Experience really (only) counts when you can demonstrate it.

“I’ve been doing this for over 25 years.”

“I’ll help with putting together a timeline of events for your reception so that everything flows smoothly.”

“I’ll help you come up with unique ideas for your party so that things are more personal and exciting for not only you, but your family and friends as well.”

What does any of that really mean? Does that information truly represent anything tangible for the soon-to-be-married wedding couple sitting across the table from you? Without some demonstration of what you are saying, there may be belief or scepticism sitting across the table from you.

Unless you can find a way to demonstrate everything you say when meeting with a wedding couple for the first time, you may or may not be working with them in the end. You may not have built enough value, because really, anyone can “say” those things right? What will separate you from the DJ who can’t actually deliver on what he said he was going to, is to find ways to demonstrate, or provide real life examples, of everything you say. Everything.

There are many ways to demonstrate much of what we do these days. Video footage of ourselves at events, sample agendas from past weddings, testimonials from past wedding couples speaking about very precise details, etc.

A lot of the time, I choose to use spoken story to demonstrate my proficiency in these different areas. I love sharing examples of moments from past weddings with newly-engaged couples because it can often demonstrate many points within one neat package.

For instance, if I choose to share the story of a couple who had a really unique and fun cake cutting, I could, in that one instant, demonstrate all of the following points:

  • I help create reception timelines with a purpose (this cake cutting took place later in the evening because of the fun we anticipated that it would create)
  • Room layout is important to me and something I’m involved with (we ensured that this cake cutting would take place in close proximity to the dance floor so that the energy it created would, following the cutting, spill back to the dance floor)
  • I personalize moments based on a couples personality (they were a very outgoing couple and were open to ideas like this one)
  • I am proficient at programming music for particular situations (I suggested a song, based on her taste, that had the appropriate mood and energy for the moment they “smashed” the cake)
  • I have experience in the role of being an MC that brings importance to ceremonies, such as a cake cutting (I paraphrase the script of what I said at the actual wedding to the couple I’m speaking with)
  • I create fun moments that help to engage wedding guests (as they’re engaged in my telling of the story, I point out that, so too, were the guests at this actual wedding)
  • I get to know my wedding couples on a close and personal level (I refer to this past couple by name and wedding date and describe their personalities, even though that wedding was nearly 2 years ago)
  • Etc, etc, etc.

Story, and your own narration of it, is probably one of the most powerful tools of communication that we have at our disposal (if you’re a decent story teller). Learn it, practise it, be authentic with it, then use it.

Experience really (only) counts when you can demonstrate it.

~ Dave




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