I came across this terrific post over at the Oahu Wedding Professional association site, which bills itself as ‘ fun, informative, and slightly irreverent’. So true. I really enjoy reading their blog. The post asked a pretty important question that you might not have considered, especially if you’re a solopreneur wedding planner or a small team:
How’s my front line?
Your front line is your face to the world. Whether it’s your desk person at your floral shop or the second shooter for your photography studio, these folks represent you and your business. They are the ones making the first impression. So, it’s important they put your best foot forward.
Here’s what I wrote in response to Oahu’s blog post:
Really good article and I’d like to add one thought. Before submitting your frontline to what amounts to a pop quiz, be sure you were clear about your expectations for that role first.
Does your receptionist know how you want your clients greeted in person and on the phone and why? Have you, as an employer, shared how you expect common situations (i.e. you’re running late or out of the office or sick) to be handled? Maybe. Maybe not.
My experience as a communication strategist is that most people assume the person doing the role will know what to do or say,especially if its an administrative one. Just answer the phone- with no real direction or discussion until there’s a problem. It’s hard to stay motivated and do your best as an employee when you don’t know what your boss expects.
Setting expectations doesn’t have to be complicated or fussy. A simple sentence like this one does the trick.
‘When you answer the phone, please say Positively Wed- specialized training for wedding professionals in communications and leadership skills’. That way, people know quickly they reached the right number and what we do .’
Explanation and expectation in one neat bundle! Maybe I’ll do a post or two on managing help, which can be awkward when you’re a solopreneur or small team. I hope you don’t mind me throwing in my 2 cents. Yours is one of the very best sites for wedding professionals and I want to support that.
Couple more thoughts about your front line.
Use your front line to extend your reach to touch brides. You can’t be everywhere (unless you’ve discovered the secret of human cloning). But you can get your message out to more brides and wedding professionals by educating your front line about what’s unique about your business.
One of my former law firm clients did this so effectively. Their administrative assistant was a very friendly, approachable young woman who made potential clients feel immediately comfortable. Which is a feat since most people panic when calling a lawyer. She was incredibly well-versed in the specialties of each of the lawyers and the types of cases they handled. While she didn’t actually assign cases, she could help clients get a feel for the firm’s personality and who might work best for their needs. She so increased their revenues because a ) her helpfulness demonstrated their commitment & landed the clients; and b) her attention and care made current clients feel like VIPs (who happily paid their bills). What would it mean to your wedding business if your front line folks did that for you?
Everything is your front line. In this Internet age, what you write, how you respond on Twitter, possibly what you read is available for your clients to discover. (LinkedIn shows when you’ve read someone’s profile) That absolutely applies to your website and online social media profiles.
I can’t tell you how disappointing it is to read a great comment in one of the forums then click through to discover a website that is unattractive or poorly updated. It breaks the spell and calls that person’s competence into question. And, I’m not talking a typo or two (although it’s good to avoid those). I’m talking no updating for months.
Sorry, but too busy is not an excuse. Because if you’re too busy to maintain your OWN website, how can a bride trust you to be at the cutting edge of trends and such when you assist with her wedding? There’s a wealth of affordable help out there. (Let me know and I’ll point you to some tech or social media resources)
I’m thinking about doing a call on delegation to assistants, interns, contractors or employees. Anybody up for that? (BTW, my free March call on 3/24 is all about how to play nice in groups. First 20 people to register will receive a discount coupon for the audio/workbook bundle!)
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