When In Doubt, Talk to a Professional

Thursday, September 2, 2010 Posted in Branding, Legal, Tax

Image: Creative Commons License

Last week, when we did our post discussing the IRS rulings for contracted workers vs. employees there were a lot of questions and comments and ideas and thoughts and “what ifs”.  My response to all of this: talk to your tax accountant. Don’t have one?  Hire a good CPA with great references.  (If you need one in Washington state, let me know… I have a GREAT accountant there.)

Listen… we expect our clients to hire professionals, don’t we?  We constantly tell our clients:

  • Hire a reputable and experienced photographer or you will regret your wedding photos
  • Hire a capable and trustworthy wedding planner or your wedding will be disastrous
  • Hire an invitation designer or you’ll be tying ribbons on programs at 3am the morning before your wedding

Why in the world do we think that we can get away being tax experts, legal experts, graphic designers, financial experts, and so on?

We expect our clients to hire professionals to manage their wedding, yet we don’t hire professionals to help us with OUR BUSINESSES!  HOLY MOLY!  We have this all wrong.  We use our friends for legal advice when we should be talking with a lawyer.  We read blogs for tax advice without ever consulting a CPA.  We design our own logos in Microsoft Word.

Now, I realize all of these professionals can be costly.  But, a lawsuit is quite costly also… as is an IRS audit.  The cost of advertising is costly… especially if you lose business when the client gets to your website.

Here’s a few quick things I advise business owners to do at the very minimum:

  • Have a lawyer review your contracts
  • Have a CPA review your employee, intern, and contractor agreements
  • Discuss your bookkeeping procedures with a CPA
  • If you know your website needs work, talk to a designer

Like everything, prioritize your finances and find a way to work this into your budget in the next 12 months.  It can save you heart ache and dollars in the long run.

by Michelle Loretta

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September 2, 2010 - 8:41 am

Jo Ann S. Woodward - Excellent Post!

September 2, 2010 - 8:43 am

Tara Bliven - It’s true. For the longest time I thought (for some reason) I should be able to do anything design related myself. I.e. the web site. Why on earth? I have no training! So glad to be in the hands of professionals this time — I have a feeling it will be worth every penny. Oh and there is also the bonus of I DON’T HAVE TO DO IT! :)

September 2, 2010 - 10:46 am

Tamara Young - I absolutely LOVE my CPA! I have a background in accounting, but haven’t practiced in over 10 years. I opened the newest version of Quickbooks and felt overwhelmed, like a deer in headlights, and my creativity was nearly paralyzed. I hired Nona and got back behind my lens…..where I belong.

(Plus she likes shoes as much as I do & even sends me her shoe-shots. Sweet!)

Thanks for writing such great posts!

Hello NASHVILLE! The Simple Plan Update

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Posted in Sage Wedding Pros, Workshops

Kelly and I have been commiserating lately on how we miss doing our business planning workshop with wedding pros.  It’s been 2 months since we presented The Simple Plan to Seattle and we miss it!  They say a rolling stone gathers no moss… so here we go…

NASHVILLE – we are coming to YOU!

The Simple Plan
November 15-16, 2010
at
Wedding 101
Nashville, TN

Our lovely sponsors, Wedding 101, have been nothing short of amazing!  Thank you kindly!

Get your tickets here: EVENTBRITE (get in on those early bird rates!)
Find out more here: www.thesimpleplan.biz

SEE what past graduates have to say.

And… here’s a bonus… this is right near my birthday… so I’m excited to share my birthday with y’all!;)

by Michelle Loretta

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Why Referrals Are Low

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 Posted in Marketing, Networking, People Topics

These are the things I’ve heard from wedding pros lately:

  • “That person doesn’t refer anyone to me.  I send them all sorts of business.  It’s not right!”
  • “I used to get so many referrals from other wedding vendors and now I don’t.  I’m worried.”

Well… there are two thoughts I have here:

Image: Creative Commons License

Stop Keeping Score

Referring clients to other vendors is not a game.  There is no point system.  Keith Ferrazzi talks about “not keeping score” when in comes to networking in his book, Never Eat Alone. The idea is that your focus should be on giving.  And, it will all work out.  You may give give give referrals to one vendor.  But, it’s another vendor that sends business to you.  Somehow, in the big “math puzzle of life”, it all evens out.  If you have an attitude of selfless giving, you will be rewarded.  If you give only to get, then you don’t have the spirit of giving.

There Isn’t Any Business to Refer

I used to send several thank you notes for referrals weekly.  These days, not so much.  I’m not getting referrals from other vendors like I used to.  I wondered, “Is it Me?”  Well, a move to another state has a little to do with that.  But, there is also truth in the fact that business is slow for most people these days.  And, if people aren’t getting as many sales themselves, then there is very little to pass around.  If you’re a photographer and you used to get referrals from other “over-booked” photographers…. well, maybe they aren’t as booked as they used to be.  If you’re an invitation designer and used to get business from a specific wedding planner.  If her weddings are down by 30%, there are 30% fewer jobs she can refer to you.  You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip.

Diversify Your Efforts

If you used to receive referrals from 5 key colleagues, now is the time to have 20 key colleagues that you network with.  It is more important than ever to a) diversify your promotional strategy and b) build relationships with a wider range of people.  Network with people OUTSIDE the wedding industry.  Network with new and old wedding pros.  Guest post on other vendors’ blogs (especially those local to you.)  Try new advertising media.

What worked last year and the year before needs to be AMPED UP.

by Michelle Loretta

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September 1, 2010 - 4:29 pm

whitney elizabeth - wonderful post Michelle!

September 1, 2010 - 6:57 pm

Raquel_Cloud9 - Your post is right on, Michelle. It’s really common sense when you stop and think about it, but most people are so reactive they don’t realize it. Thanks!

September 1, 2010 - 9:27 pm

Cherie Ronning - As always, your comments are spot on! You must get out there and meet new people. It is amazing where business can come from, and when you least expect it. Yes, my bridal business is down, but I have been pushing corporate – and it has helped fill the gaps.

And don’t forget to thank those who have sent you referrals in the past. Invite them for coffee because they may be feeling as bad as you are – and it could make their day – and yours!

Thanks Michelle for making us think!

Are You Nice?

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 Posted in Inspiration, Life Lessons, Networking, People Topics, Public Relations

When I was a kid, I was as likeable as the next guy.  I had good friends and I can’t complain about my relationships with classmates.  But, there was this girl in my class: Tracy.  Everyone REALLY LIKED Tracy.  Yes, Tracy was smart, cute.  But, there was so much more.

I was fascinated by this.  And, I decided that I was going to study Tracy.  I was going to analyze her every move.  How does she do it?  I thought, “I really like Tracy.  I’m going to do everything that she does.”  And I did.  I literally copied her every move.  Well – I tried.  I’d like to think I succeeded, at least for a short while… until the next fad hit me.  I think I did this for a week.

Do you know what I learned while I was studying her every move?  It was simple: SHE WAS NICE.  (I still know Tracy and I’ll tell you, she *IS* nice.)

People sincerely liked her and liked being around her.  She was often voted “nicest” and “friendliest” and “happiest”.  She had this way of making others feel good and feel good about themselves.  Part of it was her natural positivity and part of it was her cheerful soul.  But, mostly, she was just so nice to everyone.

Tracy was nice to every single person in school… which is saying a lot for 6th grade when people aren’t always so nice.

Image: Creative Commons License

Nice Guys Finish First

Honest.  They do.  Eventually kharma catches up… for better or for worse it will catch up.  And, the people who are nice are the ones who are often doing the best.

I think of people that I admire in my career (and in my previous careers) and it is the people who were the nicest that are on top.

Why is this?  Well… think about it… when someone is nice to you, don’t you want to do something nice back?  I sure do.  When someone is nice to you, don’t you notice them?  When someone goes out of their way to be nice (even in a small gesture), does it make you see them more clearly?  I know that when people are kind to me, I notice them.  I want to help them back.  I want to help them as people, as business owners.  When people do nice things, I feel better about myself… and, as a result, I feel better about them too.

People do Business with People

I got to listen to Brett Culp, from Brett Culp Films talk last week at Wedding and Event Video Expo (WEVA Expo).  He shared with us his “business plan” which is a core ideology for how he runs his film business.  It’s pretty simple:

  • Do Great Work
  • Show it to LOTS of People
  • Be REAL Nice

I love this!  I love all of it… but I especially love the “Be REAL Nice”.  These days everyone is sweatin’.  We’re sweatin’ about our equipment, our branding, our websites, our gear, our style, and so on.  BUT(!)—- all the client cares about is THE PERSON that he or she does business with.  That’s also the only thing that your colleagues in the industry care about also.  Yes, you have to provide quality and you have to be able to deliver on your promises.  But, at the end of the day… the client is less concerned what kind of camera you own and more concerned with how they are going to be treated.

Shed everything from your business… and what is left?  Are you nice?

by Michelle Loretta

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August 31, 2010 - 12:57 pm

Bethel Nathan – Ceremonies by Bethel - I so completely agree! We all want to work with and help those vendors and clients who are nice to us – who seem to genuinely be nice, and not just pretending, as pretending can’t be maintained for very long. I’ve always had the “Be Real and Be Real Nice” as part of my ideology, but never thought to add it to my actual business plan. Great idea!

August 31, 2010 - 3:06 pm

Trudy - Great post! I am very real but I am not always seen as “nice.” Most people won’t see you as nice if you are more of a logic-centric person versus emotion-centric person. But I do try to show that I still care too and I have extremely long friendships (somewhat rare for women these days) and sisterhoods to reflect that. Hopefully I can convey that to my clients more as well.

Thanks for such a lovely post.

August 31, 2010 - 8:43 pm

Juliet Douglas - LOVE this post! As my husband always says to me, “people do business with people they like”. I’m always impressed when I see a talented and super successful business person who remains “nice”. I remember what a videographer once said to me when I first started in the business, “remember to always stay humble”. I will never forget that.

The Simple Plan Exclusive

Monday, August 30, 2010 Posted in Sage Wedding Pros

Howdy, PARTNER!

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We want to PARTNER with you in a 1:1 setting…

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Everyone needs a business PARTNER, so giddy-up
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1. a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor; sharer; associate.

For ongoing information about The Exclusive, you can visit The Simple Plan website.

by Michelle Loretta

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August 30, 2010 - 4:24 pm

Heather at Outstanding Occasions - This is awesome ladies! So many people really need the 1 on 1. Congrats on the next level of The Simple Plan :)

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