| Lots of wedding planners get stuck when it comes to | | | | Keep your target audience in minds at all times. Keep |
| marketing. Here's how to grow a successful bridal | | | | all your marketing "on message," on clear value |
| business. | | | | proposition. If you happen to do general event planning, |
| The quickest way to land a wedding client is by | | | | don't confuse your potential customers by advertising |
| personally connecting with a motivated buyer. The | | | | corporate event planning or any other extraneous |
| more sales conversations you have with people who | | | | services. The bride-to-be ones to work with an expert |
| urgently want and need to hire a wedding planner, the | | | | who is perfectly matched to her needs. Send brides to |
| greater your chances of success. If you can come | | | | a weddings only site. |
| across as a trustworthy professional who fully | | | | Next, discover what your ideal clients really want. Don't |
| understands their needs you will almost certainly land | | | | assume. Simply asking around can be helpful, but don't |
| the business. The trick is finding ways to have more of | | | | be misled. Often times people will tell you one thing and |
| these conversations. | | | | do another. Identify your ideal client type and carefully |
| So how do you connect with highly motivated wedding | | | | watch exactly what they are actually spending money |
| shoppers? | | | | on. |
| It all depends upon your goals. If you are only looking to | | | | Don't forget what the bride is ultimately buying from |
| land one or two wedding planning clients this year you | | | | you. She's not buying flowers, food, music or |
| can probably do that by effectively networking with | | | | transportation. She' buying the fulfillment of a dream. |
| your circle of friends and family, but it's hard to scale | | | | Remember to engage your customers on an |
| this approach. If you need to make a full-time income | | | | emotional level. Not in a manipulative way but in a way |
| from wedding planning you need a scalable marketing | | | | that honors their intentions. Work hard to truly |
| solution. | | | | understand the wants, desires, and years that your |
| The very best marketing plans are not complicated. | | | | potential customer habits. Honestly address their |
| There seems to be a great temptation amongst | | | | concerns and always look for ways you can better |
| MBA's to make the process of marketing convoluted | | | | serve them. |
| and difficult. If you're marketing budget is in the millions | | | | Wedding planning is a wonderful business. There's |
| of a dollars you will need fairly complex systems. But | | | | plenty of opportunity for creative, ambitious and |
| you don't need anything near that for the average | | | | organized individuals who want to make a difference. |
| wedding planning business. | | | | Don't let your lack of marketing skills stop you from |
| First, get very clear about the type of clients that you | | | | living your dreams. It's possible to build a thriving |
| want to work with. I see too many wedding planners | | | | wedding planning business when you start with a solid |
| try to be everything to everyone, and ultimately, they | | | | marketing plan. |
| fail. The market values expertise and specialization. | | | | |