Wedding MBA Podcast 311 - Braden Drake

Shannon Tarrant, VenueHelpDesk.com. Shannon shared insights on addressing lead conversion issues in the wedding industry, emphasizing the importance of simplifying pricing, language, and the sales process to better engage with modern couples. They discussed the role of AI and social media in marketing strategies, with Shannon highlighting the need for businesses to adapt to current trends and audience preferences.

Anthony Lambatos, TheMIBE.com, shares his experience as a second-generation family business owner and discussed his new venture "Make It Better Every Day," MIBE, which focuses on educating the hospitality industry about leadership, culture, and financial growth. The conversation covered key business metrics, cash flow management, revenue tracking, and company culture, with Anthony emphasizing the importance of understanding financial metrics, analyzing conversion points, and maintaining a positive work environment. [email protected]. 

Attorney Braden Drake, NotAVGLaw.com, discusses his upcoming presentation at the 2025 Wedding MBA Conference, focusing on contract essentials and litigation risk reduction for wedding professionals. He emphasizes the importance of documenting all agreements and modifications in writing, explaining that while oral contracts are legally binding, they're difficult to enforce without evidence. Braden shares insights from his mediation experience and discusses legal considerations for officiants, highlighting that written contracts serve as valuable conflict resolution tools beyond mere legal protection. @NotAVGLaw.

Jen Trotter, LipServiceMakeup.com. Communication strategies and conflict resolution. Jen shares her approach to influencing clients and vendor partners through subtle communication techniques, emphasizing the importance of tone, body language, and meeting clients where they are.  @LipServiceMakeup

Matt Radicelli, Mentor Pods. Matt shared insights on referral marketing strategies for service-based industry professionals, emphasizing the importance of building a business model focused on repeat business and referrals rather than paid advertising. The discussion covered various aspects of marketing and communication, including the use of templates, authentic outreach, and the importance of tracking marketing metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of referral programs. [email protected]. MentorPods.com/WeddingMBA

Rene Dallo, ReneeDalo.com, a wedding planner and educator who will be presenting on Instagram reel techniques. The discussion focused on social media content creation strategies in the wedding industry, with Renee sharing her experience of evolving from dismissing video content to embracing it as a marketing tool. They explored various aspects of content creation, including the importance of authenticity, consistency, and automation, while also discussing the challenges of balancing professional content with personal presence across different social media platforms. CapCut. ManyChat. Vanessa Van Edwards, ScienceOfPeople.com. @ReneeDalo.

Bethel Nathan. ElevateByBethel.com. Officiant and Business Coach. Bethel shared her insights on systemization and automation in wedding businesses, emphasizing the importance of tailoring systems to specific business needs while maintaining personalization in client interactions. [email protected]. @ElevatybyBethel. Facebook-ElevatebyBethel.

Marc McIntosh, an expert in wedding marketing at TeamWedding.com,  joined to discuss website trends and tips, highlighting the importance of websites in lead conversion and offering insights on AI's evolving role in the industry. Marc offered a free website checkup to anyone who contacts him. [email protected]

Jen Sulak, PinkHairJen.com. The importance of niche crafting, authenticity in business, and effective social media strategies for wedding professionals, including identifying target communities, leveraging personal branding, and exploring new opportunities in the industry.

Becca Poutney, @BeccaPountney, a leading wedding industry marketing expert. Becca discussed her new "marketing theme park" concept, emphasizing the importance of understanding modern couples' digital engagement habits and adapting marketing strategies to stand out in a saturated market. The conversation covered topics such as targeting the right audience, utilizing new platforms like TikTok, specializing in unique niches, and the evolving landscape of wedding industry marketing.