Brides meet wedding planners online, at bridal fairs and through friends which means you will need to stand out from other wedding planners in order to get hired. In my Q&A today, I offer questions to ask yourself to help you determine what makes you different from your competition so you can attract more brides.
Question
A bride asked me how I am different from other wedding planners and I told her I am very detail-oriented and well-organized. She said every wedding planner tells her that. What should I have said?
Answer
This bride is right, many wedding planners tell brides the same thing, they’re detail-oriented, organized, and have a passion to help brides. There’s nothing wrong with these statements but in order to really attract brides you have to explain to them that you also have a whole lot more to offer that others don’t.
Answering these 6 questions should help you discover how you are different and why a bride should hire you:
1) What experiences have you had that have given you special skills that serve a bride well?
Have you worked in catering and know all about food? Been in banking and know how create and balance budgets? Been a Realtor and can negotiate contracts?
2) What industry organizations do you belong to?
Brides often see a membership in a wedding or event planner association as a sign of professionalism so if you have a membership, let people know.
3) Who are you marketing to?
Target your marketing message to a specific niche. The brides you want will see that you understand what their unique problems are and can solve them.
4) What industry credentials do you have?
If you have taken the time to get a certificate or degree in wedding planning, let brides know because it shows you are committed and serious about your business.
5) What services and packages do you offer?
If you truly know your niche, you know your brides and you have created services and packages based on their needs. Sell the benefits of what you have to offer.
6) What have your past clients said about you?
Don’t be shy about sharing testimonials in which your previous clients have said why they were happy that they hired you.
Once you have answered these questions and determined how you are different from your competition, you will be able to confidently tell brides why they should hire you.
And if you have a pressing question about starting or running your wedding planning business, you can send me an email at questions@sharonhill.com. I will answer them on this blog or in my ezine, “Wedding Planner Tips,” which you can subscribe to here.