Brideability Summit Season 2 launches today! What is a Summit? It’s a teleseminar designed around a topic of interest or an essential skill important for wedding professionals like you. You’ll get a wealth of information and insight- not to mention great workbooks and audios- over the next three months to support your you and your growth as a businessperson.
Did you miss Brideabilty Summit Season 1?
No worries. I’ll give you a little recap like the one you’ll see before the Lost season finale. Season 1 was my first time as a ‘network exec’ (wink, wink) and I wasn’t too sure how to proceed. My goal was to talk to you about topics/issues that are commonplace like dealing with contracts or current like attracting brides in a down economy.
For instance, my interview with Paula Biscare of Remarriage Magazine focused on how to attract a new market, Encore Brides, into your wedding business. What with the economy, I figured everyone would appreciate knowing that opportunities for growth were still available. It just takes a pinch more creativity now to find them. Hate to use this expression, but- you gotta think outside the box- and the Quickstart Marketing Guide can make that easier.
Contracts That Work Summit came about after I noticed a growing number of conversations about brides wanting to alter the wedding planners contract, which apparently didn’t sit well with some folks.
My take is that the most important part of the contract, besides the signatures, is the conversation you have with your couple about what the contract contains and how that impacts their wedding. Surprising how many folks a)brush over that part and b) worry about the contract being broken. Best thing to do is develop your own contracting style that allows you to comfortably talk about what you need to do your very best work and what the couple needs to do to support that.
Season 1 ended with a bang- my best title to date! Play Nice! Work Well in Groups Without Killing Yourself or Others! You attend a ton of meetings as a wedding professional; some good, some not so good. I completely sympathize; that’s why I shared my secrets for looking attentive and engaged (even when you’re not) and how to shape a better meeting (meaning more productive) when you’re not the leader. It all comes down to expectations and understanding your own conflict style. There’s a quiz in the Get Along Guide that tells you whether you’re a competer or avoider.
Season 2
I’m really proud of Season 2 and can’t wait to share what on deck. Season 2 Summits focus more on skill-building, including asking questions. You’d think that after almost twenty years I’d have a firm opinion on which skill is more important: questioning or listening. But I waver between them because one feeds the other. More on that later.
Kicking off with Follow the Leader, the companion discussion to Play Nice, which digs into how to be a great meeting leader. It’s more than making an agenda (although that’s a good start) and starting on time. We’ll talk about how to lead with confidence that inspires others to contribute and how to effectively handle Tessie the Talker and Nancy the Naysayer at your next meeting.
I’m also thrilled to be introducing a new series I call the 7 Conversations Every Businessperson Must Master to Thrive (good title, huh?) Thinking back over my career as a Corporate Ombudsman and a business mediator, I realized that many of the issues I heard centered around a limited number of difficult conversations that get repeated over and over. This first call will introduce the conversations (hiring, firing and delegating are definitely on the list along with some unique ones like the ‘What Happened?’ conversation and Rebalancing conversation) and lay the foundation for future calls that give step-by-step instructions. As a woman business owner myself, it feels very satisfying to be able to share what works with others who struggle with ‘meaning business’ and being nice.
Lastly, we’ll dive into one of my favorite skills, asking questions during Popping the Question: Asking Questions That Work Sure, you ask questions all day. Question is: how effective are your questions? This call is all about how to skillful use your questions to better understand your brides (and other wedding vendors); build deeper relationships (the basis of great referrals) and find workable solutions for pesky problems. We’ll also chat about how you can use questioning to get clear on your own intentions and actions in your business. Crucial info when you’re a building a dynasty! 
For those of you who don’t know, Brideability Summits are FREE. At least for now. Soon, although I don’t know when, there will be a tuition for your sake and mine. My hubby would like me to eventually make some money and my experience tells me you’ll act upon the lessons faster if you pay for them.
So, register for all three, enjoy the freebie and invite your friends!
PS All the calls are recorded. So register even if you can’t attend live and you’ll get a link to the replay.
