the bride and groom to climb into the limo.

If you are a regular reader, then you know this isn’t the first time I have advocated something like this nor does it work only for photographers. What ever you do, there is a way to share it with the businesses that are in a position to refer you. Florists, caterers, bakers, DJ’s and stationers have all found ways to accomplish it.

It takes time and persistence but as Mr Evan’s story shows, it can pay off in a huge way if you just stick to it.

If you want more specifics, I found this in the Members Content archives:

Never Underestimate the Power of the Suck-Up

(yes, you have to be a member to read it, but shouldn’t already be one anyway?)

He captures celebrity “I do’s” and yours too | evans, wedding, says – Life – The Orange County Register.

Filed Under: Blog, Inspiration, Marketing

More GenY Incite

July 8, 2010 By 1 Comment

I ran across an interesting quote today from an article on Media Post. In talking about GenY and nostalgia this quote

allowed them to craft their own identities without leaning too far outside of what their “tribe”

As you start pitching design ideas to your brides, keep that quote in mind. They want to express their own individualism but with out straying too far out side of what is normal ans acceptable to their “Tribe”.

You may try asking what they liked and did not like about their friends recent weddings. That will give you an incite into what their tribe is doing.

Just something to think about.

Filed Under: Blog, Inspiration Tagged With: ,

Re-Invent Your Business

July 7, 2010 By 1 Comment

How are you re-inventing your business?

Last night I was at a networking event and had the opportunity to speak with quite a few wedding professionals in a wide range of categories. I saw an interesting pattern emerge.

There are a lot of very smart people either in the middle of or in the beginning phases of completely re-inventing their businesses in light of the new economic realities in the wedding market. Instead of continuing to do the same old thing they are reading the market and rolling with the punches.

Two different photographers are seeing the light, one is fairly new and the other is a seasoned pro, but both are no longer putting their emphasis on shooting weddings. Instead, both are moving into the portraiture market but in entirely different ways. Both are using their established connections and unique skill sets. Very Cool!

I spoke with a new linen company that is completely re-inventing the wheel. I am interviewing them later to get the skinny for an in-depth article on this topic for the members content side of Think.

I also got to check in my florist friend that is placing her emphasis on rentals to both brides and florist. She is in the unique position of having ‘things’ that other, new florists haven’t had the time or treasure to amass.

I also met the owner of an invitation company that is branching out into event planning. (OK, don’t get me started on new planners but at least they are re-inventing)

What I want to know is how you are reading the market and re-inventing yourself? You all know what I did six years ago to re-invent brand “ME”. What are you doing?

I am putting together an article and if you would like your unique story included, just leave a comment of send me an email.

My readers are some of the smartest wedding professionals out there, I can’t wait to hear your stories.

Filed Under: Blog, Building Your Business, Inspiration, Marketing, Personal Coaching Tagged With: ,

Why Do You Blog?

June 29, 2010 By 1 Comment

I create blog-sites for a lot of different clients. They all have different reasons for doing it.

At the root of why most of them blog is for marketing, but not always. I have had a few that want to keep their website but add a platform that they have control of themselves. A lot of them understand that they can just replace the old site with a blog-site and maximize all there efforts into one url.

If you are only blogging because someone told you that you have to then you are bound to fail. You will end up resenting the effort you have to put into it and your writing will show it.

The best blogs come from people that have a genuine desire to share. They want to share their knowledge, or the cool things they find, or brag on their friends, or tell a story that is evolving over time. The best bloggers love what the have to share, they are connected to it and in turn to their audience. You can’t fake that.

I run across clients from time to time that over think it. As a consequence they never post, they are paralyzed by the fear of getting it wrong.

Here is the best advice you will ever get to get you started:

Think of your blog as a conversation with a friend. That friend that you can talk to for hours.  That friend that values your opinion even if the disagree with you. That friend that shares your passions. Then write ever blog post as if you were talking to them.

Write in the same tone you would use with them. Think of your readers as your perfect pen pal.

Then just enjoy the ride.

Once you have found your voice, then you can worry about all the geeky details.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Personal Coaching, Rants & Raves Tagged With: ,
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