You’re a wedding planner with a budging portfolio, glowing testimonials, and experience that a bride would appreciate. But, not displaying the right body language during a meeting can hurt your chances of getting a bride to hire you, even if you have the best credentials.
Here are 6 tips that will help you through your meeting with brides:
1) Greet with a firm handshake
Practice shaking hands with friends and make sure you have a good handshake. I weak one shows you lack confidence. A bone crusher will make the bride think you will be pushy and overbearing during the planning process.
2) Have good eye contact
If you look around during the conversation, instead of at the bride, you will appear disinterested and distracted. If you look down, it will appear that you lack the confidence it takes to plan weddings. Always maintain eye contact, or, if you have trouble looking into someones eyes, look at the space between their eyes.
3) Smile
You want to appear confident and happy to be meeting your bride. Smile when you are on the phone also, it will make your tone of voice seen friendly and warm.
4) Don’t cross your arms or legs
I have seen people enter a room with both arms in front of them clutching a portfolio or briefcase, they looked insecure and like they had something to hide. Crossing you arms and legs during a meeting indicates you are closed to the information being shared. Remember, you want to appear confident, open and interested at all times.
5) Sit up straight
You may have a tendency to slouch when you sit, especially when you meet a bride in place with lounge seating, such as a reception venue or coffee shop. This could make you appear too casual or disinterested so sit up straight without appearing stiff, unnatural and uncomfortable.
6) Don’t play with your hair, rub your nose, or scratch
These are actions you may be doing without even knowing it. Pay attention to what you may be doing in casual conversations with friends and family and make it a point to control these actions.
