Anya Stevens

They don’t value what they can’t see 

So much of what you do to make weddings and events great, happens out of view of your customers. Are you getting paid for that time? Are your customers valuing the time you put in that they can’t see? In this episode I talk about ways to get them to understand the value that you bring, even when they can’t see the work you put into making the results amazing for them. 

Listen to this new 9-minute episode for ideas on how to value the work you put in, both for yourself and your customers.

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Problems are opportunities to improve 

When customers come to you with problems, are you paying attention to how you can make this better, not just for them, but for other customers? I’ve had some experiences recently where all I got was passed from one department to another, with no on acknowledging that it was their system that was broken, not user error. Imagine having a problem logging in to a site and being told you need to contact support, only to be asked to log in to get in touch with support!! Well, that and a few other recent experiences have influenced this episode. 

Listen to this new 11-minute episode for a better view of how you can learn from customer problems, not only to fix this issue, but to create a better user experience going forward. 

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Mark Chapman – How is the wedding industry different now? 

You’ve probably noticed that things are different in the wedding industry, especially in the way today’s couples are, or are not, responding to your ads and messages. I asked my friend Mark Chapman, from the I Do Society, to come back on and talk about what he’s seeing. Advertising for wedding businesses is all Mark does, so he’s the perfect person to have this conversation with. Listen to this new guest episode for usable tips you and put into place, now. 

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Nothing works all of the time 

In this episode, I delve into a common challenge many wedding and event professionals face: the frustration when previously successful strategies start to falter. From interacting with clients across the industry, I’ve noticed a recurring theme—what once worked seamlessly may suddenly lose its effectiveness. 

Join me as I explore this reality and share my perspective on why certain methods may no longer deliver the desired results. Whether it’s your approach to handling inquiries or your sales process, I offer practical advice for navigating these obstacles and adapting to the ever-changing landscape of our industry. 

Listen in for valuable insights and guidance on recognizing when it’s time to reassess your methods and embrace change to drive success in your business. This 8-minute episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you stay ahead in the competitive world of weddings and events. 

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Sam Horn – Does your business POP? 

After reading Sam Horn’s book “POP”, I just had to have her on to talk about how you can make your business stand out from the crowd. We talked about how the first 60 seconds can make or break your business. Sam also shared how to use AIR – Alliteration, Iambic and Rhyme when choosing a name for a business, product or service. She’s a great story-teller. 

Listen to this new episode and hear how you can use POP – Purposeful, Original, Pithy – to help your business stand out. 

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What to do with Wedding Expo leads 

Thanks to Chuck in Philly for this suggestion. I’ve actually done another episode a while back on this, and it’s time for a refresher. The opportunity here is that 90% of the exhibitors at wedding expos won’t use the lead lists. To me, that’s just throwing money away. You paid to get in front of a unique audience that will never exist again. Why would you think that what happens at the show is the only thing you paid for. There are so many distractions for the attendees, and you can work hard to get their attention, but it’s fleeting. How many people walked by your booth and didn’t stop? Maybe they didn’t need your service, yet. Maybe you were too busy talking to others and they didn’t want to wait. Using the four lists, and yes that’s plural – lists – is the way to profit more from the show. 

Listen to this new 10-minute episode for ideas on how to maximize your ROI from wedding expos (and other types of trade shows). 

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You know what to do, but are you doing it? 

This isn’t a listener suggestion, rather it was inspired by things I’ve seen working with and listening to some of you, my clients and connections. For example, I’ve had people come to me and say that they’re not getting the response they want from their inquiries, and that they’re following what I taught them. Yet, when I look at how they’re replying, it’s not at all what I taught them (or have written about). Now, my way isn’t the only way to do things, but when you’ve convinced yourself that you’re doing something new, when you’re really doing things the same old way… and it’s not working, you have to take a hard look in the mirror. 

Listen to this new 8-minute episode for ideas on how to break out of the trap of not doing what you know you should be doing, personally and professionally.   

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Phil M. Jones – Do you know exactly what to say? 

After reading Phil. M Jones’ audio book “Exactly what to say”, I was hooked. So many of the things he talks about apply to your businesses, and mine. And then I read “Exactly How to Sell” and “Persuade to get paid”, which just reinforced that I had to have Phil on here to talk about how his ideas and concepts apply to wedding and event businesses, like yours.  

Listen to this new episode and hear common sense tips to help you, help more people buy your products and services. 

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Customers aren’t going to adapt to us! 

I’ve been seeing and hearing a lot of frustration from companies that stems from how they want to do business, but their customers want it done differently. When we’re the customer, the companies have to do business the way we want, or we’ll find someone else who will. It’s too easy these days to find another alternative. Are you doing things a certain way because it’s easier for you? Is it also easier for your customers? Or, are you adding friction that chases them away. 

Listen to this new 6-minute episode for for ideas and perspective so you can take a step back, and see if you’re making it harder for your customers.  

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Phil Gerbyshak – Do you have a sales system?   

Is your sales system a spreadsheet, a CRM or… you’re just winging it? I invited my friend Phil Gerbyshak to come on and talk about sales systems and processes, why they’re important and how you can get started, even with a small budget. Phil has been in sales and sales training for years and just launched the Modern Sales Success online course. 

Listen to this new episode for ideas on why you need a sales system, what to look for and how to be successful with it. 

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