The Great Unemployed Masses
Feb 10, 2009 Wedding Planning InstituteApparently, even Kevin Jonas may not be safe.
The Original Jonas Brothers
While Disney, in addition to offering buyouts to 600 of its theme-park executives, is considering “right-sizing” the Jonas Brothers singing group, record numbers of layoffs continue in every state in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported the national unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent, on the backs of nearly 600,000 newly lost jobs, in January. Over the last 13 months, the United States has lost over 3.6 million jobs. It is estimated that over 11 million Americans are currently out of work.
While the government attempts to help through economic stimulus, revamped health insurance rules, expanded layoff notification laws, or misguided business advice, it is ultimately up to each of us to bring enough value to our employer, our clients, or our career choice to survive the current recession. For current and aspiring Certified Wedding Planners, the value you bring to your client will determine your business results today as well as your business referrals tomorrow.
Job Losses in Recent Recessions
On the job seeking website, Career Builder, the advice given to help recession-proof a job can be directly translated into similarly protecting your wedding planning business.
1. Seek out additional responsibility: An employee will take on different responsibilities and get involved in long-term projects. The Certified Wedding Planner business owner will offer a diverse menu of services ranging from simple to complex and insure she is responding to her clients’ every need.
2. Be a team player: While an employee will proactively share information and resources to benefit the work of others, the CWP business owner will create a system of open communication with her clients to avoid any details being overlooked.
3. Offer up ideas: Proposing cost-saving or revenue-enhancing ideas makes an employee invaluable to a company. Implementing cost-saving and value-enhancing wedding planning trends and techniques makes a CWP business owner invaluable to her clients.
4. Toot your own horn: For the employee, it makes sense to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of herself and her peers. For the CWP business owner, it makes good business sense to satisfy clients to the extent that referrals and positive word-of-mouth buzz results from each event.
5. Stay positive: Employees should ignore rumors and stay focused on their work. CWP business owners should recognize local and industry challenges and stay focused on improving their business offerings and results.
And Sometimes a Layoff is an Opportunity...
Whether you are an employee trying to avoid or survive a layoff or an employer trying to avoid making layoffs, the value of the relationship will determine the outcome. Whether you are a veteran Certified Wedding Planner or you are just learning how to become a wedding planner, the value of the relationships you create and maintain with your clients will determine the outcome of your business dreams.
Tags: Become a wedding planner, Certified Wedding Planner, Wedding Industry News, Wedding Planner Training, Wedding Planning News
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February 24th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I can really appreciate this article for more reason than one. You see, I was one of those severely affected by the current economic environment (like so many others). I recently made the decision to take a incentive-based voluntary separation package from my employer of 5 years - one of the “Big Three” US Automakers. Although this was a very difficult decision for me to make, I have since made the decision to take the opportunity to do something that I love. Hence me starting my wedding/ event planning company and working with The Wedding Planning Institute to get my certification! I wanted to say to everyone that no matter how hard things get, try to make Lemonade out of Lemons through these tough economic times…sometimes difficult situations turn into something new and positive. I look forward to completing my certification and starting to run with a new business that I’m in love with!
February 24th, 2009 at 10:07 am
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. Nothing could be more true in these times of record unemployment. The timing is perfect to get outside your box and pursue your dreams.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:29 am
i love htis song so much i love the jonas brothers too nick is so cute and joe
March 25th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
The article is very true and has hit home to many of our loved ones… You have to believe in yourself and never quit trying to reach your goals to pursue your dreams. You can achieve anything you believe in. You can always be secure in wedding planning because loved ones will continue to plan their weddings …. I know that I am currently still employed but I rest assured if I should loose my job that I will be ready to follow my true dream —- a dream to be a successful certified wedding planner!!! My plans will be to reach that dream in the very near future even if I am still employed… I want to retire, build a wedding chapel and have it run by family…. reaching out to couples to offer our services to make their wedding day one of great memories….
November 10th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
This is a great article and so helpful to someone like me. I recently become voluntarily unemployed because my long term boyfriend accepted a great job in our hometown in Southern California. I had just started taking the wedding planner course and had planned on joining an already established firm in Northern California where we were living at the time. Now, I find myself unemployed and living in a town of only 25,000 people with only one bridal salon, no bakeries, two flower shops, and not a single wedding planner in sight! It’s definitely scary, but this course is helping to train me to do something I never ever thought I’d do….start my own business!