Bridal Business Academy Comes To Southern California

www.EvansSalesSolutions.com

Bridal Business Academy Comes To Southern California

The Bridal Business Academy is an intensive course in bridal business management, where wedding industry entrepreneurs gain hands-on familiarity with the fundamental skills needed in a successful business from the novice to the experienced.

 

The Bridal Business Academy features an intensive education program designed to strengthen the business acumen of wedding industry leaders. The workshop is designed for owners, managers, staff leaders and those looking to advance their wedding business.  Attendees range from the novice to the experienced as the Academy provides a strong foundation for wedding professionals who enjoy perfecting their trade.

Featured Trainer & Business Motivator, Chris Evans -Top Wedding Industry Specialist will be on hand to help you learn how to improve your business and grow your sales.

Additional top bridal business trainers will  teach information which focuses on practical concepts and tools to strengthen leadership capabilities in your wedding business.
Trainers include: Wedding Planner Alice Goetschel of Memorable Occasions, Susan Tellem, Owner of Tellem Worldwide Communications, Nick DiLello, Owner & Operator of the Phoenix Bridal Show and Daryl Bryant, Business Motivator & Owner of Total Entertainment.
 
As a bonus,  Wedding Coordinators/Planners can get a complimentary registration courtesy of the Sheraton Delfina Hotel.  Discount registrations are available for those in the Wedding Industry wanting to attend!

Call 805-322-4446 to reserve your seat (limited) or email to: Academy@EvansSalesSolutions.com

Go to: www.BridalMarketingConcierge.com

Products for the wedding professional

NEW DVD's & AUDIO CD's to grow your wedding business. CLICK HERE:
Products for the wedding professional to grow business

Are you leading or just managing your bridal company?

Leadership is about taking risks and overcoming obstacles. When Chris Evans, top speaker in the wedding circuit, left the wedding industry as a major bridal show producer, he decided to use his skills and teach wedding merchants ‘how to sell’ through workshops, seminars and more. However, there were a lot of obstacles in his way. This included a massive brick-and-mortar system of getting the word out to those in the wedding industry via direct mail and advertising costs. But he left his safe job and founded ‘Evans Sales Solutions, LLC,’ and stepped into the training and speaking circuit, changing the way many in this industry look at ‘sales and marketing.’

What is the key to assessing big decisions and overcoming obstacles that he used? He didn’t want to waste his ‘God-given talent’ of teaching and then regret not doing it. He would have regretted not joining the ‘speaking circuit,’ where he has met and trained thousands in the wedding industry to grow their businesses.

He had a clear vision of what he wanted to do, he knew the obstacles involved, set out to overcome them, knowing the whole time that there was a high failure risk. He didn’t want to be 80 years old and regret what he could have done for this industry. His theme every morning? ‘It’s a Bright New Day Filled with Possibilities!’

Will you look back with regret at what could have been in your wedding organization? Maybe you’ve owned your bridal business for a long time or been in an executive position for a few years, but are you leading or managing?

Leadership is about making the hard choices and living with the outcomes, good or bad. Managing is more about ‘not doing the hard things-keeping all running smoothly’ thus making sure employees, vendors and customers are all happy.

Sometimes though, the path to a greater success requires you to ‘rock the boat,’ to the point of tipping it over.

The first step is to: Know where you are going in this industry. Too many bridal companies start with a ‘passionate idea,’ and then ‘just survive the ride.’ They are not plotting their growth plan; they are doing what they’ve always done, hoping that it’s enough to get by for another day. If you are a leader, you won’t go for that.

Second step: Make a list of how you are going to make it happen! List the easy steps, and list the obstacles. By listing the obstacles, you can then go around them, through them, over them or simply get rid of them. Most obstacles are going to fall into the category of people, products or the structure you have in place. Ask yourself: Is this the right management team to get you where you want your company to be? Is your product on the ‘edge’ of what 18-36 year old brides are looking for? Is your company structured to handle the challenges that lie ahead (yes, they are there) on your path to growth?
This is where leadership comes in. Do you have the DISCIPLINE (consistency plus perseverance) or SELF CONTROL (the ability in the heat of the moment to take a specific action in the right direction) and COURAGE (Strength of purpose, to do your best and not swerve from your path) to grow your business?

None of these changes are easy. But that’s the difference between a leader and a manager. A leader says, ‘we are going a different direction and that means things are going to have to change.’ Your other option is to leave things alone and play it safe. But get ready, Chris won’t be standing next to you at 80, when you declare, ‘I could have done so much more!!’

Evans Sales Solutions/ Bridal Marketing Concierge, leaders in the wedding industry with support products, business training, sales & marketing techniques to grow your business. As a solutions-based and results-driven concierge we create opportunities to grow your bridal business sales and increase your profitability. Reach us by calling: 805-322-4446 or go to: www.BridalMarketingConcierge.com

Wedding Watch News -supporting the wedding industry

Planning Your Wedding? Use the New Mobile App Biz-E-Bride to Find What You Need

Go mobile with your wedding planning today! Busy brides-to-be only need to use their smartphones to connect to the Wedding Community today! Biz-E-Bride App available nationwide, find it and download today!

Mobile App for the Bride Released Nationwide! Wedding industry experts are ready to serve you! Biz-E-Bride app available for smartphones!


Wedding planning has gone mobile. Nearly three out of five brides use their smartphones for wedding planning. Brides who have smartphones are doing a lot on the go, from taking and sharing wedding-related pictures (58%) and looking up wedding vendor contact information (47%) to accessing wedding planning websites (33%) and managing their wedding gift registry (32%).

Top Features include:
1) GPS-Enabled Mapping which allows the bride to find your Wedding Business location pinpointed on an easy to navigate map. BizEBride allows one touch dialing to call each business.

2) A 'text-back' feature is also available for more information on the business, so that you have all the information you'll need to plan your wedding!

3) Brides will be able to Search by Category, sub-category, type of business, business name or location and so much more....

For a bride planning her wedding, BizEBride will fulfill many levels of need. Are you looking for a local flower shop? Touch the screen...
Are you looking for a wedding dress location in a town the bride is not familiar with? Touch the screen....
Looking for the reception location of your dreams? Touch the screen...........

Planning the perfect wedding, just got easier! Find Biz-E-Bride in your apps area on your smart phone today! The BizEBride Mobile App connects the bride and groom to those in the Wedding Industry with only a touch of a button. www.BizEBride.com

The Top 3 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t catch yourself falling into these three traps when it comes to Facebook!

Social media can create a boost to your business and brand—if you do it right. If you do it wrong, it could backfire. Here are three social marketing pitfalls you should avoid at all costs.

1. All about me, not about you. The biggest question on a customer’s mind is “What’s in it for me?” Are you answering this question when you throw out facebook posts? Social marketing should be exactly how it sounds—social. It’s about connecting with people. If you’re posting all about your business and what you do on a daily basis without answering your customer’s biggest question, you are failing at the most critical point of social marketing.

2. Leaving comments unanswered. You don’t want to be that guy – the one who is constantly talking about themselves without listening to what anyone else has to say. If you have a social marketing presence, you are most-likely getting comments and questions. If you are going to keep the interest of those you are marketing to, you must address every comment, especially if it is a negative one. A negative comment can wreak havoc for your business, so be sure to address it right away and always come up with a positive spin.

3. Not mapping out your strategy. Social marketing can bring a return on your time investment, but only if you have a plan. A social marketing plan can keep your business in front of the people you need the most. It can help each post build on one another instead of being scattered and unrelated. It can help you truly address your constituency’s needs and wants.

Have you set goals for your social marketing? Do you have the next month of promotions planned out? Need help with translating how a social marketing plan can bring more brides to your business?

Click here to check out Success with Facebook CD and start making social media work for your business.

And you can always find us online at www.evanssalessolutions.com.

Happy Facebooking from the Evans Sales Solutions team!

• Chris Evans - CEO, Motivation, Sales & Techniques Training - The face of the company, (Grand  PooPah when Becky lets me be)
• Rebekah Evans - Marketing and Sales, PR and Social Media Manager and (The real boss)
• James Mitchell - Internet Expert, Web & database Design, Internet Manager (Jbmwebdesigners.com)
• Vanessa Carroll - Copywriter and marketing Content Manager
• Marc Alex - Graphic designer and Literature Manager

Day by Day-Steps to Growing Your Bridal Business

by Chris Evans, National Bridal Sales & Marketing Expert 

What would your business look like if you made even minor changes to how you think and do business so that you can grow your business? It’s not how much you do in your day, it’s what you do in that day that can make or break your business.

Growing your business can be broken down into easy, doable, bite-sized activities. It’s simply about focusing on what matters.   Do you rely on your ‘self-control,’ so that you choose the correct activity or can you ‘discipline’ yourself to make the correct choices? 

Self-control is the ability in the heat of the moment to resist temptation or embrace that which will move to in the right direction.  Discipline is consistency in addition to perseverance.  It is about setting a goal and sticking with it repeatedly through obstacles, setbacks, disappointments and frustrations.  It is the ability to take SPECIFIC ACTION day in and day out-and it ultimately leads to the results you are hoping for.  What would your business look like if you did the following steps:

Created a plan for each day? Instead of waking up wondering what you had to do that day, how would it feel to wake up energized and empowered because you had clarity and confidence in knowing what the most important tasks for that day were and how they fit into your overall business strategy? By having a plan, uncertainty, procrastination and overwhelm are eliminated, enabling you to reach goals faster. 

If I planned for the 3 hours where I work consistently in the day? Nothing helps you prioritize better than knowing you have a limited time in which to accomplish tasks. Will organizing your desk again or sweeping the office floor--generate revenue or visibility for your business?   Or if you spent your time on the development of a new product or connecting with a media campaign help you to reach your goals? As the saying goes, “Time is a related thing. The more you have, the more your tasks expand.” The key is not to fill up the time you have, but to maximize it. Chunk out the hours (by tasks) and use a timer to keep you mindful of time spent on those tasks.

Make only 3 things your TOP PRIORITY for the day? “Not possible!” you say? Look through your To Do list now and cross off everything on that list that will not generate revenue, visibility or credibility for your business.  

Did you break the China Egg? From the new book: ‘The Secret of Sales Success,’ Author Chris Evans, teaches you how to ‘sell more-by doing that which is hard.’  These include doing follow-up calls to recent or existing clients or up-sell a new product, sending text messages to brides to touch base, asking friends or clients for referrals, reaching out to people you’ve recently met at networking activities, etc. If you figure most of us work 5 days a week for a total of 50 weeks a year (taking out a few weeks for holidays), that means you’ve made 500 sales presentation in a year. Trying to make 500 sales presentations is daunting, making two per day is doable.

Attend a Networking Event a Week? Networking is a necessary tool for business growth.  Focus on events where “your people” (colleagues, potential clients and referral partners) congregate. If you attend just 1 networking event a week, 4 a month, that totals 50 a year!  Even doing just two a month means 25 events a year. Be targeted and attend frequently so you become known among those groups. Familiarity makes referring you to new brides an easier connection.

Grab 20 seconds of no fear? Are you nervous about calling that editor, that new bride-to-be, that successful bridal shop that you’d like to get referrals from?  Great! That means you’re pushing the envelope, getting out of your comfort zone and growing your business.  My kids & I adopted the new motto, ‘It only takes 20 seconds of bravery or no fear,’ from the new movie, ‘We bought a zoo.’  The more you challenge yourself, the more confident you become in selling yourself and your product or services. Bigger risks = bigger rewards.

I used Discipline today? What if you acted with discipline, daily, on the above recommendations? What if you honored your time, your priorities and your goals and focused only on what mattered–really mattered–so that your business became successful?  It is a series of ‘self-controlled’ moments that lead you to repetitively engage in behavior that will lead you to your ultimate goal for your business. 

You can learn more on how to grow your business by going to a Bridal Business Boot Camp, signing up for the new ‘Bridal Business Coaching Series,’ at Evans Sales Solutions or by reading the book ‘How to Double Your Wedding Business in 12 Months,’ by Chris Evans.  Available on Amazon.

6 Ways Your Business Can Benefit From Exhibiting A Bridal Trade Show

Bridal trade shows and exhibitions are a great way of getting your service out there to the new ‘brides-to-be and grooms,’ planning their weddings. You need to know what you want before you go in order to get the most out of exhibiting.

It is one form of advertising that is far and above your best source of face-to-face visits from brides. This type of advertising allows you to meet every bride-to-be in person, build rapport and ask for an opportunity to schedule a more appropriate time to learn more about the vision for her wedding. (The wedding industry exceeds $ even in this down economy.)

If wedding magazines, newspapers, radio or television could offer what this single form of advertising offers for your business, they would charge you 20 times more that they already do. In fact, it’s the only form of advertising that allows you to do more than simply wait around for the phone to ring. Excerpt from the book,’ How To Double Your Wedding Business in 12 Months,‘ by Author & Sales Trainer, Chris Evans. You will need to make sure you attend the right events to match your objectives.

To find a list of ‘professional & highly beneficial Bridal Trade Shows, ‘ go to: www.EvansSalesSolutions.com

Here are 7 ways your business could benefit from exhibiting at a trade show, and how you can make sure you achieve them.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time The main benefit of bridal trade shows and events should be that you’ve got a ready-made audience. The people (bride-to-be, grooms, family members) attending are likely to be those most interested in your product or service. Prepare what you are going to say to these attendees, hand to them to showcase your business, and how you are going to ‘book a presentation’ with them. A pre-show mailing is very useful and is a feature most promoters can help you with. Post on your blog, Twitter, Facebook pages. Send out an email to your contacts list letting them know you’re going to be there, with a map of the venue and your location in the hall.

2. Meet Other Vendors Exhibitions can be really good places to generate new leads and/or referrals from other ‘like-minded’ service companies. Prior to the show opening (once everyone is set up) Talk to as many people as you can. Ask your staff to wander round the venue and introduce your company to the other exhibitors. Make sure you take business cards, good literature and a calendar. Remember, this doesn’t end with the event: follow up. Send a thank you letter, fliers and more to those you have met.

3. Build Your Sales Plan & Goal Before every show, write down a specific number of visits, contacts and new networking partners your expect to generate from the show. Keep it realistic. Setting a goal is useless if you know it’s impossible to reach when you set it. Share your plan with everyone working in your booth, so that they are on the same page as you. Your literature, booth design and outreach from staff should let attendees know what you do in a glance. Remember to design a ‘qualified message” for your staff to say to every attendee,(sum up your business in 30 seconds or less and asking for a visit). More information on how to do this is in the book, “How To Double Your Wedding Business in 12 Months,’ by Author Chris Evans, available on Amazon.