Go Where Your Customers Are - Inspiration and Lesson from the School PTA.

As I dropped my son off outside his elementary school this morning,  an enthusiastic parent signaled for me to open the window, then handed me a flyer about the upcoming pta meeting later this week. Nothing extraordinary about this right? But as I drove away I realized that there actually was something extraordinary about what I'd just experienced. 

Several months ago our pta meetings were depressing with only 10-15 families attending. In just 2 or 3 months these dedicated (and often overly caffeinated) parents have transformed the pta and now our meetings are usually standing room only with about 150 parents in attendance. Here's what they did along with my thoughts on how we can use this information to help our own wedding related businesses:

• They acknowledged the problem and put a plan into place to fix it. They needed more parent involvement and figured out how to recruit new members. Sometimes as business owners we find it difficult to see which areas of our operation need to be improved.  Taking a close look at our operations can provide valuable information on what can be done better to attract more brides.
• They began to view the pta as a business and not a hobby. By changing the way the pta members viewed their organization they were able to change the way the whole school perceived the pta. If you want to attract higher end clients, you'll need to change their perception of your company.
• They went where their customers were!  This is a big one! The pta needed more parent involvement so they identified the best place to reach the parents (their potential new customers). If your potential clients are on facebook then hang out on facebook, If they are on wedding forums/sites then add comments, tips and advice to these sites. If they are on Twitter then you had better get tweeting!
• Their message was clear - they needed more involvement and asked for it. Don't forget to use a strong call to action so your potential customers know what to do. (You'll need to return the signed contract back to me by Tuesday so I can hold that date for you. I'll need you to call me on Thursday as I'll need to know the number of confirmed guests).
• They were consistent and repeated their message several times.  At 8.15am each morning for the whole week prior to the pta meeting - enthusiastic parents were handing out flyers. Don't give up if your hard work does not show immediate results. It's a fact that customers need to see your message several times before taking action so be consistent and you'll soon see the benefit.

Hopefully some of the methods used above can help you increase your business and even make a complete transformation as our school pta did. I hope they inspire you as they inspired me.  I'd love to know your thoughts and suggestions too so please add your comments below.

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5 Ways to Increase Your Business Even When You're Swamped With Work.

Summer is just around the corner and for some states (like here in California) it's already in full swing!  Most wedding professionals are busy gearing up for their peak season. Although the busy season is always a blessing - it does come with a few obstacles too!

Your sales and marketing effort is crucial to your year round success! Many small business owners (wedding professionals especially) stop marketing during their peak season as they're busy taking care of their customers. They work at marketing and promoting themselves during the slow season (usually the winter) - which brings in business for the peak season (usually the summer). Ever wonder what would happen if the marketing effort continued all year long? Our experience shows that time spent marketing even when you're busy is time well spent!

Here are some quick tips to help you work ON your business not IN your business. You'll soon see the results as bookings will start to come in all year long...

• Commit to Dedicating some time to marketing EVERY DAY.
• Create an action plan for the upcoming week and stick to it. If you know you're going to be slow on Tuesday, use this time to work on marketing and advertising your business.
• Delegate work to others so you can free up time to work on marketing. If you are a "one man show" try enlisting an intern or apprentice to help out. Students at the local junior college are often eager for work experience and may jump at the chance to work with you in return for learning your business. High school students, nieces and nephews and older children also make great interns and may be glad of some summer work.
• Look into finding other sources of business.  Weddings may be your main focus but graduations, first communions, bar/bat mitzvahs, sports events, funerals, school functions, birthday parties, musical and dance performances are all great sources of off-season business.
• Don't give up! This is the key to being successful. You may not see immediate results but after a few weeks of soliciting you will start to see more opportunities for year round business.

I'm confident that you can improve your slow season by following the 5 tips above. Please add your thoughts below and add any tips you can share with us all.

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