Don't Make These Mistakes
 
I was recently asked what I thought were the most common mistakes made by aspiring planners when they start their businesses.

 

Here's what I've seen in coaching aspiring planners:

• Aspiring planners don't really take the time to find out if wedding planning is really something they're cut out for.
• They don't take the time to learn the proper way to structure their business in a legal sense. 
• They don't create a marketable and compelling brand or identity for their business...nor do they identify who their ideal client is.
• They don't spend enough time on the organizational and operational aspects of their business.
• They don't take the time to decide what services they will provide...design, consulting, planning and or coordination; how those services will be priced and packaged (hate that word!); and finally whether those services will be profitable based on those prices.
• They don't learn the importance of consistent marketing and the "art of the sale".
• Finally, but certainly one of the most CRITICAL mistakes they make; they don't set up a system to record and monitor the financial transactions in their business.

Many times, these things are dealt with "on the fly"...AFTER they've chosen a pretty logo, published a nice website, printed business cards and placed an ad in a wedding magazine.  They do all this and wonder why they aren't getting the phone calls from all the brides that "need" their services.

 

Now...I didn't come up with these to throw stones...I made some of these same mistakes.  I merely wanted to share with you what I've seen in the 12 months since I've started mentoring aspiring planners.  Maybe this is one of the reasons so many planning businesses start and fail.  I've personally seen many of them come and go.

 

And it's not for lack of trying.  Not at all.  Many planners I've talked to are passionate and eager to make their businesses successful.  Truthfully?  The "bright, shiny objects"...the diamonds, pretty linens and gorgeous flowers blinded them.  They didn't take the time to look at the hard stuff and learn what they needed to learn in order to be successful.

 

Or maybe they found out that they just weren't cut out for wedding planning.  Too bad they invested so much money to find that out...when they could have just done the necessary work BEFORE the brides booked their services.

 

Are you committed to avoiding these mistakes and ready to start your business off right? Great! Now you may be wondering what's the quickest path to setting up your business with the right systems so that you are ready when that first bride calls. If that's the case, I recommend a one on one strategy session with me.  Let's talk for 15 minutes and figure out together where the gaps are in your business. 

 

Visit the Services page at AspiretoPlan.com for options on how to setup your session today!  While you're there, get my f'ree report, "Seven Critical Mistakes Aspiring Planners Make BEFORE They Book Their First Bride".  You DO want to be ready BEFORE that first bride calls, don't you?

Want to use this idea on your website or your own newsletter? No problem! But here's what you MUST include:

 

Wendy Robinson, the Aspire to Plan Business Planning Consultant, is founder of the Aspire to Plan blog and Before the Bride Consulting Program, a 10 step program developed to help wedding planners start their businesses the right way...to become business owners and not just hobbyists.  To receive her bi-weekly business building articles on developing a successful wedding planning business, visit www.AspiretoPlan.com and sign up for her newsletter.