top ten by preston bailey

if you don't know who preston bailey is, well i must say you're missing out. he is a force to be reckoned with! preston is one of THE top event designers...in the world...ever. okay, you get the picture. i've heard before that if you want to be the best at what you do, you must learn from the best. preston bailey is someone that i try to emulate in my professional career and in my life. you can learn more about preston's awesomeness {here}.

this past week, on his personal blog called "inspirations & transformations", preston posted each day about his Top Ten! i want to highlight some of the ideas that struck a chord with me.

{monday} tips for getting clients: number seven is an idea mal & me have voiced about a thousand times already in our planning. "Make it your business practice to call back all your clients after each event and ask them what you could have done better. This can be your best learning tool, not to mention giving your clients a chance to vent."

{tuesday} best ways to market & promote yourself: both being journalism majors, marketing is a part of the business we both find extremely important. number seven on preston's list builds strong relationships with local media groups. "Once you identify what market you are in and who your clients are, create a promotional campaign. This could be as basic as calling your favorite local magazine or newspaper once a week and offering them three special ideas or designs to publish."

{wednesday} what to leave behind in 2011: number eight on preston's list, mal and i are already finding to be very important while putting together goals. Leave behind "Creating unreasonable deadlines to accomplish your dreams. For instance, you'll only get that huge first wedding when someone is actually getting married, not when you want it. So, patience plus action is the key to your dreams."

{thursday} mistakes in business finances: number nine on this list is something i'm sure we will come across down the road. "Never and I mean NEVER, give a price to your clients before completely understanding what you are committing to. Regardless of whether a potential client is pressing you to give them a price on the spot, if you are not sure, tell them you will get back to them. And, of course, do this sooner rather than later."

each of these lists are chock full of amazing advice and information for people just like us! one of the reasons i am so excited to get into this industry is that the majority of professionals are out to lend a hand to and support other professionals. i firmly believe preston's business tactics could be applied to many industries aside from weddings or events. preston's posts this week have been a huge guide for us! we hope you will check out the rest of his top ten posts {here}. who do you look up to most in your industry? tell us in the comments! :)

xoxo,
kat