Is it just me, or does the 2024 booking season feel a little different than other years? 

I’ve been in this industry for 17 years now. I’ve seen the Wedding Boom, the pandemic, the Golden Age,  and the Great Recession. But this year feels…flat.

I’m not saying it’s a bad start to the year. Oh no! In fact, many of our clients are having record bookings these past few months.

But many others aren’t doing well. It’s stressful, even scary.

On today’s episode, I try to explain what’s going on, why it’s happening, and how you can move from scared to psyched about the upcoming year.

What’s in store for 2024? 

The short answer is: Whatever you make it.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a magic button you could push and all your dreams would come true? Or at least some of them? 

I was reading Arnold Scharzenegger’s recent memoir, Be Useful, and in it he says: “If there is one unavoidable truth in this world, it’s that there is no substitute for putting in the work. People have tried to cut corners and skip steps in this process for as long as hard work has been hard.” 

I love this, because it’s so true. If you want to see the results, you have to put the work in. And, no, you can’t cut corners. You can’t skip steps if you want to create long-term success.

It’s one of the biggest myths we see in the wedding industry - and it can be dangerous for pros like you hoping to make it to the top. Try jumping three rungs on the ladder at one time and you’ll likely fall flat on your face.

For instance, you can’t simply raise your rates by 30, 40, 50% at once because your work is great and a planner told you you should charge more…without putting in the work to create context and build value for that significantly higher price. But people do it all the time. 

And fall flat on their faces.

In this episode, Katy and I’ll talk about several other myths about getting into luxury that prevent hard-working pros like you from making the move to elevate your business. We’ll also discuss 8 proven steps that even Arnold would support on your journey to create success for your business and your life.

Quick note if you’re listening to this before February 7, 2024, our Sway Mastermind is officially open for enrollment. It’s a complete level-up for wedding pros interested in either a) moving into the luxury market, or b) trying to book more consistently at higher prices if you’re already on the monogrammed dance floor with affluent clients.

Check out the link in IG profile or go straight to www.ideactionconsulting.com/mastermind for more information on the ridiculous VIP offer on the table through Feb. 1, including a lifetime discount on Ideaction services.

Last week, I shared insights on why couples aren’t booking vendors at higher price points. It’s largely due to an imbalanced value proposition. Price is higher than the value offered by the vendor.

It’s one of the biggest obstacles that wedding pros run into when trying to make the move into premium and luxury markets.

But it’s not the only thing getting in the way of you charging higher prices. Today, I want to bring in my better half for a conversation on what’s getting in the way of your success - and what you can do to overcome these obstacles.

Quick note if you’re listening to this before February 7, 2024, our Sway Mastermind is officially open for enrollment. It’s a complete level-up for wedding pros interested in either a) moving into the luxury market, or b) trying to book more consistently at higher prices if you’re already on the monogrammed dance floor with affluent clients.

Check out the link in IG profile or go straight to www.ideactionconsulting.com/mastermind for more information on the ridiculous VIP offer on the table through Feb. 1, including a lifetime discount on Ideaction services.

The single biggest reason wedding pros struggle to convert couples at higher prices is because you’re not justifying the extra expense compared to someone who’s cheaper.

Let’s be honest, most of you offer packages with features that are nearly identical to others in your field. You want to know how to stand out in a crowded marketplace? And get clients to gladly pay more for what you’re offering?

Build value. Create desire.

Which is exactly what I’ll talk about in this short episode that shows you where to focus your energy in 2024, especially during inquiry season.

Most wedding pros I know are trying to charge more for their services. Is this one of your goals?

If so, keep listening to the Own Your Business podcast, because it’s about booking more of your ideal clients at higher price points.

But strategies and tactics for sales, pricing and copywriting are only a few of the skills you’ll need to pick up if you want to break into the premium and luxury markets. One of the big areas you have to level up if you want to stay in those elevated markets is your personal brand. 

Today, I bring on Julian Leaver, aka The Dapper Diplomat. I had Julian on the podcast a couple years ago to share his success as one of the premier wedding planners in the country. But he’s got another side to him that is incredibly helpful for business owners and professionals who want to feel confident about their personal brand. He’s a certified protocol officer, which means he knows the ins and outs of modern etiquette, which has the ultimate goal of making people around you feel comfortable. 

As an etiquette expert, Julian helps individuals and teams polish their interpersonal skills in important areas like communication, networking, entertaining clients, and dining. He also offers advice and guidance on grooming and attire for both men and women. 

Let’s be honest: Many of you need help in these areas. If you show up on IG or your website not looking like you fit in at the weddings you work, you won’t last long in the premium markets. If you drop 10k on attending a conference like Engage, but don’t know how to work a cocktail party or dine with the affluent, you might be wasting your money and time. If you don’t know how to style stretch to communicate with different people in different ways to make them feel comfortable, you’re losing business you could otherwise book.

And so much more.

I’m thinking about having Juilan on once every few months to talk about your personal brand on the podcast, because if you want to attract the right kinds of clients and earn their trust for word-of-mouth referrals, you have to look, act and believe you belong.

Let’s get started with our first conversation!

Link for personal brand workshop with Julian: https://bit.ly/48hxkcF

Before we get the main episode underway, a quick announcement for those listening before Jan. 15. 

I’m co-hosting a free workshop on how to build a luxury personal brand in the wedding industry. I’ll be joined by my friend, luxury planner and certified protocol officer, Julian Leaver to talk about what it takes to present yourself and communicate in a way wealthy clientele trust and respect.

Trust is the #1 criteria for purchase decisions among affluent buyers. We’ll talk about specifics on creating and building trust not only during the buyer’s journey, but also while you service your clients before, during and after the wedding.

Register now through the link at the bottom of the show notes.

Now, on to the episode!

What does it take to find success in luxury photography? 

Gorgeous images? Solid referral base? Strong brand reputation? 

Yes, 100%. But these are just table stakes for a seat with the affluent couples and their planners.

On today’s podcast, I bring together four of the top photographers in the wedding world to discuss:
-What else besides beautiful images you need to make your mark in the luxury space

- The #1 key to delivering exceptional customer service

- Their “secret weapons” for before, during and after the wedding to surprise and delight clients

- What they know now that they wish they knew way back when

- How to sell through planners

- Biggest myths you believe that they want to bust

Tune in to hear from KT Merry, Abby Jiu, Gione da Silva, and Charla Storey on what it takes to break into and book consistently in the luxury market.

Link to register to the Luxury Personal Brand Workshop (free, and replay available): bit.ly/48hxkcF

What a year! It wasn’t as crazy as the past three, but that didn’t make it any less interesting. No pandemic, but we sure felt the ripple effects, even if it was more about getting back to normal after riding the boom wave for 18 months.

It’s tempting to wrap up 2023 without looking back on it, because we’re so eager for what the future holds. But most successful planning involves a few moments reflecting on what you see in the rear view mirror.

Join us on this quick conversation as Katy and I go month-by-month on insights we picked up, which can help your business prepare for a more successful and enjoyable year ahead.

The single most difficult sales skill to develop is the discovery call. 

It’s also the most important. It’s when you qualify the client. And connect with them. And it’s where you set yourself up for an easy close. If you’re getting ghosted after you share pricing it’s because you blew it earlier on in the discovery call.

I’m not perfect at them either. I get ghosted too! But not as much after I stopped making the common mistakes I’ll share with you on today’s podcast.

But first a story about the absolute worst discovery call I’ve been on. And no, it wasn’t a client. It was a person I wanted to give money to for a service I really wanted.

PSA: You’re not perfect. You’re going to make mistakes. The question is: Will you learn from them? If so, how will you learn from them?

People tend to improve what you pay attention to in their business. So how do you know what needs to be improved - especially if you’re not deconstructing what went well and what didn’t.

In today’s episode of Own Your Business, I talk about:

- Why post-mortems are a non-negotiable for your future success

- What to include in your post-season analysis

- What to do with the information you gather

Do yourself a favor. Block off two two-hour sessions on your calendar to follow through on the recommendations I make. Your future self will thank you.

Katy and I cut this episode right after we returned from our Shift Retreat in Costa Rica a couple weeks ago. Ironically, when this episode goes to air on Dec. 4, we’ll be in the middle of a second retreat helping business owners clarify what success looks like, and then create action plan to get there.

Spending a solid week with clients to dig into what’s going on and how to help them revealed some patterns in what we saw.

Today, Katy and I sit down for a quick conversation about what we’re seeing business owners go through with their companies, and offer insights into how you can steer yourself and your team in the right direction for 2024.

Hope you enjoy the episode!