Own Your Business

Special treat for you this week. Replay of a panel we hosted last week with Kate Turner, Abby Jiu and Julian Leaver.

All three are clients of Ideaction Consulting, and also The Media Socialites, the company we’re doing the Social and Sway Mastermind with this year.

We brought them together for a conversation because we wanted our audience to hear their perspective on what helped them get where they are today, which is near or at the top of their respective markets.

As you’ll hear, there are lots of ways to get where you want to go - but the fastest and most enjoyable approaches share a lot in common.

Here are some of the big highlights from the discussion that you’ll get:

Top 10 Takeaways

We had nearly 100 people on live with us, and we kept them all on for the duration of the conversation.

If you don’t make it to the end, do yourself a favor and check out more information on Social and Sway, the new mastermind we’ve created for wedding pros who want to attract and book more ideal clients.

Click the link in show notes and go to www.socialandsway.com

The curriculum for the program is 25% social media, 25% other marketing, and 50% sales.

This mastermind tells you exactly what to do in areas you’re either a) getting stuck, or b) leaving money on the table.

It’s not an expense, it’s a money-maker for your business.

Last day to sign up for this one is Tuesday, February 7 at midnight.

Who wants more ideal clients in their inbox? And signing contracts? That’s what I thought.

If only wishing made it happen.

The reality is ideal clients are hard to get if hope is your strategy. That’s why I asked the one and only Katy Taylor Jacobson to join me in a conversation about:

- What is an “ideal client” (besides one with a big budget)?

- How do you attract them in the first place?

- Why do they want to connect with your brand?

- And how to deal with behind-the-scenes decision-makers who are less than ideal?

Oh, and we’re sharing information on our new mastermind, Social and Sway, co-created with Persephone and her team at The Media Socialites.

Get more information about the mastermind at www.socialandsway.com

It’s inquiry season, and many wedding pros we’ve talked with aren’t getting much in their inboxes right now. So I brought on our head copywriter (who happens to be my lovely wife), Katy Taylor Jacobson, to talk shop about ways to make your website more effective.

In today’s episode of Own Your Business, we explore 7 big website mistakes that cost you inquiries - and what you can do to fix them before it’s too late to leverage for this year’s booking season.

- You’ll discover ways to make it easier to move through your site

- The #1 thing attracting price shoppers to your inbox

- The biggest mistake that makes it hard to inquire

- And why your images aren’t attracting the right clients

Go here to get on the waitlist for discounted website reviews:

www.ideactionconsulting.com/website-review-waitlist

This week I’m joined by Persephone Maglaya, Founder and CEO of The Media Socialites and Bridal Vogue, an instagram account she founded 6 years ago with over 200k followers.

The Media Socialites work with over 100 companies in the luxury wedding market, many of whom work with our business to book more clients at higher prices. She helps attract more ideal clients to the website, and we work to get more inquiries to your inbox and bookings on your calendar. It’s a natural fit.

Check out the episode to get insights into:

- Big myths and misconceptions about content creation

- What trends to pay attention to - and what ones to avoid

- Ways to boost referrals from past and current clients

- And the #1 reason most wedding pros struggle with social media

Hope you enjoy the conversation with Persephone.

We had such a great time recording it, we decided to do a full workshop on how to create content that connects with your ideal client on social media.

We’re going to focus on how to do three things:

If you’re interested in attending our free workshop this month, press the link to register.

www.ideactionconsulting.com/content-that-connects-workshop

We’re doing it live so we can answer questions. But people who sign up will also get access to the replay.

Hope to see you there!

www.ideactionconsulting.com/content-that-connects-workshop

Do you ever wonder why certain people seem to have all the luck? Let me tell you a little secret: It’s because they make their own.

The sales process I train clients (and podcast listeners like you) on is one of many ways you can sell your services. Other approaches will work…but not as much as one I’ve created, because this one is designed around the way humans make decisions.

On this episode of Own Your Business, I’m share with you:

- Why small improvements in key areas will produce BIG results

- 7 deadly sins most wedding pros make in their sales process

- My simple step-by-step for guiding clients through the buyer’s journey

I’m also announcing my first mastermind - and it’s going to be co-led with Persephone from The Media Socialites. We open the doors later this month, but for now we’re giving away solid gold nuggets in a free workshop you can sign up for with the link in my show notes.

You’ll walk away with techniques you can put into practice immediately to create social media content that connects with your ideal client.

www.ideactionconsulting.com/content-that-connects-workshop

It’s that time of the year again. You know, when we set down our goals for the upcoming year - only to completely abandon them before February rolls around.

But what if you picked goals that aligned more with what you really want? With why you’re motivated to do things in life? That overlap with how you love to spend your time?

In this episode of Own Your Business, I share some a-ha moments I’ve had over the years, as well as some that my clients have had, using a simple process that you can also use for your business, and life.

Big takeaways include:

- How to set up the right environment to create your goals

- A four-step process that lays out a roadmap to success

- Why picking the right goal is more important than the action plan

You’ll also get some information on our new Shift Retreat, a strategic business workshop for wedding pros who want clarity.

Information page for Shift Retreats: www.shiftbusinessretreat.com

You’ve heard me talk about four different types of buyers for your services.

(If not, go listen to episodes 4, 32 and 54 after this one.)

Selling to different kinds of buyers takes skill.

But also takes knowledge to get started and practice to get good.

I’m doing a deep dive on each buyer type for the podcast:

Relaters

Analyzers

Bosses

Dreamers

I’ll share a few insights on

- How do you identify them from other buyer types?

- What do they want most from you?

- How can you tweak the buyer’s journey to make it easier for them to book your services - no matter what services you offer?

Today, we talk about Dreamers.

These buyers see a world of opportunity. In this episode I’ll show you how to help Dreamers buy your ideas, not your services or products.

You’ve heard me talk about four different types of buyers for your services.

(If not, go listen to episodes 4, 32 and 54 after this one.)

Selling to different kinds of buyers takes skill.

But also takes knowledge to get started and practice to get good.

I’m doing a deep dive on each buyer type:

Relaters

Analyzers

Bosses

Dreamers

I’ll share a few insights on

- How do you identify them from other buyer types?

- What do they want most from you?

- How can you tweak the buyer’s journey to make it easier for them to book your services - no matter what services you offer?

Today, we talk about Bosses.

These buyers experience the world by getting things done. In this episode I’ll show you how to help Bosses buy positive outcomes, not products or services.

What happens when you take your biggest competition and make them your business partner?

That’s what James Christianson and Otto Schulze did seven years ago - and they haven’t looked back on their way to the top ranks of wedding photographers.

In this week’s episode of Own Your Business, I dive deep into James and Otto’s artistic education and individual careers to learn how their unique approaches make for a successful partnership.

During the conversation we dig into:

- How complementary skills and mindsets create a well-rounded business

- Why their clients get more with four expert eyes instead of only two

- What steps they took to grow - and how they put in effort every single day

This episode will provide a peek behind the curtain of how to look 5-10 years down the road, rather than just next year. And you’ll see how seeds you plant today need to be fed and watered and fertilized for years before they’ll bear fruit.

James and Otto are two of the savviest business people I know in the wedding industry. Enjoy the insights into how they think and why they’re so good at what they do.

Who says you can’t do luxury outside big markets like New York City, Los Angeles, and DC?

Well, this week’s podcast guests prove you can. You might not find as many weddings with massive budgets, but luxury pros can create a successful business in mid-sized cities and even destination markets.

Jennifer Thye and Sarrah Gaboury, owners of Imoni Events in Phoenix, Arizona, join me on today’s episode of Own Your Business.

They’ve carved out a very successful business over the past decade for themselves - and more importantly, elevated the level of luxury throughout the city in the process.

Tune in to learn how you, too, can:

- Attract the right clients and avoid those who aren’t a good fit

- Find vendors locally and nationally to collaborate on the event

- Put yourself in a position to make the leap from premium to luxury