Losing Clients: How To Turn Negatives Into Positives

Losing clients is always a bummer. For starters, you’ve lost a customer’s business, which is bad enough in and of itself. But then there must have been some reason for their leaving. Some will tell you straightforwardly the reason or reasons they no longer wish to do business with you; others will simply disappear without a trace. The latter is perhaps the worse situation, as not knowing the reason why they left can be painful.

However, not all is lost. There are positives yet to wring out of this bad situation!

The following are some typical reasons clients give for changing services. In each situation, I've outlined how you can turn the loss into a win!

Cost

If you’re losing clients due to price, it may be time to figure out why they believe your services are not worth the price. Balance the time and effort you are putting into your services and re-evaluate whether or not you are asking for too much.

Of course, you may be charging a perfectly fair price, and the customer has simply fallen on difficult financial times. People budget, but people don’t always budget well. Your client may have realized your services are pricier than they can afford, or perhaps something happened that tightened their budget elsewhere. It’s rarely a straightforward scenario. It’s always best to revisit your prices every so often and adjust as needed.

Sub-par Service

This hits where it hurts. You’ll want to try to understand exactly what it was about your service that made it so terrible. Perhaps it is something you didn’t notice as being off-putting or rude; perhaps you realize that you or your employees are too curt in your correspondence -- it could be any number of things. But accept it, let the client know you’re going to do better in the future, and then follow through with it.

Ask yourself if you're making too many promises that you or your team aren't able to follow through with due to money, time, team size, etc. Have a meeting with your team (or, if you work solo, yourself via mirror) and remind everyone that any business relies on customer satisfaction to succeed.

If you follow through on promises to improve, lost clients might be so impressed with your willingness to address grievances that they return. Don’t give the lost client reason to spread ill will against you to their friends and acquaintances. If you deal with the loss professionally and courteously, the client may still recommend you to others -- thereby turning a loss into a potential gain.

Timing

Sometimes it’s simply just not the right time for your client. Your job is to convince them otherwise. However, if the customer is adamant, don’t keep pushing. The client might be dealing with some hard times, and pressing her into a corner is not going to make her feel any better about your business.

Know when to change gears. Make sure you use this as an opportunity to hold on to their business later on. Be sure to establish that you’re still available down the line, and that you are always ready to pick up where you left off.

Not the Right Fit

Sometimes you and the client just don’t fit well together. You have irreconcilable styles and perspectives. This is nothing to take offense over! Use this opportunity to ask what it was that didn’t gel right (if you don’t already know). If it’s something you can easily fix, offer a solution and try to bridge the gap between yourself and the client. But if they resist, let it go and politely part ways. 

In all of the above scenarios, the event professional is able to make positives out of negatives primarily through simple tact and professionalism. Sure, it’s never good to lose a client, but it’s foolish to make it worse than it needs to be. 

Developing a skill for lasering in on what good can be had in any given scenario -- that is perhaps the most valuable skill an event professional -- any professional -- can have. Always ask yourself, “How can I turn this failure into an opportunity?” and you’ll surely find success.

Retaining clients is a lot easier with Inspherio, the all-in-one event planning and business management program. For starters, you won't be a disorganized mess, jumping from application to application to application, which means you'll drastically cut down on slip-ups that could cost you your clients. Everything you need to succeed in the event industry is located in the cloud-based Inspherio. Every minute you waste jumping from program to program is a minute taken away from your clients, existing and potential.

It's time to get going. Try our free 30-day trial today!

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Slaying Dragons Together: Our (True) Story of Teamwork

The “self-made man” -- you see him everywhere. Whether it be literature, television, film, or music, the myth of the mighty individual defying all odds (without any help whatsoever) is everywhere.

This archetype makes for compelling drama, and is perhaps the most utilized theme in the history of American media. It’s fun to root for the little guy, the rugged and determined hero who straps up his boots and climbs a mountain by himself, slaying the dragons of circumstance along the way, only to bask in glory atop the summit.

It feels good to see this hero succeed. It makes us feel like we too can conquer our demons, if only we are as brave as our mountain-climbing, dragon-slaying hero. But, in reality, this is a very destructive idea.

Retract that gasp, and allow me to explain: there’s nothing wrong with pride in individual achievement; one must always believe in oneself and live courageously if one is to succeed in this life. However -- the idea that success is achieved solely through self-determination? Nonsense. There’s no doubt that self-confidence is absolutely, positively, one-hundred-and-fifty percent vital to one’s success, but let’s not confuse a vital ingredient for the entire recipe.

Success is a multi-faceted, elusive beast-- much too complicated to be charged at with one mindset! Returning to our hero analogy, no two “mountains of circumstance” are alike. Some are taller than others; some narrower. Some house dragons; others malicious giants. Some heroes are provided better equipment; others might have very little.

And, of course, you know all of this. You've heard this story before; the variety of circumstance means we can see this story play out in so many different ways. But one thing remains common in these kinds of stories -- the hero always succeeds on his merits alone. Sure, there might be companions along the way, but they are mere scenery, there only to behold and comment upon his might.

The hero rarely asks for help -- he either orders his inferiors to do the dirty work (usually an “honor” for them, so he’s really doing them the favor) or he is so benevolent and mighty that people do so without being asked.

But think to yourself: how many times have you accomplished something without soliciting the help of another person?

It is true that some journeys are lonelier than others. But if you are being honest with yourself, you’d see all of the help -- large or small, noticeable or hidden -- you have received from others. Think about the little things you’ve done to help others succeed. Think about the big things you’ve done to help others succeed.

And so, when one starts to dissect our hero’s story, we see that its relation to reality is shaky at best (and not just because of the dragons, which I assure you exist). When you consider the important roles others have played in your life, it seems the absolute height of conceit to declare your success entirely self-made.

Despite the abundance of egocentric-to-the-maximum stories, we are still capable of seeing that there are many heroes in every story -- some noticed, some unnoticed, helping each other scale the dangerous terrain together.

And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that. Teamwork does not in any way diminish your personal achievements; admitting you have had help along the way doesn’t make your success less impressive and you don’t have to be any less proud of your successes because you've had friends to help you realize your visions. And you know that you’ve helped others achieve their dreams, too.

Isn’t that a great feeling? You get double the joy.

So, what does all this have to do with business? Everything. Nowhere is the “mighty individual” story line more prevalent than in the business world. Sometimes we believe and invest ourselves in the myth, buying into the idea that all “unsuccessful” (a loaded term, to be sure) or "unhappy" people are the way they are because they are petulant little minor characters, too lazy or weak or uninspired to climb the mountain. Not exactly an inspiring sentiment, right?

What's particularly damaging about this myth is the effect it has on so many trying to achieve their dreams. Too many individuals close themselves off to accepting a helping hand, simply out of pride. And of course they become frustrated in their isolation, and wonder why they have failed to live up to our hero's impossible feats.

Well, there's good news: you don't have to do it all alone.

Despite what you might have read, seen, or heard, all of those successful people you aspire to had help along the way. It doesn't make them any less inspiring.

To paraphrase the great Kurt Vonnegut: there are no minor characters in real life.

Remember that each and every one of us is going through our own story. Remember that our individual stories intersect with the stories of all of the people we meet. Surely, it can be easy to forget that the clerk at the grocery store or the coworker you never talk to are protagonists of their own rich and compelling stories. But try to be aware. We would all benefit to remember that, though a person seems small in your story, she is quite important in her story and in the stories of others. Some people might be in the crisis of their novel; others may be experiencing a much-deserved resolution. Whatever the scene, we are all of us vital to each others' narratives.

A group of self-centered protagonists living entirely in their own personal stories accomplishes little, but a team of cooperative, caring characters (each and every one of them protagonists) contributing to one another’s stories -- this team will get results. A team-positive mindset will get you up that mountain much faster, and your story (and stories) won’t be any less interesting for it.

***

Before you and your team start your journey, ensure you're well-equipped for that hike up the dragon-ridden mountain: check out Inspherio, the all-in-one event planning and business management program. Try our free 30-day trial and see for yourself why there is no greater slayer of stress than Inspherio!

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Onward and Upward: SPAN Enterprises Makes Inc. 5000's List of Fastest Growing Privately-Held Companies of 2015

Inspherio is proud to announce that SPAN Enterprises, our parent company, has made the 2015 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies in America! Out of this year's companies, SPAN ranks #1150 overall, #11 in the Charlotte Metro Area, and last but not least: #1 in its home state of South Carolina!

For those of you who haven’t heard of us, we’d like you to learn more about our growing company.

Some users have asked about our location–but we’ll never tell! Just kidding. Our home base is the SPAN Enterprises office, located in the small town of Rock Hill, South Carolina. It is here that Inspherio was born, and where we continue to thrive. We’ve stayed loyal to our roots, choosing to remain in the city that saw our birth and rapid growth into the worldwide industry leaders we are today.

Home to over 14 internationally used cloud-based applications (including Inspherio), SPAN Enterprises remains a pillar of the local community, never letting global success interfere with their commitment to the Rock Hill community.

That’s the where, but what about the when, why, and who?

Inspherio started, as all great products do, with a great idea. Having worked as a photographer in the event planning industry, Agie Sundaram, our CEO, set out to create an all-inclusive program that catered to the needs of all kinds of event professionals.

It was, to say the least, a large undertaking–but Agie knew that a comprehensive, user-friendly program was long overdue in the event industry. (Did you hear that? That was the collective sound of event professionals nodding their heads in agreement.) And in 2014, that’s just what he brought to the table with Inspherio.

As word spreads, event professionals everywhere are continually floored by Inspherio’s comprehensiveness and affordability. No longer tied to multiple applications or multiple websites, event professionals have found themselves with a lot more time to spend expanding and improving their businesses.

While we are proud of our product and of our service, we would be nothing without your support. Thank you for helping to make Inspherio the best program in the industry, and thank you for helping us grow. We strive to improve every day because, when it comes down to it, you are the only reason we exist!

When you consider the high quality of programs like Inspherio, it’s no wonder SPAN Enterprises has received recognition from Inc. 5000. SPAN continues to be a market leader in several industries across the globe, all from the small town it began in. We’re proud to be ranked in the Inc. 5000; the future certainly looks bright for Inspherio and SPAN Enterprises in sunny Rock Hill. We look forward to growing with you!

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The Benefits of Diversity In the Workplace

More and more companies are finding out just how valuable a diverse workplace can be, not just for

camaraderie but for productivity and innovation.

Diversity is more than a workplace or government policy; it is foremost a reality of the world -- and not just for humans, but for everything and anything you can think of. Living, breathing, or otherwise, the world and the universe it resides in are infinitely interesting and diverse. Think, for instance, of how many species of frog there are in the world -- and that’s just one little creature on one little planet!

Diversity is default. With all the wonderful variation in and around us, we can never cease to be interested. But why is diversity so important in the workplace?

Diversity is important in the workplace precisely because allowing ourselves to listen to and to learn from those who have different experiences results in the expansion of perspective -- a stretching of the mind’s ability to entertain new notions. One simply ceases to learn when one closes oneself off to a diversity of ideas. And when people cease to learn, companies cease to grow.

A company comprised of people with more or less the same background, from the same region, with the same values -- well, this company is likely going to continue to remain in that same mindset. Add people from different places with different ideas and different-but-nonetheless-valid realities, and suddenly you have everyone learning from one another, thus creating an atmosphere conducive to creativity.

A lack of diversity places a limit on the possibility for growth and innovation precisely because people of like mindsets rarely challenge each other to think outside the box. The more perspectives one brings in, the more possible results one gets out. Quite simply, we have a lot to learn from one another’s lived realities. 

It’s important to note that people of different ages, races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexualities, gender identities, and school majors are all individuals -- one person’s life does not mirror another’s simply because they share a label. But this just goes to show how diverse the world is! In the end, it’s always best to have a conversation with someone to see what they can offer your business. 

Try to bring in, to the best of your ability, people with different perspectives -- problems get solved much more quickly when you have different perspectives being brought to the table.There is infinite potential for creativity when you’re willing to listen to what others have to say. 

Once you have a variety of minds at your disposal, sign up for Inspherio to make sure you also have a variety of event planning and business management tools at your disposal. Try our free 30-day trial today!

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Email Etiquette: Get It Right or Pay the Price

Whether by phone or email, event professionals are often in constant correspondence with their clients. As an event professional, a great deal of your job is attracting clients, which is then followed by maintaining those clients.

When you’re communicating with clients, potential or established, it is important to maintain a professional demeanor -- this means dressing nicely when meeting in person and speaking politely when on the phone. Most successful event professionals have these standards down pat. Yet all too often, people forget a crucial component of establishing a professional image -- email etiquette.

Following basic grammatical rules and adjusting your style, tone, and diction to your audience’s expectations is just as important for establishing and maintaining your presence as dressing well or speaking professionally. Like it or not, email etiquette is important if you’re trying to present your business to a client.

We both know you’re neither disorganized nor disinterested, but clients are going to judge, subconsciously or otherwise, the content of your written communication. If it looks like you put zero thought into your correspondence, your clients will feel they are a low priority to you, since you took little care in presenting yourself professionally. Perhaps your email comes off as too serious or confrontational or too personal -- these are the things to look out for.

Even if your clients make mistakes in their responses or inquiries, it’s best to be sure that you maintain a professional demeanor every single time you email anyone regarding your business.

Even the best make mistakes. It is all too easy to send an unpolished email without thinking -- we’ve all been there. But remember that emails are not texts -- there is generally no expectation of an immediate reply, at least not the same swiftness expected of most text conversations. So take a breath, read it over at least once, and then send it.

Finally, everybody has a different style of writing and speaking, and nobody speaks or writes perfect “Standard English” -- there’s no need to worry about following exactly every guideline of the Oxford English Dictionary (though you’re more than welcome to if that’s your style).

“Proper” English is not what we’re talking about; rather, what you have to say and how you go about saying it are what really matters in your messages. So be sure to ask yourself if there are more advantageous ways to phrase your sentences.

The following are a few pointers for drafting a professional email to your clients:

1. Always use “Dear___” when emailing a client for the first time, even if you know them well. This ensures that you view the recipient as worthy of a formal greeting. For the most part, their response will dictate whether or not you continue the formality.

2. For business emails, use at least a semi-formal closing. Generally speaking, sign-offs like “Cheers” or “Later” are to be avoided. A simple “Best” will suffice. There’s always the old stand-by “Sincerely,” or the trustworthy “Regards,” and, perhaps the simplest and most direct, “Thank you.”

Never simply sign your name at the bottom of an initial message without a closing. As the conversation goes on, it may be acceptable to do away with closings, but for first messages ensure you take the time to sign off.

3. Be aware of your tone. We are often told that all business correspondence needs to be direct and concise -- and this is generally a good rule of thumb. However, it is possible to be too direct. Direct language is great for clarity, but its brevity can quickly turn into curtness if you're not careful. There is nothing wrong with padding your sentences a tiny bit in the interest of being at least semi-polite.

4. Know when and when not to use exclamation points. I can't tell you how many times I've received an email littered with exclamation points -- it always feels like I've stumbled into a surprise party, but not the good kind. Exclamation points can be great to emphasize a point or to express excitement, but you can express excitement without having to make every other sentence an exclamation. If you want to sound excited, that's fine -- but not at the expense of your professionalism.

5. This should go without saying, but alas, it needs saying: avoid text talk. As mentioned briefly above, writing an email as if you're texting a friend is a really fast way to annoy your clients. We all get that we are often on-the-go and on our phones, but that's no excuse to stop acting like a professional. Besides, writing clearly and carefully can help you in the event that confusion arises and you need evidence to point to. It's much easier to point to a thought-out sentence than a jumble of unclear letters and numbers.

Keep these pointers in mind when you're drafting email templates. With Inspherio, the all-in-one event and business management program, you can create an unlimited amount of email templates for any situation you can think of. Once you have the perfect message, you can use our email marketing feature to send that message to targeted groups of people. You can even read detailed reports on recipients' various reactions to your email marketing campaign -- a very useful tool for market research. Try our free 30-day trial today and see how easy it is to spread the (well-written) word about your business!

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How To Stay on Task While Working From Home

Event professionals' work hours are rarely spent in an official office environment; instead, they tend to work from home and on-the-go. The work hours of event planners are pretty much 24/7, so learning how to balance business time and off time can be tricky to say the least.

When working from home, the boundaries of "on" and "off" time often blur. Your home is your residence, your shelter, your safe-haven -- and when you spend a great deal of time working in your hearth and home, the risk of losing that sanctuary quality increases quite significantly.

Whether you're just starting out or you're an established event guru, balancing home life and work life can challenging at times. Yet, with a little practice and determination, any event professional can master the art of working from home.

Working from home comes with the perk of having no commute (other than the long walk to the coffee maker), but there are downsides, perhaps the worst of which are the innumerable distractions in your home. No need to worry! Below is some advice on how to stay laser-beam-focused on your business, even when you're at home.

1. Television

Figure out the right amount of television for you. So many times we tell ourselves, “No television while working!” -- but if it helps to watch a little bit in between bursts of work, or to have it on in the background, that's perfectly okay. As long as you’re productive, what does it matter?

However, if you know that you are powerless to the allure of the television, try placing the remote somewhere inconvenient to retrieve; this way it isn’t easy to turn it on and off at will.

2. The Internet

The same goes for the Internet, except that the Internet is trickier than television, precisely because you more often than not need the Internet to do your work -- putting the distraction away becomes infinitely more difficult. As with television, a little bit of time is usually fine. Allow yourself to indulge in Facebook now and then if it helps you to recharge your batteries -- but if you know full well you’ll end up exploring every nook and cranny of your friends’ lives, then it’s best to avoid going there in the first place.

If social media is a huge distraction, a good piece of advice is to remove any bookmarks to social sites, and make yourself type the URL every time you wish to visit. Additionally, make it so that none of your social media accounts remember your login information. You'll have to type in all of your credentials, making it a little bit more annoying to log in. It’s not much, but being forced to expend energy, no matter how small, can help to deter you from mindlessly logging in to these sites. It's just that much more time to remind you that you're wasting time.

3. Break Time

Make sure you take breaks just as you would at an office. Taking a break gives you an excuse for a little distraction (but not too much) without feeling as if you’ve blurred the line between work and home. Set specific break times for yourself and stick to them. Give yourself an hour for lunch -- no more, no less. While you take these breaks, relax! If you’re going to keep that work/home balance you’ve got to be careful to adhere to your set time for each.

4. Work Anywhere but Bed

Keep your workstation(s) separate. First and foremost: don’t work in bed (you know, the place you go to sleep at night). If you stay in bed all day working and then go to sleep, you will have stirred the stress of your work with the peace of your rest. Your bed is sacred; keep it out of your work life.

5. Food and Drink

Eat and drink, but watch yourself. Working at home makes it easy to find food when you’re hungry and drinks when you’re thirsty -- a plus for sure. But if you’re not careful, you’ll find that food and drink often threaten your productivity as much as television, radio, and Internet.

It’s easy to get stressed out over a problem or dilemma, get up, walk to the fridge, and absentmindedly start eating. It’s also dangerous for your health, your weight, and your sanity. Granted, little snacks throughout the day (the healthy kind) can be amazing for your health and for your maintained focus -- just beware of grazing for the sake of grazing.

6. Stretching and Moving

Instead of eating all day, walk it out and talk it out. Speak aloud to yourself. Hearing yourself say something aloud might help you to clarify the murky thoughts of your silent inner dialogue. Do some push-ups or squats. Stretch. Getting your blood flowing can kick-start your brain -- just don’t over do it, as you don’t want to tire yourself out too much.

7. Nix the Outside Conversations

Do your best to keep outside (non-work) conversations at bay. You've heard it before, but it warrants repeating: during work hours your phone is for business only. Put it on "Do Not Disturb" mode, turn off the notifications -- do whatever you need to do to prevent getting sucked into a long drawn-out conversation with a friend (or foe).

As for your family, if they are home while you are working, be sure to (politely) make clear that when you’re working, you’re working. There’s no need to shut yourself up and ignore the world entirely, but it is important that you have space to focus in on your work.

8. A Line In the Sand 

One of the biggest benefits of going to an office is the simple fact that it separates work and home so distinctly -- but this line is less clear when working from home. Ensure that you treat your work hours as if you were at a different office entirely.

When work begins and ends, have something to do to signify to your senses that you have shifted from one direction to another. This can be any number of actions -- if you are able to keep the television off while you work, turning it on when you are finished can operate as a sort of ceremony to indicate you have finished the work day.

There has to be a discernible action that helps you to get in the right mindset for what you’re going to be doing. First cup of coffee down? Time to work. Out of the shower? Time to work. Without these little reminders, you run the risk of your morning spreading a bit too far into your workday -- and vice-versa.

Inspherio, the all-in-one event management program, certainly makes working from home much easier (and much tidier). Because Inspherio is cloud-based, you can work from home, the cafe, the park, the subway -- it's accessible anywhere and everywhere. All of your work can be consolidated into whatever device you prefer, which is a lot neater than file cabinets and drawers full of paper. With Inspherio, it's infinitely easier to switch the work/home gears when needed. Give yourself this convenience -- you've earned it. Try our free 30-day trial today!

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Avoid These Five Phrases When Meeting With Leads

Meeting with potential clients is a crucial step in event planning,  a "make-or-break" moment for the event professional. In-person meetings give you the chance to really make a connection with someone, beyond advertisements or marketing.

While these initial meetings are certainly full of opportunity and possibility for both you and the client, you must remember that your mindsets, demeanors, and approaches are likely to be quite different. Your client may be tentative where you are intent, cautious where you are certain, and static where you are spirited.

Confidence and a strong sense of self go a long way, but don't forget to be aware of and receptive to your audience's needs. For instance: if your client is being tentative, scale back the volume and reduce your movement a bit; if your client displays an eager enthusiasm, be sure to match her energy. Don't get so caught up in the sales pitch and the product that you forget about the reason you're there -- the client.

To help you along, we've collected some sales pitch phrases that you should absolutely avoid when meeting with your client. These phrases can quickly derail your conversation and jeopardize your business, so beware!

1. “We’re much cheaper than they are.” 

Don’t say your product or service is “cheaper” than the competition; sure, it's good to let them know you aren't overly expensive, but this sounds like you are of a lower quality than your competitors. By using the word “cheap,” you run the risk of making your leads feel like you consider them cheap.

Instead: Words like “cost-effective” and phrases like “more value for the money” are infinitely better than “cheaper.” Better still: pitch your product or service so well that they are not even thinking about cost.

2. “I’m not here to sell anything.”

Prefacing with a denial that you’re selling something is a surefire way to communicate to your lead that you are, without a doubt, selling something. Setting up defenses before even pitching your idea immediately places the potential customer in an adversarial position. Needless to say, this is not an ideal tone for a sales pitch. (It’s like a child telling her parents, “I didn’t do anything wrong, but…” -- you know it’s not going to be good news.)

Instead: Just present your service or product in a sincere, authentic way. A straightforward and honest conversation will put your potential customer at ease much more effectively than making denials.

3.“Trust me.”

Again, when a potential customer hears this, a red flag is going to pop up in her mind. She has already given you a degree of trust by listening to what you have to say. Your job is to build on that trust. If you present yourself with honesty and with passion, the trust comes naturally.

Instead: Don't tell me to trust you; show me why I should trust you and your service or product.

4.“Allow me to introduce…”

This phrase sounds very affected and showy. Instead, just go ahead and start talking! As we have seen, a lot of prefaces (well-meaning or otherwise) are damaging to your sales pitch.

Instead: Open with a question. Ask the lead what service or product she has been using. This way you have an “in” and you more organically become part of a two-way conversation. Ditch the cheesy phrases -- let the client tell you what she needs and respond accordingly.

5. “Oh, [the competition]? They’re incompetent fools, just terrible…”

There’s nothing wrong with being confident that your product or service is superior to the competition -- but relying on attacks indicates a lack of faith in your own product. If your product or service is so special (and it is!), there's no need to disparage someone else. Positivity trumps negativity every time.

Instead: Don’t risk coming off as cruel or desperate; instead, just focus on what makes you the best. If the competition comes up, give the facts and speak honestly about why you feel you are the better choice -- but don’t slander your competitors. Be classy!

When you’re ready to meet with your leads, consider keeping track of their details with Inspherio, the all-in-one event management program. Inspherio provides access to everything event professionals need: tools for record keeping, payment, employee payroll, inventory, scheduling, promotion, and planning are all conveniently located in the same place. Try our free 30-day trial today!

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The Art of Troubleshooting

Whether you’re a photographer, caterer, wedding planner, or any other kind of event professional, chances are you’ve run into your share of issues. Even the best make mistakes; it’s bound to happen. And sometimes, problems occur through no fault of your own -- but you’re still responsible for fixing them.

From minor missteps to unmitigated disasters, trouble happens -- and when it does, you’ve got to be a pro at the art of troubleshooting.

As an event professional, you are probably already a troubleshooting maestro, but it never hurts to have some reminders on how best to solve issues when they arise.

Here are some useful tips on how to conduct yourself when things go awry:

Use the process of elimination. Seems like a no-brainer, but when you’re stressed out you may not be thinking clearly. Don’t try to identify issues willy-nilly. Don’t jump from one guess to another -- start from the top and work your way down to the bottom.

Start easy. When an issue arises, we sometimes have the tendency to panic and to assume that the problem is a very intricate and complicated one to resolve, one that threatens to throw the entire event into chaos thereby ruining you forever! Okay, exaggeration- but sometimes we do let our minds jump to extremes too quickly.

Always begin with the easiest-to-identify tasks, even if you think you’re too good to forget them. There’s nothing more aggravating than rushing around in a sweat looking for all kinds of issues when it’s something very, very simple.

More often than not, the problem is an easy one to resolve. For instance: your speakers won’t play, and you assume the wiring has gone haywire -- and then you find that the power cord isn’t plugged in. Simple. Don't jump to the worst case scenario too soon.

Take a deep breath, and think of the potential issues that you could easily solve. If it’s not one of those, work your way down, getting more and more specific until you identify the issue.

Go through your routine. Another good way to work out issues is to think back to your routine, from the very start. Try to remember if there were any tasks you missed or any steps you skipped.

Routines can be great, but sometimes you get so used to them that you don’t think about what you’re doing -- they become automatic, which means it's easier to fail to notice when you've missed something. So think back and try to remember if you didn’t do something you should have. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’ve exhausted all of your options and you’re still lost, it’s okay to ask for help! One of your co-workers or employees may be able to help you, even if it's not their specific area of expertise. It never hurts to have an extra perspective around.

If you fly solo, call a friend or family member who might be able to help. (It is advisable to have somebody around who knows how to fix things!) Even if the person you call can't help, explaining the situation aloud may reveal solutions you couldn't find by thinking silently to yourself.

Now that you’ve freshened up on your troubleshooting skills, take a look at Inspherio, the all-in-one event professional program. Try out our free 30-day trial and see why we will drastically reduce your need for troubleshooting!

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Empathy & Solidarity: The Keys To Quality Leadership

Leadership: It’s one of those words you hear so often it almost fails to retain any meaning. Most messages on leadership are unoriginal, platitudinous, and generic. 

And so, when you’re called into a conference room for an “inspirational” speech about leadership, you know exactly the buzzword-ridden script you’re going to hear, and you end up unmoved by the whole affair.

Perhaps it is time to take a fresh look at this old word, with its tired speeches and cliche homilies, and think about how we can rejuvenate it and bring it back to life, to relevance, to meaning. 

So how exactly does one become a good leader? 

It starts with empathy and solidarity -- two words not always associated with leadership. 


The best leaders look out for those around them, take care of those who have given them the honor of being followed in the first place. You’re in a position of trust, and that is a great responsibility to bear. It is difficult indeed to feel alone, rudderless, and lost at sea at your desk. We've all been there. If there’s no impression of camaraderie, an employee is not going to be inspired to do her best work. Making a connection with employees helps to keep them from feeling detached and alienated.

The most important thing a good leader can do is express to her employees their value -- and, even better, to truly believe in their value. After all, the employees were hired for a reason. If you view your employees as merely bodies that do work and not as unique, skilled people, they'll know it and will perform accordingly.

The best leaders look to grow the potential in their employees. They don't give blanket tasks to people: they find, recognize, and develop employees’ specific skill sets. In the long run, it’s better for management, employees, and for the overall business. If you can make your employees feel that they are more than cogs in the machine, that they are valued for their individuality and uniqueness, they’ll be more likely to come to work feeling like they have a purpose beyond the next paycheck. 

A good rule of thumb is to treat your employees as well as you would your customers. The result will be a thriving and happy business. Don’t promise stellar customer service if you’re not willing to extend the same courtesies to your own employees. It’s hypocritical and counterproductive. Foster an environment of positivity instead and you'll reap the benefits. Happy employees make happy customers, and happy customers means more sales, and more sales means more money -- a win-win-win!

To be sure, being a leader sometimes means letting people go. Sometimes you’ve got to make tough decisions that might not be popular and that might hurt feelings. But do what you can to empathize anyway, even when letting go of an employee. Be honest, but tactful. Give advice, but without condescension. As always, a little kindness goes a long way. There's no use in producing bitterness and resentment. 

Long story short: take the time to empathize with your employees. Treat them right and they'll reward you with increased productivity.  It's not always easy to be empathetic, but it's worth the effort. It’s hard work being a good leader, but you’re up to the task.

You can get a head start on being a good leader by getting organized with Inspherio. Manage employee payroll, appointments, tasks, and more all in one easy-to-access program. Try our free 30-day trial and see how easy it is to manage your workforce with Inspherio!

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Don't Hawk What You Can't Handle: A Lesson In Customer Service

Any business owner knows that advertising your business is essential for growth. Event planners especially understand the importance of communicating to potential clients all of the excellent products and services they offer.

A promise or a guarantee goes a long way in business, especially for potential clients or customers who may be fed up with those they have done previous business with.

But beware! While a great way to give potential clients the incentive to use your services, promises and guarantees can also backfire if made without complete confidence. Either way, promises and guarantees raise the stakes significantly -- you may benefit from this kind of marketing, or you may find yourself with a lot of upset customers.

Don’t promise extravagant customer service if you can’t afford to give extravagant customer service. This is not to say that you aren’t doing your best to serve your customers, or that you shouldn’t have confidence in your business. You absolutely should. But if you're making grandiose promises that you can’t deliver on, your customers are going to be especially miffed and could possibly feel as if they were tricked.

The best policy is to be honest -- honest about what your business can and can't offer. Remember what you can handle and what you can offer, and make sure that what you can handle and what you can offer are of the highest quality possible. If you offer a good service and you are there for your customers 24/7, then let them know this! However, don't tell them you'll drive up to their window at three in the morning with a late night snack. (Okay, an exaggeration, but you get my point.)

Overextending yourself can result in frustration for you, your employees, and your clients. Getting feet in the door is no good if you can't deliver on your promises. So do what you can and do it well. As time goes on, you will grow, and so too will your ability to offer more and more to your clients.

For all of your event management and marketing needs, visit Inspherio.com. Inspherio offers everything you need to plan, organize, and market your business -- check out our free 30-day trial and see for yourself. I make no false promises!

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Dealing with Difficult Family Members

 

Artwork credit: The Huffington Post

They are a part of every holiday event; we’re talking in-laws, relatives, and uncontrollable kids. During the holidays, rough relationships with family members cause stressful communications, hesitant gift giving, and hurt feelings. Family members can also hinder your event responsibilities if they become over-involved to the point where you lose control and they take over your event. Don’t panic over any of these tricky family situations, we have life-saving tips to avoid the dreaded family feud.

• Keep calm. With every event or family gathering the pressure is high to perfect every detail and create a memorable event. The stress can cause you to crack under the pressure. If the event doesn’t go exactly as planned, be professional and keep a positive attitude. Remain composed and offer encouragement, whether it be to the cook who just burned the ham or uninvited guests. It will all end soon, so enjoy every moment whether good or bad. 
• It’s not your problem to fix. Attend to the direct problem (bad pictures or a flawed menu), but remain a concerned bystander when it comes to personal issues. When a relative’s deep-seated issues are brought to attention, be an involved listener, but don’t feel responsible to fix those problems in one night, be it messy relationship issues or the attack of the gossip queens, you should stay out of it to keep a grasp on your sanity.
• Know your limits. If kids are running around, don’t scold them unless they are your own children. Even if you have their parent’s permission to reprimand them, let the child know that they need to be on their best behavior rather than waiting for them to test their limits. 
• Let them know your boundaries. You should respect a family’s issues, but at the same time don’t let anyone treat you in a derogatory way. As a professional, if you feel that an individual has crossed a boundary, let the host know and let them handle the outburst.
• Cut your ties. If the situation is physically or verbally inappropriate, step away and break communication completely. If a drunk party-goer is going on a tangent, there is no need to provoke them into a more aggravated state. 

With these tips, we hope you can avoid any unnecessary, uncomfortable, family tension. Above all take this time to enjoy spending time with your family, whether they are difficult or not. Also with the many holiday events, help others celebrate with their families and enjoy this holiday season.

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Aspiring Event Professionals: Gain Event Experience without Leaving Campus

For those college students who are aspiring event planning professionals, as I'm sure you have heard time and time again, you need to gain as much experience as possible while in college. But what if you don't have a car on campus or can't find a good internship off campus?

Here's a nice piece of advise: you don't have to leave campus for good experience.

A college campus can be a great place to gain some valuable work opportunities, particularly for a large school. Here are just a few different areas you can gain some type of event experience: 


Development/Fundraising Office
If you learn how to consistently raise money, you will always find job opportunities. In addition to putting on alumni events each year, many non-profits typically have event planning positions that require fundraising experience, so having this skill in your back pocket gives you an advantage when applying for these positions.

Facilities Management
Do you want to run a venue someday? Start working with your campus facilities department (or with a specific building) and learn the everyday skills and knowledge needed to perform the job. This can include maintenance, audio/visual, scheduling, landscaping, and more. Facility managers work with event planners to see events through, so it is a good way to see the planning process and, more importantly, grow your network.

Food & Beverage
On campus dining departments typically also do much of the on-campus catering for events, so this a good place to get some quick experience and, again, meet new contacts and grow your network.

Student Life
The student life department typically puts on larger events: orientation and convocation, commencement, on-campus concerts, movie showings, Family/Parents Weekend, as well as educational and cultural opportunities.

Admissions Office
The admissions office has a number of events it can put in an attempt to attract the most qualified students to the school: campus tours, info sessions, open houses, career fairs, etc.

Residential Life
Dorms are always looking to plan various events. This could be a cookout, holiday party (Christmas, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, etc), beach trip, hike, night out on the town, and more.

Greek Life
Take the lead on planning events for your fraternity/sorority: formals, social events, philanthropic events, retreats, chapter, etc. You can gain a lot of experience doing this and, if nothing else, learn of the demand an events career.

Wellness Center
At your college's wellness center, you can have opportunities to plan intramurals or campus-wide dorm tournaments. You can also gain scheduling experience when juggling multiple classes and classroom space.

Athletic Department
Athletic departments, especially for larger schools, run like independent entities and are a great place to gain experience. Student interns are always needed and there are many ways to get involved:

• Marketing - Planning events for fans (FanFest, pep rallies, open practices, Midnight Madness, etc)
• Sales/Ticketing - You not only work a lot of events, but you talk to a lot of people on the phone and make a lot of connections with other ticketing offices. Have I stressed the importance of growing your network?
• Development - Planning events and travel for boosters who donate money to the athletic department. This is a good way to get to know a lot of successful and influential peoples.
• Event management - This department works with every other department to plan those events for boosters, season ticket holders, fans, as well as every home athletic contest.
• Facilities management - Regardless of the event type, they are held in some type of venue. This department is often part of the events department.
• Individual teams - This may require planning recruiting or alumni events, coordinating travel, and team functions.

Plus, if you're at a well-known athletic department, it really can stand out on your resume.

Summary
If you've been paying attention, the most critical aspects of working in college are: a) gaining valuable experience and skills, and b) growing your network. Doing these two things while in school - with fewer bills and responsibilities - can really give you an advantage when you start looking for a job after graduation.

Photo credit: www.wjla.com

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14 Ways Planning a Wedding is like Planning a Football Game, Part 2

Yesterday, we listed the first 7 ways that planning a wedding is like planning a football game. Today we continue with the second half of the list.

8. It's about everyone else but you

Whether you are planning a wedding or a football game, you are typically behind the scenes. A lot of people don't even know of your presence unless something goes wrong (see point #5 yesterday). It is your job to make sure that the client's needs are served and that the guests have a good time. It doesn't really matter what your opinion is on a topic. While you can provide all the expert advise you have, in the end, it comes down to what they want, not you.

9. Perception of your success often hinges on others

Whether or not people view you as a success is often out of your hands. Many other people have to do their job - and do it well - for people to think highly of you. Did the vendors show up on time? Were they quality professionals? The decorators, caterers, and entertainment can make an event memorable or disappointing. At a football game, you not only have to rely on the vendors, security, ushers, and marketing staff, but even more so on the players and coaches. If you ran an event perfectly, but the fans were disappointed with the game, they will inevitably find something to complain about and let you know about it. But the opposite is true as well. You may have had a bad day, or someone else didn't do their job, but if your team won in a thriller, that's all anybody will remember.

10. Everyone has an opinion

More often than not, people have an opinion on how something should have been done differently. Even though you have years of experience in the industry and understand all the detailed goings-on behind the scenes, Average Joe/Jan - who doesn't know the first thing about event planning - thinks they could have done it better. Not only that, oftentimes they will let their opinion known to someone, possibly even you. The flowers should have been placed somewhere else. Parking should have opened at a different time. The entertainment/music should have been different (more on this later). It's too loud. It's too quiet. No matter what you do, someone will always complain, so you know it is best to rely on your experience and best judgment.

11. What are the food options?

People like to eat. If there is an event with food - particularly if it's free - people will flock to it. Attendees often have a better/worse opinion based on the state of the food. Was the reception buffet  style or individual plates? Are there enough concession stands with enough variety? Oh, and do I have to mention the alcohol. Often it seems that the only reason someone attends a wedding reception or football game is to throw a few (too many) back.

12. Entertainment is crucial

Everyone loves to have a good time and for good reason. Events are supposed to be enjoyable. So making sure that the entertainment is top notch is critical to the attendees having a good time. Is it a band or DJ? Is the music good? Is there good energy or does the DJ like to hear himself talk? Even at a football game, while the contest itself is the prime entertainment, there are many breaks throughout the game. Do you have good halftime entertainment? What's going on before, during, and after the game? Am I staying engaged during timeouts or just checking my phone to see what I'm missing out on?

13. Expect the unexpected

Yes, there is some irony in this picture. But, seriously, when you have so many elements and moving parts to an event, something interesting/crazy/memorable/infuriating is bound to happen eventually. Can you quickly address the matter? Have you prepared for contingencies? Weather often is a key player that can completely change how either a wedding or football game goes. How are your improv skills and ability to react on the fly? Honestly, though, this is why we love working events. You may have a template on what to do, but no event is ever like another and you constantly have to stay on your toes.

14. To survive, you must love it

Considering the hours (point #1), the blame (#5), the stress (#6), and the vast amount of people you have to deal with (#'s 3, 4, & 9), you really have to have a passion for what you do. If you are not excited to be doing your job day-in and day-out, then how are the people you are serving supposed to get excited. People quickly can see uninspired work and will turn to someone else if you continually provide a less than stellar product.

You also have to fight to keep that passion. Inevitably, burnout happens. There will be days where you think to yourself, "Why I am doing this? Do I want to continue on this path?" It's up to you to figure out a way to stay passionate and remind yourself why you love it.

What other similarities can you think of between these two industries?

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14 Ways Planning a Wedding is like Planning a Football Game, Part 1

Football season is in full swing now. As someone who works with wedding professionals on a daily basis - and who has worked in both professional and college football in the past - it got me to thinking:

What are some similarities between planning a wedding and planning a football game?

As I started my list, it continued to grow, so I decided to split this post into a two-part series. The following items are the first half of that list. 

1. Evening and weekend work

The hours can be brutal at times. Most of the time you are the first one in the building and the last to leave. You not only put in the time during regular business hours, but you often have to work later in the evening to attend events or accomplish some tasks, some of which cannot be done until off hours.

Wedding Planners
Need to meet the bride and groom for a cake testing or band demo? They have jobs during the day that they can't simply leave, so you have to meet them in the evening or on the weekend. This is not even considering the actual wedding weekend, when you work all day Friday and Saturday.

Football Planners
Let's face it: no football game is going to be during regular work hours. Nearly every college game is on a Saturday, while NFL games are on Sunday. You may occasionally have a Thursday or Friday night game and work late hours just to make sure everything set.

2. Multitasking

Simply put, events are not simple. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of components involved. As the main planner, you are the one that has to make sure everything is done right.

Wedding Planners
Gather client info, meet with vendors, arrange for hotels, go over the guest list, do a site walk-through, meet with the clients again, confirm the correct decor and food, follow up, follow up, follow up.

Football Planners
Send info to teams and officials, coordinate with security, coordinate with marketing and sales, meet with the teams and officials, work with sponsor parties, check the weather report, deal with obnoxious fans, etc.

3. Dealing with ego

You have a lot of big egos to juggle. Everyone thinks their needs/responsibilities are more important/pressing than yours. Sometimes they are right, but many times they are not. Whether you are dealing with brides, vendors, fans, players, or coaches, you have to be patient enough to address their needs without losing your cool.

4. Making sure everyone is on the same page

The nature of events is that there are many moving parts and even more people. Does everybody understand not only their specific responsibilities, but what everyone else is doing, how they fit together, and why?

Wedding Planners
Does the venue know when the DJ is arriving to set up? Does the caterer know about specific food allergies? What's the first dance song? What time do the bride and groom arrive for the ceremony? When and where are photos being taken?

Football Planners
Does the stadium know about each team's walk-through? Are ticketing policies in line with compliance's policies? Which credentials are allowed on the field? Who is the entertainment and when should they be on/off the field?

5. Everyone blames you if anything goes wrong

Sometimes you wonder if this shirt is your work uniform. When something goes wrong - and it eventually will - people automatically look to you to assign blame. After all, a good scapegoat is nearly as welcome as a solution to the problem at hand.

6. Nerves/stress

Because of point #5, the stress level is high. In fact, last year Forbes.com listed event planning as the 6th most stressful career out of all careers. And it isn't just the worry about getting blamed if something goes wrong. You also don't want to mess up an extremely memorable moment for a bride and groom or a specific player or coach. The number of eyes that are on you at all times and the volume and variety of tasks you must complete (see point #2) just adds to your burden that much more. 

7. Months of planning for a few weekend hours

This can be simultaneously satisfying and exasperating. You spend months of your life planning, pulling out all the stops, and stressing yourself out to make a perfect event. Then, in a matter of hours, the event is over. On one hand, you think, "All that planning was worth it for a great event." On the other hand, since you typically won't have something tangible to show for your work, you may think, "All that planning for a few hours?" The main takeaway for you is the satisfaction that you (hopefully) put on a fantastic, memorable event that served a lot of people.

Tomorrow we will focus on the second half of our list, many of which have to do with the attendees/crowd.

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Micromanagement is Not Always a Dirty Word

Photo Credit: Luke Ma

The Following Article was written by David Goldsmith with Lorrie Goldsmith for FastCompany.com

To become a more effective manager, it helps to rethink what you thought you knew--for example, that micromanagement is a sin, and that employees are the most important part of your organization.

Even the best leaders can benefit from adopting a new perspective or expanding an old one. Let’s explore and challenge a few concepts that you may have accepted as conventional wisdom but that aren’t necessarily working in your favor.

Over the years, I’ve heard many decision makers say that people are the most important part of their organization. While I agree that good organizations are made up of great people doing great work and that employees play an extremely important role in the success of any organization, the idea that people are the most important part of an organization is a wrong assumption that can actually hinder the people it intends to credit. We’ve all seen firsthand how even the most talented people turn in substandard performance if they don’t have the systems and structures they need to excel in their work. Therefore, if you make this assumption and are willing to rethink it, you can more readily capture opportunities to empower your people to achieve more successes within your organization.

In order to gain the successes that come from talent and skill, your systems and structures must be in place. The systems and structures include everything from computers, tools, and equipment to the rules, regulations, laws, procedures, and policies that govern how your staff works within your organization. These systems don’t always have to be elaborate; they just have to be appropriate. For example, in 2011, Boeing relocated passengers’ flight attendant call buttons in their new 737 aircrafts away from reading-light buttons. The seemingly small change is anticipated to reduce the number of unnecessary trips that flight attendants will have to make down the aisles of planes in response to typically apologetic customers who mistakenly press their call buttons rather than their reading-light buttons.

Having the appropriate systems and structures in place is one of the most effective ways of bringing out the best talents and highest productivity of your people. Yet it’s one of the most ignored factors in organizations today. When leaders see dipping productivity levels and low morale, they often want to address personnel and personality issues, an attempted solution known as “hugging and kissing” your people. The hugging-and-kissing approach typically yields only temporary relief, if it solves anything at all. Then conditions return to the same or get worse. Instead of fixing the real challenges, these leaders have missed the mark altogether (and they’ve wasted time, money, and resources in the process). If, after the systems and structures are remedied, leaders still have issues, then leadership would be wise to address morale, but not before.

Systems really can make the difference. In fact, the presence of a supportive system is one reason why decision makers who leave major corporations don’t always succeed when they start their own businesses. Many have been so accustomed to a support system that gave them what they needed to be successful that they either flounder or must invent new systems and structures to maximize their skills once again.

Meanwhile, micromanagement has gotten a bad rap over the years, because it conjures up images of the big boss breathing down the necks of hard-working subordinates. But in reality, that’s only one side of micromanagement and is only the case when it isn’t executed properly. It’s time to rethink the opinion that all micromanagement is this in-your-face type of suffocation that smothers people and decreases their abilities to perform optimally.

In reality, micromanagement can be one of the most effective ways to increase performance. In addition, there are some environments where micromanagement through systems and structures are necessary to ensure specific outcomes and safety.

In the stereotypical, negative view, the word “micromanagement” makes us think of leaders who are so engrossed in the daily doings of their subordinates that they get in everyone’s way and don’t get their own work done. By filling their days with tasks that belong in someone else’s daily planner, these micromanagers fail to give ample time to their own responsibilities like thinking, strategizing, and moving their organizations forward. In this scenario, micromanaging efforts ultimately hurt the organization on multiple levels, not the least of which may be employees, volunteers, or other group members reacting negatively to feelings of frustration and needless pressure resulting from the constant monitoring. This means that neither the micromanaging boss nor the subordinates are performing as optimally as they could.

By contrast, when leaders have the right mental tools to be effective micromanagers, they are able to direct their organization’s people and resources in the direction of shared goals. 

Effective micromanagement through setting structure, developing strategy and plans, creating reliable systems for others, and teaching people how to be independent thinkers can actually empower others to do their jobs with little involvement from you at all. Yet truthfully, they are being micromanaged; they just don’t feel it, because you’re not in their faces.

Micromanagement isn’t always a choice. You may be entrenched in an industry or sector that requires a certain degree of micromanagement, so the question isn’t whether or not you micromanage; it is how to do it correctly. Leadership in toxic waste or medical waste-management facilities, for instance, must follow strict procedures to ensure the safety of their staffers, customers, and the general public.

For decision makers, striking the right balance between being involved and letting others work independently can be a challenge. Build an environment of systems, structures, tools, equipment, etc. to support the talents and skills of your people, and you will earn their trust, gain their cooperation, and increase their productivity levels. When micromanagement is done right, you are able to achieve the results your organization needs to grow and survive.

Here’s an example of micromanagement done right. Think about when you drive on the highway. Do you feel micromanaged? Most likely you feel pretty independent. You select your destination and the vehicle you’ll use to get there. You also determine the vehicle’s air temperature, whether you’ll listen to music, who your passengers are, and what type of car you’ll drive. But if you look closer, you are actually very micromanaged. You must drive on predetermined roads, streets, and ramps. You must maintain certain speeds. You must pass only in predesignated passing zones. In some areas, you must pay a toll for using the road. 

However, you don’t resent being micromanaged, and you don’t feel that you’re constantly running into roadblocks due to the micromanagement, because the road system enables you to reach your targeted destinations, much like systems help your staffers to reach their targeted goals.

Systems and structures also direct your organization toward innovative solutions both internally, as organizational improvements, and externally, as product and service improvements. Consider how a restaurateur might opt to “micromanage” his establishment’s reservation process by using a proven software system--one that employees manage internally or one that patrons can access externally through the Internet--to achieve reliable outcomes. Micromanaging systemically removes the crises that erupt from inefficiencies and replaces problems with opportunities. Additionally, micromanagement done right prevents waste, so your organization has more resources to dedicate to these improvements.

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All About Inspherio

It’s time to get your Event Business organized with Inspherio - the most advanced business management program for Event Industry Professionals.  Inspherio provides solutions for businesses of any size, no matter if you are a one person operation or a full crew with many employees.  No other tool allows you to manage your entire business from one place - even employees and payroll!  

The exclusive Enterprise Version of Inspherio is leaps and bounds beyond any other program on the market today!

No other program offers a Truly All-In-One Solution, allowing you to:

• Schedule Your Employees & Assign Them to Events
• No more wasting time on an antiquated scheduling process
• Give Your Employees Account Access with Individual Login Information
• All your company information in one central place
• Automate Your Payroll Process & Track Expenses Intuitively 
• Eliminate that shoe box full of receipts & tax info
• Gather All Event Info From your Clients Automatically Add it to Contracts in Real Time
• Inspherio eliminates redundancies wherever possible
• Create Contracts in the Cloud & E-Sign Them From Anywhere
• Always Be Closing, no matter where in the world you are
• Generate Comprehensive Reports at Tax Time & Throughout the Year
• “Planning Your Success” is our motto, but can also Measure Your Success

With Inspherio, you are not alone.  Our customer support team is always available to offer heroic help whenever you need it through phone, email, & chat support.  Just give us a call at 704.234.6000 or email us at support@Inspherio.com with any questions you may have.

These are just a few examples of what Inspherio can do for your business. Join Inspherio Now to checkout the above features and more!!! Get started for Free!  NO Credit Card required to check it out!

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Create Online Forms

Photo Credit:  Johan Larsson

One of the most versatile features of your Inspherio website is the ability to create online forms.  These Forms can be used to collect information from the people who visit your site.  This can be basic contact information, polls, vouchers, or anything else you can come up with.

You can even make certain fields mandatory!  

Text Guide:
-  First you will need to edit one of your website pages in Inspherio under Website >> Public Site Content

-  To begin creating a Form, click on the icon that looks like a dotted rectangle and says “Form.”  Then, you only need to enter the name of the Form and click OK

-  These Forms can consist of Open-Ended Questions, Multiple Choice Questions, lists, and more

-  Lets Start with creating a Text Field.  This is useful if you would like to collect info such as names, phone numbers, etc.

-  Start by entering what information you are collecting.  Such as a Name.  Then Click the Text Field icon.

-  Then enter the name of this text field, then enter character width of 20-30 this determines how long the box is.  Then Enter the Maximum Characters that someone can put into this field. Then click “OK”

-  If there are things you would like to change about this form, you can double-click the box and make some changes.

-  You can keep adding fields like this one, or you can do something a little different.

-  If you would like to give the User some options, add Radio Buttons by clicking the dot icon that says radio button

-  Name the button, then type in what it represents

-  You can also use checkboxes in this manner if you want the users to check all that apply

-  Now lets add a Drop Down Menu

-  Go to the Icon that says Selection Field

-  Give it a name and then select the number of lines.  You will likely want to limit it to one line.  Then select the same text for text and value and click add.  Click OK when you are satisfied with the drop down options

-  In the End, you will need to add a Submit Button so that this information will be sent to you

-  To do this, select the icon that is titled “Button”

-  Then type in Submit for Type and Value.  Be sure the Type is Button.  Then Click OK

-  If you would like to have this information sent to someone else, like say, your virtual assistant.  Then you can do that also.

-  To do this click in the area right before the Submit button

-  Then go to add a Hidden Field.  

-  For the name of this form type “form notify email” as one word.  formnotifyemail.  And for the value, type in the email address that the email notification should go to.  Then Click OK

-  If you would like to make certain fields mandatory, you can do that through the source code by clicking “Source”

-  To make a text box or a text area mandatory, first find the field in the html code

-  In the line of code for the text box, you will need to add class="required"  and title="This information is required"

-  This way, the user will not be allowed to submit the form until the required field is completed.  If the user clicks the submit button without entering any value in that particular field, the text we entered for the "title"  will show up in red.

-  When the Form is completed, it will then be sent to you in an email.  

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