I’m currently in Vero Beach, Florida attending the Discover LOVE destination wedding planning event hosted by Indian River County.  Last night I had a wonderful evening, meeting several planners I have never met before and talking shop.  There’s a great, refreshing vibe going on and several of us spoke candidly all evening about the various challenges we are facing in our businesses.  I so appreciate the honesty I’ve experienced so far – transparency wins with me every time.

On thing I love about meeting fellow planners is the passion we have for what we do.  I have yet to meet a planner who is not excited about her work.  I also love that every planner has a particular area of focus or an additional “project” that she is working on in addition to planning and coordination.  I believe we are that way because we are constantly fueled by using our creative brain.  I really get excited to hear what another planner is doing in their city.  Planners are some of the most creative business women, and are incredibly resourceful.

I shared last night and I don’t mind sharing here that my business is not what I had hoped for this year.  In fact, I started 2010 with only one wedding on the calendar that by February was cancelled.  I felt like a complete failure.  It seemed everyone around me had clients out the wazoo.  I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong, or how some people have more business than they can handle while others are acting desperately to get new business.  I’ve done a lot of soul searching this year and one thing I finally realized is that I CANNOT compare myself to others.  So what if ABC Weddings has 27 clients for 2010?  I don’t even want that many clients, so why do I feel jealous that they do?  It’s ridiculous, really, and it was bringing me down.

I’m happy to say things are picking up.  More than I’d imagine that they would, in fact – and it’s happening very quickly.  There is no rhyme or reason to the sudden activity, as far as I can tell.  I didn’t cut my prices, didn’t increase my blog activity, in fact I didn’t do anything except keep plugging along.  I resolved to still be here, to still be standing when the economy takes a turn for the better, and I resolved to “outlive” the newbie’s on the scene.  My recent clients came to me from different avenues, one from a caterer, one through a soon to be summer intern, one from a past wedding, etc.  This literally happened over the course of a couple of days.  I told my husband I felt as though it was raining blessings directly down on me – finally.  I can only attribute it to answered prayers and the fact that I consistently worked by business, even when there were no clients to work on.

During the soul searching process, I did a lot of thinking.  I reflected back on the early stages of my business.  I wanted to grow, grow, grow.  How many weddings could I feasibly do in one year?  Every day I was calculating new figures for possible income goals.  I made a lot of mistakes, including targeting the wrong market, taking out advertising I couldn’t really afford in order to reach the wrong market (it didn’t work), hiring staff to work with clients so that I could pursue new business, etc.  The recession has made me see things very differently, and I’m honestly very grateful for it.  I now have very clear ideas of what success means to me.  I’m a better business woman for having to work through this difficult time.  It has made me more intentional.

Today, success to me does not have a hard and fast dollar amount associated with it.  Success for me is doing about 10 weddings a year, with a good mix of month of and full service planning and coordination options.  Success to me means there is time in my day to be a good mom and prepare a meal for my family on most nights.  Success means that I take the time to call a friend and catch up because wow, I really miss her and I want her to know it – and besides, I actually have a half an hour to spare!  Success to me means taking off the month of July to spend time with my son and taking December off to savor and enjoy the Christmas Holiday and really connect with the people that I love.  Success to me means having time to pursue my other projects such as writing for The Stylish Planner and consulting with venues on how to better generate wedding business.  I actually feel more successful now than I did when the calendar was full – I was chasing unrealistic goals.

I think we could all benefit from defining our own success instead of comparing ourselves to others.  Don’t allow the goals of others define your business goals.  Success is different to every person and just because your goals may seem smaller than the next planner’s goals, it doesn’t mean you aren’t successful.  Are you fulfilled?  Are you passionate about what you do?  Then you’re successful. Don’t forget that.

Tell me what success means to you.  I’d love to hear about your business!

One challenge wedding and event planners face as self-employed, small business owners is determining the right location to meet with clients.  If you have your own studio or office space, congratulations – but I’m guessing that you are in the minority.  For the rest of us, we have a variety of options and the decision on meeting location should be based on what is best for your business, and what you are most comfortable with.  I’ll share my thoughts here and ask you to share your thoughts in the comments below.

1)  I always ask what time of day is best for the client and then determine a suitable location from their response.  If they say morning or mid-afternoon is best, meeting for coffee is the obvious choice.  I often suggest coffee shops other than Starbuck’s, so checkout your local independent coffee shops via Yelp for something a little more interesting .  Because coffee shops can get ridiculously crowded and noisy, I suggest arriving 15 minutes early to scope out a couple of good seats.  If you prefer Starbuck’s, they definitely have a couple of things going for them…1) they’re everywhere and 2) you can download a free iPhone app from iTunes to search for the nearest mutual location for you and your client.

Octane Coffee – Atlanta

2)  A second option for client meeting locations is a wedding/event studio.  Many cities have one or more independent studios, but you are probably most familiar with Bridal Bar and StudioWed.  Studios are incredibly convenient for both the bride and the vendor.  As an exclusive vendor of a studio, (meaning you have contracted with the studio and pay monthly fees) you have access to the studio, other vendors, use of mailing address, are included in the advertising and website and so much more.  When you need to schedule a meeting, you can call in or login online to reserve a meeting space for your date and time.  The bride/client has vendors from all categories at her fingertips.  Not a member of a wedding studio?  That’s ok too – in some cases, studios will allow you to meet with clients in the space, as long as you refer your client to the exclusive vendors.  For additional details of studio membership, please check out the Bridal Bar and Studio Wed websites.

Studio Wed Atlanta

3)  Another option to consider is a professional meeting center, executive suites or virtual office.  While there are several companies in most cities, offering a variety of services, perhaps the most popular company is Regus Business Centers.  Regus offers a virtual office service starting at $99 per month, depending on your city and location chosen.  Benefits include:  Professional business address to use as your own; a dedicated local phone number and receptionist to answer in your company name; mail collection and handling; two days of private office access each month in your home center; discounts on products and services, plus unlimited access to 1000 business lounges and cafés worldwide.

Regus: Atlantic Station – 17th Street in Midtown

4)  If sharing a meal seems like the way to go, a great option is to meet in your favorite restaurant.  Choose a place that has wonderful food, great service, and make a reservation in advance.  If you have your favorite waiter or waitress, feel free to ask to be seated in their area.  Also, choose a location that is easily accessible, and has nearby, secure, complimentary parking.  Unless your client has a flexible work schedule, lunch should be ruled out, especially for a first meeting.  I feel strongly that one hour is not enough time to get to know one another, connect, discuss details for the event and enjoy your meal.  If lunch will not work, dinner is a great way to go, if this works within your budget and circumstances.  For instance, I only accept a limited number of weddings each year, and I carefully pre-screen potential clients to determine if they will be a good fit for FAVOR Events, so I don’t mind springing for lunch or dinner at a nice restaurant in order to win a client.  I should also add that currently, my overhead is low – no rent, minimal advertising, etc. so I can afford to do this occasionally.  If you’ve found a great restaurant that you like, especially if it meets the criteria I mentioned above, also consider the restaurant bar as a possible after hours meeting spot.  You’ll get the same great service and amenities for a fraction of the price of dinner.  

My favorite – Dogwood Restaurant in Atlanta

5)  The best possible scenario (in my opinion) is to be invited to a client (or potential client’s) home.  This option is wonderful because the client will be relaxed, there should be very little distraction, and in general you can make a great connection this way.  Meeting in a client’s home will give you a sense of their favorite colors and fabrics.  This can be extremely helpful to you in designing their wedding or event.  I always make a point to bring a bottle of wine, flowers, or chocolates as a token of gratitude for their hospitality.

6)  Don’t forget your vendor/venue relationships.  Many photographers, caterers, bakeries, etc. have their own space and would welcome you with open arms in exchange for an introduction to your client.  If you know in advance the venue the client has chosen or is interested in seeing, call to set up a site visit and ask if there is a space you and the client could meet in before or after.  Whether or not the client books the vendor whose space you are meeting in, the vendor will really appreciate your thinking of them and will most likely reciprocate with a future referral to you.

What is your favorite location to meet with a client?  I’d love to hear any unique ideas you have!