Starting a wedding planning company is one of the most rewarding ventures into self-employment there is. This is your chance to not only help couples with their special day but do so in a way that doesn’t break the bank, and you stand to hold an amazing opportunity to do well. And if this has been an industry you’ve been considering, then there are a few things you should look into to get up and running. Check them out below:
Develop A Great Brand
If you’re going to be working as a wedding planner, then one of the first things you need to focus on is developing a great brand. This is one of the most competitive industries, so being able to distinguish not only what you stand for but also what someone can expect from you will be a crucial first step in landing sales. And if this isn’t something you necessarily considered going in, then it needs to be thrown into your mix ASAP.
The core aspect that’s difficult with branding a wedding company is how to set yourself apart from the crowd. After all, a lot of your fellow planners are going to use colors that remind us of getting married (for example, white or bright floral colors). As noted by LucidPress, with color increasing brand recognition by 80 percent, being able to separate yourself with a solid tone beyond the norm could be a surefire way to garner more traffic. Try and seek out a designer that you feel will encapsulate this, giving you one of the most important foundational elements out.
Find Solid Partners
As the wedding industry is all about relationships, this especially rings true with planners as well. Especially since the role of a planner is to help someone obtain their dream wedding for an ideal price, it’s imperative to be able to provide options to people. Furthermore, this also includes ensuring that the personal touch they’re looking to leave on their wedding is left intact, giving them the security that you’re well worth the investment. And no matter if you’ve already found partners to work with or not, it’s key to continue building.
To begin, make a list of the current partners you have as well as what gaps you might need to fill in. For example, it costs approximately $1,100 for the average wedding dress, but going with a direct-to-consumer company like Azazie can cut that expense tremendously. Look around at what you can find for these aspects, as you might be surprised. Be patient and keep your outreach consistent, as the partners you help share business with will help tremendously in the long run.
Know How To Work Within a Budget
Perhaps one of the most difficult skills nearly all wedding planners need to be able to budget for your client needs. As nearly everyone has a different price range and expectation of their wedding, being able to work with them on what’s priority will be crucial to your success. And while it’s true that trying to work with a small window of wiggle room can be difficult, it’s also where you could shine.
First and foremost, as a planner, one of the most important parts of the job will be to play the role of educator. For example, as noted by Value Penguin, the average wedding venue can cost anywhere between $12,343 to $14,006, and some people are just going to have to accept that venues are expensive. Once you’ve established an overall price tag of anticipated spending, begin working in the highest value they can accumulate for the lowest costs, highlighting a knack for detail on what they want overall. While this practice won’t be the easiest from the start, you’ll eventually improve over time, giving yourself the best opportunity to win over customers long-term.
Get Social
Finally, as one of the best primary channels to market yourself as a planner, getting up to speed on social media will be a must. Not only is this the choice for anyone to get the word out about their business, but especially within the wedding industry. In fact, as noted by Social Media Today 40 million people use Pinterest to plan their wedding, which goes to show the sheer volume of people on social planning their ceremony. And if you haven’t gotten on the ball with your wedding company’s social presence, then there’s no better time than now to get started.
When it comes to social, the most useful skills you’ll need to develop are consistency and engagement. Essentially, you’re going to have to post quite a bit, as well as comment and like other people’s posts as well. Remember, the goal here is to not only cultivate a community but additionally start receiving great word-of-mouth as well, so be patient in developing a stellar social presence. And as social is indeed a time to get social, embrace this as an opportunity to learn both about how your customers think about their wedding, as well as your planning business.
Why do you want to start a wedding planning business?
