Fill out this survey and give us your feedback for a chance to win a $50 Amazon.com gift card and be part of shaping the future of Weddings For Real! https://www.megangillikin.com/podcast-survey-- One of the most frequent questions we get in The Planners Vault is, How can I get on the preferred vendor list at the best wedding venue in my market?  Or even before getting on the preferred vendor list, how do I even get the venue coordinators to know who I am?   It’s not as simple as sending an...

When you're pitching your services to potential clients, are you using Luxury Language? Or are you using Discount Dialect? Today, Quinn Conyers tells us the difference, and how strategic word choice can make pitches irresistible.  She also introduces the concept of a "verbal business card" that captivates potential clients - as long as you can articulate your value clearly. Tune in to learn about tailoring pitches to different audiences and the significance of continuous improvement in...

Do you have money mindset blocks that are preventing your business from growing and preventing you from leading your best life?  Maybe you believe that you don't deserve to charge more yet. Or maybe you believe you shouldn't charge more because you love what you do. Or maybe you think there's a new competitor popping up every day who charges so little, it's not worth it to raise your prices. I had some major money mindset blocks - until I discovered our guest today, Denise...

Rachel Sheerin, keynote speaker and Megan's first business coach, is guest-hosting this episode. She comes from a wedding background before shifting into corporate events and eventually speaking on the biggest stages. Today, Rachel brings on Carrie Davenport to discuss how wedding vendors can start adding corporate events to their portfolios and revenue streams. Carrie Davenport is an accomplished event planner, speaker, leadership coach, and writer with extensive experience in the corporate...

"Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, 'Make me feel important.' Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life." - Mary Kay Ash Keep that quote in mind for this solo episode, as Megan Gillikin is giving her 5 tips for getting more referrals from your fellow wedding pros. --- Today's episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault. The doors are currently closed for The Planner's Vault, but join the wait list now so you can be...

On this episode (listen to part 1 here), we ask engaged couples the questions you can’t really ask when they reach out to you. But we can!  Questions like: How are you finding your wedding vendors? Instagram? Website? TikTok?Do you need to see pricing on the website?Do you want a consultation call, or do you just want info sent by email?How do you determine budget? And how has it evolved?What's something you wish wedding vendors would do differently? Every year we do this, and every year this...

On this episode, we ask engaged couples the questions you can’t really ask when they reach out to you. But we can!  Questions like: How are you finding your wedding vendors? Instagram? Website? TikTok?Do you need to see pricing on the website?Do you want a consultation call, or do you just want info sent by email?How do you determine budget? And how has it evolved?What's something you wish wedding vendors would do differently? Every year we do this, and every year this is one of our most...

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back, and the rebirth of new.   Today we feature Inez Ribustello, whose unraveling started back on September 11, 2001, when she lost nearly all of her colleagues in the terrorist attacks. At 25 years old, Inez had hustled her way up the ranks to be the beverage director at Windows on the World, a restaurant and entertainment venue located on the 106th and 107th floors...

With finances, I still have blocks (listen to the intro) preventing me from fully feeling comfortable and empowered when it comes to things like tax planning, KPIs, and projections. I’ve learned through conversations with wedding pros and my own real life experiences that overwhelm can lead to avoidance, so my goal is to make conversations like this one easy to digest and not something you run the other way while covering your ears. Because as business owners, we really can’t do that....

Today we're tackling engagement and booking season, and I'm going to share three strategies and mindset shifts that will help your business stand out, resonate more with your ideal clients, and help you book more easily this year - no matter what vendor category you're in. This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest...

The Planner's Vault Doors are Open! So what is The Planner's Vault Challenge, which runs from January 16th to 18th?  Is it for wedding vendors who aren't planners? YESIs it for vendors who want to generate new partnerships? YESIs it for wedding pros who want more leads? YESIs it for vendors who are feeling burned out by clients they don't want? YESIs it for wedding pros who find networking or reaching out to other vendors intimidating? YES If you're any of the above, come join me!Free...

At the end of last year, I sent out a survey to my email list asking them to share what they want more of and what they want less of in 2024. And at the end, I had a spot for them to share openly about anything they had on their mind, or share a question they want me to answer. There were so many great questions that I decided to kick off this year with a few of those questions in an ask me anything style podcast episode! We'll get into:(04:15) How can wedding pros do a better job of selling...

Megan and Jason Gillikin talk about their wins for 2023, their misses, most memorable moments, and goals for 2024.  Tune in and reflect along. Share your 2023 reflections on social media @weddingsforreal. Past Year-End Recaps: 2022  2021  2020  2019  2018 This episode is brought to you by The Planner's Vault, my online membership site for wedding planners who are hungry to grow, ready to hustle, and actively seeking community and education. In the vault, there are guest experts on many topics...

No Fluff, All Action Planner's Vault Visibility Growth Challenge, January 16th-18th, 2024 at ThePlannersVaultChallenge.com. This week, we're taking a little adventure to explore the not-so-glamorous side of balancing entrepreneurship with personal life. I'm thrilled to share an episode with you where for the first time ever my husband Jason and I teamed up as guests on another entrepreneur podcast called  Hustle + Gather. This is a behind-the-scenes look at being busy entrepreneurs and...

No Fluff, All Action Planner's Vault Visibility Growth Challenge, January 16th-18th, 2024 at ThePlannersVaultChallenge.com. Today we’re sharing an episode of the Own Your Business Podcast, which I was a guest on earlier this year. My friend Sam Jacobson and I talk about how wedding pros can book more couples at higher packages. This has nothing to do with "sales tactics". It’s all about empathy and understanding customer needs, creating an effective pricing proposal, and challenging customers...

No Fluff, All Action Planner's Vault Visibility Growth Challenge, January 16th-18th, 2024 at ThePlannersVaultChallenge.com. The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back, and the rebirth of new.  Today we feature Amber Melanie Smith, the Founder and Executive Director of Activate Good, a non-profit she has run for her entire adult life. As you can imagine, fighting the good fight can be exhausting, and she...

It's Tot Takes Time. I'll be talking about some common business advice that I think is garbage, my best advice for hiring new team members, one hard lesson I had to learn this year in business, the goal strategy I swear by, and the biggest mistake I see business owners making right now. Previous Hot Takes Episodes:224. Wedding Industry Hot Takes with Terrica (Part 1)225. Wedding Industry Hot Takes with Terrica (Part 2)246. Hot Takes on Tech and AI for Wedding Pros, with Dawn...

I’m getting lots of DMs and questions about building relationships and superfans and thought that sharing an episode I was a guest on from earlier this year would be a great listen for you this week!  So if building more meaningful relationships that fuel your business growth is on your radar for 2024, this episode is for you! So today, you’ll be hearing from The Brands that Book Podcast with Davey Jones where I was a guest this past summer talking about creating relationships intentionally...

Clarity Coworking - November 13th-15th, 2023 If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, overstretched, and like there's no time to focus on the big picture growth strategies within your business, I've got a free way to help you carve out that time next week together and help bring clarity to your growth as we head into 2023. And the best news. This solution comes with high value support, no strings attached, no pitch, and I'd love for you to join me for Clarity Coworking. --- Today's episode is...

Hey friends! Today's episode is a short roundup of a few things I want to share with you, including my thoughts on my upcoming trip to Wedding MBA, my recent Planners Vault Workcation, tips for you on planning your own Workcation, and a quick hitting conversation with my friend Ashley Ebert of The Abundance Group on how to know if you've hired the right team member. Resources Mentioned:Ashley Ebert's Training: November 14th, 11:00 am CT - #1 Secret to Building High-Performing TeamsWedding MBA...

After 12 years as a wedding planner, I can say this with deep conviction.  The number one way I built my business from unknown and scrappy to respected, referred and booked out year after year - was from referrals. These referrals were what allowed me to be able to hire team members, raise our rates and eventually sell my business last year so I could focus full time on education and support for wedding pros. When I sold, we were charging premium pricing, we had venue partnerships with a few...

Over the years, I've had countless conversations with wedding pros about the constant challenge of nailing down their business messaging and how they are perceived in their market. While the landscape of marketing as a whole has evolved, the core issues remain unchanged. So, what's on every wedding pro's mind?  I hear questions like:   Where should I invest my time or growing my business? What should I showcase on my website to attract the ideal clients and repel the wrong ones? How can I...

Are you struggling to balance too many commitments with a never ending to-do list? (Raising my hand with you) Maybe you're feeling that that stress is in an all time high. and you're paddling through the Sea of Overwhelm with a leaky boat. Well today, I've got 10 stress-reducing tips to help you through! Episodes Mentioned:244. BTS of My Industry Educators' Retreat236. Life For Real Series: Miscommunications, Mental Load, and Meltdown Moments, with Couples Therapist Dr. Tracy D --- Today's...

It's time for some more hot takes, this time with the Tech Savvy Creative, and all about the latest tech and AI trends in our industry.  We’ll be answering questions like: Is AI all it’s cracked up to be?  What apps are overrated, and what apps are overlooked?  And maybe most importantly, what happens when dozens of people recommend hundreds of different apps and it all becomes overwhelming? Where do you even start?!?! Tech Savvy Creative | instagram | Free AI Toolkit for Creatives Previous...

The Unraveling series, where amazing and inspiring entrepreneurs share the unraveling of old habits and mindset that holds us back, and the rebirth of new.  Today we feature Michelle Norwood, New Orleans based international event planner. Michelle has been featured in Vogue, the New York Times, Martha Stewart Weddings, and BRIDES magazine, and she makes it look simple taking only 6 to 8 weddings a year. But as you'll hear, her journey has been anything but easy. For previous...