Wedding Planners: Add New Revenue through Bachelor(ette) Parties

People typically see wedding planners as those who plan, well, weddings. Just weddings. But as we all know, there is so much more to the wedding planning process than just the wedding itself. What about the reception? The rehearsal?

What about the bachelor(ette) parties?

Honestly, the amount of time and energy that some bridesmaids put into planning bachelorette parties or weekends can be astounding. They have to find a venue, food, plan entertainment/games, make decorations, and invite guests.

Sounding familiar to you?

Wedding planners take note: there are a few distinct advantages to planning these events:

• It allows you to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Your complete wedding package is truly a complete wedding package.
• You can develop new business/vendor relationships throughout the area. By bringing them new business, you are opening yourself up to new referral opportunities.
• Not only can you build a valuable rapport with a variety of local venues and young professional hotspots, but you can also better get to know the happy couple. And if you are a good fit, maybe the bride includes you in the festivities.
• You never know which of the bridesmaids or other attendees may see your skills and want to book you in the future.
• Do I need to mention the added revenue from your planning fees for these parties?

Now, your bride and/or groom may want to plan a wild night out on their own, or they may be reluctant to join in the cliché traditions of tequila shots or Hummer limos. There are, however, some viable alternatives you can offer that your clients may very well find intriguing and that may go along with the wedding theme. 

Time to Unwind
Relaxing amidst the torrential downpour of wedding woes can be the hardest thing for a bride or groom.  Search local options concerning your client's interests: visit a local orchard, a fun cooking class, horseback riding, river tubing, or creative adult art classes! Renting a cabin in the mountains and spending a weekend hiking would be an ideal retreat for the weary but restless.

 

These girls had the right idea 

Check out all the occasion's photos at Shelby Schmidt Imagery

Check out this New York Times spotlight below on a summer-camp themed Anti-Bachelorette Party.

Adrenaline Junky
While fly-fishing and quilting may be sufficient for the mild-mannered, some brides and grooms would rather celebrate nearing matrimony with a little flair. 

 

Yes, those are guys

Consider suggesting white water rafting, kayaking, spelunking, zipline and canopy tours, rock climbing, indoor skydiving, or visiting a national park. 

Nostalgic Night Out

 

Timeless vintage style. Trending everywhere now.

Check out more photos at The Hen Planner

Vintage trends are still making big waves in the world of wedding style, and it never hurts to have a few hip cards up your sleeve.  Orchestrating a fun vintage photo shoot, trip to the state fair, carnivals, fall festivals, amusement parks, snazzy wine-tastings, or museum tour can be a simple departure from the steady bustle of planning a wedding.  A music festival or VIP table at a local jazz club can add some music to your clients' memories.

As you can see, ideas for these festivities, just like weddings, are endless.

And remember, you can plan and organize all of your weddings, parties, and other events on Inspherio . If you're new to the Inspherio family, start your free trial today and see how we can help you plan your success.

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Getting tech-sy at PlannerTech

For those of you who could not attend or simply may not be aware, happening today in NYC is the the premier Event Tech Conference and Showcase - PlannerTech.

Presented by Liz King Events, PlannerTech's goal is to educate professionals in the event industry on how technology can be strategically implemented to improve the efficiency of events and/or have a lasting impact on event guests. It's a great product and one that continues to grow each year.

In addition to educational speakers, PlannerTech partners with many exhibitors who can showcase their new event tech. While Inspherio is an outstanding tool for the beginning-to-end planning process, there are several other great tools you can utilize that offer other creative services once the event begins. For example, CoatChex is the first and only digital ticketless coat/bag service; they've taken a traditional service and made it more efficient using technology.

Inspherio uses the same concept. We've taken what you already do and made it much more efficient. Instead of scribbling down information on notepads, sticky notes, spreadsheets, and emails, Inspherio allows you to keep all your information organized in one central, web-based location. Instead of having to create, amend, fax, and sign client contracts, Inspherio automatically generates it for you and allows both you and your client to digitally sign. Instead of you forgetting whether or not that invoice has been sent or the payment received, Inspherio will act as your personal assistant and keep track of each lead or event's status. Not to mention, like most of the other event techs, we are completely mobile for your iPhone or Android.

For more information on PlannerTech, its speakers, and exhibitors, check out PlannerTech.com. If you want to follow everything going on, or if you are attending and want to share what you've learned, utilize hashtags #plannertech and #techsytalk.

And as always, check Inspherio and its benefits and sign-up for a 30-day free trial!

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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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Olympic Trends in Fashion and Decor

We are all excited about our athletes in the London Olympics this year.  All day long, you get the latest updates of different competitions, new records, and of course, the inevitable controversies.

In the meantime let’s take a quick look at some trends that have begun this Olympic Season.

Some fashion designers decided to contribute to the Olympic Spirit through their art. Many statues throughout London appeared to wear designer hats yesterday.

Here is a couple:

Source: UK.Lifestyle

Source: Exploring London

Wedding Cake Decorators also want to be on top of the trend. After seeing all the Olympic medal ceremonies, it is easy to think about Silver and Gold.  Here are a few beautiful Gold and Silver inspired creations:

Source: WeddingWire Olympic Week

 

We wish the best of luck to our US athletes in London!

Check out what Inspherio has to offer in order for YOU to stay ahead of the game and beat your competition!

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Green Trends in the Event Industry | Catering

Today we will continue our conversation about Green Trends in the Event Industry.

This time let’s talk about Catering.

First of all, Catering is about serving food and/or beverages, so it’s important that serving surfaces are made of environmentally friendly materials. Buy or build your tables, bar stations, chairs, etc. from Earth friendly material, such as reclaimed wood, bamboo, and recycled plastic. Also, tables that can be used without linen are great to reduce costs.

Use vegetable based ink to print menus, seat placements, signs and invitations.

Low wattage light fixtures will not only save you money by using less electricity, but also by emitting less heat, this will lower air conditioning costs.

For your menu, you could use natural, locally grown, preferably organic foods. Sometimes national producers of organic foods may raise prices, because the cost of organic food is much higher. So, instead of using well-known brands, visit your local farmers market, speak to vendors there, and check if they can cut you a deal with a long term contact. You may also check if a farmer would grow organic produce for you, in exchange for a promise/contact. Some catering businesses start to grow produce themselves, “in house” as we call it. This may be a great selling point for your business; if you would know exactly where the food comes from and how it was grown.

While serving, opt for glass bottles instead of plastic, they can be easily recycled. The same goes for dishes, stemware and silverware, use the ones that can be washed and used for the next function. Using, paper and plastic serving tools add to waste and increase cleanup effort.

Use pitchers instead of single serve bottles, rarely a customer would finish the entire bottle of water or soda during a meal. By offering a pitcher, you will reduce waste and save the cost of bottles that were thrown out half full. Also, ask guests whether they want water, instead of automatically bringing the water to them, by doing so, you will save gallons of water, plus you will have fewer glasses to wash at the end.

Try to use Energy Star Certified appliances in your business; they reduce energy cost and usually are more efficient.

If your catering business has a delivery car, opt for a vehicle that is fuel efficient and is the right size for the job.

We would like to mention that being Green is extremely popular today, if you adhere to environmentally friendly standards, you can use them to promote your business. Rest assured some clients will choose you over another caterer just because you use Earth friendly techniques.
Inspherio can also help your Catering business to be more environmentally friendly. Inspherio can optimize your schedule; send contracts to your clients, so you will have fewer trips to take every day. Our unique KYE form with customizable questions for your clients can build exclusive menu for your client, you would know exactly how many people to prepare for, what foods to stay away from and what foods/ beverages guests liked the most at the previous event. You can easily prepare for your event and wow your client, all without leaving your office. So, what are you waiting for? Check out what Inspherio can do for YOU now by clicking here!

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Green Trends in the Event Industry | Part 1

Everyone talks about being “Green” and "environmentally friendly" nowadays.  You may be wondering how your business could also be more sustainable by adopting some Green Business Strategies like these:

First, reduce your carbon footprint.

How? Try to use less paper in your office, add a note to your e-mail signature that invites the reader to consider twice before printing your e-mail.  Be sure to follow what you preach, do not print web documents unless absolutely needed. Even most legal matters, like contracts, for instance, no longer require faxing or mailing the paper version; with Inspherio you can send an electronic version of your contract and your client can e-sign it online from anywhere. The best part is that Inspherio keeps all the records for you. So you don’t have to keep bulky shelves made out of wood or other labor-consuming material.

Use modern means of communication to reduce commute. Skype is a great option if you need to speak to your client and, maybe even show samples of your work. A quick meeting that lasts 20-30 minutes is usually not worth sitting in traffic for 30-40 minutes. Think of the gas and parking expenses you would save if you could eliminate most of your in-person meetings. If you are a Wedding Planner, you can make a video of the room setup to keep your bride’s mind at ease, and e-mail it to her to confirm the details. See? She did not have to drive across town! What a great service you have provided!

Stay tuned for more Trends every Wednesday.

For more ways to be "green" in your business visit our website and blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook!

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How to Turn Any Feedback Into a Positive One!

Customer Service is one the most important tasks in your business regardless of whether you are a B2C (your direct customer is a final consumer: Wedding Planner, Photographer) or B2B (your direct customer is a business: Party rentals, Florist) type of business.

Click Here to read our recent blog about handling customer complaints to learn some very important information about Customer Service.

Photos is a courtesy of Pixels On Paper. http://www.pixelsonpaper.biz

Today, we would like to talk about the times when the customer feedback goes public and the word spreads around. What to do and how to do it.

• As we mentioned earlier:  act fast. The faster you address the complaint the better.
• Contact the customer directly (if possible) asking for all the details of their complaint
• Start working on rectifying the issue, try to make it as fast as possible.
•  It is extremely important that the customer is satisfied with the recovery process.
• Go the extra mile, WOW your customer by anticipating the next step of the process or go beyond the usual line of service. For example, if you are a photographer and the bride is not satisfied with the picture quality. The usual step would be to make steps to improve the quality, if any way possible, and the extra step would be to mail picture copies to the relatives and friends of her choice at no cost.
• Depending on how the word got out, try to make an announcement via the same channel... i.e.: Facebook, Twitter, Yelp.  If possible, ask your customer to pass the word along that the issue has been rectified and to recommend your service in the future.

  Visit Inspherio for more ways to improve Your Business!

   

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8 Things You Are Not Doing If You Cannot Get Work Done!

We are continuing the talk about the Time management; saving your Time and effectively managing your work load is what ultimately makes you efficient and successful.

We have come up with these tips to help our fellow Event professionals in their day-to-day struggle with time.

Before you start your day, make a plan, prioritize. Start by working on the most important tasks first in case if something comes up and you will be called away from your office, that way you can ensure that the most vital parts of your business are taken care of making you ready for whatever day brings ahead. 

Combat the procrastination; do the tasks you enjoy the least first, paperwork for example.

Needless to say your priorities should be ranked: Clients first, all other business next, but be sure to dedicate some time every day to build relationships. Call a client that you had an event with 3 months ago, ask how he/she is doing, speak to your employees and get feedback from vendors. It will help you stay in touch with reality and build collaborative relations with your team and clients.

Categorize your e-mails. There is nothing more frustrating than searching through hundreds of e-mails for that one e-mail you need right now to finalize the contract. It is especially hard when the subject line was not about what you are looking for. So, make it a habit to create special folders in your in-box. Usually by the event’s or client’s name, try to stay away from notorious “miscellaneous” folder. (If you are using Inspherio , you can paste the details from your e-mail into your client's page “Confidential information” tab to keep all the info at your fingertips.)

Before heading out to the meeting or making a call, make a list of what you need to say and ask, that will save you time of having to call back or reach for people to get or deliver the important information.

Always save your work on the computer every 10-15 min. Even better, use Google Docs that way you have your documents saved even if the computer crashes. 

Keep away from your e-mail. Make a habit to check your e-mail at regular intervals, say at 8am, 11am, 2pm, etc. Try to resist the urge to constantly checking your mail box constantly, it will save you time in a long run. Trust me; it takes on overage 10-20 minutes to return you back to the concentrated state of mind you were in before you received the e-mail that there were doughnuts in your break room.

Keep visitors out. Make your coworkers aware that you will be working on important tasks at particular time of the day, researching leads, for example, and you should not be bothered, the exception is your clients. Customer Service should be your number one priority!

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How much does the Wedding cost in US?

24,973 - Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2009. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to couples of all ages. In February 2011, these stores sold $2.27 billion in merchandise.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (448310)

$17 million is the combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2010 for all operations with $100,000 or more in sales.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

17,124 - The number of florists nationwide in 2009. These businesses employed 75,855 people.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code (453110)

2.1 million - The number of marriages that took place in the United States in 2009. That breaks down to nearly 5,800 a day.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics

28.7 and 26.5 years is median age at first marriage in 2011 for men and women, respectively.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Families and Living Arrangements: 2011

Average cost of wedding bouquet, according to the Brides magazine is $230

Average cost of a Wedding is about 25,000, with about 6000 couples getting married daily, that makes the wedding industry one of the most lucrative industries, surpassed only by chocolate and travel industries. Even with economy slowing down in past few years, the average cost of the wedding went down only about 3k, (in 2007 it was 28,000). Couples still put a lot of value on how their event will look, where it will be held and by whom it will be planned.

Wedding Photography is another industry of its own, according to census survey, wedding photo make about 40% of the total professional pictures taken. Kids’ pictures are the next runner ups.

June, August and October are the 3 most popular months for the weddings.

Most recently there has been a lot of buzz on the web about what average event planner, DJ or caterer should charge for their service. Some debate that the flat fees are the best and give you better edge to win a customer, but the downfall is that the flat fee may not adequately reflect the effort and extra work you put in to the event. Some say that charging the percentage of the total cost of the event may be a solution to the problem; however that unorthodox approach caused quite uproar among meeting planners and other industry professionals. Seems that some sort of hybrid approach is needed here?

Would you charge your client a higher flat fee to stay on budget or would you rather sacrifice your effort to keep your client satisfied? Tell us what you think…

Pictures source: Pinterest

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Destination Wedding: 7 Rules About Southern Wedding Planning

More and more couples choose to travel for their wedding outside of their hometown. There are different reasons why. Sometimes they don’t want to play favorites if one or both of them are not from the town they live in or their families are scattered across the country. The number one reason is to pick an unforgettable destination that will be remembered by the couple and their guests.

South Carolina has become a very popular destination for a wedding. No wonder! Great weather, beaches, lavish parks make perfect backdrops for the wedding pictures. Places like Charleston offer great historic locations for wedding receptions and ceremonies.

So, what if you have to plan a wedding in a south? Where do you start to ensure that the wedding will be not just a party with lots of food, but a very special occasion, the one people talk about way after honeymooners returned home?

Here are few things to remember.

If you are a Wedding planner, DJ or any other wedding related professional, please, make sure that your fees and your budget are clearly discussed with the couple or the other responsible party. Do not surpass your budget; do not add any last minute fees. That will ruin the day. The comprehensive collaborative platform of Inspherio allows you to do just that, set your prices and let your client see them clearly with our Client Portal tool.

Most southerners don’t like sit-down dinners, buffet  may be more appropriate. Make sure that set up of the tables and stations allows for a good traffic flow, yet make sure that there are places to gather. Southerners like to congregate and chat. Ample elbow room around a bar station usually does the trick.

For the menu, stick with simple comfort dishes, nothing over-the-top. A roast-beef carving station with lots of side dishes is a loved staple.

Outline the time when the reception will end, it is a courtesy that will be welcomed by both guests and the staff servicing the wedding.

If a wedding is outdoors, take measures to ensure proper airflow;  fans, ice sculptures and lots of cold beverages (ice tea is best) will make your clients more comfortable.

These are just few things that we could come up with. For more Tips and Tricks visit our other blog posts.
Of course, every event is different and takes a lot of collaboration, communication and hard work.

We know you work hard, that is why we’ve created the communication tool, called Inspherio. Like no other platform out there it allows you to manage your clients’ information from anywhere, add special notes and to keep a history of your client’s events. Anticipate your clients’ wishes and wow them with your attention to detail. 

Get Inspherio today!

Pictures source: Pinterest.

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Wedding Decor Trends

The official start of summer is just a few days away.  While our fellow wedding planners are busy working on their next magnificent event, let’s take a moment and see what trends are out there.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of a wedding? 

Of course, it’s a bride dressed to the latest season’s fashion. We will talk about dresses some other time.

What is the second thing?

What about wedding decorations?

There are few parallel trends this season when it comes to wedding décor. Some go with glamour, decorative lights, but the trend that stands out the most; is natural, organic weddings.

All decorations should look natural as if they were put together in a bliss by loving family members, featuring fresh flowers from the garden nearby, organic textures, such as burlap, tree bark, rocks, fruits, vegetables and, of course, candles.

Flowers have been a wedding staple since the beginning of times. So what is new this season? The trends this season is unexpected flower arrangements, whether that flowers hanging from the ceiling in place of a chandelier or centerpiece flowers submerged in water, which gives them that magnifying fresh look that any wedding decorator is striving to achieve.

Of course any wedding look takes lots or preparations and coordination. To help yourself put your next event together, stay organized with Inspherio, one of a kind, cloud based software that does most of the work for you, so you can dream and stay inspired!

Check it out at www.inspherio.com.

 

Pictures source: Pinterest.com

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