Thanks Stacey, thats great advice! The great thing about having your own business is choosing who you want to work with to create the most harmonious atmosphere for everyone.
Getting those first clients can be touch - Some of you have been asking for any words of wisdom:
1. Reach out to your local venues and other industry vendors to introduce yourself.
2. I've found getting a good website up pays off big time. Make sure to take your time with its creation - people take notice. We're in the technical age and many times brides & grooms are doing the online research before they even attempt to contact those they are interested in.
3. Bridal shows are costly, but can be worth it .... for networking. At least in my experiences these have been much more useful in getting to know and develop repoire with other vendors as opposed to getting bookings. I have a whole theory on this and will elaborate if someone asks, BUT when you're first starting out its helpful to get the name out.
4. Create an online presence: blogs & Facebook pages are GREAT ideas - way to go Danielle!
5. When you go into meetings with potential new clients, make sure you feel them out as well. You're interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. I made the mistake of taking on anyone as a client when I first got started simply because it was business & adding to my portfolio - BUT what I missed was making sure they were a good fit for me. This is really important to save you trouble in the longrun. Figuring out what kinds of clients you want and what your best qualities are as a planner are essential so you can better understand the "right fit" and even more important, when someone isn't the right client for you.
Hope this makes sense & is helpful as you get started!!
Heidi,
Are you anywhere near a local community college? They often have non-credit courses or try checking with the local park district to see if they'd like to offer that class. This way they'd be promoting it too, and would reach a broader scope of potential "students".
hello fellow wedding consultants,
Just wondering if anyone had any advice for someone starting out new in the business and whats the best way to secure your first few clients?
I am planning a budget wedding planning class for budget brides that can't afford a planner but still want their dream wedding. Does anyone have any ideas about how to promote it? I have sent flyers to local wedding shops and I am running a facebook ad. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!!
I just finished Natalie's coaching program. She was a wealth of information and it was great to have someone so supportive. I definitely recommend her!
Thank you both for your input. Heidi- I have a CD by Natalie Bradley on how to close the deal that I have been listening to, and am thinking of getting her other stuff too.
Renee- thank you also. I think I will do a mixture of prices- what do you think about set prices for my services, and then charging mileage or setting a time limit on my packages, and if they go above and beyond that, charging an hourly fee? What is an average hourly fee for a wedding consultant?
I think it totally depends on how long you are in the business. Nothing is wrong if you wish to have a set price, yet if you don't know how to charge for your time, including administrative work, travel time and the rest, then it might be best to have a mixture of percentage & set prices.
I've been doing weddings & events for over 9 years and I've increased my set price to accommodate the rise in the industry, my value of time and work (and the volunteers/assistants when needed) and depending on the service, I have a percentage, with a base minimum so that I can leverage out what the clients needs.
If you need some more assistance, then send me an email & I'd be happy to give you a hand. :)
Hi everyone, I'm asking wedding pros about their opinions and I'd love your help. Could you pls take this tiny 8 question survey? It's anonymous and you can enter (if you want) to win two gift cards. Thanks! Dina
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