We were lucky to catch up with Alan Berg recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I’ve been creating content for decades, including 16 books, hundreds of podcasts, presentations, workshops and more, and I was wondering if I had enough content to create a platform where wedding and event pros could tap that knowledge, right when they need it. So, using ChatGPT as my Thought Partner, I strategized to see if it was possible, how to do it, how to give it content, etc. And that’s how Ask Alan Anything began.
It’s very exciting to see how people are using it. Many start with something easy for it, like rewording an email, or handling a sales objection. Then they realize the power and start literally talking to it as if they were asking the real me.
Since I can’t be everywhere, and no one has the decades of experience helping wedding and event pros convert more leads, close more sales and profit more, this is a great way to help more businesses thrive.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I got into the wedding and event industry through sales. Before weddings were part of my world, I sold advertising, booked gigs for a rock band, sold burglar alarms, and was even one of the top 50 Chrysler salespeople in the U.S. Along the way, I learned that great sales isn’t about pressure. It’s about understanding people, building trust, and helping them feel confident making decisions.

That philosophy is what led me to the wedding industry.

I later became the Vice President of Sales at The Knot, where I worked with wedding and event professionals across the country. I saw incredibly talented photographers, venues, DJs, planners, and caterers struggling, not because they weren’t good at what they did, but because nobody had taught them the business side of the business.

That became my focus.

Today, I’m a speaker, author, sales trainer, and consultant who helps wedding and event businesses book more of the right clients, communicate their value more effectively, and create better customer experiences. I’ve spoken in 14 countries and written 16 books, including *Shut Up and Sell More*, *Stop Selling and Help Them Buy*, and my newest release, *AI for the Real World*.

What sets me apart is that everything I teach comes from real-world experience. I’ve secret-shopped thousands of businesses, analyzed inquiry replies and follow-up systems, and worked directly with companies trying to improve their sales and communication. I’m not teaching scripts or gimmicks. I’m teaching people how to communicate in a more natural, human way.

For photographers especially, I believe the real differentiator today isn’t just your images. It’s the experience you create before clients ever get in front of your camera. Couples want fast responses, authentic communication, and confidence that you understand what matters to them.

I’m also passionate about helping wedding and event pros use AI in practical ways to improve communication, marketing, and client experiences without losing their personality or voice.

What I’m most proud of is hearing from businesses that say they’re booking more, getting ghosted less, charging confidently, and feeling better about how they communicate with clients.

At the end of the day, your talent gets you noticed, but your communication is often what gets you booked.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

This is exactly how I got into the wedding industry. I was in a job that provided a company car, full benefits, and I was making very good money… except I hated it. I was required to sell things I didn’t believe in, and that wore heavy on my morals. In addition, my wife was pregnant with our second child and I was never home, working 10-12 hour days. It wasn’t a good situation. So, when a friend bought a wedding magazine franchise and wanted me to come sell for him, I jumped at it, even though I didn’t know the industry, had never done outside sales and I had never done cold-calling. I also needed to buy a car, since I had to give back the company car. That was a serious pivot for me, into a new industry, that I’ve now grown to love.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

The success of my business is based upon having multiple revenue streams. Mine are:
– Sales training – either for one person or one business’ sales team
– Mastermind Days – this is like group sales training and consulting for a day
– Workshops – AI workshops, sales workshops
– Consulting/Website Reviews – I help individuals and companies with their business goals and challenges
– Ask Alan Anything – a subscription members where wedding and event pros can get advice on handling challenges, objections, and business strategy, any time of the day or night
– Books – I have written 16 books, all of which are in print, on Kindle and Audio. Most are also available in Spanish, and some in French.
– Affiliate commissions – I’m very selective about who I will recommend, and some offer affiliate commissions, and if it’s the right fit, I’ll work with them, not for the money, but because first it’s a good product/service

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alanberg.com
• Instagram: @alanberg
• Facebook: @alanberg1 @alanbergspeaker
• Linkedin: @alanberg