Post on 03-Jul-2020
transcript
THE 5 PIECEPROFFITTPUZZLETO SNAG CELEBRITYCLIENTS
P U Z Z L E P I E C E # 2
H O W “ P A V I N GT H E W A Y ” K E E P S H I G H - Q U A L I T YC L I E N T S H A P P Y( A N D C O M I N G B A C K )
The secret is s imple. Whether you’re interested in
fil l ing up your business with famous faces , or you
just want some tips to outshine the competit ion
in your area, the answer is the same.
The truth is , celebrit ies are just l ike everyone
else. They may have bigger budgets , but they
want what your brides want . An expert who can
help them bring their v is ion to l i fe .
I f you manage your cl ient ’s expectations , add
tons of value, and communicate to them in the
way they understand, you’ l l have the perfect
recipe to attract the cal iber of br ides you’d l ike.
As we put the Proffitt Puzzle together , each
piece wil l bui ld on the last . Once complete,
you’ l l have a scorching hot plan to energize your
events business .
Let ’s take a look at Puzzle Piece #2: Paving The
Way.
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW CELEBRITY WEDDING PLANNERS KEEP GETTINGUPSCALE CLIENTS?
MANAGE EXPECTATIONS LIKE A BOSS AND BOOST YOUR BOTTOM LINE
Every cl ient that comes my way has cr ystal clar ity on what
to expect . I ’ve found that managing expectations , using
the Personal ity Types in Puzzle Piece #1, help me and my
team keep cl ients happy. Managing expectations paves the
way to attract great brides , better productiv ity and bigger
profits .
After you’ve categorized your cl ient based on their
personal ity (Round-Marquise-Emerald-Radiant) , decide the
most efficient way to communicate with the cl ient and
strategize your plan of action based on their character
traits .
As a celebrity planner , I manage cl ient
expectations by taking a 360-degree view of
their l i fe . Then, I ’ l l look through the frame of
their personal ity type, and strategize around it .
I ’ l l communicate expectations surrounding:
The Planning and Execution
The Meeting Environment
Their Family and Fr iends
Their Core Needs and Values
Their Strengths
Examine each of these areas through their gemstone
personal ity type. You’ l l know how to reframe problems that
crop up, and troubleshoot with l i tt le drama. Adapting your
communication style to your cl ient ’s personal ity wi l l help
you manage their expectations graceful ly. For example, i f
you have a Marquise Bride, keep problem-solving posit ive .
She doesn’t respond well to negativ ity in any form. It ’s this
type of custom approach that wil l set you apart f rom other
event planning businesses .
You need to train your cl ients , just l ike team members .
Prepare them from the first minute r ight up to execution
day. Your brides wil l trust you as the expert wedding
authority they expect you to be.
Don’t forget your vendors ! Having a clear
communication style based on their personal ity
wi l l help you build sol id relat ionships with the
best vendors and venues in the area. I f you’re
focused on gett ing the type of results that
attract top-t ier br ides , you need trustworthy
vendor relat ionships you can count on.
Take some time to l ist the vendors and venues
you work with most , and those you’d l ike to work
with in the future. What personal ity type does
their business have? Are they extremely orga-
nized? Do they use detai led checkl ists? Are they
“out-of-the-box” thinkers who find genius fixes in
the nick of t ime? Adapting your communication
style to your vendors ’ personal ity type wil l help
them connect to you strongly. I t makes everyone
happier and more productive.
VENDORS
As your business grows you’ l l need excel lent Team Members .
Tr y to find employees that compliment your strengths and
weaknesses . I f you’re a Round ( Organized, Practical ,
Responsible) , then find an Radiant ( Creative , Spontaneous,
Flexible) to even-out your business . Remember to manage
your employees’ expectations just l ike you do for cl ients and
vendors . A happy team member is a productive team
member! Eventual ly , i f you have mult iple events on the
same day, or a personal emergency, your employees should
be as sharp as you
are. They may have
to take your place.
Weddings aren’t
about one person-
- they’re about the
team that works
together .
Manage your client’s
expectations by
showing them that
your team members
are just as capable
as you are at executing events . Having a stel lar team speaks
volumes about your expert ise and leadership-- al l qual it ies
celebrit ies and big-names al ike demand from the planners
they hire .
TEAM MEMBERS
Events Planners who pave the way with a
personal ized touch get the most lucrative cl ients
and referrals . You’ l l pul l the best traits out of
your team which makes you stand out from the
crowd. And before long, your inbox wil l be ful l of
br ides who’ve heard you’re the best planner in
town.
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ADD VALUE
One of the crucial things you can do to elevate your
wedding planning business from “everyday” to “wow-worthy”
is through adding value.
Added value is pr iceless . I t ’s what motivates a cl ient to write
you a love letter instead of just a thank you. It ’s why they
enjoy tel l ing their f r iends and family how incredible you are
at planning events . Value goes deeper than price-- i t warms
your cl ient ’s heart . And that gets noticed by al l the r ight
people in your city.
I ’m a huge fan of paperless systems. One way
that I add value, is by sett ing up a Google Drive
for my cl ients . I t ’s one of the easiest ways to
keep everyone in the loop. Documents , checklists
and spreadsheets can be accessed by everyone
who has the l ink. No matter where you or your
cl ient are , you can both see your documents at
any t ime. There’s no email ing back and forth. No
contracts lost or trashed. It ’s an excel lent tool to
communicate quickly and efficiently. Cl ients can
also have their family and fr iends add items to
the drive . I t ’s a fantast ic , f ree resource that ’ l l
make you look l ike a true professional .
FREE WAYS TO ADD VALUE, IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A HERO
Changes are saved automatical ly , so you never have to worr y
about saving your work. Plus , i f someone deletes crucial
information, you can undo it and track who made changes.
Al l you need to access a Google Drive is a gmail address .
Almost everyone has one, and i f not , i t takes 5 minutes to
set up. Go the extra mile and set one up for your brides ,
and teach them how to use it . This is added value that costs
you nothing but gives your bride:
Tools to feel involved in the planning process
Organization that saves you both t ime and stress
( improving productiv ity)
Peace of mind
I ’ l l have more t ips and tr icks regarding technology in a
future puzzle piece. You can find more information on how
to use Google Drive here:
https : / /support .google.com/drive/?hl=en#topic=14940
I f cost is an issue, use your expert ise to reframe
their expectations and del iver something else
they’ l l love ( instead of just tel l ing them no) . Go
above and beyond to please your bride.
Brainstorm with your team to find a creative
solution.
That ’s the type of service that gets you noticed.
When I added personal ized value based on
psychology, my phone rang of f the hook. Word
got around that I was the go-to planner for
extra-special weddings and events .
REFRAMING
Paving the Way primes your cl ient ’s , vendor ’s , and team
members ’ expectations with communication tai lored to
their personal ity type. I t adds value that feels customized--
and that ’s the dif ference between luxury and run-of-the-mil l
ser vices .
I f you take the t ime to understand personal ity types and
their psychology, you’ l l bui ld better cl ient , vendor and
employee relat ionships . Those relat ionships help you
achieve higher productiv ity and profits . Plus , your cl ients wil l
trust you as the expert . I t ’s worked for me and made me
sought-after by some of the biggest names out there.
Now, i t ’s your turn.
ABOUT ANGELA
Angela Proffitt is Nashvi l le ’s leading events and
design strategist . She’s been planning and
designing events for “Music City U.S .A’s ” hottest
residents for over 15 years .
She’s been featured in US Weekly , People
Magazine, TLC, Success Magazine, Female
Entrepreneurs , and more for her stunning
designs and entrepreneurship expert ise .
She’s a sought after productiv ity
therapist , motivat ional speaker ,
and influencer , who has
taught her success tactics
al l over the world and also
of fers coaching and
consult ing.
When taking a (rare)
break from trai lblazing,
Angela loves spending
time with her mom, her
sibl ings and niece and
nephew.
WWW.ANGELAPROFFITT.COM