The web provides small business owners with a “feast” of resources. Sometimes, all of this “knowledge” can be overwhelming to an entrepreneur. Especially an entrepreneur with very little time for perusing the web.
To help you determine which sites are worth bookmarking, I have created a list of ten (10) websites I believe wedding industry business owners should know. Now, I am not talking about sites like Pinterest — Pinterest is definitely a great resource for inspiration, but I am talking about the sites that provide visitors with a platform or templates, articles and/or videos that wedding industry entrepreneurs can use to grow their business.
1. The Enlightened Creative — Well, of course. This site provides courses, downloads, inspirational gems, and a blog that any creative entrepreneur would find useful.
2. SBA web site – When you are launching your business, this is definitely where you should start. There are courses in the learning center to boost your marketing know-how. And, this is your “go to” for the latest information related to laws that affect small businesses.
3. LinkedIn — Don’t “sleep” on LinkedIn! Have you googled your name lately? When you do, your LinkedIn account is going to fall in one of the top three sites. So, think about this — If LinkedIn is one of the top ways potential customers will find you online, you should ensure that your LinkedIn profile is a strong, professional representation of you and your business.
4. The Rising Tide – This resource is available via the Honeybook web site. It features a series of guides that are filled with knowledge and insights from fellow creatives.
5. Your Business — I used to watch the show, “Your Business” every Sunday morning on MSNBC, and I was so sad when it was cancelled. Fortunately, the web site is still available, and it features videos of the show segments. My favorites are the “5 things” segments.
6. Sage Wedding Pros — This web site features a detailed toolbox of resources; on-line learning opportunities; and a blog packed with informative posts covering everything from strategy to accounting and operations.
7. Evolve Your Wedding Business — The owner of this site, Heidi Thompson, is always looking for ways to take the big struggles that wedding pros face and break them down in bite size, palatable tips.
8. Maria Bayer — This resource videos, sales tips, a facebook group, posts, and downloads. You have to join first, but well worth it if you are in need of sales advice.
9. Think Splendid — I have been a fan of this site for years. It’s my “go to” resource for industry trends and buying habits — And, don’t forget to check out the blog. The editor of the site, Liene Stevens is not only an expert of all things related to millennials, she writes these inspirational posts that remind you to have faith in the human spirit.
10. Copyscape — This search engine helps you detect web sites with content that is a duplicate of yours. Why is this important? Because their is nothing worse than putting your blood, sweat and tears into a web site or on-line resource only to find that someone plagiarized it for their own web site.
I could share so many more options, but I would love to hear about your preferences. Please let me know about the sites you have bookmarked as a business resource in the comments.
Love and Soul Always, Kawania
