How To Establish Yourself As The Expert In Your Field

This week one of my companies, The Heart Bandits, was featured in Brides Magazine. The article was called, “6 Major Proposal Mistakes to Avoid, According to Experts.” In the article, I am cited as the expert in Proposal Planning. Every time an article like this comes out, at least one of my peers shoots me a text or email to ask me how I got featured in XYZ. And my answer to them is that the magazines, websites, and media COME TO ME!

But it wasn’t always that way. There are a lot of things that I had to do to establish myself as an expert in the Proposal Planning and Pop-Up Wedding Industry. I teach you many of these steps in my courses that are going to be LIVE in February!! Sign up for the waitlist here.

For now, here are 3 free tips on how you can establish yourself as an expert in your field.

Actually Become An Expert

This may seem obvious but when wondering how you can get featured in media, you have to really ask yourself, “Am I actually the most knowledgeable person in my field about this subject matter?” If not, you need to become one. Take courses on the subject matter, read all of the blogs and interviews you can find, follow all the leaders in the industry on social media, and stay on top of all of the trends. If you are in a competitive space, try to niche down so that you are the expert at a specific niche in your market. Or become an expert in your field in your city specifically. That way, when someone starts looking for an expert in your field or area, they are lead to you.

Show Your Expertise

Once you feel like you truly are the expert in your industry, start showing that off in your social media and blogs. When you start sharing valuable tips and content on social media, so many great things happen. You start to seem like an expert in your field, people start sharing your content, people start following you, and most importantly, people start seeking you out when they are in need of your services or when they want to feature your service in the press.

By now, you know I am a HUGE believer in the power of SEO. When clients or journalists look for an expert in your field, they are looking in one of two places; Google or Social Media. I’ve already talked about showing your expertise on social media. To show your expertise on your website, you are going to blog about your expertise in a way that benefits your reader. In turn, you will eventually establish yourself as an expert to Google who will start rewarding you with rankings. SEO tips and tricks is a huge focus in my courses for this specific reason.

Get Media

The most powerful way to show you are an expert in your field is to be published somewhere. If you can get featured in major media, you will instantly have clout not just with your clients but with other media. And it completely snowballs. For example, I got featured in New York Times very early on after I started my business. Did I get clients from that interview? Absolutely. But what’s more is the other big things happened. Good Morning America saw the article and wanted to interview me. Hotels saw it and wanted to partner with me. When you finally get a major piece of media, a lot of things can change.

And that is why one of the Modules in my courses focuses on how to get media. Because getting media can create such big opportunities for your business. And the truth is, it really isn’t that hard to get.

Why I Started Selling Pop-Up Wedding Packages

I started Pop The Knot, a pop-up wedding company, in 2016. At that time, I already had a wildly successful proposal planning business and had already started earning a multiple six-figure income through it. So why did I start a pop-up wedding company you ask? Well, there are a few reasons that I started that business and thought you may want to hear about them. My reasons just might resonate with why YOU should start selling pop-up wedding packages. Here are the reasons I started selling pop-up wedding packages:

Gap In The Market

I knew there were a ton of traditional wedding planners, a lot of high-end wedding planners, and many very outdated elopement package websites. But there wasn’t too much in between. Now this was before the pandemic which has sparked a high demand in microweddings, so back then, there wasn’t much out there servicing that audience. I saw a gap in the market, and I decided to fill it. And this is really why most entrepreneurs start the first of something right?

Flash forward 5 years and we now know there was indeed a big market for pop-up weddings and microweddings because vendors around the world are starting to add these services. And now is the perfect time to do it!

Already Had A Proven Business Model

Knowing how to plan a full-scale wedding is one thing. But putting together quick, streamlined, no-fuss weddings is another. I had already been selling pre-made proposal packages through The Heart Bandits. Those all inclusive packages had earned me hundreds of thousands of dollars and they were super easy to implement and very streamlined. So I thought, what if I could apply that same business model to weddings and make them simple pop-up weddings?

Turns out, it was the perfect formula and again, earned me a multiple six figure income. Now I teach people how to put together these easy packages so that they can have the same success.

Diversified My Income

At this point you might be thinking, “OK, what does this have to do with me?” Well THIS is what it has to do with you. No matter what you are currently doing right now in the wedding space, whether it be that you are an officiant, photographer, wedding venue, or Proposal Planner – selling pop-up wedding packages is a very easy way to diversify your income. Like I mentioned, my Proposal Planning business was already doing amazing when I started Proposal Planning, but what if there was a slow period? What if The Heart Bandits took a dip on SEO? You should never, EVER, rely on one source of income. And this is such a simple way to make sure you don’t.

Easy Way To Earn Additional Revenue

I am all for making extra money. But what I am not “all for” is for spending hours and hours to earn additional revenue that I don’t really need. But if you tell me, “Hey, you can make some pretty sweet money doing xyz with not too much effort,” I am all ears. Once you create the pop-up wedding packages and streamline your process, they are a very easy way to earn additional revenue without a lot of day to day work.

Did I pique your interest? Download my FREE Ultimate Guide On Selling Pop-Up Wedding Packages here:

If you think Proposal Planning might be of interest, here are 2 more FREE resources for you to check out:

A Mistake I Made That Cost Me Thousands

When I started one of the world’s first Proposal Planning companies 11 years ago, I made a lot of mistakes. After all, I didn’t have a mentor. There were no resources out there to help me get started. And there were certainly no courses out there to teach me the best way to get clients.

So I spent several years NOT doing something that I now know could have earned me thousands and maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars. And that one thing is, having an email list. What is an email list? An email list is a collection of emails that you have received through your inquiries.

Why Do You Need An Email List?

Potential clients will come to you at all different phases in the buying cycle. Here are the 4 stages of the buying cycle:

  1. Awareness – This happens when a client finds your website and your marketing educates them that they have a problem.
  2. Consideration – At this phase, they know they have a problem and they are considering their options
  3. Intent – During this stage, they are ready to make a decision
  4. Purchase- They are ready to make a purchase

Why Does This Matter?

It matters because that means if a client visits your website at any stage in the buying cycle OTHER than when they are ready to purchase, there is a chance that they will browse your site and move on. They may never return again. However, if you capture their email, you can continue to market to them and nurture that lead. This ensures that when they are ready to purchase, you are in the forefront of their mind.

Interested in learning more about selling pop-up wedding packages or becoming a proposal planner? Download one of my FREE resources below.

What Is A Pop-Up Wedding?

Microweddings….the buzz word of 2021.

I started my pop-up wedding company back in 2016. This was before the pandemic and before microweddings became such a huge trend. But while a microwedding is typically just a scaled down wedding, a pop-up wedding is a bit different.

Here are the characteristics of a pop-up wedding:

  • Experience is quick, typically an hour
  • Small guest count, usually 25 or less
  • Inclusive of wedding essentials (venue, officiant, photographer, and bouquet)
  • Offers upgrades or enhancements
  • Affordable

Now we all know couples that want huge lavish weddings. We also know couples that want to elope. But who actually wants to book a pop-up wedding? The truth is…. a lot of people do. Here are a few reasons that people want a pop-up wedding versus a traditional wedding. Because they:

  • Want to save money
  • Want to avoid spending months or longer on planning their wedding
  • Want to eliminate family drama over who is invited and who is not

Pop-up weddings are great to add to your existing services because they are streamlined and can provide a quick cash injection into your business.

Want to learn if pop-up weddings are for you? Check out my free resource below:

If Proposal Planning is more your jam, I have some freebies for you too!

Cheatsheet: Social Media Trends in 2021

If you are a Proposal Planner or Pop-Up Wedding planner, social media needs to be a huge part of your marketing strategy. But even though keeping up with the trends is completely necessary, it can be daunting. So I have decided to create a little cheatsheet for you and cover the biggest social media trends in 2021.

Instagram Reels

No doubt you have seen Instagram’s version of Tic Tok. Every time you open you open your search tab in IG, you are bound to see the newest Reels from your followers. That is because Instagram LOVES video and pushes video content over all other types of content. If you want to increase your visibility and engagement on Instagram, you need to post reels frequently. 4-7 posts a week would give you the most ROI for your time. To make one, simply hit the + button on the top of your account, choose Reel, and get to creating.

Clubhouse

I am sure you have heard of this new platform because everyone is talking about it. And more importantly, people are talking about how to get in because it is invite only! I think that is part of the appeal and why this new social media platform is blowing up, because it feels exclusive. But what is it? It is an audio-based platform where users can hop into various virtual chat rooms and talk with other creatives about a range of topics. It may not be a practical way to connect with your target market, but it is a great way to build your referral partners (people that will refer clients to you.) Download the app and apply to get in. If someone you know is already on the platform, you will get in faster.

Microblogging

This year, Instagram announced that they were changing the way they display search results and now they actually will present posts to users based on content. So that means IG is no longer only presenting posts that have hashtags that match the users inquiry, they are also presenting posts that have CONTENT that match what the user is searching for. And that is why you may have noticed that people are posting longer, blog-like captions on their social media profiles. This is known as microblogging and if you want more exposure, you need to include it in your marketing strategy.

Social Causes

In the past, businesses have often been careful about using their platform as a way to voice their own opinions on social causes. However, according to Forbes, 70% of Gen Z buyers attempt to purchase goods and services from brands they deem socially responsible. So don’t be afraid to use your platform to talk about the causes that are the most important to you. Not only will you feel good and do good, you will be rewarded for it.

If you haven’t yet started your Proposal Planning or Pop-Up Wedding planning services, check out my freebies below. The Heart Bandits Academy offers the only Proposal Planning school and we also have a course teaching you to create pop-up wedding packages.

How I Went From Proposal Planning To Pop-Up Weddings

pop up wedding planning
pop-up wedding planning

I am most known for starting one of the world’s first Proposal Planning companies, The Heart Bandits. But what you might not know is that in 2016 I launched Pop The Knot™, one of the first pop-up wedding planning companies. Now you might be wondering, how did you go from Proposal Planning to planning pop-up weddings?

After spending 6 years on creating The Heart Bandits you see today, I felt like I had taken it as far as it could go. And just like many of you entrepreneurs, I wanted more. I started wondering, “what’s next?”

I started to get that craving like so many of us do and started thinking, “how can I diversify my income?” “what else can I do that is new?” etc. I noticed that there were a lot of really outdated elopement packages, a lot of amazing traditional and high-end wedding services, and not a lot in between.

So I created Pop The Knot to fill that gap. Since then, my company has been featured in New York Times, Brides Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Fortune and much more. And more importantly, I added another 6 figure income to my bottom line JUST by creating and selling pop-up wedding packages.

What is a pop-up wedding?

A pop-up wedding is a quick and easy 1 hour experience that allows up to 25 guests. The ceremony is about 15 minutes and the rest of the time is for fun and photos. Other similar experiences are microweddings, elopements, and minimonies.

Whether you are new to the wedding industry or you have been in it for years, you should consider adding pop-up wedding packages to your services.

Reasons you should plan pop-up weddings:

1) Pivoting during the pandemic

The sad reality is that the event industry took a big hit during the pandemic. We don’t know when full-scale weddings will be back in some cities so having pop-up packages readily available can be just the cash injection you need to maintain your business. And the good news is, once the packages are up and running, even if things go back to normal you will have this new stream of revenue.

2) Diversify Your Income

Maybe you live in a city where full-scale weddings are already back. Creating pop-up wedding packages is still a great way to diversify your income

3) Earn Additional Revenue With A Lot Less Work

Creating the pop-up wedding packages does take some work on the front-end. But once they are up and running, they require a LOT less work than coordinating a full wedding. In fact, I have 3-4 email templates I send out and then one final itinerary. Easy peasy.

In a couple weeks, I am holding a FREE Masterclass called, “3 Simple Ways Selling Pop-up Wedding Packages Can Increase Your Revenue, Decrease Your Workload, & Diversify Your Income.” Grab your free spot here or click the link below.

Mistakes To Avoid When Creating All Inclusive Packages

With both my Proposal Planning and Pop-Up Wedding businesses (The Heart Bandits and Pop The Knot,) I sell all inclusive packages.  These packages are responsible for a considerable part of my multiple six figure income, so I know a thing or two about creating them.  
Yet I see so many wedding professionals doing it wrong.  So I thought today I would talk about the mistakes that you should avoid when you are creating all inclusive packages.
1. Offering Too Many Items
My business mentor told me years ago, “a confused mind doesn’t buy,” and it is so true.  While you might think that the more things you add, the more money you can make; too many choices can actually be a turnoff to the buyer.  So you want to be cautious of offering everything and the kitchen sink.  
2. Not Charging Enough
Another mistake I see is that people don’t charge enough for the packages.  When creating the packages, wedding professionals get nervous when they start tallying up all the costs and so they cut back on their profit to make the package “more affordable” to the client.  However, your job isn’t to make the packages “more affordable.”  Your job is to provide enough value that your fee and the overall cost of your package is worth the price you are charging.
3. Overcomplicating The Offering
Some wedding professionals spend a lot of time creating these really grand ways of showcasing the package.  But we all know, sometimes less is more.  The client really just wants to know what you are selling and how it will benefit them. You don’t need a bunch of bells and whistles to explain that, just keep it simple and straightforward.
Are you thinking about offering pop-up wedding packages or proposal packages?  If so, download my FREE resources here.  
Free Download, “3 Reasons You Must Add Proposal Planning Services To Your Business Now.”
Free Download, “The Ultimate Guide to Selling Pop-Up Wedding Packages.”
      
Intimate Events & The Holidays
If you have been following any of my companies (The Heart Bandits or Pop The Knot), then you already know that planning intimate events are my jam.  I focus on planning marriage proposals for 2 and pop-up weddings for 25 guests or less.  Being a planner specializing in intimate events is good for many reasons, but today, I want to focus on one important reason.
Intimate events are extremely popular during the holidays. 
Marriage proposals are very popular between November-February.  In fact, most people refer to these months as “engagement season” or “proposal season.”  There are a few reasons that people love to propose during the holidays.  
  1. Time Off Work – People that are proposing like to take time off to travel for their proposal or even to celebrate.  During the holiday season, they already typically have time off.
  2. Be With Family – Holidays are a time for family.  So if a client wants to propose in a way that includes family members or even wants to celebrate with family after, the holiday months are the perfect time to propose.
  3. Perfect Time To Create A Memory – The holiday season is all about creating memories.  People already tend to look back and reflect on their special holiday memories so proposing during that time makes complete sense.
  4. Engagement Rings On Sale – Many stores offer holiday engagement ring specials giving people even MORE reasons to propose during the holidays.
Likewise, pop-up weddings (which are another way to diversify your business) are also pretty popular during the holidays.  The reason being is that the target market for pop-up weddings are brides that are NOT looking for traditional weddings and ARE looking for a deal. So many of them choose to get married during off-season.  Additionally, these brides love to have their pop-up wedding during this time too for several reasons:
  1. Get A Deal On The Venue – Wedding venues can be more affordable during the holidays when it is not wedding season.  One caveat is if the venue also caters to holiday parties. However, not all wedding venues do that so you can definitely get a great deal during this time.
  2. Get A Deal On The Dress – Many bridal stores have sales on wedding dresses during “off-season” so a bride on a budget can find a great pop-up wedding dress for a bargain.
  3. Time Off Work- Most couples looking to get married want to take some time off of work for their wedding.  Since they already typically get some time off during the holidays, this makes it the perfect time to say “I Do” with a pop-up wedding.
  4. Be With Family- Many couples want their families at their pop-up weddings and many families get together for the holidays. 
So what are you waiting for?  If you are ready to find out how you can diversify your income in your wedding business, check out these FREE downloads! 
Free Download, “3 Reasons You Must Add Proposal Planning Services To Your Business Now.”
Free Download, “The Ultimate Guide to Selling Pop-Up Wedding Packages.”
       
How To Diversify Your Wedding Business
Whether you are a Wedding Planner, Florist, Photographer, Videographer, venue or any other type of wedding vendor, diversifying your wedding business is a must.
We all saw it first hand during the pandemic.  Businesses that relied solely on income from large weddings sadly took a big hit.  And while I pray this ends soon and never comes back again, none of us can predict the next thing that will come and impact the wedding industry. 
That is exactly why diversifying your wedding business should be on the top of your to-do list.  In fact, if you ask any wealthy person what their secret is, 9 times out of 10 they will say, “diversification.”  It is critical to have income coming in from different avenues.  So HOW do you diversify your wedding business?  Here are a couple of options:
1. Proposal Planning
Offering Proposal Planning is such an amazing way to diversify your services.  The market is huge and the earning potential is too.  It is also such a great compliment to your existing wedding business!  A photographer, florist, planner, videographer, or venue can easily adapt their marketing plan to start attracting clients looking to propose.  And who will that client call to photograph their wedding day? Provide their wedding flowers? Plan their wedding?  YOU!!
Download my FREE resource, “3 Reasons You MUST Add Proposal Planning Services To Your Existing Services NOW!!”
2. Pop-Up Wedding Packages
When I started my Proposal Planning company, The Heart Bandits, I knew I needed to diversify. Wedding Planning made sense but the market is so saturated and bridezillas are not my jam.  So I decided to start a pop-up wedding business where I sell simple, streamlined pop-up wedding packages. This is a great way to diversify because once the packages are built, they are so streamlined that they are a really simple way to get a nice cash injection into your business.  And these types of weddings don’t follow any traditional wedding rules.  They are popular during off-seasons and they don’t take much time to plan.  These packages are great for any wedding vendor to add on and pop-up weddings, microweddings, and elopements are all the rage right now due to the pandemic.  When it ends, you will have a whole new source of revenue coming in!
Download my FREE resource, “The Ultimate Guide To Selling Pop-Up Wedding Packages“
The Heart Bandits Academy is the only educator teaching you how to become a Proposal Planner.  Sign up here and follow my journey from being a Proposal Planner to educator teaching students around the world how to market their business to clients looking to propose.