You’re eager to be a professional wedding planner and start your business, but there are a few things you’ll want to have in place first to make sure brides will be interested in hiring you. You’ll learn about them in today’s Q&A.
Question
I’m passionate about planning weddings and have started a wedding planning business. I’ve planned two as favors for friends and I’m looking for paying clients. I’m finding that brides are skeptical that I can do a good job. I have photographs that showcase my work but they are still not interested.
How can I assure them that I am good?
Answer
I’m glad you’re taking action to pursue your passion.
Here are 5 suggestions that will help you start a successful wedding planning business:
1) Get more experience before you start charging for your services
You want the knowledge and skills that comes from planning more than two weddings (or, for some new planners, just your own wedding) so you have more to offer to brides who want a wedding planner. The more experience you get the more you’ll learn not only about planning weddings but also about what brides need and want from a wedding planner.
I realize that planning more weddings for free to get experience may not be what you want to hear, but if you go out and start a business before you have the experience and skills it takes to do an excellent job, you will not have the success that you want.
2) Ask for testimonials
Since you have photographs from the weddings you have planned, ask the couples to write or video tape testimonials that you can use on your website and quote your printed marketing materials. And find out if any of couples would be willing to be references if a potential client wants to speak to one of your brides.
3) Start building relationships with other wedding professionals
Brides will expect you to have connections with other wedding professionals so begin networking and forming relationships with vendors such as photographers, florists, caterers, and cake designers.
4) Continue to build your portfolio
Sounds like you have started with some good photographs of your weddings so be sure you continue to get photographs of the events you plan. You can add them to your portfolio and post them on your website, blog, and/or social media sites.
5) Always look and act like a professional
Even when you are not getting paid, look, dress, and act like a professional wedding planner. Be on time to meetings with brides and vendors and answer emails and phone calls promptly. Treat people respectfully so you develop a great reputation and become the wedding planner who brides want to hire and vendors want to refer.
And if you have a pressing question about starting or running your wedding planning business, you can send me an email at [email protected]. I will answer them on this blog or in my ezine, “Wedding Planner Tips,” which you can subscribe to here.
