Easily Build Your Event With Inspherio

There is one word to describe the event industry and that word is ‘chaos’. Even the most professional wedding planners can have something go wrong, or get so busy that key details fall through the cracks.

Don’t get caught up in a hectic frenzy, while trying to manage guest lists, pay vendors, keep up with the event activities, and more. Instead, stay on top of your event and easily manage every aspect of it with Inspherio.

What’s Inspherio?

Inspherio is the business management solution for all professionals in the event industry. From wedding planners, DJs, photographers, and more, Inspherio is the perfect assistant that simplifies managing your event. It’s full of innovative features for online payments, event progress, online
marketing, contracts, and more.

Building Your Event

Before planning an event it’s important to know what your clients want, which is why Inspherio makes it easy to learn about what your clients want by having them fill out the Know Your Event form. They can log into Inspherio and answer questions about what time of day the event is, the venue location, if anyone is a vegetarian, and more. You can also customize the know your event form by adding your own questions.

Then you can create contracts for your clients to sign online. The information from the know your event form will auto-fill on your contract, so you won’t have to enter in all of the information yourself. You can create custom payment plans with your contract, and your clients can log in to securely sign the contract online, and make payments.

Invoices for your event will be automatically created based off of the payment plan created with your custom contract. You’ll receive reminders for invoices that haven’t been sent out, and for outstanding payments. You can also create invoices for lost or damaged rental equipment.

Make sure your event runs smoothly with an itinerary that you can check on location right from your smartphone. The itinerary has pre-made templates that you can customize for your event, and you can share it with your staff, vendors, and clients to make sure everyone is on the same page as far as knowing when and where to show up. The itineraries can also be easily printed or mailed.

Are events even possible without guests?! Prepare an organized guest list with your client online, and even send out invitations directly from your Inspherio account. As more guests RSVP you’ll know how many people to expect, and how many guests to bill your client for. Plus, you can pull up the guest list from the Inspherio app no matter where you are to quickly make any changes that your client needs.

Events are expensive, easily keep track of expenses with Inspherio to avoid letting them get out of hand. Record each expense in relation to different events, keep up with which of your employees incurred expenses, and keep track of when you reimburse those employees for those expenses right from the palm of your hand.

Make sure that you have the right inventory to cover an event, and add these items to your contracts. Once an item is added to an event it can be checked out and can be checked back in later. These items will be added to your load list so you can make sure you have everything when preparing for the event. Also, when you return items to your inventory you can add notes about any damages and the condition of your items.

Manage your contacts. Keep track of your staff by adding them to events and assigning them tasks, and keep up with the payroll to make sure they get paid for their hours. Also, organize different vendors into groups related to different events and easily pull up their contact information in a matter of seconds.

Give Inspherio a Try

Enjoy a complimentary 30-day free trial to take advantage of Inspherio’s intuitive features that will help you plan and manage your event with features for managing guest lists, keeping track of vendors, keeping note of your inventory and it’s condition, email marketing, and more.

Read More »

Momzilla! Is This Really a Thing?

You’ve seen the movie Monster-in-law, right?

You know the one with Jennifer Lopez, Michael Vartan, and Jane Fonda? Well if you haven’t, you definitely need to.

It sums up exactly what your brides (and you) might face when planning a wedding.

But in all seriousness, dealing with controlling moms and future mothers-in-law can be a nightmare for any bride.

So as a wedding planner, it’s your job to stick up for your client, and put mom in the corner.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. We’ve got some tips to help you out!

Understand Why Momzillas Exist

To handle a momzilla, you first need to understand what causes a momzilla. And it all comes down to emotions.

Moms’ lives are changing. Their babies aren’t babies anymore, and their family dynamic is shifting.

And when it comes to your client’s wedding and happiness, moms want to make sure it’s the best for you.

So when the mom of the bride texts you or her daughter all the time, know that it’s coming from a good place.

These moms just want the best for their children, and them reaching out to you helps fight their anxiety a little bit.

How to Handle the Craze Momzilla

Yes, momzillas can be crazy!

One moment they’re perfectly fine with how you’re handling everything, the next they’re crying because it’s not right.

How do you handle it?

One of the biggest things a momzilla needs is to feel included, to feel like you want them as a contributor in the wedding.

No one likes sitting out or feeling excluded, especially mom!

It’s alright to ask mom for her opinion, get her insight on what the bride might like, as well as explore any hidden talents she might have in design.

And it might help calm the beast.

Don’t Bend too Much

Now of course, the best way to handle momzilla is to make her feel included.

But, and this is a big but, always make sure you’re still the voice for your client.

Don’t let mom overstep her bounds and start taking control of everything. It’s your client’s day and she hired you to be her champion, even when it’s against mom.

The best way to handle situations like that if they do arise is to sit down with the mom and explain to her that while you are both thankful for her input and all that she has done, her actions are causing problems.

Sure it’s a little frank and abrupt, but no need to be ambiguous and beat around the bush with a serious issue like this.

Be firm when it comes to fighting a momzilla!

Ready to battle your first momzilla, event planners? We believe in you! Just remember, you’re there to help your client plan their dream day.

And to those event planners who’ve dealt with a momzilla, tell us your experience in the comment section below, or share it with us on our Facebook page.

Read More »

Event Planner's Top 5 Pet Peeves—And Our One Solution

Ugh! Once again, your clients have changed their mind on the reception flowers, and now you have to start all over on the design. That’s enough to make your head spin, right? I mean, they’ve only changed it about seven times already. But as a professional, you take a deep breath, resist the eye roll, and say, “OK, what flowers were you thinking about?”

Mr. Webster, famous for his ability to define words, would categorize this as a pet-peeve moment—you know that one incident or occurrence you find especially annoying? But don’t feel bad; you’re not alone. We rounded up five of the most common pet peeves every planner has when planning an event:

1. RSVP Nightmares

Late RSVPs are enough to drive you completely event-planner crazy. You and your clients send out RSVPs for a reason: so you can get an accurate headcount for seating, food, bulletins, and countless other items. But when someone sends a late RSVP, you have to completely reorganize the venue layout to accommodate for them. Why do these even exist?!

2. The No Shows

This happens at every. single. event.

The guests RSVP’d on time, you ordered them a meal, and you saved them a seat, but when you look around, they’re not there. Maybe they didn’t want to insult your clients by checking “No” on the RSVP slip, but what the guests fail to realize is that you arranged tables, prepared food, hired staff, and might have even delayed the start of the event just for them. This one is a big event planner pet peeve!

Related: 15 Wedding Expenses You Forgot to Budget For

3. Vendors Arriving Late

It’s the day of the event and everything is on time, except the DJ. He is over an hour late and you could just scream. He needs to run AV cables, set up his table, and do a sound check—all before the guests arrive. As an event planner, you rely on vendors to help you implement a successful show. However, when one part of the event runs behind, everything else does too. And yes, we understand problems with vendors do arise, but a good vendor will ensure they show up early to silence your event-day worries.

4. Hidden Costs

Your clients depend on you to plan the event of their dreams within the means of their budget. And nothing annoys you more than a vendor who gives you a quote, but neglects to include the hidden service charges. Sneaky, sneaky! Knowing the exact prices up front helps you plan a realistic budget because no one likes asking the clients for more money at the end of the event.

Related: Event Contracts: Your Armor and Your Shield

5. Lost Guests

You tried your best to paint the prettiest signs, and you made sure every sign post had the directional arrow guiding guests to the event. But it never fails, a guest always gets lost and then gets mad at you. Although you have a great poker face and apologize for the miscommunication, all you want to do is roll. your. eyes.

The One Solution: Inspherio

Pet peeve moments happen, but the Inspherio Crew is here to make them less of an occurrence. As experienced event professionals, we know there are certain moments that can drive you crazy, which is why we designed the perfect anti pet-peeve, event planning solution. When you join the Inspherio family, you’ll have access to features that can help keep people on time, track and update guest lists, budget events, and a vendor contract feature to ensure every event is spectacular.  Don’t believe us, try it free for 30 days. You’ll be glad you did.

Read More »

Listen Up, Wedding Planners: 5 Challenges Facing You Today

Every planner deals with a variety of issues when organizing an event. From the vendors not showing up, to clients changing their minds at the last second, complications do happen. However, as a wedding planner, you have your own set of challenges that differentiates you from any other event planner.

So listen up, wedding planners—here are five of the biggest wedding roadblocks, and how you can overcome them.

Challenge #1: Do It Yourself (DIY) Brides and Grooms

Oh, Pinterest! As the world’s greatest site for wedding planning ideas, do it yourself (DIY) projects, and photo sessions—Pinterest can be your worst nightmare (no hate, Pinterest; you know everyone loves you). Some brides & grooms swear by DIY, and believe it to be the best money-saving option for their wedding. However, doing it yourself doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be cheaper.

An example: A client buys twenty-five floral vases for the reception tables. She realizes the vases will not work with the flowers, but now she can’t return them, and it takes away a significant sum from the reception budget. Instead of doing it herself, the client could have rented vases from the florist, who knows what sizes will work best with the floral arrangement.

Our Advice: To limit the DIY bride from taking over, meet with your client regularly, listen to their ideas, and offer your advice on vendors who can replicate their vision. And just between you and me, it’s usually better to leave the DIY alone and hire professionals.

Challenge #2: The ‘zillas Have Arrived

We have all heard of the term Bridezilla—there is even a show on HGTV about them. (You know, the ones who want to control every aspect of their wedding, and throw huge temper tantrums over the smallest details.) Thankfully, it seems bridezillas are slowly fading away, but their replacement doesn’t look good. Prepare to meet Groomzilla!

Today, men are helping pick the flower arrangements, food and drinks, wedding date, and even the venue. Because most couples share the wedding expenses, men are becoming more involved than ever before.

Our Advice: To prevent a Groomzilla from making an appearance, be sure to include the groom in decisions and meetings. We also suggest giving the bride and groom individual tasks to work on. And remember, this is his day too; make him feel included.

Challenge #3: Small Budgets, Big Dreams

Laughter and love=priceless

Hugs and Kisses=priceless

Growing family= priceless

Planning a wedding= $25,000

Weddings, with an average price-tag of about $26,444, do not cost what they used to. As a wedding planner, clients hire you to plan their dream event without breaking the bank. However, creating and adhering to a budget is difficult, which is why we consider it perfect for challenge #3.

Our Advice: Divide the budget up into different sections and categories. For a wedding, you have three events to plan for: the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony, and the reception. Allot a certain budget for each of these events, before delving into figuring out the flower budget, food budget, etc.

An Example:

	Rehearsal Dinner	Ceremony	Reception
Flowers	$500	$4,500	$4,000
Food	$1,500	N/A	$5,000
Music	N/A	$500	$1,000
Total	$2,000	$5,000	$10,000

Grand Budget Total: $17,000

*budget isn’t based on actual wedding.

Challenge #4: Unrealistic Expectations

One of your toughest challenges is fighting the unrealistic, reality TV expectation clients have for their wedding day. Unlike what they see on TV, appointments are needed, you have to decorate, and yes, it all costs money.

Our Advice: It’s OK to say no. If you notice your clients are trying to get more than what they paid for, or becoming a ‘zilla, it’s alright to walk away and not accept the job. Take control of the situation before it takes control of you.

Challenge #5: Weekend Warriors

In the wedding industry, there is not a uniform standard of service or quality, which makes it difficult to find reliable vendors. Anyone with a passion can become a weekend wedding planner or a wedding vendor—so knowing who to trust is quite a challenge.

Our Advice: Don’t wait for others, set a standard; partner with vendors who uphold the same standard of quality and service you provide. And show your clients that the quality of your services can’t be matched or topped. When you set a standard, others will follow.

A wedding can be an emotional and stressful affair, but it is also one of the happiest days in your client’s life. Although you may face challenges in your job, isn’t it worth it when the groom sees his bride for the first time on their wedding day? We like to think so!

Remember, Inspherio is here to make sure every day is the happiest day. With our all-in-one event and business management program, we help make creating dream events and overcoming challenges that much easier. What are you waiting for? Try our free 30-day trial today!

Read More »

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!

Read More »

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!

Read More »

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!

Read More »

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!

Read More »

Don’t Short-Change Yourself: Confidence Matters

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post entitled “Don’t Hawk What You Can’t Handle: A Lesson In Customer Service.” The article warned against overextending yourself with promises you can’t keep -- still solid advice (I think so anyway).

While it’s certainly important to know what you can and can’t promise your customers, it’s first and foremost important to be confident in your abilities.

Just because you're starting out doesn't mean you have to start small! For instance: as a wedding planner, if you start off with low budget weddings, you may find yourself stuck in that category -- a tale more common than you might think. Now, there's nothing wrong with simple, inexpensive weddings, that's for sure. But if you aspire to do more high-end weddings, then go for it! -- provided that you are confident of your skills. Never limit yourself out of fear of failure.

If you believe you are capable of offering high-end services and you are sensible about your resources, then you're set. The greatest weapon in the event professional’s arsenal is self-confidence. You can handle just about anything if you’re confident in your abilities. Of course, confidence comes from knowing you’ve done the proper prep work, training, and practice that will allow you to succeed. Otherwise, it isn’t confidence, it’s bluster.

Too many event professionals sell themselves short, not because they can’t afford to offer greater services but because they lack the confidence to do so. If you convince yourself that you are not ready for something, or that you are not as skilled as someone else, then you’ve already defeated yourself. Exude confidence even when you’re scared. You’ll be surprised how quickly that confidence becomes real.

Clients notice and respond to your sense of self. If you waver at all, they’ll immediately question your abilities -- and why not? After all, if you’re not sure of yourself, how can they be?

Whatever service you offer, offer it with complete confidence that you are the best person for the job. And once you've taken a look in the mirror and told yourself you're awesome (confidence), take a look at Inspherio, the all-in-one event planning and business management tool (sensibility). Inspherio has the tools to help you to grow your business: you won't have to waste time with a lot of busy work that could be better spent doing fun things like cultivating your business's image, establishing your presence, and connecting with clients. Just sayin'.

One thing's for sure: without a program like Inspherio, you're going to have much more cause for anxiety. Nothing is more confidence-shattering than having to juggle websites, applications, and paperwork trying to stay afloat. Get organized, save time, and make more money with this program! Try our free 30-day trial and see for yourself. Let Inspherio be the spark that ignites your fire!

Read More »

Ask the Right Questions: Inspherio's "Know Your Event" Form

As an event professional, you know better than anyone the time-consuming process of gathering information from clients. You take detailed notes during your meetings with clients, but every so often you forget to ask something. So you make phone calls, you draft emails, you meet up in person -- and then you accidentally throw away the notes you took. Hair torn out.

And despite calling, emailing, and meeting to get all of that information back again, come event day you are told you provided the wrong kind of flowers, or that you should have had this and that but didn't. You could've sworn you asked, but you lost your notes! Hair torn out again.

Then you realize you never asked them their preferences for table skirt colors, or whether or not they need refreshments. You're going to go bald! (If you're already bald, you're beautiful...but you still don't need the stress!)

We know you're not careless. We know you're professionals. But accidents happen, and when they do, you're stuck playing time-consuming (and hair-ripping) catch-up.

With Inspherio's Know Your Event (KYE) form, you can avoid spending too much time corresponding back and forth; planners and clients are able to ask and answer preliminary questions so that all necessary information is available from the start.

With the KYE form, you can:

• Create, save, edit, and reuse your own questions for different types of events
• Use convenient template forms for different types of events (i.e. weddings, parties)
• Edit questions and information for future events
• Ensure all potentialities are covered and all parties are on the same page before planning begins.

And the best news is that it's all cloud-based, so you'll never lose your information (or your hair!). Visit Inspherio.com and get started on that KYE form with our free 30-day trial.

Read More »

Year End Tax Tips for Wedding and Event Planners

It’s that time of the year again where you find yourself scrambling to find all those receipts and bits of paperwork that you knew you’d need when filing your taxes. We hope you kept everything together, because we know every penny counts when you’re trying to save on taxes. There’s good news: if you’re a wedding planner, your chances of racking up deductions are high.

We’ve put together a list of tips of the trade in year-end tax filing that’ll keep your wallet from thinning.

Working from home. We know there’s probably a majority of wedding planners out there that do their business from home, and that’s good news if you do. Working from home means you could be eligible for a home office deduction. 

Learning more about your business. If you took educational courses in order to improve your skills as a business owner, you can deduct the costs as a business expense.

Fete your business customers. Did you entertain a client preceding or following a “substantial business discussion”? If so, this means that 50% of the entertainment and meal expenses are deductible. The entertainment can take place the day before or after for an out-of-town customer. What’s more, spouses or significant others can tag along when the situation calls for it.

Stock up on depreciable equipment. Under current law, the maximum Section 179 deduction for business equipment is limited to only $25,000, while 50% bonus depreciation generally isn’t allowed anymore this year. Nevertheless, don’t hesitate to buy needed equipment if the price is right. At tax return time, you can maximize deductions, including any retroactive extensions of favorable provisions ultimately approved by Congress.

Add vacation time to business trips. Generally speaking, you can deduct travel expenses – including airfare, lodging, ground transportation and 50% of meal costs – if the primary purpose of the trip is business-related. As long as you spend more days on business than pleasure, you should be in the clear. However, note that expenses that are strictly personal, such as a sightseeing jaunt, are nondeductible.

Overhead used. If you’re just starting out in the wedding planning business, your cost of overhead may be low. If you’ve been in the bizz for a while now, it’s probably substantially higher. Either way, you can deduct the cost of items used to manage your business such as laptops, iPads, printer, cell phone, and office supplies.

Marketing your business. We know that marketing and advertising your amazing wedding planning skills can sometimes be costly — now you can get more bang for your buck. If you dished out cash for your business’s website, online and print advertising, business cards, and other marketing expenses, you can add this to your long list of deductions.

Celebrate with your staff. If you happen to have a staff working for you, sometimes a little celebration may be in order for the success of your wedding planning business. Normally, deductions for business entertainment are limited to 50% of the cost. However, under a special tax law exception, you can write off 100% of a company party, like a July 4th or Labor Day picnic or barbecue, as long as the entire workforce is invited.

Deadline to file taxes for Business is March 16th and Personal returns is April 15th for this year. If you are not ready to file your return, you can file an extension. E-filing an extension is the way to go and you can use an IRS authorized E-file service provider like ExpressExtension and get an additional 5 to 6 months to prepare and file your return. Learn more at IRS or Express Extension. If you ever have any questions regarding your taxes or deductions, please contact a tax professional. 

Read More »