Does anyone else feel like 2023 is just flying by?! If you are reading this in real-time, consider this your check-in point (and to be honest – use it to check in on your goals no matter WHEN you are reading this). We are halfway through the new year, making it a great time to look at those (lofty) New Year’s resolutions we are all guilty of making and seeing where we stand. How are yours looking? Have you been able to stick to your goals, or have other distractions got in the way? Do NOT wait until November to try and cram in a year’s worth of goals in the last 60 days (I can’t be the only one guilty of this). Today, I’m going to share 7 habits I think ALL wedding pros should adopt in 2023, to help you move toward your goals more effectively for the rest of the year!
Goal Setting for Wedding Pros
Before I dive into the best habits for wedding pros to have, I want to say this. We have spent the last 3 years dealing with more than our fair share of uncertainty. If you feel discouraged, just know that you are not alone and that you don’t need to do things perfectly. If some of these habits below resonate with you and you feel as though you want to adopt them into your routine, make sure to give yourself grave throughout the process. While I firmly believe (as your virtual business coach!) that we need to be “all in” on who we need to become to reach our goals, we also need to give our habits time to grow too.
In one of my first podcast episodes, I talk about how it takes an average of 66 days to make a habit. So often, I see wedding pros quit or get discouraged without giving themselves enough time to really see things through. As a coach for wedding pros for the last decade, I just want to say this: you CAN do this. And I’m going to be cheering you on as you do!
#1 Start Planning in 90 Days
The women in my mastermind, WeddingPro Insiders, know this because every quarter I ask them to submit a plan for the next 90 days.
The logic is simple: 90 days is long enough to see real progress, but not so long that it feels like you can procrastinate or make excuses. Working with a plan helps keep you focused and motivated, especially when you can see tangible results from your efforts. There’s no need to feel overwhelmed by the idea of setting annual goals for yourself: it can actually make it easier to break it down into manageable chunks and take one step at a time!
When it comes to creating a 90-day plan, first take a seat and look back at the past quarter to jot down areas for improvement and celebrate your wins. To achieve long-term goals, I’ve found it to be the most effective to focus on 3 main things every 90 days to avoid overwhelming yourself. Adding more to your plate won’t help you get more done!
#2 Learn + do at the same time
I bet you didn’t expect to see this one on a list of the best habits for wedding pros to adopt in 2023, did you? Here’s the thing: I don’t want you to get stuck in “learn” mode. By “learning while doing”, I mean that you should take action as soon as you learn something new. As someone who is constantly learning new things – and as a busy business owner, that’s you! – it can be easy to get stuck in learning mode. Too much time spent reading and researching won’t move the needle for your business, so take what you know and apply it as soon as possible!
Making small changes and experimenting with different ideas is another great way to put your new knowledge into action. Try out different ideas and don’t be afraid to pivot when necessary. Remember that “failing fast” is important — even if your idea doesn’t pan out, there are valuable lessons to be learned from it which will make the next effort even stronger!
Using Checklists and Swipe files
Listen – in case the idea of “learning while doing” has you sweating, I’m not suggesting that you read a book on how to swim and then dive into the middle of the ocean. It doesn’t have to be so dramatic! For example, in the ideal client cocktail, I include an “implementation checklist” so you put things into action as soon as you learn them. Each month in the Planner’s Playbook, I also include swipe files so you don’t stay stuck for long. For example, in this Playbook about running wedding rehearsals, I’m not just telling you what to do in theory, I’m giving you scripts for exactly what to say!
#3 Make time to work ON your business
The wedding industry can be incredibly demanding, pulling wedding professionals from one client to the next in a never-ending cycle. Unfortunately, this means that all too often you can get bogged down in client work and neglect working on your own business. When I say working ON your business, this could include improving processes, reevaluating prices, creating effective marketing content, or even experimenting with new packages. One of the best habits for wedding pros to adopt in 2023 is scheduling in CEO time regularly to ensure that they are always able to focus on the health and growth of their business amidst client demands. Put it on your calendar now!
#4 They Dive Deeper into Data
It’s true, you can easily check Instagram analytics to see how a post performed or how your Honeybook close rate fared. And honestly, you absolutely should be keeping tabs on those metrics!
But there’s something else all wedding professionals should start doing in 2023: examining their data more closely and leveraging it to gain deeper insights. By taking this step, you’ll not only stay ahead of the competition, but also better understand your clients and how to best serve them.
Besides “just” looking at the numbers, start to ask yourself: what does this tell me? How can I do more of what’s working (and hey – let’s remember the Pareto principle that tells us 80% of our results come from 20% of our effort) and what can I delegate or delete that isn’t working? Spend TIME with the data, beyond just logging it in.
#5 They listen to their customers
One of the most important factors for success in the wedding industry is a stellar onboarding and offboarding process, complemented by a process that allows you to track “things to do better” (I consider creating an asana board or separate email address for you and your team to add thoughts “off the cuff”). However, if you’re looking to truly elevate your skills as a wedding professional, you might want to consider investing your time in a data mining campaign.
This ties in with habit #4 of highly successful wedding industry professionals, but if you find yourself not seeing the results you want in your business, it’s worth taking a closer look at how well you’re actually listening to your customers. I know this can be a little hard on the ego! But taking this extra step can help you stay on top of emerging trends in the industry and provide the best possible service to your clients. ALL wins, which is why it is one of the best habits for wedding pros to adopt in 2023.
#6 Batchwork Your Tasks
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that I haven’t always been a fan of batchworking. If this one made you roll your eyes, I get it! Now though? I can’t imagine my life without it. Seriously – I have a whole podcast episode about batchworking you can listen to here if you are curious!
The reason I believe that batchworking is one of the top habits for wedding pros to adopt in 2023, is because it allows you to concentrate on one task for an extended period without interruption. This can help you be more productive and efficient with your time, freeing up more energy for other tasks that require creativity and focus. As wedding pros, we NEED time and space to be creative. In a world where our attention spans are constantly being challenged, this is one habit you want to adopt sooner rather than later.
#7 One of the best habits for wedding pros to adopt 2023, is the habit of surrounding themselves with people who are smarter than them
Business owners who understand the importance of having a well-rounded team, and surround themselves with people smarter than them, are ultimately better able to push through any challenge that comes their way. And in the wedding industry, there WILL be challenges (it’s part of the job!). Whether your network is full of fellow wedding pros in the same field (if you are a wedding planner, the community inside the Planner’s Playbook is one of the best parts!), or you start outsourcing projects or tasks to specialists in their area of expertise (ie. stop trying to DIY your brand and hire someone instead!), or even just hiring a business coach or choosing a mentor who is more experienced – it will ALL help.
Want a recap of the habits all wedding pros should adopt in 2023?!
Phew – that was a lot! I’m feeling kind of motivated just writing it all down, though, aren’t you? Here’s a quick recap.
- Start planning in 90 days
- Learn + do at the same time
- Make time to work ON your business
- Dive Deeper into Data
- Listen to your customers
- Batchwork your tasks
- Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you!
Ready to Crush Your Goals and Join Us Inside Planner’s Playbook?
Are you looking for a community where you can connect with other wedding planners and hone your craft? I would love to invite you to join me in my wedding planner’s membership program – the Planner’s Playbook! Inside, not only will you have the opportunity to network with talented professionals like yourself, but you will also be provided with helpful resources to improve your skills!
If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, sign up now and get on the waitlist. We can’t wait to welcome you into our community of passionate wedding planners!
Explore More Wedding Industry Resources
- How To Avoid Wedding Season Burnout
- 8 Steps to Spring Cleaning Your Wedding Business
- The 5 Stages of Scaling Your Wedding Business You Need to Know About
- Honeybook Plans: Which Honeybook Plan Should You Choose For Your Business?
- How This One Thing Can Help You Avoid Burnout After Wedding Season
- Top Networking Tips for Wedding Planners in 2023
- What Is Analysis Paralysis, What Causes It & How To Overcome It
- 5 Time Management Tips & Secrets For Wedding Pros
For More Wedding Planner Business Secrets Follow Me On Instagram
I’ve come to realize that many of us want to have a village, but we don’t recognize that we have to be a villager first.
My friend carla @c10ike is one of those rare exceptions and I want to introduce you to her!
When I started my planning business, I had no contacts and no real idea what I was doing. I was so green it makes me laugh to look back on it now!
And somehow, I got lucky enough to be taken under the wing of this incredible woman who showed up for me then when I was a little baby business owner, and has kept showing up ever since in more ways than I could possibly count.
She’s taught me so much over the years, and I don’t mean in the traditional sense of teaching someone something. She simply lived her life, and I paid attention.
She modeled what it means to be a friend.
A sister.
A daughter.
A wife.
A mother.
A business owner.
A boss.
I learned generosity by watching her be generous.
Compassion, connection, leadership… none of it came from advice. All of it came from the way she carries herself and the way she treats the people around her.
She has taught me more than she will ever know by the sheer act of living loudly and joyfully in every corner of her life.
I am so lucky to call her my friend. So lucky to be one of the many, many people she has been a villager for.
Carla thank you for letting me grow up right beside you. I love you. 🤍
DAY ONE // WPI Spring Retreat 💜
This was our first real day together! The theme of this whole retreat was refinement, so we wasted no time getting into it on Day 1!
The women shuttled up to my home, walked through the gate to mimosas and the biggest hugs, and got their welcome totes filled with goodies I curated from female owned businesses that were mostly local!
Then we settled in, did some tapping to manifest all the answers we needed for the week, courtesy of our very own @ashley.peraino (who couldn’t join us this year, but was SO THOUGHTFUL to record a video for us!)
I opened with a talk on complexity, discernment, and self-trust (today’s podcast episode, BTW) simplifying your business and actually trusting yourself to lead what’s left.
From there the room took over. We had three incredible member gives: @c10ike on trusting your creative instincts, @ininkweddings on refining your creative POV, and @welldressedevents on generating real revenue through Google Ads (it’s giving… LEADS 😉).
In between we had small group discussions, hot conversations about where instinct and POV are out of sync, a homemade Caribbean lunch, and an afternoon of poolside snacks and conversation.
This is what the WPI room looks like. A talented group of women who came with one big business question and spent day one getting closer to the answer while having fun and getting their brains stretched!
All these gorgeous moments captured by our retreat photographer + my business bestie @c10ike 💜💜💜
Do it or delete it.
I said this recently to a coaching client, and now it’s sort of become our mantra inside WPI, because almost every business owner I know has a to-do list with 47 things on it (the same 47 things that were on last week’s list, and the week before that).
They don’t get done. They just travel from week to week collecting guilt, and that guilt somehow makes it even harder to get anything done at all.
After years of coaching women through this, you start to realize that most of those tasks don’t actually have dire consequences if they never happen. They just feel important because they’ve been living on your list rent-free for six months.
I want you to look at your to-do list right now and choose.
You do it… meaning you do it right now or at the very least put it on the calendar with a real deadline.
You delegate it… but only if it’s actually worth someone else’s time, not because you’ve been avoiding it and want to make it someone else’s problem.
Or you delete it… and I mean actually delete it, not shuffle it to a “someday” list where it will haunt you until 2027.
The guilt you feel about your undone tasks won’t go away if you magically “get more productive.” Instead I want you to see it for what it is: a list-curation problem.
What’s one thing you’re deleting today?
PS: I can confidently say these @aritzia sweatpants are 10/10
Syd from @ininkweddings spent $$$$ on a rebrand... and a year later, her gut told her to do it again.
She listened, and that’s how Messy Luxury™ was born.
The Behind the Brand series is BACK on the podcast, and this episode is one of my favorites yet. I’m excited to introduce you to Sydney Meyer (AKA ya girl, SYD) – a talented, vibrant, and dynamic wedding designer / planner based in Austin but serving clients worldwide.
I’ve been coaching Syd inside WPI since 2022, so I’ve had a front row seat to her evolution.
I’ve gotten to watch her build an iconic brand from the inside out, and it’s been one of the great joys of my coaching career. I’m so excited for you to hear her journey and some of the interesting twists and turns she’s encountered because boy, are they RELATABLE.
In this episode, we get into:
- What inspired her to start In Ink
- Why her first rebrand still didn’t feel right and how she knew
- The rock-bottom moment that forced her to build a business for HER, not everyone else
- How she trademarked Messy Luxury and turned it into the most recognizable design philosophy in Austin
If your business doesn’t feel like you anymore or if you’ve been searching for your unique creative POV, you’re going to LOVE this week’s episode!
Drop MESSY LUXURY in the comments and I’ll send you a link to listen!
A special shout out to all the photographers whose images reflect Syd and her great work: @alicialeighphoto @anastasiastratephotography @fallonstovallphoto @lightasgold @natalienicolephoto @haleyfolkman.photo @c10ike
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