Within the first year of starting your wedding planning business, you might find yourself getting discouraged, and even consider quitting, because you feel like your business isn’t as successful as you had hoped.
I’ve found that this feeling often occurs when new wedding planners have unrealistic expectations about the details of running a successful business and about being a wedding planner.
Here are 5 unrealistic expectations you might have as a new wedding planner and what your expectations should really be:
1) Brides will discover and hire me as soon as I open for business
You may have planned weddings for a number of friends and relatives and have done an excellent job. But unless you invest time in promoting and marketing your business correctly, potential clients won’t know you exist. It’s unrealistic to think that it can happen quickly without any effort.
2) All referrals will result in business
Although referrals are the best way to get good quality business, not all referrals will result in being hired. In a short time you will know who or what are good sources of of high-quality referrals and leads.
3) I can make a six-figure income by the end of the first year
Although anything is possible, most wedding planners don’t reach this goal in the first year. This is not a “get rich quick” business.
4) If I just invest a lot of money in this one advertising/marketing program, brides will be flocking to me
People who sell advertising for wedding websites, local wedding magazines, and bridal show booths are very good at what they do. They may have you believing that a big investment will get you more brides than you can handle. Listen carefully to their sales pitches, read the fine print on their contracts, and speak to vendors who have already invested before you sign up. And be sure you don’t put all of your marketing dollars in one place.
5) I can do it all
Very likely you have started your business part time, while you have a job or while your children are at school or maybe while you are attending school yourself. With these demands on your time, it will be more difficult to spend the time that full time wedding planners do to market their businesses and plan weddings.
Take a realistic look at the demands of your personal life and figure out how much time you can realistically devote to marketing and running your business, in addition to planning weddings. Then set goals and create an action plan to get your goals accomplished.
To become a top wedding planner you need to have realistic expectations about running a business, be willing to work hard, and, most of all, you can’t quit before the success comes.
