Wedding Pros who are ready to grow - with Becca Pountney

Show notes:In this episode, I'm joined by Greg Simpson, founder of Press Retention PR and former business journalist, to demystify the world of PR and show you how wedding professionals can start getting noticed by the media.We talk about why journalists are looking for interesting stories rather than simply businesses wanting promotion, and how you can turn the knowledge and expertise you already share on social media into opportunities for press coverage. Greg explains how to identify the right journalists, find relevant publications and create pitches that actually grab attention.We also explore the importance of making your approach personal, doing your research and thinking about what would genuinely be useful to a journalist. From using Google News to find relevant writers to keeping an eye on current stories and responding quickly with your expert opinion, there are plenty of practical ways to get started without spending a fortune.Plus, we discuss how PR builds trust and authority, why it should work alongside your existing marketing rather than replace it, and how to make the most of any coverage you secure.If after listening to Greg you are wondering what stories you could pitch, he have built an AI PR coach called Doctor Spin. Tell him what sort of wedding business you run and ask for three media angles. He is available 24/7, unlike Greg. And if you want to see how you score as a go-to expert, try his free Go-To-Guru testhttps://pressforattention.com/chat-with-dr-spin/https://pressforattention.scoreapp.com/Time stamps:01:20 - How Greg Became a Journalist — Early Career and Work Experience09:22 - What Makes Something Newsworthy?16:33 - The Reactive Side of PR: Responding to Journalists' Urgent Requests24:48 - Pitching Journalists: How to Craft and Send Your Pitch33:39 - Where to start: choosing between local, national and niche media37:29 - Exposure and Return on Investment (Measuring PR Effectiveness)45:55 - After the Coverage: How to Maximise Media Exposure53:06 - Final Question — The One Thing I Wish I'd Known in Business

Show notes:This week, I'm joined by Emma Hardcastle, CEO and founder of Hostology, a venue management platform helping wedding and event venues bring everything together in one place.Emma has spent years working in marketing, digital products and technology, and she shares how her experience led her to create a solution for some of the challenges faced by wedding venues. We talk about why so many businesses are still relying on spreadsheets, endless emails and manual processes, and how making changes to the way you work could save you time and help your business run more smoothly.We also get into the reasons so many wedding professionals are nervous about embracing technology, from the fear of losing control to worrying about how much time it will take to get everything set up. Emma explains how the right systems can actually give you more time to focus on your customers and deliver a better experience. Plus, we discuss the growing role of AI in the wedding industry, why making decisions based on data is so important, and the mistakes business owners can make by sticking with processes or people that aren't quite right for them.And, as always, we finish with a brilliant reminder about trusting your instincts, believing in your ideas and having the confidence to make changes when something isn't working. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the day-to-day running of your wedding business, or you know there must be a better way to do things, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Emma's LinkedInFind out more about HostologyTime stamps:00:51 - Emma Hardcastle Founder & CEO of Hostology12:36 - The Leap to Self‑Employment17:56 - Developing Hostology: Insights from Venues29:10 - Avoiding Tech Mistakes: What Not to Do When Adopting New Systems33:36 - Giving Couples Control: How Technology Improves the Customer Experience45:16 - AI and the Future of Event Technology49:10 - WED Pros Live — Reflections and What's NextMentioned in this episode:Find out more about Venue AIReady to embrace AI in your wedding venue? Take some time to find out more about Venue AI or book a free demo.Find out more about Venue AI

Show notes:In this episode I'm joined by Joaquin Corrales, wedding venue owner, software developer and founder of Venue AI, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the sales process and what wedding professionals can learn from it.Joaquin shares how his experience building and running Gran Paraiso Gardens, a successful wedding venue in Miami, helped him identify one of the biggest challenges businesses face: generating enquiries is only half the battle. If you're not responding quickly, following up consistently and understanding what turns a lead into a booking, you could be missing out on valuable opportunities.Drawing on the systems he's developed for his own venue and through Venue AI, Joaquin explains how AI can help businesses manage enquiries, answer questions, follow up with potential clients and streamline repetitive tasks. While his experience comes from the venue industry, these lessons are relevant to wedding planners, photographers, florists and other wedding professionals looking to improve their sales process and make better use of their time.We also discuss why AI shouldn't mean losing the personal touch. From getting the right brand voice to knowing when a conversation needs a human response, Joaquin shares what business owners should consider before introducing automation and how to choose tools that genuinely support their business.VenueaiJoaquin's InstagramGran Paraiso GardensTime stamps:00:59 - Joaquin Corrales — Venue Owner & Tech Entrepreneur08:15 - Growing the Venue: Building a Consistent Lead-Generation System18:25 - Building Venue AI — prioritising conversational quality and accuracy22:21 - Practical Lead Workflow: Automated Handling Until the Tour26:54 - Preserving Personality: Preventing Lazy, Generic AI39:05 - AI for Small Businesses — How to Evaluate and Adopt Tools42:27 - The Future of the Wedding Industry48:33 - The One Business Lesson I Wish I'd Known SoonerMentioned in this episode:Discover Venue AI for yourselfReady to take your Venue Team into the future? Take a look at what Venue AI has to offer, find out more or book a demo now.Find out more about Venue AI

Show notes:In this episode, I’m joined by Jonathan Aymin, Founder and CEO of Common Sense Events, a venue management company in the US. Jonathan also hosts the VenueRx podcast and founded the Wedding and Event Venue Association, so he brings a wealth of experience and some refreshingly honest insights into running and growing a venue business. We chat about Jonathan’s journey into the wedding industry, from starting a staffing company to managing wedding venues across the US, and why being successful in this industry takes far more than simply having a beautiful space.We also get into the practical side of marketing. Jonathan explains why he doesn’t believe in writing off a platform just because it hasn’t worked for another business, and why looking at your own numbers is essential when deciding where to invest your time and money. From wedding directories and Google Ads to Meta, TikTok and AI-driven referrals, we explore why different platforms can work differently depending on your venue and your ideal client.One of my favourite parts of this conversation is our discussion about consistency. It can be tempting to give up when your marketing doesn’t seem to be generating immediate results, but couples may be watching your content for months before they’re ready to enquire. Jonathan explains why it’s important to keep showing up, track your results and look at the bigger picture rather than reacting to every individual post or quiet week.Common Sense EventsThe Venue RX podcastThe Venue RX InstagramTime stamps:03:53 - From Fired to Founder — Jonathan's Journey into Hospitality and Venue Management19:20 - What marketing is actually working for venues?34:02 - Measuring Social Media Success: What Metrics to Track45:11 - People First: Turning Authenticity into Hiring and Culture54:05 - Balancing Family and Work: Life with Seven Children01:08:54 - Final takeaways: Track your data and next stepsMentioned in this episode:Discover Venue AI for yourselfLooking to take your venue into the future? Why not take a look at Venue AI for yourself. Find out more or book a demo now.

Show notes:What happens when your ideal client stops Googling and starts asking AI who they should book?In this episode of Wedding Pros Who Are Ready to Grow, I’m chatting with Vivienne Wagner, CEO of Houndstooth Media Group, about the changing world of SEO, AI search and what it means for wedding businesses. Vivienne shares how she went from blogger to running a digital marketing agency with a team of specialists, and why the lessons she learned from building an audience still apply today.We talk about why blogging is still worth doing, how evergreen content can continue bringing people to your website years after you publish it, and why being clear about who you serve is more important than trying to chase every new marketing trend. We also get into the increasingly important relationship between SEO and AI search. Vivienne explains why SEO remains the foundation, but why simply being visible isn't enough anymore. AI is increasingly interpreting information from your website, social media, Google Business Profile and reviews to decide which businesses it recommends.One of my favourite parts of the conversation is the practical advice around Google Reviews. Rather than simply replying with "Thanks so much", Vivienne explains how your responses can reinforce what you do, who you serve and the experience you provide.Follow Vivienne on LinkedinFollow on InstagramWatch the FREE Bridal AIO WebinarTime Stamps:00:08 - Episode intro — Meet Vivian Wagner & what to expect01:52 - Vivienne's Journey: From Politics to Blogging and SEO37:13 - Consumers trusting AI: where decisions and sales happen (and how businesses stay trustworthy)42:31 - Pricing Strategy & AI: Transparency, Positioning, and Schema53:26 - AI Was Coming: Lessons and Predictions for BusinessMentioned in this episode:Find out more about Venue AIReady to embrace AI in your wedding venue? Take some time to find out more about Venue AI or book a free demo.Find out more about Venue AI