Marketing tactics for an event planning business

Building a service-based business like an event planning business is no easy task, mainly because you are essentially marketing and selling yourself and your ability to do what you say you can do.

Any experienced event planner or professional will tell you that one of the keys to running a successful event planning business is keeping the pipeline full of prospects. And so we asked hundreds of event professionals on LinkedIn what marketing strategies work best for them, and here are the top 10.

First, many planners mentioned that planning amazing events that leave a memorable impression on clients and guests and exceed clients’ expectations is one of the best marketing tactics itself, mainly because great performances lead to word-of-mouth and referrals. Second, in order for any marketing tactic to be effective, you need to be consistent in applying it. A rule of thumb used by one prominent consultant to event businesses is to spend a minimum of 10 hours a month on marketing.

#1 – Networking / Referrals

Event planners are social animals by nature, so it’s no surprise that most of them find that networking is by far the most effective marketing tactic they use.

Developing and nurturing relationships with other vendors who can refer you business is critical here. This could be as simple as mutually referring prospects back and forth, like a hotel referring a party client to a planner and a planner referring a wedding client back to the hotel. However, you could also offer up services in exchange for leads. One planner agrees to donate their services to manage a charitable event for a hotel in exchange for getting loads of referrals from the hotel.

One key thing to remember here is to find reputable, reliable partners to refer people to, because you will not make friends by referring leads to less-than-stellar vendors.

Many referrals also come from former clients, and the best way to encourage this is to periodically reach out to your former and existing clients and ask them if they know of anyone who could use your services. Remember, if you don’t ask, people may assume you’re busy enough, so always, always ask.

#2 – Facebook
Surprisingly, many event professionals cite having great success using social media sites – primarily Facebook – to find new clients. In fact, one planner said that 60-70% of their business comes from Facebook.

For starters, this tactic requires both having a well-developed Facebook page as well as building up the number of your fan page “likes” (which you can do by putting links to your Facebook page in your email footers, on your Web site pages, in your e-newletters, etc.). Simply adding likes from your friends, networking partners and clients can give you a great start on this. (Again, you must ask for them.)

However, this tactic also requires diligent and regular posting to your Facebook page so you can increase your EdgeRank (the algorithm that Facebook uses to rank your posts and place them in your fans’ news feeds. Note that posts with photos and videos rank higher than posts with just text or with links; Hootsuite is a great tool for automating this process.

Several event planners also noted that locally targeted Facebook ads worked well for them in driving visitors to their pages, and it may be worth trying.

#3 – Search Engine Marketing and Optimization
Of course this requires a Website (which, in our opinion, isn’t a marketing tactic as much as it is a necessity of being in business), and you need to put the requisite time and resources into making your event Web site stand out.

But one of the most effective ways that event planners are driving visitors to their site is through programs like Google AdWords and Bing Advertising. You can easily bid on localized keywords and try this yourself to see if it works in your area. For example, if you are an event planner in Denver, CO, you can bid on keywords such as “Denver event planner”, “Denver wedding planner” and “Denver event planning” to drive search traffic to your site. It’s advisable to start with a small budget and test.

In addition, you can optimize your Web site title tags and copy with keywords and work on building mentions and links to your site (start with asking your networking partners for online recommendations/links), which can help with your organic search engine rankings.

#4 – Email
Event planners are using email in three different ways to attract new clients.

First, they are emailing current and former clients to stay top-of-mind in case they or their acquaintances need event planning services.

Second, they are building their own lists via their Web site (using incentives like free e-newsletters) as well as information they gather at trade shows and such, and they are periodically emailing these lists with useful event-related information.

Third, they are using email groups to connect with both prospects as well as referral partners, sharing their expertise and passing leads back and forth among community members.

Which works best? Try each method out for yourself and see what works for you.

#5 – Trade Shows
Finally, trade shows round out the top five marketing tactics for event planners. At the least, planners attend trade and bridal shows and walk the floor to interact with prospective clients. However, many planners choose to exhibit at shows, which besides providing them with a prominent presence at the show also can provide additional perks (like a list of show attendees, which alone can be worth the exhibitor’s fees).

Event trade shows and bridal shows do require preparation such as printing up flyers and brochures as well as booth decor and staging. But the added expense is worth it to many planners simply because of the sheer number of potential prospects walking the aisles.

Another strategy planners can take with trade shows is to co-op with another vendor and share space so that you can spit the costs but still have a prominent presences.

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Things You Should Know Before Becoming An Entrepreneur

1. Being an entrepreneur doesn’t guarantee success. You will fail! If you don’t fail, it’s because you’re not taking enough risk.

2. In the effort to be supportive, most people won’t tell you the truth about your ideas. So be careful not to let this feedback drive your decisions. If you’re not getting negative/challenging feedback, be concerned.

3. Nobody but you or your co-founder(s) will care about your idea until you have something to show for it. Less talking, more showing. Give them a reason to pay attention.

4. No employee, even if they have some equity, will ever care about your company as much as you do.

5. Be careful with the whole raising money thing. It’s not as easy and glamorous as you think. Make sure you let the business organically bring you to this crossroad, and be careful to not get ahead of your self with this.

6. Luck will play a big role in your success. Just remember that you can create your own luck by working tirelessly at what you’re passionate about.

7. MVPs (minimum viable products) can give you false positives or false negatives. Make sure your MVP is properly defined and that you’re properly interpreting the results.

8. Get the co-founder equity stuff out of the way at the beginning, and be careful in being egalitarian.

9. You will have to make hard decisions, like firing your best friend or removing a co-founder. Whatever you do, make them fast and don’t let the heart get in the way of these decisions. Just make them and move on.

10. You will have long nights, work weekends and may even have some days where you don’t sleep at all. Work while your competitors sleep to get ahead!

11. Revenue is KING and you need to generate sales to keep the lights on. As an entrepreneur, you will have to put your sales hat on, and knock on some doors or make some phone calls to drum up business.

12. It’s okay if your business idea is not a BILLION dollar idea. There are many of those out there right now, but remember they’re just valuations – it doesn’t mean those companies are generating that kind of revenue. Remember FAB.com? $250+ million in revenue with a $1B valuation. Where are they now? Build intrinsic value in your business!

13. There will ALWAYS be haters! These are folks that don’t have the courage to become entrepreneurs and are hating because you took the risk. Ignore them and just keep charging forward.

14. There are days you will want to QUIT and go back to a corporate job. Don’t think you have lost your entrepreneurial spirit when you have these days. It’s normal. Every entrepreneur has these days.

15. People will think you’re crazy!

16. Risk everything in business, except Family, Health, Friends and Spirit.

17. It’s OK to look up to another entrepreneur and have a “healthy” jealousy of what he has accomplished, just make sure this drives you harder and doesn’t take away from your plans to push ahead.

18. There will be days where you feel burned out and unproductive. Walk out of the office, go hang with friends or family, take a nice hike, or simply take a few days off. It’s OK, you will come back stronger.

19. Entrepreneurs aren’t RICH (abundantly supplied with resources), we’re constantly risking it all. Those that have sold companies, will take the proceeds and start new companies, or invest it in other companies. Entrepreneurs always have the desire to create and be part of something bigger than yourself.

20. No matter your level of success, always be humble and willing to help a fellow entrepreneur.

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Why Every Startup Needs Networking Skills

Over the years, networking has become one of those corporate buzzwords that is just one more word in the meaningless word salad that defines corporate speak. We don’t even hear it anymore. And that is really too bad. Because it is still a very meaningful concept that is, now, more important than ever before. The fact that so many startups are dead on arrival means that networking is not being taken seriously enough. Networking is not just one of those things you do to help boost your business. At the beginning stages of any startup, networking is your business.

This point is important enough that it bears repeating. When you are just getting started, your business is not:

• Manufacturing widgets
• Selling widgets
• Offering unique and innovative services
• Providing the best customer service
• Ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction

Before you can do any of those things, you have to master the art of networking. To do so, you need to be familiar with the tools of networking, and the reasons behind why it is so important.

Tools of Networking

Social Media

Some companies are great at social media. Others are hopelessly bad at it. The ones that are hopelessly bad are the ones that will not be around to serve the next generation of consumers. Social media is the new contact point between a corporate entity and end users.

Ford is one of the best examples of how a beleaguered brand successfully used social media to become one of the most beloved and well-respected brands. You can read about this metamorphosis at fastcodesign.com. Ford had gained a lot of respect for its Fiesta line in Europe, and wanted to replicate that in the U.S. To do this, they gave Fiestas to people who were already highly effective at social media. According to the piece:

Recipients included bloggers, filmmakers, and social networkers who were already documenting and sharing their lives.

The people in the program claimed that they had complete editorial freedom. They could say anything they wanted about the car, even if they hated it. This helped to give the campaign an authentic voice. The piece goes on to say:

For $5 million, Ford achieved with social media what has traditionally cost auto marketers millions. Fiesta had 60 percent name recognition before it hit US lots. Jim Farley, VP of global marketing, said: “I want customers to tell our story. That’s what digital has shown us: how to earn cred among consumers.”

Hosting Events

Another way to gain cred among consumers is by hosting public-facing events. Honda has mastered this tool with the annual Wing Ding convention for Honda Goldwing enthusiasts. Wing Ding 37 will be held in Huntsville, AL in September 2015. In addition to the show floor filled with everything an enthusiast would love, there are tons of events and classes that even non-Goldwing fans will appreciate.

Sci-fi and fantasy conventions such as the Star Trek Convention and Comic-Con are also excellent examples of how hosted events draw fans and outsiders alike to get to know and interact with their brand. The DoubleDutch event app is one example of a mobile device app that make such events more than just a one-off success. Among other things, they promote attendee networking. DoubleDutch observes:

Speakers may not have enough time to answer questions before the next session begins or attendees may have opinions about what they just learned. Reach event speakers or share your opinions with other attendees through “comments” or “likes” in the activity feed of an event or session.

Blogging

Blogging is one of the easiest and most effective networking tools. There are two ways you can use it: First, you can use a company blog to communicate your message directly to the public. These messages can be liked and shared on social networks. A more effective way to use a company blog is to make it a resource for information. Don’t just use it to sell products and services. Use it to share your expertise so that it is useful to people who are not necessarily looking to make a purchase with you, but who just want to know more about the topic on which you specialize.

Benefits of Networking

Financing Your Project

One of the biggest challenges startups face is the incredibly high cost of manufacturing at scale, and getting the products into the hands of consumers. You might look at the bill of goods in high-end smartphones and decide that you want to jump into that business. But while that bill of goods might be $200 per unit, the first one costs more like $2B. R&D, the acquisition of patents, and testing is quite expensive.

By skillfully networking, a person can raise the money, either through crowdfunding or venture capital. Failing to raise sufficient funds before the project starts is a big reason why companies fail. This is one of the main reasons you need to network before building a warehouse full of half-finished products.

Building Your Customer Base

“If you build it, they will come” is a bald-faced lie! A better strategy is if they come, then build it. Remember, Ford’s success with the Fiesta was that they built 60% brand recognition before bringing the model to the U.S. Building products before building interest in the product leaves you with a warehouse full of products. Building interest first ensures that you will sell most every product you build. Piers Anthony once quipped that he does not sell every book he writes, rather, he writes every book he sells. That strategy also scales to startups of all types

Build your business on a solid foundation of networking, and it will develop a life of its own. Networking is best done as a foundation, not an afterthought.

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15 tips for public speaking that apply to shining at work, and just about everywhere else.

1. Gratitude is always the best place to begin. 
Any and every gig is an honour. Thank the host, and thank the audience for the possible mountains they moved to show up and listen to you.

2. Being prepared is an act of love. And intelligence.
Even if you can improv with the best of them, do a complete run through in advance, and a written key points list of your talk. I like to do a verbal run through in the tub the day before (the tub is my second office, really,) and I do a key points list the morning of the event.

3. Lead with your best stuff. 
Make an entrance. Put forth your Big Point right away. Start with your best story, your funniest joke, your guiding theory. Don’t make them wait to see you shine. Grab ‘em from the get-go.

4. Know who you’re talking to. 
A co-presenter and I gave a talk to a group of underprivileged single moms. My co-presenter talked about shopping at Tiffany’s and Saks. They turned on us. It was ugly. Along this same line…

5. Research your audience. 
Guy Kawasaki is great at this. At a presentation in Vancouver last year, he sported a Vancouver Canucks jersey, made some good jokes about the event organizers, and told some personal stories that related to the organization’s mission.

6. Actively respect your audience. 
A playwright friend of mine commented on an actor’s performance: “You could tell she didn’t like the character that she was playing. And you’ve always got to find something to love about who you’re playing to make it real.” Same goes for your audience. You won’t always be presenting or pitching to your tribe, to people you “like”—find the common ground and put your love there.

7. Never, ever admit to fatigue. 
I heard a very popular author open his talk, to a packed theatre, with “I’m quite tired, I’ve been on the road for a few days.” Instant downer. It made us feel guilty for keeping him up past his bedtime, or ticked that we spent $50 to hear a jet-lagged psychologist. I’ve done gigs on two hours of sleep, in the middle of a professional tragedy, stoned on Sinutab. You get up there and you SMILE, no matter what. You can collapse when you get off stage.

8. Stay in the lead as long as you’re on stage.
A few weeks ago I was speaking to a ballroom of university business students at The Four Seasons Hotel. As I was leaving the stage, a woman at the back of the room raised her hand. I’d just handed back my mic, but I gestured to take her question. She proceeded to tell me that I was dressed like a slob and not setting a good example to the students about personal branding. Not kidding. (And I looked HOT, BTW.) You could have heard a pin drop. Heckled! First time for everything.

“And how have you come to be here tonight?” I asked her. I figured she sneaked in. She mumbled something about being a mentor, and then she made a dash for the door, carrying her various tattered shopping bags. “Well,” I said to the stunned audience. “Now you have an example of what elegant is and what elegant isn’t. And that’s branding.” I didn’t exhale until I got in my car.

9. Plan your finish. 
Wrapping up can be the hardest part of a talk because you’ve either used up all of your good stuff, you’ve gone over time, or you have space to fill. Hold on to your closing gold nugget so you can leave on a high note either way.

10. Believe that people are rooting for you. 
It’s vastly true that every single person watching and listening to you wants you to be amazing. They want a great experience. No one likes to see someone bomb. They really do want you to win.

11. Go easy on the apologies.
This is a tricky one, because elegance is the numero uno concerno. But things like, “Sorry to keep you waiting,” “My apologies for the technical snafu,” can create more snags in your fabric. Sometimes, most of the time, it’s better to just keep going. An ice skater doesn’t apologize for slipping. She keeps skating, distracting you with the next great move.

12. Dress up.
When you’re on stage being well dressed says, “I cared about you enough to polish it up.” Sunday best.

13. Affirm, pray, focus, ommm. 
Whether it’s a staff meeting you’re leading or a concerto performance, a short pre-show ritual pulls your energy into your center. Before I take the stage I say this quickie prayer, “Help us shine.” That’s it. That covers me, the audience, and the world in one fell swoop.

14. Ask questions.
Frame your stories into questions and you’ve created a conversation.

15. Know how you want to feel when you’re done your presentation.
Ultimately, you can’t really control what the audience does and if try to, you’re likely to fumble. I’ve had what I thought were hilarious stories that didn’t get so much as a giggle. And I’ve had low-engagement audiences that swarmed me after I got off stage. You just don’t know.

What you can aim for is how you want to feel. And when you anchor into that feeling, your energy gathers a momentum and you get into the magical flow.

When I leave the auditorium, I want to feel like I connected, like I was divinely feminine, and innovative–on my personal edge. And if I did my best to be those things, then I can sleep well, even if I forgot to say thank you, or I tripped over a speaker, or got heckled by a bag lady.

Marketing Your Event Business

As you develop your event planning business, it's impor­tant to market in order to grow your client base. Following are eight ideas for advertising and promoting your event planning business:

Networking. For most planners, networking is at the top of the list in terms of developing a strong client base. Networking can help your business in two ways. If people have met you and know what services you offer, they may refer business to you or use your service themselves. Furthermore, networking with hotels, caterers and so on will give you a chance to meet some of the people whose services you may need as you plan events.

Advertising. Print advertising covers a broad range, from a free—or inexpensive—Yellow Pages advertisement to an ad in a glossy national publication costing tens of thousands of dollars. Most planners agree that an ad in the Yellow Pages makes good business sense. A line advertisement, simply listing your business name, is often provided free of charge when you connect your phone (if you have a landline). You can also opt for a display advertisement -- the bigger, bordered ads in the Yellow Pages -- but there's a charge for these.

You may also want to consider advertising in your local newspaper or in a regional magazine, if you plan both corporate and social occasions. Because the market area for this kind of event planner can extend throughout a given county, a magazine focusing on that county can be an excellent one in which to advertise. These magazines can be geared to topics related to your service (e.g., gourmet food, floral design) or aimed at readers in a certain region. An ad in a regional magazine might be a good tool for reaching upscale consumers. A regional business magazine ad would also reach prospective corporate clients.

Business card. Don’t underestimate the power of this small but mighty marketing tool. Even in the computer age, a succinct, professionally printed business card is still critical. Consider it a diminutive brochure, especially if you opt for a tri-fold business card. Many planners opt for this business-card format because more information can be included than on a traditional business card, while the card remains small enough to be tucked inside a wallet or purse.

Include the name of your business, contact information (e-mail, phone and website address, for instance), your name, specialization, your logo, and some testimonials from past clients. Always carry business cards. You never know when you'll run into a potential client. Ask vendors with whom you work (florists, caterers and photographers, for instance) if you can leave a stack of business cards in their places of business.

Informative brochures. Like your business card, a well-designed, professional brochure can help cement your image as a professional planner. Prospective clients will make judgments about your company based on your brochure, so make sure it's conceived and produced at the highest level possible.

The brochure should include all the information listed on your tri-fold business card and allow you to expand upon this information, in particular, by adding photographs. The photos should be of successful events you’ve designed. You may also want to include a photo of yourself.

Maximize your chances of success by making sure your company brochure matches the type of business you have. All materials should look professional, but if you are marketing to a budget-conscious group, a too-glamorous brochure can send the wrong message—and send potential budget-conscious clients running in the opposite direction.

As with your business cards, leave your brochure with caterers, florists, photographers, and other vendors with whom you’ve worked.  

Direct mail. You may choose to distribute your brochure via direct mail. If you do, make sure your mailing list is well chosen. Event planner David Granger says that while word of mouth is his most effective advertising, he uses mailing lists of the organizations his company belongs to (International Special Events Society, Meeting Professionals International, National Association for Catering and Events, and the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau).

Customer service. One of the best ways to keep customers satisfied and coming back is to be constantly on the lookout for new ideas and ways to improve the service you provide. Consider the following:

• Take a course or a series of courses in event management.
• Invest in an hour or more with an industry consultant.
• Attend other events to study how they're produced.
• Attend as many arts-related functions as possible (e.g., arts exhibits, theatri­cal performances) to gather ideas.
• Join trade organizations.
• Subscribe to at least one professional newsletter or journal.

Facebook. Facebook is geared toward communicating with your network of friends. However, friends “like” websites they want to support or really like. So create a Facebook page for your event planning business, but use it sparingly for promoting your business. Postings to your Facebook wall might include some fun tidbits you learned about a new wedding venue in the region or some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from that Rolling Stones concert you're coordinating. Check out the Facebook pages of other event planners and other service businesses you use and admire to see how they're using Facebook to their advantage.

Twitter. With Twitter, you can tweet quick messages to your subscribers to remind them about your business. “Paul McCartney just said ‘yes’ to special appearance at Stones concert! Better get your ticket now!” or “Just found out about a great new event venue with full-service spa—does your corporate event need planning?” might be messages that promote your service while also offering benefit to the reader.

As your Facebook and Twitter audiences grow, stay creative. Invent new ways to engage your audience and encourage them to invite their friends. Continue to avoid hard sales pitches. People don't forward commercials to their friends -- they forward value.

10 Behaviors of Unstoppable Entrepreneurs

Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. It requires the kinds of habits that most people simply don’t have, along with a discipline, passion and dedication that are unmatched among non-business owners. And while every entrepreneur is different, we all have a lot in common -- including many of the same habits.

Here are 10 behaviors shared by unstoppable entrepreneurs:

1. They plan their day in advance.

In business, it’s easy to let other people’s priorities run your day. Phone calls, emails, appointments, meetings -- it never ends. Unstoppable entrepreneurs plan their day in advance, before the mayhem begins. But they don’t just make any old plan -- they make sure to block out time for their most important priorities.

2. They get proper nutrition and exercise.

This simply can’t be overstated. Being a productive, unstoppable entrepreneur is about your body just as much as your mind and will. If you don’t take care of your nutrition and daily exercise, you aren’t going to be at your best -- and you definitely won’t be unstoppable. Drink a lot of water, eat breakfast and get your body moving. You’ll be much more successful as a result.

3. They position themselves to serve.

Those who focus only on their own success are the ones who don’t succeed at all. To be effective as a business owner, you need to serve your customers. That might come through in the way your products make their lives easier or the way your customer service efforts delight them. Whatever the case may be, setting service as one of your top priorities is a surefire way to become unstoppable.

4. They set clear goals.

Every unstoppable entrepreneur has clear goals. Knowing your goals will keep you going when things get tough and give you something to focus on when you’re not sure what to do next. But your goals shouldn’t just focus on the long term. Have long-term, mid-term and short-term goals. Doing so allows you to plan your days and weeks with unmatched focus, knowing exactly what you’re shooting for.

5. They take calculated risks.

People have an image of entrepreneurs as those who take crazy risks just for fun. But while the risks we take may be crazy to those without an entrepreneurial mind, in reality, they’re calculated. Or, at least, they should be. If you’re the type of business owner who jumps in without knowing the numbers and probabilities behind your course of action, you won’t last long. 

6. They know their strengths and weaknesses.

Successful business owners are honest with themselves. They know their own strengths and weaknesses, and take them into account with every business decision. It takes humility to really examine yourself this way, but it will pay great dividends when you know exactly who to hire, who to partner with and what skills you can offer.

7. They hire A-team players.

Entrepreneurs that don’t succeed are often those who are afraid to have A-team players on their staffs. They either feel threatened or they won’t offer the incentives needed to hire the best. Either way, they lose. To be an unstoppable entrepreneur, you’ve got to hire the best. Focus on those who fill in whatever gaps you currently have. Doing so will help you create the amazing team that’s needed for success.

8. They are constantly learning.

Unstoppable entrepreneurs know that they don’t know it all. As a result, they never stop learning. Never get so busy that you stop investing in yourself and your knowledge of business, your industry and new technology. Staying up to date is essential if you want to succeed.

9. They are always looking for opportunities.

Entrepreneurs who are really successful don’t rest on their current successes. They realize that life changes quickly, and that business moves at an even faster pace. To be unstoppable, always be on the lookout for your next opportunity. Spot new trends in your industry, or look for a new application of an old tool. You’ll never get stuck in the old when you make it a priority to watch out for the new.

10. They evaluate their actions and priorities each day.

Successful entrepreneurs know that with every day, they’re building their futures. That’s why they rarely let one go by without doing a review. When you review your accomplishments at the end of each day, you’ll be able to celebrate the successes, as well as address the shortfalls. It’s a great practice to begin right away.

As I said earlier, being an unstoppable entrepreneur is no easy feat. If it was easy, everyone would be one. Instead, only a few have the privilege of calling themselves entrepreneurs. If you want to join this exclusive club, make it a priority to practice these 10 behaviors of unstoppable entrepreneurs.

Do you feel like you take criticism too harshly? Read this.

If you take criticism too harshly, you might just be a more sensitive person. Among the different signs that indicate whether you are a highly sensitive person or not, taking criticism harshly is one of them. What this means is if “you may overreact to criticism initially,” that is not necessarily a bad thing for your life.

The thing about being emotionally sensitive is that “your strong feelings and intense emotional reactions can make criticism hard to take.” If you are the kind of person who is impacted heavily by criticism, that doesn’t have to be bad. Once you get past that initial shock, you can truly use that criticism to better yourself.

You see, if you just let criticism roll off your back you will never improve from what has been said. The high emotional state allows you to “think hard about things and explore them deeply.” This can help you understand yourself better and understand where the person who is criticizing you is coming from. “This exploration of criticism can play out well for you in the long run, as your inability to ‘shrug it off’ helps you make the appropriate changes.” Rather than just accepting who you are, you are constantly seeking to improve your life and your circumstances. You are constantly working to become the best possible you.

Learning to take the best from criticism can help you improve your own life and work ethic and personality traits because it can help you to make better decisions. When you can sit back and ask yourself why you thought someone said something about you, you can also sit back and ask yourself what you can do to better your own life and take a step forward to ensure that bothersome criticism isn’t justified in the future. Take advantage of your emotions. They’ll help you in the long run. If you simply go through life shrugging everything away – you will never learn to improve. Count your blessings, knowing that you are more sensitive because you are more insightful.

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Some motivation for the weekend

Here are five steps that will make it easier for you to see the good in life:

1. Positive attitudes are a choice.

This is perhaps one of the hardest steps at achieving a life full of positivity. Blaming negativity on others, fate, experiences or relationships can get in the way of choosing to stay positive.

This is why teaching yourself that keeping up bead is a choice and is one of the greatest things you can do for yourself.

2. Out with the bad.

In order to lead a joyous life, surrounding yourself by negative people will only serve to bring you down.

As easy as it is to become attracted to negative people, as it’s the easiest and weakest bond to create with someone, negative influences will keep you from the lifestyle you want to have. No doubt, it is difficult to cut people out, but keeping them in will continue to do more harm in the long run.

This will also help you to get rid of some of your own negative behaviors, like drinking or eating too much. Taking a step back to examine which behaviors are beneficial to you is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

3. In with the good.

From people to situations, looking for the good in life will help you keep your chin up and lead you to living a life full of positivity.

While it may not be easy to find, looking for the positives will teach you how to seek out the good and cast out the bad. Remember, this is a learning experience and finding something genuinely positive in every situation is priceless.

Don’t forget to believe in yourself, keeping in mind the most important lesson of all: A positive outlook is a choice you can always make- no matter what.

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