Last month I had the pleasure and opportunity to go to the Special Event Conference. I’m always looking for a chance to go on a long car ride—this is where I get some of my best ideas. A kid-free car, a Starbucks drink in hand, a business audiobook playing from the stereo, and an open road—this is my heaven. Crazy? Try it before you judge. This year the conference was held in San Diego—a nine-hour drive for me.
The Special Event Recap
This year the conference was held in San Diego—a nine-hour drive for me. The conference was a little smaller than I expected, but that gave it a more relaxed feeling. It was well worth the investment. Today I’m going to share with you my takeaways from the conference and what I was surprised to learn.
Profit First
There was a book that was mentioned over and over at the conference: Profit First, by Mike Michalowicz. The book goes into detail about a cash management system that ensures any business will become permanently profitable. Of course, I had to listen to this book on the way home. I highly recommend it.
Content
The conference provided tons of info on creating content. Here’s the summarized version. First and foremost, invest in what you own first, i.e., your blog. Know who your content is for. Know your goals. Have a clear message. Create a call to action on everything (this something I always forget to do). Create 30 keywords you want to be known for to plug into your content. I think this little tidbit is so important and something I will definitely be implementing.
Systems
Automation is so important. It can help relieve your stress levels, help with bringing on new team members, and help keep your client experience consistent. And if you ever want to sell, it’s a great way to build your equity. To get started, write down all of your systems and processes. Make sure you’re keeping track of every little thing you do and when you do it. Also, pay attention to where your clients lose you. If there is any confusion about the process, figure out how to make it more streamlined. Finally, ask for feedback. This is the best way to learn what processes are working and which ones are not.
Wedding PR
Big changes are coming to wedding planner PR. It’s all about niche markets right now and honing in on it to its fullest potential. Not too long ago, local magazine and wedding blogs were sort of scoffed at. Everyone wanted to be published in Style Me Pretty, Ruffle, and 100 Layer Cake. If you made it into these blogs, you were really someone; notoriety followed you. But as more and more wedding planners started to get published in those same blogs, the realization hit that they didn’t really help you get any leads. So now it’s all about your niche markets. Focus your time and energy on getting noticed locally.
Social Media
It was interesting to learn that only 1.2% of your Facebook Fans actually see your posts. Interesting and also disappointing. The conversion rate is a little bit better with Instagram, but not by much—only 4% of your followers see your posts. Bottom line, embrace ads. Learn how to utilize them to target your specific market. Ads only work if you target engaged couples in your marketplace.
4 Responses
This was a great recap! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for reading Kimberly!
Great points, I am just not so sure about the adds. It takes time, but you can improve your visibility organically. I always skip the “sponsored” posts, and I am sure most of the people will do the same with mine. think I think that collaboration with others can get you further. People appreciate good content.
I think it could be a powerful tool if done right. At least one to consider before paying Weddingwire or the knot.