HACKED + TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF ✨️✨️
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Normally, I'm on top of every penny filtering through our business. I'm good at it. I had projections, accountability, and have the business financials locked in ⤵️⤵️
Until...
I started to notice "random" charges on my business credit card for items I didn't remember purchasing but from stores that I would frequent often. (Supply stores, rental company, etc..)
To be honest, I started to let my reconciliation process at the end of each month slide because of time. We know the drill
"I'll deal with that later"
Weeeeelllllllll, my lack of follow-through has resulted in a literal nightmare!
It's not just the business account, it's been our personal accounts as well.
LEARN from me and my mistakes! I don't want anyone to go through this!
💰 Reconcile your accounts monthly.
💰 If money is not your "thing" get yourself an accountant ASAP or hire someone to run the financial part of your business
💰 As annoying as it may be, set notifications on your phone when a purchase is made. I've literally heard the ding and looked and knew I wasn't in Florida making a McDonalds purchase.
💰 As soon as you notice something. Freeze the card OR shut down the card immediately. Note: Freezing a card isn't the best fix, hackers have work arounds. Notify your institution for help
💰 We laugh, but change your passwords routinely! And try try try to not use similar passwords. Keep banking and cc passwords DIFFERENT from commonly used passwords like email or social media.
💰 Have you seen an increase in Spam Calls for emails for loans or new lines of credit? I did...hackers can sell your information. You read that right!!!
As a business we think we can do it all! If you are not the best with money (it's okay to admit this), don't have the time to manage your accounts OR just don't understand how to run the financial side of your business, talk to me and I'll introduce you to some amazing 💰💰 people to
What Do I Do??? 😡😡
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If you are a wedding planner I GUARANTEE you've had this happen!
What do you do if you have a family memeber of your client, a member of the wedding party, or a family friend start micromanaging the setup of a wedding? It's soooo frustrating, right??!!!
Watch this video for an EASY but HONEST way to stop the micromanagers in their tracks.
One simple acrynomn will help EVERY.SINGLE.TIME 💥💥
C.O.I's ⤵️⤵️
We do not carry insurance for every Tom, Dick, and Harry that comes to a wedding (well, in regards to setup). Use this tactic to not only protect your business BUT to help keep the setup process moving along.
Know your role, know your insurance!
#weddingbiz #weddingbusinesseducation #coi #weddingplanner #weddingmentor #weddinginfo #weddingeducation #smallbusiness #entrepreneur ##weddingplannersofinstagram
Riddle Time ✨️✨️
What is something everyone want to create
Yet noone wants to create
Hahah...
The Timeline 😆🙈
I recently heard this from a couple. My venue coordinator made the timeline for us to follow. Intrigued, I asked for a copy. Sooooo missing pieces. (And let me say, to all the Venue Coordinators-yall are AMAZING and no shade, I promise)
-transportation schedules
-hair and makeup schedules
-transition times
While I appreciate the efforts, one of the most important reasons a planner is hired is to manage the event. How can manage an event based on a timeline we didn't help create?
We should be reaching out to vendors and the venue to ask their needs while taking into account Transition times, catering needs, setup logistics, and client requests.
Ever had a vendor create a timeline for a client? What'd ya do?
#eventtimeline #wedding #weddingplannersofinstagram #weddingprogram #weddingindustrybusiness #mentorship #weddingmentor
I'm asking the HARD question today!
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So many variables and scenarios that may influence your answer, but I wanna know!
Contingency Money!
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Working with destination wedding couples most of my career, things are forgotten. Shoes, socks, belts, etc...
I've gotten the franic call from a bride asking me to run through Target or wherever to grab something. So my ❓️ for you is...
⁉️⁉️ How are you getting reimbursed?
I ask my clients provide a contingency payment that 90% of the time us reimbursed but every once in a while I have to dig into it. It's so much easier getting all the last minute things when you have THEIR money to spend:)
No need asking for reimbursement from them. You have the money and everything is taken care of
🔶️ save those receipts to show your proof of purchases :)
🔶️ always have the request in writing. Even if a client calls me I followup with a text / email confirming the purchas(s) and that I'm pulling from the contingency fund.
#budget #weddingbudget #weddingindustrybusiness #weddingprogram #mentorship #weddingplannersofinstagram #weddingplanning
Ever need a break? Not a day at the pool but like LEGITIMATE BREAK?
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I'm back from a pretty significant social media break. I needed time to refocus and pray and think through the "what's next" When we reach a time where this is necessary, we have to fully disconnect.
🔶️ Not every business has a team of planners, VA's, admin assistants, coordinators and the list goes on and on. Sometimes it's ME...YOU...NOONE ELSE
So, what happens when life happens when the break is essential?
I'm learning to control what I can and to let go of what I can't.
I'm evaluating my priorities and my non-negotiables in my life. And guess what is NOT making it at the top of my lists. Social Media. While I understand it's importance in our business I also recognize the dangers ⚠️ it brings to our business.
Social Media is NOT your life and your life is NOT Social Media.
#socialmediamarketing #socialmedia #socialmediabreak #solopreneur #weddinplanner #entrepreneurs #weddingindustrybusiness #planning #weddingbiz
Sound Familiar?
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🙈 I am gone EVERY weekend
🙈 I am burned out
🙈 I have little time for my family
🙈 I wish I could take a vacation
Listen people.. Just because you are booked every single weekend doesn't mean you are killing it! You are actually killing yourself instead!
Our businesses are a business. Remember that next time you are up at 2 am answering emails!
❓️ Are you overcomitting yourself
❓️ Are you charging enough
When you break down the costs of running your business compared to what you are charging, is there anything left that justifes all the work you did?
Let's Talk 👄
DM "PRICING" for the start of a great conversation!
#weddingmentor #weddingindustrybusiness #weddingbiz #eventplanner #weddingolanner #smallbusiness #profit #burnedout #WeddingIndustry ##weddingbusinesseducation #weddingeducation #weddingpro
My soapbox today 🧼
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Do you offer Vendor Management? This is for.you!! ⤵️
1️⃣ What's it's not! Vendor Management is not telling other vendors how to live their life. 😆 Stay in the Event Mindset
✔️ When are your timelines going out?
✔️ Are you introducing yourself to vendors BEFORE a final timeline goes out?
✔️ Have you asked your Vendors "What Do You Need"
The frustration is high from Vendors. Word on the street (from many vendors) is that they have 0 communication from the Coordinator/Planner until a couple of days before an event when a timeline is emailed Over.
Wait, what???!!!!!
I feel stupid because doesn't Vendor Management INCLUDE communicating? Planners, understand there is more to Management than sending a timeline.
I am genuinely curious. What is Vendor Management to you?
Talk To Me 🗣🗣
⤵️⤵️⤵️⤵️
#eventcoordinator #vendormanagement #communication #weddingtimeline #eventprofs #weddingpro #entrepreneurlife #weddingbizcoach #mentorship
Raise your hand if you have struggled with this?
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I have more times than I'd like to admit. The longer I have been in business the easier it is to recognize these feelings or 🚩
So what do you do if you meet a couple that checks all the boxes of being your ideal client BUT something inside you says, no!
First...LISTEN TO THAT VOICE! It's so valuable. It something doesn't feel right, it's probably not.
Often times in consultations we get so excited and wrapped up in the moment that we ignore feelings. I know what you are going to say, "But Karie as business owners we are to keep emotion out of the business" I believe this:
💥 Drama Emotion= BAD
💥 Intuition Emotion = GOOD
Not every client is going to be your client. Have you ever heard of a movie star turning down a roll? And you think man, how could they have done that? It made millions!!! Because they knew it wasn't the right one for them.
Let it go, planner...you were not their ONE.
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Have you ever had this happen?
#idealclient
#weddingindustrybusiness
#weddingbiz
#weddingprogram #weddingbusinesseducation #weddingcoordinator #entrepreneur #mentorship
Insecurities, do you have them?
🙋♀️ Hi, I struggle with this! My entire life I was told, " deep breath, put a smile on your face and go for it"
I can't tell you how many times I've dang near thrown up before a wedding or before a speaking opportunity. It's the fear of not being perfect. It's the fear of someone not liking me or my business. It's someone talking behind my back.
As creative business owners we want to believe everyone is for us but as the viral TikTok video says *Take A Look Around. Do you see her anywhere * (all the people loving us LOL)
I've learned over the years that no matter what I do someone will have something to say. It's an absolute (death, taxes, and gossip). But how we talk to ourselves impacts our business MORE than what others think.
Do you know Elvis Presleys manager sold "I hate Elvis" buttons to protesters of his music? He literally made money off the ones protesting his music! *It's the devils music* GENIUS 👏👏
So my question is this 🤔 ⤵️⤵️
Are you using the words of others as a barrier OR as fuel?
Are you working on your internal barriers or taking the words and doubts of others as your own truth?
Show the world you HAVE IT that you WANT IT.
#business
#businessowner
#entrepreneur #smallbusinessowners #weddingindustry #weddingindustrybusiness #WeddingBusinessOwners #weddingprofs #eventpro #eventbiz #eventindustry
💥💥💥 Tick Marks
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Does this look familiar 👀🔎👀👀🔎
EVENT MANAGEMENT
•Timeline
•Layouts
•Setup
•Vendor Assistance
....etc
If you're not seeing the clients you want OR seeing conversion it could be because of ONE SMALL MISTAKE!
You are being to vague!
💥 You don't want to be so long winded that your client is thrown into service overload BUT you want to be very INTENTIAL in the way you present your services
💥 Present services you know you can do! Ever heard the phrase, " jack of all trades, master of none" This could be another reason you are not seeing the conversation you'd like. You offer literally everything 🤷♀️
I would encourage you to take a look at your Service Guide and get those tick marks in ✔️
DM today if you are interested in a package audit!
#plannercommunity #planning #smallbusiness #weddingbusiness #weddingpro #serviceguide #pricing #eventpro #eventmentor #eventplanner #mentor
Story Time 📖📖
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Minutes after I left a wedding (around midnight) I looked down at my phone and noticed an email notification from our videographer. I thought oh, no! Did I miss a text from him and he's trying to email us? Did he forget equipment? Did something happen?
NOOOOO, he sent an email asking for a review. Literally the night of the wedding, he sent a "Hey, did you like our services? If so, can you write a review"
Listen, if you have a couple willing to write a "night-of" review blessings to you BUT 99% of your couples are not reading emails in the days following the wedding AND if they are, they are not responding right away.
✔️ Check in with YOUR client. CALL them. I know, I know...call them? Seems so Gen X of me but you built the relationship, now you can call and see if they are OK or had any questions.
✔️ Check in with your Vendors and send them a THANK YOU message. After all, they were the backbone of the event and deserve a message from YOU ❤️
✔️ Follow Up with your Venue. Check in one last time to ensure their is nothing pending or anything left behind.
REVIEWS: I suggest minimally 1-2 weeks before asking for a review.
TIP: If your client created a wedding email, most likely they are not checking that post wedding. Send it via text or if you have another email for them send it there.
I try and schedule it following the sneak peaks being sent. It allows the client to relive their best day and you are very likely to get a more heatt-felt review that way 🙈
But closing out a wedding (in my opinion) is just as important as onboarding a client. :)
#weddingindustrybusiness #weddingvendor #weddingbiz #weddingbusinesseducation ##entrepreneur #onboarding #wedding #weddingplannersofinstagram #weddingprogram #businessowner #businessreview
Going There...
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The irony: me complaining about your complaining 😆😆
HOW YOU REPRESENT YOURSELF ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS!
BUT Karie, it's my personal page and I can say what I want!
💣 Your family + friends are your biggest referrals! They see what you are doing, the passion behind it and they WILL name drop IF YOU GIVE THEM A REASON TO!
💣 If you allow members of the Wedding Industry into your personal world (allowing them to follow your personal page) and you are ranting, airing your personal drama, OR posting super controversial topics, people are watching! 👀👀
💣 Do you have your business details listed on your FB profile?
You want to look professional you have to be professional! Tell people what you DO. Add your business page to your profile so people can link to your business.
Three ways to change your presence:
1️⃣ Stop airing your dirty laundry
2️⃣ Add your business details to your profile
3️⃣ Showcase your work to your viewers
#socialmedia #socialmediamarketing
#weddingindustry #weddingvendors #weddingpro #weddingplannersofinstagram #weddingplanner
Business Hours in PEEK SEASON ⤵️⤵️
How many of you get the "I'm just following up emails" 🙋♀️
(Hi, it's me I'm the problem).
✔️ Change those BUSINESS HOURS ⏰️⏰️ For your peak season, set more realistic office hours. Hours your clients can schedule meetings and you can get office work done
✔️ Inform YOUR CLIENTS 📩📩 Form a "generic" email to send to each of your clients letting them know your Hours have changed and when to expect replies. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE turn off the annoying "out of office" replies. It gets nowhere (unless you are legit on vacation or GONE, not the best tactic).
...ps I said that AND I mean that!
✔️ Open up NEW FORMS of communication 📨📨 during peak season so you are more available to communicate. Some planners love texts, some do not. But get creative so your clients feel tended too!
And finally, let's get into the "YET MINDSET"
I'm not there YET but I will be...set those goals planners!
#weddingplannersofinstagram #weddingplanner #businessgoals #weddingvendor #weddingpro ##weddingprofessionals #weddingeducation #weddingmentor #weddingbizcoach #vendor #weddingindustry #eventpro #eventcoordinator #entrepreneur #solopreneur
How long are your consultations?
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I'm a go-getter at my consultations. I want our time to be spent talking about what matters most, THEM!
My number one goal during a consultation with a potential client is simple: "why did they call me"
Once I ask that answer, I talk about that like A LOT. Their stress, their pain points, their needs. Through this conversation I find out really quickly if they are my cup of tea and if I'm theirs.
✔️ Do the PREP WORK! This will save you soooooooo much time during a consultation. There is nothing more brutal then spending the first 20 minutes getting "personal details" out of the way. I've seen it, and TRUST ME, it's a turn off.
You can get this info from a contact form OR by sending a questionnaire before the meeting.
✔️ Start a conversation! Before the consultation, start a conversation via email. In that conversation, you can get some of the "21-questions" out of the way. This saves time!
I wouldn't recommend sending a list of questions but casually in email correspondence ask a question here or there. Use these questions wisely but use them as a tool to open communication early AND to find out extra details.
✔️ Do the RESEARCH! I am a social media stalker. Yes, I said it and you should do it too! You'll be surprised what you can find out about people but looking them up online. Let your "spidey-sense" filter people out. Not every inquiry is YOUR client! But finding out a little about your client before hand is super helpful.
All in all, I don't think consultations should be longer than 30-minutes. It's an attention span thing, it's being ready for the meeting, it's knowing what to ask and how to keep good conversations going AND knowing when to wrap it up!
#consultations #weddingplanner #runningabusiness #bookingaclient #weddingindustry #weddingbusiness #entrepreneur #solopreneur #weddingeducation #eventpro
It's WEDDING WEEK 🎊 What am I working on?
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What are you doing the week of the wedding to prepare for the day?
I've outlined "A FEW" of my week-of tasks. As a planner YOU KNOW this REEL could go for an hour 🙈🙈
⤵️⤵️⤵️ Let's jump in!
✔️ Final Check-Ins with the Vendors. Double check arrival times, setup times, timelines, parking, etc...it's nice once everything is D-O-N-E to check in one last time to ya know, "make sure-make sure"
✔️ Pep Work. The wedding day is setup day not organize decor day. My clients know their responsibilities prior to the day. But there are somethings we can do do help. Organize table tags by table, unwrap any candles and packaging. Anything you are bringing add those batteries and rebox and reorganize. Get the prep work out of the way!
✔️ Build your folder. Your wedding day guide! Print those timelines, layouts, seating arrangements, meal selections really anything you need to expedite the setup and organization of the day. I'm a digital girl...get it in order as well!
✔️ Venue Check-In. Go over the BEO or event order one more time. Confirm service times and execution. Make sure there are no venue-related things you should know.
✔️ Pack your Kit. This is the time to look and reorganize from your last event. Make sure you don't need to replace anything or add anything new. This is not only for your wedding couples but items for your team as well!
✔️ Reach out to the Maid of Honor and Best Man. Show them the timeline and give them important times to add to their alarms. Yes, we have them add alarms to their phones as reminders. Our team is there to help but this is also a great tactic to round people up!
✔️ Start a Text Thread with the photo + video team. Get them connected. Share room numbers at hotels, check their locations, and times. It's so helpful!
What would you add to this list ⁉️⁉️ ⤵️⤵️⤵️
Let's talk!
#weddingday #weddingprep #weekofweddings
Hows your FOUNDATION looking?
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If you ever hear me say anything, build the foundation! Could you imagine trying to put the windows on a house before the walls were built? It's not REALISTIC!! 😆😆
SOOOOOOO, why are we starting businesses without the foundation?
✔️ Hows your Service Agreement looking?
✔️ Are you being found on Social Media?
✔️ Where is your Google Ranking?
✔️ Sales Funnel...how's its converting?
✔️ Do you have an onboarding process?
✔️ What's your planning process?
IF you answered 🤷♀️ or NO on any of these let's TALK!
Like this post for MORE INFORMATION on our 90-DAY program!
✨️✨️LINK in BIO
#weddingmentor #mentorship #weddingplannersofinstagram #weddingplanningbusiness #weddingplanningcourse #eventprofs #weddingpro #entrepreneur #weddingplanner
Just a FRIENDLY REMINDER 😘😘
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This happens ALL THE TIME! Planners EVEN IF this is not on YOUR task list or to-do list, have this conversation with your clients.
What's the food plan for the day! Pssst...mimosas are NOT a food group or a substitute for good "healthy" food for the morning/afternoon.
Help them make wise 🦉 choices for the day 🫒🥖💧💧💦💦🍉🥗🥓😋😋
#foodchoices #breakfast #weddingfood #weddingsnacks #weddingplanner #weddingplannersofinstagram #weddingprogram #weddingbizcoach
How many times have you felt LOST in your business, like literally lost. Not sure what to do to grow + scale. Maybe you made some bad choices or made decisions simply because you didn't know what you didn't know 🤷♀️ I've been there!
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Even the best laid plans can go wrong sometimes.
We LEARN + WE GROW! 🌱🌱
DM today for info on our 90-Day Program! Let's get ON TRACK together!
#weddingprogram #weddingprofs #weddingindustrybusiness #weddingplanner #mentorship #mentor #eventprofs #weddingpro
Missing something?
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How many times have you (I know I have) took time off of work and felt your business was falling behind? 🙈👎👎
For many wedding planners we are SOLO...me,.myself, and I. You aren't in a place (YET) to hire an office team or any team at all. Literally everything falls on your lap to take care of.
Learning to streamline your business, even when you are not physically there, will be a major game changer!
💥 Schedulers: We all know social media plays a BIG role in our business. Marketing, networking, engagement. We have to stay present even when we are not. I started using a social media scheduler to help me post regularly. Yall, my content drastically CHANGED because I was more intentional. And it's been helpful that posting happens every day, even when I'm not physically posting.
💥 Auto-Responses: I DON'T use a permanent auto response in my every day workflow. I get so annoyed when I get a "Hey, friend! Your message means everything to me. It's wedding season, I'll get back to you soon". Wait, did I just get an answering machine email? EVERY SINGLE TIME I EMAIL, I GET THIS! It's annoying!
Use Auto-Responses for absences or times you truly are OOTO (out of theb office). But I do think they are important when used the right way.
💥 Be transparent: If you're going to be out of the office for a significant amount of time (vacations, surgeries, etc..) do an O.G. tactic. We call our clients 📞📞 Let them know you'll be out and ways to communicate should an emergency come up.
💥 Freelancers: I've done this and it was wonderful! I recently encountered an emergency that was going to keep me away from work for a few weeks. I reached out to a local wedding planner and we came up with a freelance option for her to check emails once a day for me and she would send me updates that needed my attention. This was a temporary solution that helped keep the business running even when I couldn't give it my attention.
Run the b
