We all know that Instagram is a powerful social media tool for the wedding industry, particularly since it's so visual. But are you using Instagram as a sales tool as opposed to just a portfolio? In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting about how you can use Instagram to promote your business well beyond pretty pictures.  About our guest:    Maria Oliva is the CEO & Founder of SMS Media, a social media coaching business for wedding vendors in the DC area. Maria's main goal is to change the way wedding vendors approach Instagram and have fun while they're at it. She has a passion for teaching wedding vendors how to build sustainable Instagram strategies that work around their schedule & feels good for THEM. She was born and raised in Puerto Rico and has been in the Digital Marketing world for over 7 years! Her sassy & badass personality is what sets her apart from everyone else. She will always tell it how it is and doesn't like cutting corners for anyone, especially her clients (it's the Puerto Rican in her). She is changing the wedding industry, one account at a time!  In this episode, listeners will hear about:     Maria's background and how she became interested and involved in the wedding industry Using a variety of content pillars as the foundation for your Instagram posts Promotional posts and ways you can use them without being pushy How to niche down your hashtags, including the ideal number of hashtags to use   Want to connect with Maria?  Instagram - @sms_mediaPR 

224: Using Instagram as a Sales Tool

This Week in Weddings is a support group for wedding industry entrepreneurs. We're the ones behind the scenes - planning and designing the wedding, creating the invitations, baking the cakes, and taking the photos. The podcast features wedding planner Kimberly Rhodes and invitation designer Annie Roche chatting about the business of weddings with professionals in the wedding industry.

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Giving your clients a good experience is key to growing your business and word-of-mouth referrals. But, what are some simple ways to elevate the client experience without selling your soul or working 24 hours a day? In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting about some simple tips to elevate your client's experience in a manageable way.  About our guest: Behind the lens of Lynne Reznick Photography, Lynne Reznick is an educator-turned-photographer on a mission to share her knowledge and lessons learned from nearly a decade of industry experience. A lifelong learner at heart, Lynne combines her passion for training and mentoring with a unique teaching approach grounded in proven educational practices. As the founder of The Wedding Client Experience Academy, Lynne offers an easy-to-digest online curriculum based on four fundamental pillars. The result establishes deeply rooted trust with clients, streamlined systems for the busiest workflows, and empowers pros to create bespoke moments for their couples. In addition to providing ongoing mentoring and coaching intensives, Lynne shares several complimentary resources on her site’s educational hub-including the Styled Shoot Planning + Timeline Spreadsheet and The Manual Mode Pocket Guide. A sought-after expert in her field, Lynne’s insight has been recently published with Rangefinder Magazine, the Rising Tide Society, SpecialEvents.com, and the Knot.      In this episode, listeners will hear about:     Lynne's background and how she got into the wedding and event industry after being a teacher How proactive communication is a key to giving your client's a good experience Using automation to schedule communication with clients Tips for making email templates sound more personal Ideas for connecting with clients both before, during, and after their wedding Lynne's "Wedding Client Experience Academy" course   Want to connect with Lynne?  Online: https://www.lynnereznickphotography.com Instagram: @lynnereznickphoto Facebook  

231: Elevating Your Client's Experience

Getting your work published in a wedding magazine or blog is an aspirational goal for many. But with fewer publications out there, it's more competitive than ever. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting about best practices for finding the right publications to submit to, getting your work published, and following up.  About our guest:    Jainé Kershner is a wedding photographer based in New York. Jainé Kershner Photography was handpicked as one of NY’s best wedding photographers to know by BRIDES and has been featured in several publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, BRIDES, Style Me Pretty, and The Knot. In 2018, Jainé launched "Tea with Jainé" to directly educate wedding photographers with honest answers, actionable steps, and tangible tips to successfully grow and create a profitable photography business. She hosts her weekly podcast “Tea with Jainé” where she chats with wedding industry insiders who share their knowledge, experience, and expertise directly with her audience. Jainé is a dedicated business coach who offers one-on-one sessions along with submission curations services for wedding photographers.    In this episode, listeners will hear about:     Jainé's background and how she got into the wedding and event industry Finding the right publication match for your work The benefits of print vs. online publication What publications are looking for in terms of images When to submit based on wedding seasonality Jainé's suggestions for following up once a wedding has been submitted   Want to connect with Jainé?  Online: https://www.jainekershner.com/ Instagram: @jainekershner Tea with Jainé podcast for wedding photographers 

230:  Getting Your Work Published

Many wedding industry entrepreneurs overlook Pinterest as a marketing tool, but it's still around and still generating leads. In fact, proper use of Pinterest can even help your work get noticed by search engines like Google. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a Pinterest strategist about the platform, how it's changed in recent years, and the basics for getting the most out of it.  About our guest:    Gabby Pinkerton is an adventurous Wedding Planner, Pinterest Strategist, Youtuber and Wedding industry speaker. Her YouTube channel aims to help wedding pros grow their business by using Pinterest and targeting their ideal clients. During the Pandemic, she launched a Pinterest Strategy company, Gabby Pinkerton Co. that focuses on helping wedding pros attract their ideal clients on Pinterest. She and her team offer done-for-you Pinterest Management as well as a robust, no-fluff Pinterest course for those who want to tackle it themselves.  Gabby is a recurring speaker at the Wedding Summit Series, Book More Weddings Summit and participates in several wedding bundles offering Pinterest mini courses. She has taken the stage at the National Association of Catering and Events, The Rising Tide Society and virtual gatherings over the last few years.   In this episode, listeners will hear about:     Gabby's background and how he got into the wedding and event industry How Pinterest has changed in the last two years The new "Idea Pins" on Pinterest and how their similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels   Want to connect with Gabby?  Online: https://gabbypinkerton.com/  YouTube: https://youtu.be/U0NN-Enorqk Instagram: @gabbypinkerton and @causewecanevents 

229: Is Pinterest Still a Thing?

Growing a team requires you to take on a new title – boss. But for so many entrepreneurs, being a boss is uncharted territory. In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting with a wedding industry entrepreneur with 60 team members all about being a better boss, including some best practices and things to avoid.  About our guest:    After Graduating from Grambling State University and leaving his home state of Louisiana, Chris Harmon moved to Dallas, Texas to start his business Harmland Visions. Harmland Visions is a Production and Entertainment company that specializes in Videography, Photography, DJ, AV, Lighting, Photobooth, and Special Effects within the Weddings and Events, Corporate and High School markets. Chris has 60 team members that focus on different aspects of the business while he remains the lead videographer and owner of the company. Chris has taken on leadership positions in several local organizations and currently serves as the Treasurer of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the National Association for Catering and Events. After winning several awards within the Dallas Fort Worth area from various event organizations, Chris’s biggest accomplishment is the success of his teammates. He has been known to train and produce top talent stars, helping them to achieve their goals. Outside of the wedding industry, Chris also owns several companies that bring smart, residual income to his family. This includes a real estate business focusing on Airbnb properties and an RV rental business.  In this episode, listeners will hear about:     Chris's background and how he got into the wedding and event industry The importance of getting to know your team and what motivates each of them Giving feedback to employees Finding different ways to recognize employees Lessons learned from leading a team   Want to connect with Chris?  Online: http://www.harmlandvisions.com/  Instagram: @chrisharmonfilm 

228: How to Be a Better Boss

Where do you want your business and life to take you? People from Oprah to Deepak Chopra believe in manifesting their future with the use of vision boards. But what is a vision board, how do you make one, and what can it do for you? In this week's episode of the This Week In Weddings podcast, we're chatting all about vision boards and how to use them to design the life and work that you love.  About our guest:    A life-long learner with nearly a decade behind the lens. Rosy is self-taught in her chosen medium of film and digital photography. She thrives on the incredibly special moments her clients invite her to be a part of, sharing - “You know something’s coming, but you don’t know what it’s going to be until you get it”, and adding that her clients feed her creative soul while making her feel alive. More than just a wonderful and gifted photographer, Alba Rose's clients mention time and time again how much of a wonderful human Rosy is.  In this episode, listeners will hear about:     Rosy's background and how she got into the wedding industry What a vision board is and how to create one How often you should make a vision board and when to add to it or change it Using vision boards for both personal and business goals   Want to connect with Rosy?  Online: https://albarosephotography.com/ Instagram: @albarose.co 

224: Using Instagram as a Sales Tool

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