Listen to this – Episode #389<\/h3>\n![\"Play\"](\"https:\/\/weddingsforaliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/powerpress\/blubrryplayer6.png\" "\\"Play\\"")
<\/a><\/div>\nPodcast: Play in new window<\/a><\/p>\nSubscribe on iTunes<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\nCreate a Plan with Smart Goals<\/h2>\n
If you’re currently planning weddings on the side:<\/p>\n
\n- Is your wedding planning business to remain as part-time?<\/li>\n
- Is it your goal to transition into a full-time wedding venture<\/li>\n
- How many weddings would you plan this year?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Whatever your plan is, set daily, weekly, and monthly\u00a0 goals for running your wedding planning business.<\/p>\n
It’s important that your goals are measurable.\u00a0 So, instead of stating your goal as : ‘File my DBA’,\u00a0 instead, include a date.\u00a0 Perhaps, try,\u00a0 ‘File by DBA no later than next Friday,’ instead.<\/p>\n
If you need to fast-track your wedding business plans, setting and completing five (5) daily<\/strong> goals will certainly get you there.\u00a0 Just know that you’re gonna stay busy and will likely have to give up some of your routine ‘comforts’.\u00a0 For example, I skip watching TV Monday through Friday in order to accomplish a lot of what I have to do.<\/p>\nIf the daily plan is unrealistic — and for many of us, it is– shoot for five (5) weekly<\/strong> activities, instead. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly your sideline wedding planning business grows this way when you strike off one (1) task each weekday.<\/p>\nIf your life is filled with lots of other commitments, you’ll make more progress with a 5-things-a-month plan.\u00a0\u00a0 Go with this option instead of being discouraged by trying and failing with the daily or weekly plan.<\/p>\n
And, if the monthly plan is too demanding, it’s time to reevaluate whether being the owner of\u00a0 your own wedding business is a priority right now.<\/p>\n
Schedule time for your wedding planning business<\/h2>\n
It’s important to schedule time to work on your wedding planning business.<\/p>\n
Remember, this is your (soon-to-be?) paying part-time job.\u00a0 Schedule everything else around your wedding business time and tell everyone who needs to know about it.<\/p>\n
And, please don’t pick a time when you’re typically exhausted or know that you’ll be interrupted.\u00a0 Working on your wedding planning business should be something you look forward to, not drudgery.<\/p>\n
The jury’s still out as to whether or not you should tell your boss or co-workers about your wedding planning business.\u00a0\u00a0 Knowing what I know, now, my general advice is to keep things to yourself…for now.<\/p>\n
Don’t quit your day job…yet!<\/h2>\n
If you’re tempted to chuck your day job in favor of your sideline wedding business, proceed carefully.<\/p>\n
It’s okay to build your wedding planning business slowly.\u00a0 Get a feel for things.\u00a0 Discover what part of weddings you enjoy and what areas you avoid like the plague.\u00a0 Don’t try to be someone or something you’re not.<\/p>\n
And by the way, offering full-service wedding planning when you, yourself, have an outside full-time job is really<\/em> difficult to pull off well!<\/p>\nYour clients expect (and are paying for) you to take care of every last detail of their wedding plans which includes all the tasks that they don’t have the time for.\u00a0 That’s a lot of hand-holding! Be realistic about what you can accomplish while you’re working (a day job) somewhere else.<\/p>\n
Instead, seriously consider taking one area of weddings and becoming the top dog in that<\/strong> niche.<\/p>\nAs an added bonus, focusing on a wedding planning niche will do wonders for your brand.<\/p>\n
Instantly, you’re seen as an expert in your specialty and will stand out from all the other wedding planners in your area as you work on the weddings that truly get you excited.<\/p>\n
Feed your Wedding Business with your F\/T $$<\/h2>\n
With a full-time job, you have a steady source of income to pay for necessary living expenses while, hopefully, funneling money into your wedding planning business.\u00a0 This is important when you’re ready to build a website, attend the wedding planner conference in the Fall, invest in equipment…<\/p>\n
Slowly build your professional wedding vendor list and work on developing your reputation within your local wedding community while still working your day job.<\/p>\n
There’s no shame in operating a wedding planning business, part-time (I don’t care what the bridal magazines say).<\/p>\n
The truth is that a couple getting married wants to know that you<\/strong> are the solution to their wedding planning woes. Can (and will) you do what you say you’re gonna do?<\/p>\nSo, make sure to put them at ease by being realistic about your availability to plan their wedding, and, by working twice as hard to prove how serious you are as wedding planner.\u00a0 (And let’s be honest, many part-time wedding planners run their ‘business’ as a glorified hobby: not returning phone calls, pricing that’s all over the place, planning weddings without a contract…).\u00a0 Don’t let that be you. Please.<\/p>\n
Just Know That…<\/h2>\n
Making the shift from employee to entrepreneur is one of the toughest changes you could ever imagine — I know this firsthand.<\/p>\n
The difference between working for a corporation and working for yourself is like the difference between living in a house and living in a tent.\u00a0 When you’re operating a wedding planing business, you’re basically camping out and doing all you can to survive.<\/p>\n
But, if this wedding planning thing is what you’re passionate about and what you really want, keep moving in the direction of your dream.\u00a0 Don’t let anyone else derail you.<\/p>\n
And, when you’re having one of those ‘I-don’t-know-why\/if-I-can-do-this<\/em>‘ days, listen to this episode and read this article, again.<\/p>\nKeep Going. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
HAPPY PLANNING<\/p>\n
Mentioned in this Episode<\/h2>\n
DayofWeddingBusiness.com – <\/strong>Get everything you need to run a day-of wedding coordination company at DayofWeddingBusiness.com<\/a> (formerly the WeddingBusinessGuide).<\/p>\nAdditional Resources<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/div>\nPodcast: Play in new window<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe on iTunes<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n If you’re currently planning weddings on the side:<\/p>\n Whatever your plan is, set daily, weekly, and monthly\u00a0 goals for running your wedding planning business.<\/p>\n It’s important that your goals are measurable.\u00a0 So, instead of stating your goal as : ‘File my DBA’,\u00a0 instead, include a date.\u00a0 Perhaps, try,\u00a0 ‘File by DBA no later than next Friday,’ instead.<\/p>\n If you need to fast-track your wedding business plans, setting and completing five (5) daily<\/strong> goals will certainly get you there.\u00a0 Just know that you’re gonna stay busy and will likely have to give up some of your routine ‘comforts’.\u00a0 For example, I skip watching TV Monday through Friday in order to accomplish a lot of what I have to do.<\/p>\n If the daily plan is unrealistic — and for many of us, it is– shoot for five (5) weekly<\/strong> activities, instead. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly your sideline wedding planning business grows this way when you strike off one (1) task each weekday.<\/p>\n If your life is filled with lots of other commitments, you’ll make more progress with a 5-things-a-month plan.\u00a0\u00a0 Go with this option instead of being discouraged by trying and failing with the daily or weekly plan.<\/p>\n And, if the monthly plan is too demanding, it’s time to reevaluate whether being the owner of\u00a0 your own wedding business is a priority right now.<\/p>\n It’s important to schedule time to work on your wedding planning business.<\/p>\n Remember, this is your (soon-to-be?) paying part-time job.\u00a0 Schedule everything else around your wedding business time and tell everyone who needs to know about it.<\/p>\n And, please don’t pick a time when you’re typically exhausted or know that you’ll be interrupted.\u00a0 Working on your wedding planning business should be something you look forward to, not drudgery.<\/p>\n The jury’s still out as to whether or not you should tell your boss or co-workers about your wedding planning business.\u00a0\u00a0 Knowing what I know, now, my general advice is to keep things to yourself…for now.<\/p>\n If you’re tempted to chuck your day job in favor of your sideline wedding business, proceed carefully.<\/p>\n It’s okay to build your wedding planning business slowly.\u00a0 Get a feel for things.\u00a0 Discover what part of weddings you enjoy and what areas you avoid like the plague.\u00a0 Don’t try to be someone or something you’re not.<\/p>\n And by the way, offering full-service wedding planning when you, yourself, have an outside full-time job is really<\/em> difficult to pull off well!<\/p>\n Your clients expect (and are paying for) you to take care of every last detail of their wedding plans which includes all the tasks that they don’t have the time for.\u00a0 That’s a lot of hand-holding! Be realistic about what you can accomplish while you’re working (a day job) somewhere else.<\/p>\n Instead, seriously consider taking one area of weddings and becoming the top dog in that<\/strong> niche.<\/p>\n As an added bonus, focusing on a wedding planning niche will do wonders for your brand.<\/p>\n Instantly, you’re seen as an expert in your specialty and will stand out from all the other wedding planners in your area as you work on the weddings that truly get you excited.<\/p>\n With a full-time job, you have a steady source of income to pay for necessary living expenses while, hopefully, funneling money into your wedding planning business.\u00a0 This is important when you’re ready to build a website, attend the wedding planner conference in the Fall, invest in equipment…<\/p>\n Slowly build your professional wedding vendor list and work on developing your reputation within your local wedding community while still working your day job.<\/p>\n There’s no shame in operating a wedding planning business, part-time (I don’t care what the bridal magazines say).<\/p>\n The truth is that a couple getting married wants to know that you<\/strong> are the solution to their wedding planning woes. Can (and will) you do what you say you’re gonna do?<\/p>\n So, make sure to put them at ease by being realistic about your availability to plan their wedding, and, by working twice as hard to prove how serious you are as wedding planner.\u00a0 (And let’s be honest, many part-time wedding planners run their ‘business’ as a glorified hobby: not returning phone calls, pricing that’s all over the place, planning weddings without a contract…).\u00a0 Don’t let that be you. Please.<\/p>\n Making the shift from employee to entrepreneur is one of the toughest changes you could ever imagine — I know this firsthand.<\/p>\n The difference between working for a corporation and working for yourself is like the difference between living in a house and living in a tent.\u00a0 When you’re operating a wedding planing business, you’re basically camping out and doing all you can to survive.<\/p>\n But, if this wedding planning thing is what you’re passionate about and what you really want, keep moving in the direction of your dream.\u00a0 Don’t let anyone else derail you.<\/p>\n And, when you’re having one of those ‘I-don’t-know-why\/if-I-can-do-this<\/em>‘ days, listen to this episode and read this article, again.<\/p>\n Keep Going. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n HAPPY PLANNING<\/p>\n DayofWeddingBusiness.com – <\/strong>Get everything you need to run a day-of wedding coordination company at DayofWeddingBusiness.com<\/a> (formerly the WeddingBusinessGuide).<\/p>\nCreate a Plan with Smart Goals<\/h2>\n
\n
Schedule time for your wedding planning business<\/h2>\n
Don’t quit your day job…yet!<\/h2>\n
Feed your Wedding Business with your F\/T $$<\/h2>\n
Just Know That…<\/h2>\n
Mentioned in this Episode<\/h2>\n
Additional Resources<\/h3>\n