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Professional speaker

Never mind Waldo, where are you? part II

By Blog

Young woman holding a laptop and presenting colorful world mapNote: In my last post I began a conversation about your websites and the importance of location information. Here’s the second part. If you didn’t get a chance to read the first part, click here.

Hold the phone

It used to be pretty easy to look at the area code on your site or business card and get an idea where you were located. These days with so many people using their cell phones as their main or only phone, and the portability of cell phone numbers, area codes are no longer a reliable indicator of location. A few years ago my family moved almost 100 miles to a new area and yet my wife and sons still use the same cell phone numbers. Their area code would lead someone to believe they are in another state – which would make it the state of confusion! Read More

Never mind Waldo, where are you?

By Blog
young woman making phone call with colorful world mapNOTE: I try to make my articles short so you can read them quickly, in one visit. I was writing this one on a flight and when I had finished it was about twice as long as my typical post, an indication that I’m particularly passionate about this topic. So, to respect your time I’ve split this into two parts. Here’s part I. Click here to read Part II.

Through my speaking and consulting I get to see a lot of websites. It’s not unusual for me to see hundreds of sites in a month, so I truly get to experience the good, the bad and the ugly. Fortunately for most of you, the bar is being set so low that it’s easy to have one of the nicest sites, even if you haven’t updated yours in a while. However, that’s not an excuse to stick with what you have. On any given day a new competitor can appear or an existing business can update their site and then, just like that, you’re playing catch-up to their newer, nicer site.

When I’m doing a website review I look for 5 key things on your site:

1)    Who are you? I know this sounds simple, but many sites do not make it clear on every page, not just your homepage. Search engines might land someone on an internal page, so they have to be branded and clear.

2)    Where are you or where do you do business? Either your actual address or where you do business. Read More

The New Art of Capturing Love

The New Art of Capturing Love – a book review by Alan Berg

By Blog, Uncategorized
The New Art of Capturing Love

The New Art of Capturing Love – Kathryn Hamm, Thea Dodds

When Kathryn asked me to read The New Art of Capturing Love: The Essential Guide to Lesbian & Gay Wedding Photography I knew that it would be filled with beautiful images. What I didn’t realize was the amazing gift I was about to receive. Woven around and through the amazing images is a treasure-trove of information about LGBTQ weddings, traditions and customs. It’s educational, in a very engaging way. Having been around the wedding industry for 24 years, I thought I was pretty knowledgeable about same-sex weddings. After the first dozen pages I found myself drawn in by the nuances and details of which I was unaware.

What I love about the images, and message, is that this is about the union of two people in love. Whether they choose an elopement, commitment ceremony or legal marriage, it’s about the love that has brought them to this time and place. That can sometimes get lost on opposite-sex couples, who often take for granted that they can marry, and focus too much on the pomp and circumstance. There’s plenty of cause and time to celebrate, but we should all take pause to enjoy the significance of the moment, and the wonderful images and photographers who capture them. Read More

Why can’t they just say “Thank you”?

By Blog

Thank you!Every day is another story
One of the things about being a speaker on business topics, including the customer experience, is that every day presents an opportunity for a new story. Treat me well and you become a story. Treat me poorly and you definitely become a story. However, every day we get exactly what we expect, nothing more, and nothing less, and those experiences just fade away. They’re erased by the next mediocre customer experience.

One of the things that’s struck my wife and I lately is the complete lack of any expression of thanks by so many businesses. You go to their store. Help yourself to find what you need. Bring those purchases to the cashier. Make your payment, with no haggling. And then, instead of being given the common courtesy of a smile and a sincere “Thank you for your business”, maybe a “Please come back again”, you’re rewarded with, at best, a neutral expression and handed your receipt. Read More

6 Steps to Wedding Show Success

By Uncategorized
Click the image to get the PDF to use for your exhibitors

Click the image to get the PDF to use for your exhibitors

Are wedding shows still relevant?
Of course you and I think they are, but do today’s wedding pros? To stay relevant you have to be more than just a booth-seller. You need to be a resource. You need to help them succeed, not just at your shows, but in their businesses.

I wrote “6 Steps for Wedding Show Success” for my presentations in Vancouver, for BSPI member, Gary Meister. Gary wanted me to be the voice to say the things to his exhibitors that he, and you, have been saying for years, but they aren’t always hearing. It’s the same as when your children think the neighbor is brilliant for saying today, what you’ve been telling them for years. The outside voice carries a different credibility to the familiar one. Sound familiar? I’m sure it does. Read More

5 Signs It’s Time To Fire Your Website

By Blog
5 Signs It's Time To Fire Your Websitez

Click the image to get to the MP3 of this presentation

I recently gave a new presentation at The Special Event Show (TSE) in Nashville titled “5 Signs It’s Time To Fire Your Website“. It’s the sequel, if you will, to my book “If your website was an employee, would you fire it?“. As a consultant, website reviews are one of my most requested services, and I don’t really want to tell you that it’s time to make a new site. I know that it involves stress, time, money and aggravation… and who needs more of that?

When it’s time, it’s time
However, there comes a time for every site when it’s time. For most of us, that time comes sooner than we’d like. I recently launched my new site after 2 1/2 years with the old one. Now, that may not seem like a long time for the old site, but there were some things that made me know it was time. Those things, at least for me, weren’t that it was outdated or non-functional. Rather, for me the signs were that my old site wasn’t designed for e-commerce. When I first launched it, in March 2011, I only had one book. As I developed more products, DVDs, Audio CDs, ebooks, Spanish-language books and MP3s, it became clear that I was outgrowing the architecture of the site. All products were on one, long (and getting longer) page. I wouldn’t want to keep scrolling down, down, down to get to the other products, so I knew none of you would either. Read More

5 More Things Your Guests Won’t Tell You

By Blog
5 More Things Your Guests Won't Tell You

If you’d like a copy of this article to post on your website or blog, please email me and I’ll send you the PDF and WORD versions, along with the attribution to use.

I had such great feedback after my last article for engaged couples, “5 Things Your Guests Won’t Tell You” that I wrote the sequel: “5 More Things Your Guests Won’t Tell You“.

Please share your ideas for a sequel to the sequel. If you’d like to use this on your site or blog, just email me and I’ll send you the PDF and WORD versions, along with the attribution to include.

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5 More Things Your Guests Won’t Tell You
By Alan Berg
In my article for the last issue I shared 5 Things Your Guests Won’t Tell You, with some of the things that you and I, as guests, have experienced at other people’s weddings and events. You know, the things we say as we’re leaving, or when recounting the tales of the affair to those who weren’t there. Read More

What’s wrong with this picture?

By Blog
Business cards

What’s wrong with this picture? All of these cards look alike.

At the many conferences where I speak each year I’m privileged to meet a lot of wedding & event pros. Along the way I collect stacks and stacks of business cards. The photo to the right is just the latest in my collection.

So, what’s wrong with this picture?

Do any of these cards stand out from the others? While they’re different colors, paper stock and fonts, they’re all the same size. What’s the first impression your prospects and clients will have of your business? Is it a thin, standard-sized business card? If it is you’re missing out on an opportunity to stand out. Read More

AWEP Day of Education

By Speaking Events

AWEPIt’s a summer of firsts for me… that is, the first time I’m getting to present in an area. I’m happy that AWEP, Alabama, Wedding & Event Professionals, has invited me to come to Birmingham for a Day of Education.

I’ll be presenting 3 great topics:

– How to communicate better via email
– Close More Sales
– Creating an Exceptional Customer

For more information and to register, click here

BrideLive Webinar

By Speaking Events

BrideLiveI’m honored that BrideLive has invited me to host a webinar entitled: “How to communicate better with brides 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 I’ll 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

For more information and to register: Click Here