Tag

Alan Berg

Nov 19 2012

We’re a lot more alike than we are different

By Blog, Uncategorized

 

One thing I hear over and over again is how different it is for one category of wedding pros versus another. The photographers like to tell me that it’s different for them than it is for the caterers or florists. The DJ’s tell me that they’re different than bands, or even dress shops. While there are distinct differences in the services you provide, there are a lot of similarities when it comes to the business aspects.

You’re a lot more alike when it comes to marketing and advertising than you are different
When I give presentations on marketing and sales, each group wants me to customize the presentation to their needs, which I’m happy to do. The thing is that when I talk to them about their needs, those needs sound almost exactly the same as those for the other categories. You all want more, high-quality leads. You all want your websites to convert more of those leads. You all want more serious buyers and less price-shoppers. You all want a good return on your investment in advertising. Oh, and you all want to spend as little as possible in the process. Read More

Nov 11 2012

Greater Philadelphia Videographers Association

By Speaking Events

I’m excited to be speaking for the Greater Philadelphia Videographers Association on Wednesday, December 12th at the fabulous Crowne Plaza Valley Forge (right next to the King of Prussia Mall).

To register visit http://www.gpva.com

Here are the topics and descriptions:

How to communicate more effectively with Brides via email

It would be so much easier if she would just pick up the phone and call you, wouldn’t it? But these days that’s not happening very much. Do you know why? Does it really matter why? You’ve always had to adapt to how your prospect’s preferences, not the other way around. In this session Alan will walk you through the ins and outs of communicating with today’s brides.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why she won’t call you

• How to have a real conversation via email

• How to handle the price question in an email

• When and how to use attachments

Can your business survive without social media?

Are you hearing that if you don’t dive into the deep end of the social media pool your business will wither and die? Did you leave your latest trade meeting or conference like a deer in headlights not knowing where to begin? It seems that you can’t read your email or go to a conference without being bombarded with information about social media. But where do you start? Should you even bother? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Whether you’re a 20-something or 50-something, you can easily feel overwhelmed by the conflicting messages. As always, Alan is here to help!

What we’ll cover:

• Do you need to have a social media strategy?

• Can you attain your business goals without being on Facebook?

• Is social media an all-or-nothing endeavor?

• How you can have a presence on social media without it consuming too much of your time and resources?

Nov 06 2012

Windy City Wedding Show Day of Education

By Speaking Events

Please join Andy Ebon and me for the Windy City Wedding Show Day of Education, Thursday, December 6th. KC from Windy City Wedding Show is bringing us both in for a jam-packed day of real, usable presentations and information. It’s rare to get such good info right in your backyard.

I’ve set aside Friday, Dec. 7th for one-on-one consultations/website reviews. Please call or email me if you’d like to schedule yours, 732-422-6362. They’re $199 for 45 minutes, $250/hour.

Andy’s presenting:

  • Planning A Pinterest Campaign
  • The Many Facets of Competitors & Competition

I’ll be presenting:

  • How to communicate more effectively with Brides via email
  • Angry Brides – Protecting Your Online Reputation

Click to get more info, session descriptions and pricing.

http://windycityweddingshoweducation.eventbrite.com

Oct 27 2012

Wedding Industry Leaders Conference – Michigan

By Speaking Events

I’m proud to be coming back to the Detroit Metro area for an encore conference, Monday, Dec. 17th. We’re having morning and afternoon sessions. Come to the full conference, or just the morning or afternoon session. It’s being held at Continental Catering’s new venue, The Waterview Loft at Port Detroit. Come for the education, the networking and the view!

For more information and to register, click here

Here’s the Event Schedule:
Morning Interactive Workshop:
10:30am – 12:00pm – sales/marketing
How to communicate more effectively with Prospects via email
It would be so much easier if they would just pick up the phone and call you, wouldn’t it? But these days that’s not happening very much. Do you know why? Does it really matter why? You’ve always had to adapt to how your prospect’s preferences, not the other way around. In this session Alan will walk you through the ins and outs of communicating with today’s prospects.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
• Why they won’t call you
• How to have a real conversation via email
• How much you should write in an email
• When and how to use attachments

Afternoon Presentations:
1:30pm-4:30pm – A real world approach to dealing with online reviews and the inside scoop on creating a better experience for your prospects – Both presented at Wedding MBA this year!
Angry Brides – Protecting Your Online Reputation
In this age of instant feedback through reviews, testimonials, blogs and social media, keeping track of your online reputation is a little like herding cats. Just when you think you have a handle on it, along comes another twist and turn. What’s a wedding pro to do? Alan will help you make sense of it all.
Come to this session to learn:
• How the best defense is a good offense
• How to respond to a less than favorable review
• Why doing what’s right is usually better than being right

Creating an Exceptional Customer Experience
Creating an exceptional customer experience starts before the sale, actually before you ever get to speak with a prospect. You don’t get to give great customer service until after the sale. It costs little, or nothing, to be exceptional and Alan will show you how.
Come to this session and hear:
• What it means to provide an exceptional customer experience
• How exceeding their expectations is not about giving a discount
• How to increase your chances of getting her back after she’s shopped around

4:30pm-5:00pm – Q&A

For more information and to register, click here

Oct 26 2012

Triad Bridal Association

By Speaking Events

I’m honored to be invited by the Triad Bridal Association to come down for a wonderful day of education. Come for the full day, or even just the afternoon or evening sessions. The afternoon will be two, very relevant topics. The evening starts off with networking, followed by a presentation.

If you’re a member of the Triad Bridal Association (TBA), it’s a nominal fee, subsidized by the TBA. If you’re not yet a member, you can still attend. If you’d like membership information, please contact the TBA about joining.

Special Early-Bird rates apply to members and non-members for tickets purchased by November 8, 2012

Click here for more information and to register

Full Event Schedule:

Afternoon Sessions:

2:00pm – 5:00pm  – 2 presentations

How to communicate more effectively with Prospects via email

It would be so much easier if they would just pick up the phone and call you, wouldn’t it? But these days that’s not happening very much. Do you know why? Does it really matter why? You’ve always had to adapt to how your prospect’s preferences, not the other way around. In this session Alan will walk you through the ins and outs of communicating with today’s prospects.

Here’s what you’ll learn:
• Why they won’t call you
• How to have a real conversation via email
• How much you should write in an email
• When and how to use attachments

Creating an Exceptional Customer Experience (presented at Wedding MBA 2012)

Creating an exceptional customer experience starts before the sale, actually before you ever get to speak with a prospect. You don’t get to give great customer service until after the sale. It costs little, or nothing, to be exceptional and Alan will show you how.

Come to this session and hear:
• What it means to provide an exceptional customer experience
• How exceeding their expectations is not about giving a discount
• How to increase your chances of getting her back after they’ve shopped around

5:00pm – 6:30pm – dinner break – Dinner is on your own, however, the WP|Prime Restaurant at the hotel is offering BOGO (buy one, get one) certificates for attendees of the conference. We’ll have these at the event for you.

6:30pm-7:30pm – Networking

Evening Presentation:

7:30pm – 9:00pm – presentation

Bride’s Buying Signals – How Wedding Pros Can Close More Sales, Today!

In this session Alan addresses one of the most requested topics we hear from wedding pros across the country, closing the sale. If you don’t close the sale there’s no food to cook, dresses to sew, images to capture, flowers to arrange, music to play, weddings to coordinate… you get the idea.

You can do everything else well (marketing, social networking, advertising, websites, conversion, SEO and ROI), but you still have to take that final step and close the sale. Love it or hate it sales is an integral part of your wedding business.

In this session we’ll give you the tools you need to close more sales:
• When to ask for the sale
• How to ask for the sale
• How to see the buying signals more clearly
• Plus: Alan will reveal the number one and two skills you need to close more sales

Oct 22 2012

What’s the value of FREE?

By Blog

 

Over the years I’ve heard many discussions revolving around “free” things. Couples may be asking for you to throw in free services, or wedding pros may be talking about getting free ads, so I got to thinking about the value of “Free”.

On the surface free usually seems like a good idea: free parking, free samples, free speech, free advice, etc. When we’re on the receiving end of free services and products, we rarely seem to mind. Everyone likes free stuff, regardless of their income bracket.

Is free really free?

In reality, free is not free. There is a cost, it just may not be yours to bear. Free parking is paid for by the merchant who owns the land, or the municipality that built the parking lot (paid for with tax dollars). Free samples are paid for by the merchant who wants to get your business. Similarly, the free advice you get on the WeddingWire Pro Forums is supported by the technology and manpower behind it, paid for by WeddingWire. You get to use the Pro Forums for free, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a cost. Read More

Oct 14 2012

The Special Event 2013

By Speaking Events

TSE 2013Come to The Special Event (TSE) 2013 and you’ll hear me present “Are You Too Busy To Be Successful?”, an all-new presentation.

Too often we find ourselves running around, busy all the time, but we’re either not productive, or worse, we’re just not making any money. Does that sound like you? Do you find yourself being a slave to email and social media, when you know your time is better spent building your business? Find out how to get more done and focus on what’s important:
1. Learn how to shorten your to-do list and get more done
2. Find out if you’re making yourself busy
3. See how less is often more when it comes to your business
4. Get tips and ideas on how to be more proactive

For more information visit The Special Event Show Website

Sep 24 2012

Wedding Planning Article – Do you want to plan your wedding or manage it?

By Blog

 

Alan Berg's Wedding Planning Article

Email Alan to get a copy of the full text or PDF of the article

Published article on why you should hire a professional wedding planner

It’s hard to turn on the TV these days and not see another wedding related program. There are reality shows and movies, all glamorizing the planning process. Whether you are hooked on them or not, one thing’s for sure; they make the planning seem easy, usually because they have professional help.

By now you’ve probably realized that there are way more decisions to be made than you originally thought. From save-the-dates to invitations, rings to dresses, caterers to music, photos and videos to flowers and decorations, there are so many decisions. Have you thought about hiring a professional wedding planner? No? Don’t think you need or can afford one?

There are a lot of misconceptions about today’s wedding planners. Some couples think they can’t afford one while others just want to make most of the big decisions themselves and enjoy the process. Either way there’s a planning service for everyone. A professional planner will work with you to tailor your wedding to your needs, tastes, style and budget. As a matter of fact it’s their job to know all of the best wedding pros in your market. Since they regularly do business with them, they can often get you a preferential rate or additional services that other brides might not get. Read More

Sep 09 2012

How to be the experienced wedding pro, without sounding old!

By Blog

I’m giving a brand new presentation this week at the Las Vegas DJ Show, “How to be the experienced wedding pro, without sounding old.” The catalyst for this was that I’ve been around the wedding industry for over 20 years and in that time, brides have only gotten about 4 years older. While that’s not fair, it’s a reality.

So what’s a wedding pro to do? What can you do so that today’s couples judge you by your work and not the color of your hair (if you have any left, which I don’t).

Let your voice be heard, take the 8-question survey now. It won’t take you very long and you can share your thoughts, whether you’re in your 20’s or 70’s, and anywhere in between.

Here’s the link. Please share it with your friends, thanks!

Aug 27 2012

Anatomy of my new business cards

By Blog
Alan Berg New Business card both fronts

The “two fronts” of Alan’s new business cards – Click to enlarge

As someone who speaks and writes about marketing, often specifically about what your marketing says about you, creating new business cards for myself is no small undertaking. Not only do they have to be functional, they also make a statement to whomever gets them. So, for better or worse, here are my new business cards and the thought process that went into creating them.

Different for a reason, not just to be different

I knew that they needed to be a different size than standard business cards, but what size? I wanted them to fit in my wallet, as the reason I decided to make cards is that my bookmarks, at 2″ x 8″, don’t fit in mine, or anyone else’s wallet. Therefore I was often without a card on me when out in social situations. I’ll still use my bookmarks, but I also wanted something more manageable.

So, if they’re going to be a different size, what’s the right size? A standard business card is 2″ high x 3.5″ wide. I went with 2.5″ high x 3.5″ wide so they’d be noticeably larger, but not too big to fit in a wallet. Yes, I know that they may not fit in a business card file (the pages with slots in them), but not may people still use them and, being standard width, they will still fit in, they’ll just stick up 1/2″. Read More