Vanessa Huber and her bridal boutique, “Villa Engelsbraut” in Witzhave, Germany is well known for their television presence on the German verison of “Say Yes to the Dress” and social media. Now, fellow bridal shops can learn Vanessa’s “model of success” through a new “Master Class” and in-house workshops. Not only will she share her knowledge with bridal shop employees but also with other bridal business owners.
Villa Engelsbraut in Witzhave, Germany
Vanessa, what inspired you to start coaching and launch the “Master Class”?
I initially just wanted to create a module for myself that would make it easier for me to train my employees repeatedly, as well as to quickly teach new employees. It is important to me that they are at a very high level of knowledge so that they can experience their own successes as a bridal stylist and gain confidence – especially for those new to the job.
In addition, we have the challenge in our store that I am in the public eye. As a result, certain demands are placed on me and the store that are higher than on a business that is perhaps not represented in the media to such an extent. Our customers naturally expect more from us due to our incredibly special location, my polarization as a person in the public eye, and the visible success of the store. This means that my employees are automatically compared to me. That’s why it’s my job as the owner to prepare my employees to the best of my ability so that they receive the same positive feedback that I receive from my brides.
As the owner, it is incredibly important to me that this professionalism and customer interaction is just as easy for my employees as it is for me. I can practically serve them this compressed knowledge that I have gained over many years in retail on a silver platter. This can shorten this path incredibly for them, so they don’t have to be in sales for 20 years themselves to learn what I could learn and what was taught to me.
That was my intention and that’s how the inspiration for the Master Class came about. And the more well-known I became, the more people, especially existing or aspiring bridal shop owners, wanted to know how I work. What is the difference between me and other successful bridal fashion stores? What am I doing differently? How is it possible that I could expand and become so successful despite Corona and so on, in just five years? What is Vanessa’s secret? Because these questions kept coming up, I decided to share my knowledge. Especially because I would have wished for something like this myself when I started my own bridal business. But the bridal fashion business is still a relatively conservative market, in which, thank God, there has been a lot of movement lately. There will be a maximum upheaval in this market and it’s now gradually ripe for other methods to acquire knowledge and to develop further.
What can participants learn in the “Master Class” and who is it for?
So I have developed a very special combination. On one hand, I focus on the concepts of sales psychology, rhetoric, body language, how human types tick, not everyone is the same, and which skills you can use to get a successful conclusion. And on the other hand, the Master Class is also specifically for bridal business owners who are very busy – just like me. With this Master Class, you can mentally prepare your employees and give them not only a feeling but also the knowledge of what to expect and how to work in the company. Normally, you would be trained for months or even years to be truly successful. In the Master Class, we have prepared this concentrated knowledge in over 100 videos, over four and a half hours, and in role-playing games to be hones. This simply did not exist until now.
The Master Class is intended to ensure that employees not only sell intuitively well but also really know what they are doing. It is also intended for young or new owners who have a lot of development and awareness potential. They can perfect their actions and later pass on their knowledge. The Master Class is also suitable for not only for one’s own development or that of employees, but also for passing on knowledge.
Many people who can sell very well normally have the challenge of putting into words why they are so good. Through the Master Class, they are shown these things and become aware of them. Someone just recently recognized, “Ah yes, that’s right, that works well for me,” and now they are also able to pass on knowledge. And the best part is: As a very busy owner, you can of course use it to train your employees without being 100 percent involved yourself. After completing the Master Class, you only need to do the fine-tuning in your own bridal business.
Tell us about your In-House Workshops and what participants can expect?
At our workshops at Villa Engelsbraut, I open my treasure chest 100 percent. Just like in the Master Class, but on a personal level on location. Participants can not only see how my villa is set up, but they also see my team, which is just as ready and open for questions. For example: What is it like to work with me? What changes have there been in the employees themselves? Each of my employees naturally undergoes a personality development. In addition, it is simply the case that the participants can ask me any questions that concern them on this day. We train on site and I show them how to train with their team and what to look out for when evaluating the resulting video material. I will give them this tool by going in front of the camera with them and training with them myself. When you see yourself and analyze your own rhetoric and body language, you create an awareness of the little things that have crept in erroneously but make the difference.
In addition, we deal with how to handle reasons for not buying a gown. This is always a very interesting topic for bridal shop owners and their salespeople. When objections come from guests or the bride – these are often difficult, challenging situations. I give them various solutions on how to respond.
The exchange in the workshop takes place on an equal footing. We evaluate a wide variety of bridal shops, from new openings to bridal shops that have been successful in the market for 20 years. They are aware that life always means development. The bridal fashion market is developing and successful bridal shops have understood that they cannot remain at the same level if they want to connect with the new era. Instead, they have their sights set firmly on the future and are always interested in further developments.
What would you say are the advantages to your “Master Class” as opposed to other training methods?
The understanding that the sales process begins with the greeting at the door. It’s not just a matter of saying “Hello”. We discuss why the entire process, from the beginning to the farewell of a bridal party, and why it’s so important. We also go into great detail about the different types of brides: for example, a dominant bride or, as I call her, a loud party bride who wants to enjoy everything to the fullest. Then there’s the insecure bride or the seemingly less emotional type of bride for whom data and facts are much more important than emotions. The question is: How do you reach each individual type of bride? How can you tell which type of bride is in front of you based on the accompanying group? What objections and challenges can you expect in these groups? Not only do I explain what you need to be prepared for, but my experienced team also plays out these situations and types of people. This is an incredibly good way to illustrate what matters.
So far, all Master Class participants have confirmed to me that the scenarios in their bridal shops is exactly as we discuss it in the videos, and that they now understand how they should react. Such a training offer has never existed in this form and detail before. Because we really break down every little detail: greeting, preliminary talk, bridal gown selection, fittings, group dynamics, and conclusion.
How important is it for bridal shops to have a well-trained staff?
For me, this is the top priority. It’s simple: my team is only as strong as its weakest member. My goal is to ensure that my employees are all on the same level of knowledge. This is partly my own claim because I myself place a lot of value on professionalism, authenticity, and experience. On the other hand, I also want my customers to feel comfortable with us. That they get an experience created, but still in a professional way. In other words: I don’t want us to be just whatever saleswomen who don’t know what they’re doing.
The challenge that exists specifically in my business is simply that I am a public figure. As a result, my employees are subject to a stricter jury, as I call it. The demands of our customers on me and my business are high, which of course is due in part to the location itself and of course also to my persona. That’s exactly why it’s my job as the owner to prepare my employees as best as possible so that they can withstand these critical looks and high demands. And above all: that they can feel safe. Because the more you know and what you’re doing, the more professional you are and the more confident you naturally appear. Our brides absolutely perceive this. And for that, I get so much nice feedback. For example, when the brides tell me: “It was so great with you, Vanessa. It’s just like on TV.”
The fact is simply: I can’t accompany every bride. That just doesn’t work. We’ve just grown too big as a business for that. But my employees, each and every one of them, are, I always say: my pearls. Very special pearls who really want to develop. Who want to get even better and perfect their work even more.
What are your thoughts when you hear a business owner say, “We have always run our business this way, and we don’t need training.
Well, it is like this: Everyone is allowed to think what they want. My personal attitude towards this is that all human relationships develop, just as life continues to evolve. Both in business and in private life, no matter what relationship we have with another person – be it business, private, as an employee to the owner, as a customer to the bridal stylist, or from the owner to the customer. I have the ambition for myself never to stand still in my own development. My awareness of this is very strong. It is important to me to stay up to date.
Let’s take Instagram as an example. It has developed so enormously in the last two or three years that it is simply indispensable for our business today. I didn’t want to admit that for a long time, but I just had to go along with it. Even if it’s not my hobby and certainly not my favorite topic. If you had told me two years ago that I would hire a content creator exclusively for Instagram, I would thought you have gone mad. But that too is development. And when businesses say, “What I did ten years ago is still going well today,” either they’re not doing badly enough to get moving or they have blinders on.
Ultimately, everyone is responsible for their own business. In our fast-paced times, I believe that the weak will be separated from the strong. Especially those businesses that have remained stuck in these mindsets and are not moving because they are developing too little or too slowly are at risk. If a bridal shop owner is a bit older, say between 50 and 60 years old and has been on the market for 25 or 30 years, I can totally understand that it is incredibly difficult to get into action and create an awareness that times have changed. But I wish these businesses all the best.
What can bridal shops in the DACH-Region do if they are interested in the “Master Class”?
If you are interested in my Masterclass, you can find information here: https://vanessa-huber.de/video. However, if you still have questions, you can contact me directly – for example, via Instagram, which brings us back to the topic. I will of course answer the questions personally. (German language only)
For more information about Vanessa Huber and Villa Engelsbraut, visit Villa Engelsbraut.