Own Your Business

Have you heard all the buzz about Ideal Client Avatars lately? Yeah, so have we! Which is why we thought it would be a good idea to share more insights into: - What makes an ideal client anyway - The top component to a solid ICA that most people miss - How to create your own - What to do with the information in your marketing and sales process I’m joined today by my wife and our head copywriter, Katy Taylor Jacobson, and we share a bunch of actionable ideas you can put to use today. If you’re looking for more help than just a podcast, and want to have experts build your ideal client avatar (and a website around them), reach out to sam@ideactionconsulting.com or visit www.ideactionconsulting.com for more information on how to get started. 

It’s not easy to chart a course from where you are to a place you’ve never been to before. But that’s exactly what many wedding pros who own their own business do. Unfortunately, many of you end up in the wrong destination because you got started in the wrong direction to begin with. In this episode of Own Your Business, I talk about: - Why it’s so hard to create a solid strategy - 5 big mistakes I see others make when creating a path for their business - How to give yourself the best chance for successful future strategy You’ll hear me mention our Shift Retreat a few times in the conversation. If you’re interested in attending or learning more, check out our version of an annual planning workshop meets luxury vacation at www.shiftbusinessretreat.com. Enjoy the episode. I know you’re going to learn a lot!

One of the biggest mistakes I see on websites is putting up an entire page about your pricing. Why focus the conversation on the scariest thing you do for your clients (that is, take money from them)?!! Instead you should feature all your amazing services. And in this episode, I sit down with my wife and our head copywriter, Katy Taylor Jacobson, to break down: - Why pricing pages kill inquiries - What goes into a solid services page - What names work and don’t work on the main navigation - Whether or not to include an FAQ on your website If you want help evaluating your current website, here's a link to a half-off website review offer. For less than $150 we’ll comb through your site offering specific recommendations to convert more couples to your inbox starting immediately: Click here to get your website review. Enjoy the listen today!

I’ve looked at hundreds, maybe more than a thousand, proposals and pricing guides over the past 6+ years. Nine out of ten look the same. Trust me, your “I believe” statement, your bio, your images, and - importantly - your collections all look pretty much the same. If you want to stand out, it’s time to present your proposals differently. In this episode of Own Your Business, I talk about: - 5 big mistakes I see all the time with proposals - How to build desire early in the proposal - What to include to make yourself stand out - How you can make nervous buyer feel reassured you’re the best choice Enjoy the episode! https://ideactionconsulting.com/custom-proposal-template

I’ve read hundreds of books about business, marketing and selling over the past 20 years. In this episode, I share my top 10 to grow your business. The list includes: - The best book you can read to be a better listener - How to feel comfortable at networking events - Lots of science on selling

One of my favorite episode types is the myth-buster. We take commonly held ideas and perspectives, and then take a wrecking ball to them so you get a different outlook and new insights you can use. Today, I’m joined by my wife and business partner, and our head copywriter, to talk about five big myths related to websites and copywriting. We discuss: - Formal v. conversational voice for luxury vendors - What comes first: website design or copywriting - What to do with price on your website - And other big myths you might’ve heard about in the industry   Enjoy the episode!

Have you heard of the phrase “Start with Why”? It was made popular by Simon Sinek many years ago in his TED Talk and book. Short version of the concept is to begin with your “why” instead of your “what,” which is what most people tend to do. But what is your “why”? And how do you come up with it? And where do you use it in your marketing and sales process? In this episode of Own Your Business, I’m interviewed by Katy Taylor Jacobson, my wife and business partner, and head copywriter for our company. We talk about: - Why your “why” matters - How you can attract more ideal clients with it - And we’ll model a way to create your “why” by Katy asking me questions to surface the responses If you’re interested in having us guide you through the experience 1:1, reach out to us at sam@ideactionconsulting.com, or visit www.ideactionconsulting.com. If you feel a little lost or burned out, and you want to feel inspired and reinvigorated, consider attending our Shift Retreat this November or December. We’re gathering a small group of wedding pros like you who are interested in making sure 2024 heads in the right direction for you, your business, and your life. Visit www.shiftbusinessretreat.com for more information or to sign up.

Every business goes through a predictable series of steps to achieve success. You, as the owner of your business, will run into obstacles at major transitions from one stage to the next. The key is to recognize when you’ve hit that barrier. Then you can pull out tools and get the training you need to push through each one when you reach it. In today’s episode of Own Your Business, I explore: - The 4 Saints: Starting, Struggling, Stuck and Stretched - How our own company met these challenges head on - Ways to work through the challenges no matter what stage you’re at with your business If you’re feeling stuck or stretched, check out our Shift Retreat, a fully immersive business workshop for wedding pros who are ready to break through the barriers of being stuck, or reimagine your business to eliminate that constant feeling of being burned out. Head to www.shiftbusinessretreat.com for more information.

It’s not easy to attract and book ultra-luxury clients. It’s even harder to do on scale, where you’re not the only one delivering the services. It takes a system. And it takes a team to get it all done. This week, I talk with Shannon Leahy, a planner who’s received just about every accolade you can imagine in the wedding industry. But the one she’s most proud of? Building a team that serves clients at the highest level. On today’s episode of Own Your Busines, Shannon and I talk about: - How she got her start as a wedding planner - Big mistakes and lessons learned from the early years - How she’s managed to create a company bigger than herself

Top sales people aren’t born, they’re made. They’re trained. They’re coached to improve in key areas to develop skills that help them book more clients at higher prices. But what exactly do you need to get better at if you want to reach your full potential? What skills should you focus on? In this episode of Own Your Business, I breakdown: - 7 core competencies for people in the event industry - Skills you have to stack in order to excel in each area - 4 distinct selling styles - Potential blindspots for each style