I was lucky enough to virtually chat with the lovely Carrie Murray for her Carried Away podcast! Dare I say we got a little carried away talking about the importance of powerful and intentive language in our industry!
C’mon, wedding planners, you know what I’m talking about. The qualifying language we think we’re using to be polite, like “just” or “sorry.” How many times have you emailed a vendor or a client and said “just checking in” or “sorry I didn’t get back to you.” Those that use that language generally intend to come off kind or easy to work with, but in actuality they are making themselves smaller and ripping the theoretical authority rug right from under their own feet. Wedding planner or not, this is NOT a good look in your business!
(Ripley’s) Believe it or not, the language you use influences who buys the product you’re trying to sell. We’re not just talking about marketing here, and coming up with clever catch phrases – we’re putting a spotlight on the way you communicate with everyone in relation to your business and products. All wedding planners can attest to the juggling act that is vendors you work with for weddings (I often lose count so I have stopped even trying *sips wine*) – so you know the amount of communication it takes to keep everyone on track & on the same page! What if I told you that by just changing you language, you can:
- Get better response times from vendors & clients alike
- Cultivate others to communicate to you more efficiently
- Less need for ‘apologies’ on both sides (eliminate silly mistakes!)
- No longer get asked BS questions with answers someone else could have found
And I’m not even pulling your leg. Starting as a hobbyist on my journey toward a professional, it took understanding my own worth as a woman in this society to begin to demand more than what was expected of me to ask for. I didn’t need to change what I was communicating, I needed to change HOW I was communicating the information. Every email or text message is a chance to pivot your position to others and set a solid foundation for your expectations during your project.
So instead of:
“Sorry I didn’t get back to you” …you should try…
“thanks for your patience”
“Does this make sense?” ….you should try…
“I look forward to your thoughts on this”
“Just checking in to see” …you should try…
“please provide an update on”
Don’t be afraid to shout a little louder & shatter the politeness glass ceiling. Clean up your language and put power into your own WORDS and others’ actions will follow.
