About Jeff Padovani

Jeff Padovani is a professional musician, wedding business marketing strategist and resident wise ass at Book More Brides. He’s the “big ideas” mastermind behind the many business ventures (and misadventures!) he enjoys with his wife, Stephanie.

Cool Free Tool: WD40 for the Stuck Wedding Blogger

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Hola, fellow wedding vendor!

In the name of brevity, let’s get right to the point.

Sometimes I struggle with IDEAS about what to blog about.  Anything that gives me a helping hand with that is quite welcome.

Without further ado, here is a cool little site I came across to help you generate content.

You’re welcome.

VISIT CONTENT GENERATOR HERE

I helped you out, now why don’t you help me and the other wedding vendors who visit this site.

How do you get ideas when you’re stuck?

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Filed Under: Free Resources, Free Wedding Business Tools, Home Page Tagged With: , , , ,

Book More Brides Sweepstakes: Win a Free Kindle Fire

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Happy (Almost) New Year!

Man, this year flew by and the New Year is bearing down on us.  Steph and I are mapping out our goals for next year (things like learning mind control and having my own hit TV show.)  OK, those are aspirational goals.  Maybe picking up my dirty clothes each day is a more realistic start.

New Cool, Free Videos Coming Soon!

Right now we’re working on a brand new series of videos for our Wedding Business Blueprint program.

It’s an 8 week program that steps you through every aspect of building and marketing your business, a real “blueprint” for creating a profitable, successful wedding business in ANY economy.

We could really use your help. Before we get busy shooting new videos we want to be damn sure we’re addressing your most pressing challenges, the things that are causing much grief for you and your business.

Take a 5 Minute Survey and You Can Win a Kindle Fire

Help us to help you!  We’ve put together a survey to nail down what’s on your mind.  We want to know…really!

We’re even going to try and bribe you to get this information.  Somebody’s going to get a new Kindle Fire just for taking a moment to fill out our little survey.

Between you and me, I’m hoping it’s you!

TAKE SURVEY HERE

For the love of God, its only 10 questions!  You can do this.

Just enter your email after completing the survey and you’re automatically entered into a drawing to win the Kindle Fire.

This has got to be done before January 1st so get on it..and win your Kindle Fire already!.

So don’t waste a moment.  Take the survey here and let us know what you REALLY want and need.

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If you'd like to get more free information and strategies like this, join our Wedding Business Tips email list here.

Filed Under: Free Resources, Home Page, Wedding Business Tagged With: , ,

“You’ll Never Walk Again,” They Said

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Earlier this year I’d been aggressively working out doing P90x, trying to keep up with my wife, Stephanie. I was in awesome shape and was an avid runner. Until I wasn’t.

I felt a red hot tear in my knee and knew that I’d ripped something. My knee swelled up like a balloon and I was limping around like an invalid. I put off a doctor’s visit for as long as I could because I was afraid of what I’d hear.

When I finally visited the top orthopedist in our area, he told me I’d split my meniscus, that it would never heal, and there was nothing he could do about it. I would never run again.

Sometimes I buy into the negativity. And then I see a guy like this…

Watch this inspiring video:

Sure, I have pain in my leg, and I can walk, but I can’t run. My kids joke, “Sorry, dad. You’ll be the guy who gets eaten during the zombie apocalypse.”

That is not acceptable. I will run again. I will find a way.

Arthur could have lived the rest of his life on the couch and no one would have blamed him for it. He was told by so many that he would never be able to walk on his own again. Where would he be now if he’d listened to them?

We watch so much negativity on television and on the radio telling us that the economy is falling apart, we’re diving off the fiscal cliff.

Is that a reason to give up and buy into it?

Maybe it’s time to reevaluate the things you believe you can’t do, the skills you believe are beyond you or things that it’s impossible for your business to achieve. It’s time to stop believing the lies about what’s possible for your life. (I’m saying this for myself as much as for you.)

Are you going to stay on the couch or are you going to get up and get in the race?

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Filed Under: Home Page, Personal Development, Wedding Business, Wedding Business Income, Wedding Industry Trends Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Wedding Marketing Lessons from the Presidential Campaign

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Confession: I am a political junkie.

We just survived the Presidential election. Call me weird, but I actually enjoy the election season game. Let me be clear; I hate robo-calls, and I don’t particularly enjoy watching two people try to destroy each other. The negative part isn’t very fun.

I love the creation of the candidate’s image, the branding process, the rolling out of a national message through political commercials. Some are successful; some aren’t.

Whether you liked or hated the results, there’s a lot to learn from the experience.

Each side is selling their product: the candidate. They use a whole slew of marketing techniques to do this. Some of them you can directly apply to your wedding business. Others, you might want to stay away from.

Watch this video to learn more:

What do think about the political “marketing” process?

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Filed Under: Advertising, Attracting Ideal Clients, Bridal Marketing, Home Page, Leads & Traffic, Personal Development, Wedding Business Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What a 9 Year Old Can Teach You About Running a Successful Wedding Business

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Have you seen the viral video Caine’s Arcade? If you haven’t, It’s definitely worth 10 minutes of your time. I was quite moved by this video; I’m a sucker for small children and furry creatures.

Watch the video here:

 

  

   

 

So, what about this video made me want to share it here on Book More Brides? It’s a great example of a myth many wedding vendors buy into.

It’s called “The Field of Dreams Myth.”

The Field of Dreams Myth

Ever watch the movie, Field of Dreams? That’s what this myth is named after

Here’s the jist. Kevin Costner’s character lives in a small house on a cornfield. He is obsessed with baseball and hears whispers in his head telling him,“If you build it, they will come.” Finally, he decides to build a baseball field in his cornfield, and the ghosts of baseball legends congregate and the Field of Dreams is a huge success.

Wedding Vendors Buy the Bunk

A lot of wedding professionals think that putting in the hard work of developing your skills and creating your business is enough to succeed. Not quite!

Caine had a great idea combined with great follow through. He built it, he was there every weekend, he was awesomely cute..hell, he even had his own staff t-shirt! So what was missing?

CUSTOMERS. No one knew he existed. He built it and they didn’t come.

I see a lot of that going on these days. Sorry to say that no one is coming to make a short film about you that will go viral and solve all your business woes.

“But I have a fan page on Facebook and a Twitter and look at my groovy brochures!”

So what?

Are you actually using them to connect with your potential customers or are you buying into the “If you build it they will come,” myth?

All of the stuff you do for your business won’t accomplish squat unless you get out there and market it.

Caine got lucky that his story inspired a film maker who also happened to “get” how to use social media to spread the word. Potential customers received the message and responded…Eureka, success!

“If you build it and market it strategically, then they might come.” There, that’s better.

What did you learn from Caine’s inspiring story?

Faries

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Filed Under: Bridal Marketing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Bad News is Bad For the Wedding Business

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Reading_the_newsA couple of weeks ago I finally stepped up and addressed a dirty little secret in my life. This “addiction” was starting to take a toll on my health and over all well being. I had reached the point where I was indulging in this bad habit pretty much from when I woke up till I went to bed.

What am I talking about? An addiction to the news.

I’m sure some would say that’s BS. “That’s not a problem; it’s important to keep up with current events…Don’t be one of those people with their heads in the sand. In these trying times you need to have your finger on the pulse, blah, blah, blah…”

There was a time (a couple of weeks ago perhaps) where I would have been the one pointing out the need to have up to date commentary on the day to day struggles in our political system.

Garbage in Garbage Out

I’m not completely sure what finally was the tipping point for me. Sure, the non-stop political spin made me what to scream and choke the crap out of someone.

On a regular basis, Stephanie asks me, “Is this edifying?” (Her way of asking if the news was “improving” me.) I usually grumble something about keeping up with what’s happening, leave me alone…Grrrr!

My son recently pointed out, “Hey, Dad, you ever notice that they repeat the same story over and over all day with the only difference being the talking head spewing it? Kind of mind numbing, huh?”

My friend Barry recently shared with me that he had “cut the cord” about 12 years ago and stopped consuming bad news, which essentially is pretty much 95% of it.

Cutting the Cord

At first I was appalled by the notion of this. You know, that whole “staying on top of what’s happening” thing. But then I took a good look at how successful, happy, and downright Zen Barry was, and couldn’t help but start the dreaded self reflection.

What if the increased blood pressure, acid indigestion, massive time suck and general pissy mood wasn’t really worth it?

Maybe the world would be ok with out my constant monitoring.

So I took the leap and shut the idiot box off. I erased the links to my favorite news sites. I essentially went “dark”.

It’s been about three weeks and I’ve got to tell you, I’m a better man for it. Yeah, I’ve done a wee bit of cheating here and there, but overall it’s been a huge change.

No more starting my morning with death, robbery, disaster or listening to some pundit bitching. I’m playing my guitar more. I’m chatting with my girl. I’m making a plan for how I’m going to dominate my market..Bwahaha!

More importantly, I’m not starting my day in a negative state.

What’s Your Bad Influence?

So what the hell does this have to do with running a successful wedding business? Well, just about everything!

There will never be a shortage of things to distract us from what’s really important. Unfortunately, negative stuff can be very enticing.

I think about all the time I’ve burned up on things that in the end didn’t feed me at all. What if instead I had focused that time on my family and business? Would I be closer to where I want to be?

You may not be a political news nut like me. Maybe you just love to gossip or maybe you’re addicted to reality train wreck shows like Jersey Shore (God I hope not!) I ask you, “Is this edifying?”We have a choice about quite a bit of the negativity that enters our heads.

Have you ever tried something new to promote your business and had it fail, then blamed it on the crappy economy and given up?

All the negativity we expose ourselves to on a daily basis ends up directing our actions. Instead of easily excepting defeat, we can take an empowered approach and adjust our actions to make it work instead.

Could switching to a diet rich in positive data make this a tad bit easier?

Maybe give it a go and share your results. I’d love to hear your good news.

What bad news are you willing to dump for 2012? Leave a comment and inspire someone!

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Filed Under: Home Page, Personal Development Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Mobile Monster: Are Brides Finding You?

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Checking_Cell_Phone

2012 is almost here and I’m going down my to do list of things I fully intended on completing this year. Who doesn’t love the satisfying feel of crossing off those seemingly monster chores that we regularly face as business owners?

We’re down to the wire but I’ve got my fingers crossed that one of my nemeses will finally be put to bed. What is this dreaded deed?

Going mobile!

I know, we’re supposed to be firing on all cylinders in the marketing universe. How the hell could we drop the ball on this one?

Actually it was pretty easy. Close my eyes and shove my fingers in my ears. La la la la…not an issue. I can do denial like the best of them. Maybe this is your excuse as well.

Pull your head out of the sand! I think its time for us to say together, “Mobile is a must, not an option!” Its time to get on the train or be left behind.

The Mobile Love Affair

People are addicted to their mobile devices. When was the last time you met with a bride who didn’t have one?
Consider these facts:

  • 65% sleep with their phone according to Pew Research.
  • MRIs reveal that the brains of iPhone users actually respond to the sound of their phones like they would when they’re hanging out with their boyfriend or girlfriend, according to this New York Times article.
  • 6-10% of people have actually texted while having sex, according to Mashable.com.
  • Text messages have over a 95% open rate. How does that compare to emails you send out to prospective customers?

Now that’s some serious mobile love.

How Do You Look On Mobile?

What happens when a future bride tries to pull your site up on a mobile device? Chances are it’s pretty ugly, pretty useless or it doesn’t load at all. Either way you lose.

Not sure what your site looks like on a typical smart phone? Check out your website on this page. This will give you a general idea of how useless your site is without a mobile friendly version. Ouch.

Never fear. There are plenty of services out there that will help you get in the game. Don’t worry about super ninja mobile marketing strategies. First things first…you just have to show up.

No presence, no sale. It’s pretty simple.

You need to do this. Hell, WE need to do this! So let’s make a pact to get on the mobile band wagon and cross that one off our list.

5 Painless Ways to Go Mobile:

1. Apply the KISS principle, keep it simple, stupid!

Most people will make a short visit to your site so you will want to think about what they see. Stick to the basics: contact info, phone, location. Cut to the chase about your product or service. Think of it almost like an elevator pitch.

2. Make it easy to navigate.

Go easy on links and keep your navigation as clutter free as possible. Don’t overdue it with pictures or this will really mess with your page load time. Remember, flash is NOT your friend!

3. If you’re a WordPress user, use plugins and mobile themes to optimize your site.This means you can skip the fun of a redesign and still look good on mobile.

4. Go with a company like Mofuse.com who will build and host a mobile page for you. Be aware, this comes with its own pros and cons.

5. Whatever solution you choose, test it on multiple platforms.

It would really suck to find out your awesome looking mobile site was rocking on your Android phone and crappy on your friend’s iPhone.

So, no more excuses. Get mobile with me in 2012. All the cool kids are doing it!

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If you'd like to get more free information and strategies like this, join our Wedding Business Tips email list here.

Filed Under: Bridal Marketing, Home Page Tagged With: , , , , ,

Shut Up and Fix Your Wedding Business Already!

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StressedLately I’ve heard a lot of pessimism in the wedding industry, a lot of hand wringing about shrinking wedding budgets, the DIY trend, unfair expectations set up by the bridal media.  Yadda, yadda, blah, blah.

I get it.  It’s tough out there.  According to the Wedding Report, average US wedding expenses dropped 32% from 2007 to 2009.  That truly sucks.

At some point it’s time to stop being a victim and take full responsibility for the success and failure of your business. 

It’s not empowering to blame your failure on an outside force.  Maybe it’s easier, but in the end it says you have no control.  And you DO have control.

In fact, things are getting better.  The average wedding expense went UP by 23% in 2010 over the previous year.  Couples are still spending money.  People are still booking weddings.  There are plenty of vendors who are absolutely crushing it.

Why aren’t you?

Let’s do an assessment of where you are at RIGHT NOW. 

  1. Pull out a sheet of paper and make two columns. 
  2. Label one column “Working” and the other “Not Working.”
  3. In the Working column, list everything that is working in your business, all the aspects of your business that you are happy with.
  4. In the Not Working column, write down everything that isn’t working.

Be painfully honest with yourself about your business.  Blowing sunshine up your own ass is deadly.

If your customers love your work, if you get great testimonials, if your closing rate is 70%, write it down.

If your sales are down, if your website sucks, if your phone isn’t ringing, write it down.

My goal is not to drive you to suicide; it’s to help you get real.

Now it’s time to take action.

Action #1 – Start with doubling down on what’s already working.

If you’re getting leads from a certain source, maybe you need to invest more that source to get more leads from it.  If face to face networking gets you work, you need to do more of it.

Action #2 – For what’s not working, find someone who has it down and find out what they’re doing so that you can model it.

Success leaves clues.  If someone has a great website that gets leads, ask them who designed it.  Look at their offer.  What can you learn from it?

It’s much easier to model success that it is to make it up from scratch.  Find someone who has what you want and learn from them.

The bottom line: if you have any talent at what you do, you CAN succeed in your business; you just need to use the tools you have available today to find success with the new brides in the new economy. 

Things are not going back to the way they were.  Wake up, get your act together, make a plan and move forward…or dig a hole and climb in it.

Either way, complaining without a plan of action is just bitching, and nobody wants to hear you bitch.

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Home Page, Personal Development Tagged With: , , , ,

Why 90% of Wedding Vendor Websites Fall Short

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Couple_Picking_Up_Money

Do you ask before you pitch? Do you have an arrangement with your clients and potential clients that allows you to market to them?

No? Maybe its time you did.

Steph and I spoke at a wedding business marketing conference recently and I asked our audience who has a lead capture on their website. A few hands were raised, less than 10% of the group (I’m being generous). Ouch!

Why is this important? Because they are missing out on a powerful tool to grow their businesses.

When a bride checks out your website, she might be in the early stages of wedding planning. She could be trolling for ideas with no plan to buy in the immediate future.

She moves on and…Well, that’s that. The odds are pretty lousy she’ll make her way back to you.

You need to connect before she gets lost in the sea of choices. You need a way to continue the conversation.

Permission marketing to the rescue!

Permission marketing is a phrase coined by marketing guru Seth Godin. It’s a pretty simple but powerful concept. It’s built on an agreement with your customer; you give them something and in return they let you continue the conversation with them (translation, market to them).

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, take a look at the top of this page and you’ll see a place to enter your name and email to receive a free report. That’s a “lead capture form,” a type of permission marketing.

Isn’t it much nicer to be able to send information and not have it considered spam or junk? It shows that you respect their time. You’re sending what you told them you going to. No surprises, no sharing their email with other businesses. No BS.

Building a relationship with prospective customers this way leads to better prospects and more sales. It puts you front and center when its time for her to pull the trigger. Your odds of converting her into a paying customer just got a whole lot better.

So what do you have to give to get? This is where it can get a little tricky for some.

Remember: it’s not about what you want to give them…you know, something documenting the wonders of you, I’m so awesome, everyone loves me, buy my stuff!

It’s about giving them something they actually want. This “bride bribe” or “ethical bribe” should be something that grabs her attention. Like a free report with insider tips or a report of the biggest pitfalls of wedding planning, super creative decorations, secrets to awesome wedding pictures, how to avoid wedding night disasters, etc. Get it?

It’s got to be compelling. “Sign up for my newsletter,” is about as compelling as asking them to come watch paint dry. Honestly, when’s the last time you were anxiously waiting for the next addition of someone’s newsletter?

You can do so much better, and you’re going to have to, if you want to make an impression and get them to take the first step.

If you don’t have an opt-in or lead capture form on the front page of your website then its time to get with the program.

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Filed Under: Bridal Marketing, Home Page Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Permission Marketing-The Future of Online Marketing?

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angry-bride
Whats the best way to define permission marketing? Lets look at the opposite first, spam! We all pretty much hate it, we all have to deal with it.  It jams up your in box, often is infected with all kinds of nasty bugs.  You didn’t ask for it, it wasn’t invited in to your life.

Permission marketing changes this equation.  You invited it, you are actually interested in it (at least the “ethical bribe” that got you to opt in!).  
Why did you give your email to a particular site? Was it access to information..
maybe a special report or the ability to post a comment?

In the end, they got to market to you because you gave them permission.

Got it?

Permission Marketing

 

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