May 20 Putting a Wholesale Program to Work in Your Wedding Business

Editor's Note: We're delighted to welcome a new guest contributor to WeddingIQ today, Audrey Isaac of 100Candles.com! Read more about Audrey at the end of the post!)

Creating a relationship with a wholesaler is one of the best things you can do for your business – not only do you get to provide couples with additional products that they’ll need (hello, happy clients!), but you’ll also make an extra buck while you’re at it. Talk about a win-win situation! While it’s not a difficult process, you’ll see the best results if you keep organized and stay on top of what you need to be doing.

May 18

May 18 How to Get Things Done When Outsourcing Isn't an Option

Guest Contributor

Productivity

Outsourcing: it's a wonderful thing. Every business guru, coach and speaker will tell you that the sure path to success is to outsource as much as possible, freeing your time to run your company, plan for the future and create your ideal life by design.

Unfortunately, that's one of those things that's easier said than done. Outsourcing costs money, right? What if you’re just starting out? What if you’ve hit a rough patch? What if you need the money for personal reasons and can’t invest it back into your company at this time? (I discussed this very real possibility in one of my former posts, "Sailing Through Crisis and Taking My Own Advice.") These are all factors that must be considered when deciding what, if anything, should be outsourced in your business.

May 16

May 16 The Myth of Multi-Tasking and Taming the Time Suckers: Productivity for Wedding Pros

Guest Contributor

Guest Posts, Productivity

(Editor's Note: One of our favorite guest contributors, Jennifer Taylor of Taylor'd Events, is back today to share her productivity wisdom with our readers! Learn more about Jennifer at the end of the post!)

When it seems that there are a million and one things to do, it can be easy to get discouraged – especially if you don’t organize your time well. Many event professionals are challenged by a constant barrage of emails, site visits, meetings, and the like – in fact, you’d be hard put to find someone who wouldn’t admit that they could be more productive. Even the most industrious ones are still looking for ways to shave a few minutes off their daily tasks because, as we all know, every second counts!

May 9

May 9 How Creating Systems & Workflows for Your Wedding Business Can Set You Free

Guest Contributor

Planning, Productivity

One of the most common sources of frustration I hear from wedding professionals is that they feel “stuck” running the day-to-day operations of their businesses. They know they need to focus on being strategic leaders of their business in order to become more profitable and efficient, but that’s easier said than done. Rather than functioning as the CEO of their company, they’re the salesperson, the craftsman, the delivery driver and so much more.

Of course, I can relate. While my primary business is now run by an incredible team, it wasn’t always that way – I spent years toiling over customer service, sales and marketing, payroll, operations and more, and ran myself ragged. When you’re scraping by as a startup, or when resources are scarce, you have no choice but to put your head down and just do the work.

Still, that can’t be a long-term strategy for success.

Mar 23

Mar 23 Maintaining and Upgrading Your Equipment

Guest Contributor

Planning

For those of us in a technical industry, purchasing and maintaining equipment is a must. Whether you’re a photographer, DJ, caterer, hairstylist or chauffeur you rely on specialized equipment and tools to service your clients' events. These items need to be in great working order so you can relax and do what you do best. The slow season or a long stretch between events is the perfect time to check out your gear, make sure everything is in tip top shape and purchase any replacements or additions.