Resources

How’s your website doing?

Some websites need a little help, and others need to be replaced. Remember, a new website or refresh usually costs less than the business you’re already losing with your current site!

• If you think you just need a website review, to give you ideas how to improve the user experience and conversion, I can help with that. Click here for my website review information and pricing
  Website Review Information
• If you’d rather read up on some ideas, my book “If Your Website Was An Employee, Would You Fire It?” may help
  Get Alan's Books

If you’re ready for a new website or need help with SEO or your Google Business Listing…

• I’ve known Brian Lawrence for over 20 years and he has deep wedding/event industry experience and can give you ideas and a quote for a new site.
• If you tell Brian that I referred you, he’ll have me “Alanyze” your new site before you get it, at no extra charge to you!
• Here’s the link the Brian shared in the webinar for Neil Patel’s recommendations for SEO, etc. www.neilpatel.com/ubersuggest
• Contact [email protected] or call 201-446-1038

Caterers and Venues that Cater – stop paying too much for your food and supplies!

Helping you profit more is a cornerstone of my consulting and training. I met the folks from SB Value at the catersource conference last year, and many prominent caterers I know were singing their praises, telling me how much they were saving on their food costs, clearly one of your biggest expenses. The concept is simple: the companies that spend the most, have the most leverage to get the best pricing. No matter how big or small your catering company is, you simply aren’t getting the absolute lowest price, because there’s always someone bigger than you.

How does it work?

What I learned about is a GPO – Group Purchasing Organization – where you join with other companies to get better pricing. In this case, this group buys over $5 Billion per year, so they’ve obviously going to get the best pricing. One of my catering clients in California was just shown that she can save 25% over what she was spending, on the same items! Another client in New York City, who was already bidding his buying out to 4 companies, is going to save 10% to 14%. All of that savings goes right to your P&L’s PROFIT line!

To find out how much you can save, let SB Value do a comparison of actual invoices, so they can show you, item by item, how much you’ll save. Contact Clint Elkins, call 980-429-0398, email [email protected] or click the button below

Caterers & Venues edition of Shut Up and Sell More Weddings & Events

Alan’s released a very special edition of his most popular book, Shut Up and Sell More Weddings & Events, just for Caterers and Venues. All of the references and wording (responding to inquiries, handling objections, closing the sale) have been updated to be the most applicable to your business.

To get the paperback version of this special edition for caterers and venues (deliveries to most countries, contact Alan if you don’t see your country when checking out), click here

To get the Kindle Version of this special edition for caterers and venues, click here

If you have one or more venues and you want to be to do Virtual Selling and give amazing Virtual Tours – and a 50% off incentive!

• I’m on the advisory board of Visiting Media because their product TrueTour® takes immersive media to a new level. You’ll have 360º views, 3D modeling and much more. My favorite parts are the engagement tracking, so you’ll know when your customers are actually interacting and viewing your content. That will show you who your more interested prospects are so you can do better follow up.
• I’ve asked my friends at Visiting Media to put together a special offer for you, to make it more affordable to have their immersive media platform for virtual tours, at a price you can afford. They’ve come through, big time, at 50% off for a limited time. To see more click here or the button below.

Have Virtual Meetings

Some people can’t or won’t be able to meet with you, and given the technology we have available today, that won’t be a problem. Here are some of the resources I use, or recommend, so you can use today’s technologies to conduct business without having to be in-person with your client.

• I use Zoom for my webinars, consultations and virtual meetings.
• You can also have virtual meetings with FaceTime, GoogleMeet, Skype and even WhatsApp

Read any good books lately? Here’s some of my bookshelf…

I didn’t originally have links to my books, but so many of your asked, I’ve added them here:

• You can find my books here. My books are also on Audible and Kindle, y todos mis libros disponible en español.

Here are some books that I’ve read and enjoyed, that you might also like. Many of them are authors that I know personally and I often give these books to my friends and clients as gifts. I tend to do audio books on Audible, as I get to “read” more that way. These all have links to their Amazon page where you can get the book in the format you prefer:

• Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine – Mike Michalowicz https://amzn.to/2Wwsrug
• The Paradox of Choice: https://amzn.to/2MwiEhy
• Talk Triggers: The Complete Guide to Creating Customers with Word of Mouth – Jay Baer, Daniel Lemin https://amzn.to/2Wxgy7s
• All about Them: Grow Your Business by Focusing on Others – Bruce Turkel https://amzn.to/2IYZ6km
• Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It – Chris Voss https://amzn.to/3a2R9X8
• Amaze Every Customer Every Time: 52 Tools for Delivering the Most Amazing Customer Service on the Planet – Shep Hyken https://amzn.to/391Umot
• The Convenience Revolution: How to Deliver a Customer Service Experience that Disrupts the Competition and Creates Fierce Loyalty – Shep Hyken https://amzn.to/3dgEEJD
• The New Art of Capturing Love: The Essential Guide to Lesbian and Gay Wedding Photography – Kathryn Hamm, Thea Dodds https://amzn.to/2J2VqOu
• The Business of Gay Weddings: A Guide for Wedding Professionals – Bernadette Smith https://amzn.to/33wbdig
• High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results – Mark Hunter https://amzn.to/3b7hJOW
• Beyond Referrals: How to Use the Perpetual Revenue System to Convert Referrals into High-Value Clients – Bill Cates https://amzn.to/2xNkXbZ
• The 10¢ Decision: How Small Change Pays Off Big – Laurie Guest https://amzn.to/2xe7DNs
• Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life – Dr. Spencer Johnson: https://amzn.to/2Z5Uv8Q
• Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success – Adam Grant: https://amzn.to/3D8hItP
• Break The Wheel: Question Best Practices, Hone Your Intuition, and Do Your Best Work – Jay Acunzo: https://amzn.to/3NapxDU
• The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea – Bob Burg: https://amzn.to/3sxpvMR
• The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers’ Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success – Daniel Pink & Dr. Benjamin Hardy: https://amzn.to/3ThQ8Se
• The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation – Matthew Dixon & Brent Adamson: https://amzn.to/3wk6GPk
• Think Again: the Power of Knowing what you don’t know – Adam Grant: https://amzn.to/3zem5SU
• Long Story Short – The only storytelling guide you’ll ever need – Margot Leitman: https://amzn.to/3zit90J
• Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us – Daniel H. Pink: https://amzn.to/3f9NTBa
• To Sell is Human – The surprising truth about moving others – Daniel H. Pink: https://amzn.to/3sxpngl

I have read and fully endorse these books, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Start Saving every time you buy something with Acorns

• I was introduced to Acorns a few years ago by a friend. It rounds up your purchases and saves the round ups to an account. Then, I found that you can also have it save a fixed amount per day, week or month. I was able to pay off my wife’s car in half the time, pay off my son’s student loans and more, but having this extra, passive savings.
• Check it out and you can get $5 free if you sign up (I’ll get $5 also for referring you)
• Start investing with Acorns today! Get $5 when you use my invite link:  https://www.acorns.com/invite/5N7ZWC

Video Tools

When I get video testimonials or make short promo videos, I often use my iPhone. Good sound is very important and I’ve found a few tools that work well for me. I also have listed the tools I use for video calls, meetings and webinars. Good light is important too, but that’s often easier to control than sound. Here are some of the tools I’ve used:

iPhone video capturing

• PowerDeWise Lavalier Microphone for iPhone – this has the lightning connector for iPhones: https://amzn.to/3a8KniB
• Stony-Edge SIMPLE LAV- MOBILE Condenser Lavalier/Lapel Microphone for iPhone & Android Smartphones – this has a 3.5mm connector so it’s for Android and older iPhones https://amzn.to/2UlP02k
• Movo PM20 Dual-Headed Lavalier Lapel Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone – this has TWO microphones with one 3.5mm connector, for when you’re doing an interview or recording a couple – https://amzn.to/2Ulp5Yx
• Arkon SPLEDRING Rechargeable LED Clip On Selfie Ring Light – this is what I use for a selfie light or when I need a little fill in light when filming with my iPhone – https://amzn.to/2wg2eFT
• BlitzWolf Lightweight Aluminum All in One Extendable Phone Tripod Selfie Stick Bluetooth with Remote – I use this for selfies from the stage as well as for a small tripod for my promo videos – https://www.blitzwolf.com/Selfie-Stick-c-33.html

Video editing

• Animoto – I use this to make my videos look professional. The tools are super-easy – www.Animoto.com
• Camtasia – For more advanced editing, but still easy to use, I’ve been using Camtasia for years – https://www.techsmith.com/video-editor.html

Zoom/Video Call & Podcast Equipment

• Blue Yeti Microphone – This is one of the best microphones to use for video calls, podcasts and anything you need a mic for your computer. I use it with the Pop Filter and Swing Arm below – https://amzn.to/3boLk7f
• Podcast Microphone – Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone – https://amzn.to/3Mx3O7A
• Studio Microphone Mic Wind Screen Pop Filter – This pop-filter prevents some of the extra noise when we speak… and it makes for a nice visual, too. – https://amzn.to/3bsuqo0 – Note: I have since replaced using the Pop Filter with a simple foam wind screen (as seen in the photo above)
• AUPHONIX PRO Blue Yeti Shock Mount – Shock mounts keep out vibration and other noises that microphone can pick up from fans, A/Cs and other motor noises. – https://amzn.to/3czTcmy
• nnoGear Microphone Arm – I don’t want the microphone on my desk, but I do want it handy when I need it, so I have it on this adjustable swing-arm, with the shock mount and pop filter – https://amzn.to/3cA2WgE
• NULED Desk Lamp Dimmable LED – It’s important to have good lighting when you’re doing video calls and meetings. I put this LED lamp behind my monitor to even out the light from the overhead lights and window light at different times of the day and evening. – https://amzn.to/2VL6GEZ
• Kamerar D-Fuse Large LED Light Panel Softbox – you need good light but you don’t want glaring light, or reflections in your glasses. This goes over your light to even it out and give a more natural feel. – https://amzn.to/330iM2t
• Video Lights – The ones I use are no longer available, but these in the link are almost identical. I changed out the bulbs to 300W LEDs I got at Home Depot (they’re usually used for outdoor and street lights). They provide a nice, even light without glare. – https://amzn.to/3aohu2O
• Logitech Brio Webcam – This 4K camera is the clearest I’ve ever had. I use it for all of my podcasts and other videos: https://amzn.to/3TGY7YC
• Center Cam – this is my latest camera which can be positioned in the middle of your screen so you’re looking at people on Zoom and the screen at the same time, not looking away to the camera, or appear to be looking away when you’re looking at their faces, not the camera – www.thecentercam.com

I fully endorse these products as I use them myself, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Learn a new language

I never thought I’d speak another language… that is, until I decided to make it a priority. Here are a few of the resources I used to learn Spanish and now to learn French:

• Duolingo – I use this app on my phone and iPad while exercising, riding my bike and even while driving. They also have a great, free podcast. As with many apps there’s a free version and a paid version. I use the paid version.
• Rosetta Stone – you’ll learn to read, write, speak and understand (note: I did this while on my treadmill)
  Learn Spanish: Rosetta Stone Bonus Pack Bundle  https://amzn.to/2wg04WN
• Pimsleur – this is an audio program that’s used by universities and governments (note: I did this while driving)
  Pimsleur Spanish Conversational Course – Level 1 Lessons 1-16  https://amzn.to/33AEGr6
• Paul Noble – Learn Spanish with Paul Noble for Beginners – Complete Course: Spanish Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach https://amzn.to/3bbtbsY
• Audible has many different language learning programs. One of my favorites is by Paul Noble (above). I like the way he teaches and I’m now using it to learn French.

Write a Book

The first rule is don’t write a book, just write words. It’s the editing that makes it into a book. You can self-publish your book, yes even if you only want one copy. Here are a few resources to look into:

• Amazon has a print-on-demand service: KDP Publishing
• Ingram-Spark is another print-on-demand resource (I’ve used them to print books in other countries instead of shipping there)
• You’ll want to use a professional graphic designer for the cover and interior design so it looks professional. If you need a referral, just contact me directly: email, text, call 732 422 6362 (international 001 732 422 6362) or use the short form on this page.