Don’t fall prey to these common clichés.
Photo by Nancy Ray Photography
We're lucky to live in a time where good advice is abundant. It is easier than ever to benefit from people's hard-earned wisdom. That said, there is also quite a bit of well-meaning yet flat out bad advice that if heeded can end up costing you literally tens of thousands of dollars. Here are three of the worst pieces of business advice that I see wedding industry pros fall prey to often:
Bad Advice #1: Hire Slow, Fire Fast
Entrepreneurs tend to eat up this particular piece of advice as we generally prize nimble, decisive action. Since most wedding companies don’t have a human resources department, many wedding business owners don’t know better.
Any legitimate HR professional worth their salt will tell you that "hire slow, fire fast" is one of the worst ways to go about terminating an employee. It's also the quickest way to land yourself in a pricey lawsuit.
Hire slow and fire slow. Have conversations with the person about where they need to improve and give them time to do so. Document everything.
Bad Advice #2: You Have To Look Luxury To Sell Luxury
There is absolutely nothing wrong with liking nice things, buying luxury products, or living a luxury lifestyle. However, if that's not you where you are at in life or luxe labels are not your priority, please do not go into debt under the misguided idea that to work with luxury clients you need to wear, drive, or use the same exact brands they do.
In addition, do not make the mistake of thinking luxury has to come with a visible label. Many luxe brands make select products sans logo that are available only to their VIP customers. Those customers are happy to pay more (much more) for the fact that the brand isn't instantly recognizable to everyone.
On top of that, some of the designs aren't available in the public area of the store at all, meaning only those "in the know" will be able to spot the brand behind the particular product. It is a level of true exclusivity that prioritizes discretion.
While you don't need to rack up credit card bills to land luxury clients, you do need to look polished and pulled together. The level of formality will likely depend on your target market and your own personality. A classic suit, a "granola-chic" outfit, an on-trend ensemble – what really matters is that your clothes fit and show that you pay attention to detail.
Bad Advice #3: If it's meant to be, it will happen
Things in life don’t come together out of thin air. They require action, often on the part of several different people. Opportunities and ideas go un-acted on all the time because of fear, apathy, or disorganization. Worse, people then justify their inaction as noble because of a false interpretation of "letting go."
Pick up the phone.
Make the ask.
Send a follow-up email.
Be the first to say hello.
Attend the conference where you know no one.
Do the work even when you think no one is paying attention.
You’ll find a lot more happens when you don’t sit around waiting for something to happen.
Originally published October 2018
Written by
LIENE STEVENS
Liene Stevens, the founder and CEO of Think Splendid, is an author, speaker, and award-winning business strategist. Armed with $2000, a healthy work ethic, and an undeserved dose of privilege, Liene bootstrapped Think Splendid from a scribble in a notebook to a successful wedding business consulting firm with a client list spanning 94 countries.
