One of the most challenging questions I get asked  in my coaching conversations is, “When do I know when it’s time to add to my team?”  

 

If you’re hiring a team member, how do you know what position do you hire for? And is it even possible to hire someone to sell for you? And even when you have all the information and you’re ready to make a move, how do you find the right person?

 

It’s not an easy decision to make but let’s help you figure out your next steps in todays episode with Sales Uprising's Kelly Ann Peck.

Sales Uprising | Instagram

This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

If I was on stage at Wedding MBA in front of hundreds of your peers, and I chose your website to display on the big screen, how would you feel?  Would you be proud?  Would you feel like your website images, design, and copy fits your brand?  Or would you feel at least a little dread and shame because you know it’s time for a brand refresh?

 

Branding isn’t easy, but as you evolve as a business owner, so too does your brand. So today, we’re talking about a four step strategy for having a brand that books.

Carry Love Designs | Take the Quiz

This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

Today we're celebrating five years of the podcast (!), so it's time for a fun and reflective episode on five truthbombs every business owner needs to hear. Episodes Mentioned: 120: The 4 People You Need in Your Circle of Trust 202: Navigating Education Overwhelm for Wedding Pros

This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back, and the rebirth of new.  Today we feature Neillie Butler, owner and executive planner of Mariee Ami, an event production company that brings multi-day celebrations to life, no matter the destination, scale, or complexity. For previous Unravelings: 156 157 with Adrianna McDermott 161 with Aleya Harris 177 with Sara Margulis 184 with Andrea Eppollito 188 with Ashlyn Carter 191 with Kristen Mullins aka "The Pie Lady" 193 with Rachel DeAlto 197 with Sandra Cassios 208 with Brian Green

This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

The Planner's Vault doors are open! Come join us! ---- Recently I was a guest on The Women’s Social Club Podcast, a women supporting women community and membership with 15 locations including New York City, Chicago, and Washington DC.  Some of you have heard my journey before, but one thing I noticed when listening to this episode is that I have the tendency to keep myself small, and I consider this one of my biggest challenges I’ll continue to tackle day by day - but it’s those voices of support in my life that push me to reach my potential. 

 

Now I have the opportunity and privilege to be the support system and cheerleader for so many in our community - and I don’t take that for granted. I believe that there are far too many amazing entrepreneurs out there who show up, serve so many, make a difference, and yet they continue to play it small. I hope this interview inspires you to stop getting in your own way. Great success is waiting on the other side.  

--- "I used to call my business my baby - it was my first baby before my actual babies. And I've really scratched that from the way that I describe my business because I think it's a toxic view. That means I can't leave it." LIVE from the University Club in Durham NC, wedding industry icon Megan Gillikin joins us to share her journey of building her wedding planning business, selling it, and pivoting to coaching and consulting. In this episode, you'll learn:

Resources: The Planner's Vault | Weddings for Real Podcast | Megan on Instagram Other episodes you'll enjoy: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, with Kiara Ruth LIVE On-Site at Glasshouse RTP, with Owner Sara Abernethy How the Women's Social Club Came to Be The Maxwell's Chelsea Hand on Building a Venue During the Pandemic Connect with WSC: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenssocialclub/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWomensSocialClub/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/The_WSC_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/the-womens-social-club/ Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here Come join The Women's Social Club (locations in Raleigh, Atlanta, Boston, Central North Carolina, Charlotte, Chicago, Jacksonville Florida, Memphis, New York, and Wilmington North Carolina, with locations launching soon in Austin, Charleston South Carolina, Washington DC, Denver, Miami, and Nashville). And if you don't see your location, Start a Chapter!

Hosted by The Women's Social Club CEO Hannah Weisberg, The Women's Social Club Podcast is produced by Earfluence.

When analyzing your own website, you want to ask yourself:

That copy part is a huge challenge, and today we're learning from Can Do Content's Nadine Nethery on how to create stand-out copy without being too braggy. -------- Resources Mentioned: Over-the-Shoulder Tutorial: https://candocontent.com/audience The Audience Success Formula: https://candocontent.com/audience-success-formula -------- This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

On episode 211, we interviewed couples to find out what they REALLY are looking for in the vendor vetting process. And one common theme we heard is that couples are looking for reviews - in The Knot, on Google, on Wedding Wire, in social media, everywhere. So reviews need to be a major initiative for all wedding pros.  But how do we get our clients to write reviews? Let's find out from our guest today - Desiree Dent, wedding planner at Dejanae Events in Chicago. -------- Episodes Referenced: 62: How to Respond to Negative Online Reviews 211: Live Interviews: Inside the (Buying) Mind of Engaged Couples This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

I say this with love... -------- Episodes Referenced: 168: How to get on a wedding venue's preferred list, with Shannon Tarrant 175: 9 tips for being a better wedding pro during busy season (Megan Gillikin solo) This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

Today we’re talking about Engage, the luxury wedding business summit that happens twice a year in breathtaking locations around the globe.  I’ve been a couple times, and they are definitely an experience like no other.  The swag and gifting experience by itself are stellar and the over-the-top wow factor of each meal, each breakout, and each painstaking design detail are unmatched.  

 

I’ve always wondered how it all comes together. How do you put on event that wows people who put on ultra-luxury events for a living? Let's find out from Tara Fay, Dublin-based wedding planner who has led the vision for two recent Engage Summits.

 

This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.

What happens when couples inquire (we get the inquiries!), but we’re not booking as many weddings as we want?  Or what if couples are only wanting to book our smallest packages?    Today we're talking to Ideaction Consulting's Sam Jacobson, who gives us 4 reasons our inquiries are NOT converting into clients. Free Workshop with Megan and Sam: Why Couples Don’t Book Full Planning (And what to do about it!) Episodes Referenced: 133: Selling Styles for Wedding Pros, with Ideaction’s Sam Jacobson 73: Relator, Analyzer, Boss, and Dreamer: How to Sell To and Work With the 4 Types of Wedding Clients, with Ideaction's Sam Jacobson 115: Tips for Improving Your Wedding Consultations, with Sam Jacobson 211: Live Interviews: Inside the (Buying) Mind of Engaged Couples Sam's Podcast, Own Your Business This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics relevant to growing and cultivating a successful event planning business with new content added consistently, plus all of my templates that I have built out over the years, like How to Get on Preferred Vendor Lists, The Client Experience, and more. The mission with the vault is to elevate the industry (along with some amazing experts and fellow entrepreneurs) and I want it to be affordable so it's possible to stay invested in the community and yourself for the long haul.

The doors are currently closed for The Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be the first to know when the doors re-open.

Weddings for Real on Social Media:

Instagram: @weddingsforreal

Facebook: @weddingsforreal

twitter: @weddingsforreal Hosted by Megan Gillikin, Weddings for Real is presented by The Planner's Vault, and is produced by Earfluence.