As a wedding planner there will be many times when you will make appointments with potential clients and new vendors whom you have only “met” via email, the Internet, or a phone call. You will also find yourself running errands at different times of the day and night in unfamiliar areas in order to do business. While most people you meet with are good and most places you will visit are perfectly fine, it doesn’t hurt to take the steps necessary to keep yourself safe at all times.
Here are 5 tips for staying safe:
1) When meeting a bride or any potential client for the first time, do it in a public place
Don’t invite strangers to your home office and don’t agree to meet in theirs. Arrange to meet at a potential wedding venue or other public place that allows you to be seen by other people but also has a quiet place for you to talk privately.
If you have an office, make sure you are not the only one in the building. If you must meet after hours, ask someone to join you and wait in a nearby room so you are not alone.
2) Tell someone your schedule
Before you head out the door, let your assistant or family member know where you are going and how long you might be gone. Check in with them if meetings or errands take longer than you thought they would.
3) Prepare your car for your busy schedule
Keep you car in good repair and always have plenty of gas in your tank so you don’t have to stop at a gas station in an unfamiliar area.
Use a GPS to guide you when you drive or check directions before you head out so you don’t get lost.
Keep an emergency kit in your car that includes a pair of walking shoes, in case you need them.
4) Carry a fully charged cell phone
Almost everyone has a cell phone but not everyone keeps theirs charged and ready to use, be sure you do. You need it not only to keep in touch with brides and vendors while you are on the road (of course, don’t text or talk while driving), you also need it for emergencies. Invest in a charger that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter if you spend a great deal of time on the road.
5) Resist the urge to broadcast your whereabouts
Don’t go on Twitter and tell everyone where you will be and when you will be there. You could be putting not only your personal safety at risk, but also the safety of your family and personal property, if the information is seen by the wrong person.
Be safe!
