One of the main reasons a bride will choose to hire a wedding planner is because they expect the wedding planner to save them money to make their budget go further. In fact, great wedding planners are able to save the bride and groom more than they charge for their planning fee, making for some very happy newlyweds!
Here's a few tips you can use to help your clients save some money:
-Suggest they hold the wedding during the "off-peak" season-
Months like May, June, July, September, & October are VERY popular wedding months. That means venues and vendors often charge premium prices for weddings held during these times. Many times venues or vendors will have off-peak specials that can save the brides hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of dollars. Since weddings are hard to come by during months like December, January, and February, vendors are willing to greatly lower the prices of their packages just to fill up their schedule. If a bridal couple has a tight budget, being flexible on the actual wedding date can help them save a lot of money and make their wedding budget go further.
-Ditch the liquor-
Hard liquor, especially top shelf liquor, can cost a pretty penny by the time the final bill arrives. Instead, the bride can opt for a wine & beer bar which can help trim a large cost from the budget, especially if the guest list is quite large. If the bride and groom still wish to serve hard liquor but their budget is pretty tight, suggest having them simply serve a signature cocktail. This means guests can still indulge in a drink with hard liquor, but in a much more affordable manner for the bride and groom.
-Choose decor wisely-
The floral budget for a wedding can quickly get out of control, but if you help the bride and groom choose wisely, the wedding bouquets and centerpieces can still look amazing without costing an arm and leg. Here's the key: choose flowers that are in season and grown locally. Tropical or out-of-season flowers can cost a lot more due to the need to ship them in from another location. Instead, opt for flowers that are grown locally to help save hundreds on the floral bill. Also, focus mainly on the centerpieces because that is what the guests will see most of the night. If the budget is tight, opt for clusters of piller or votive candles placed on the gift table, staircase, or window sills instead of extra floral arrangements to help save money.
-Choose a venue that offers all-in-one services-
If the bride and groom choose a venue that offers a ceremony site along with all of the linens, plates, flatware, glasses and basic decor for the reception can help save more money than choosing a banquet hall where the bride and groom will have to supply all of these items themselves. Not only is it less work, but it can help their budget go further.
Before you take on your first clients, research the best ways in your area to help save your clients the most money without cutting out their style or theme.
Tips for Wedding Planners
Showing posts with label Dealing with Clients. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dealing with Clients. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
What to Do BEFORE Meeting with Potential Clients
In order to turn Brides-to-be into your clients, you need to make a great first impression. Meeting with prospects can be very intimidating for new wedding planners. Make sure to follow these 5 steps to help you prepare for your first meeting with a potential client.
1) Prepare, Prepare, and Prepare some more! It's extremely important to make sure you prepare your pitch and materials in advance. Set a goal for your meeting, whether that's getting your client to sign a contract or simply getting them your marketing materials and portfolio in order to show your skills and credentials so that they keep you as a top consideration if they intend on meeting with other clients. Prepare all of the forms, contracts, or materials that you want to give to them and organize them neatly in a nice folder or portfolio notebook.
2) Be early, not late! As a wedding planner, it's extremely important to show that you are great with deadlines and schedules so nothing can be more detrimental than showing up late to your appointment with your potential clients. Check out the general traffic situations en route to your meeting location and remember to leave in plenty of time to arrive early.
3) Dress professionally and appropriately! You should wear something professional and look well-groomed for any appointments you have with potential clients, clients, and vendors. Whether it's a suit, a business dress, or an office trendy outfit, you should look clean and polished. If you carry a purse, bag, or briefcase, remember to have it clean and organized so you can find things quickly and easily. If a bride-to-be feels that you are unorganized or sloppy, they may feel that you will not be able to adequately plan and organize their wedding.
4) Stay calm and relaxed during the day before your meeting! It's important to avoid all stressful situations that can cause anxiety or negative feelings. These can be projected at your meeting and can cause you to not be focused on the task at hand. It's not the time to have a debate or discussion that can end up projecting itself during your meeting with potential clients.
5) Stay free of distractions! Nothing ticks me off more than when I see someone conducting a business meeting and forgetting to turn of their cell phone. This meeting is focused on gaining a client and nothing seems more rude than being interrupted during an important discussion or finances and planning the biggest day of a couple's lives together. Turn off your cell phone, put away your laptop or tablet, and focus directly on your potential clients.
Remember, it's so important to listen even more than you talk. Answer questions as they arise but don't be afraid to say "I don't know, I will have to find that out for you". It's better to tell the truth and sound eager to help than it is to lie and deceive about your connections or abilities.
1) Prepare, Prepare, and Prepare some more! It's extremely important to make sure you prepare your pitch and materials in advance. Set a goal for your meeting, whether that's getting your client to sign a contract or simply getting them your marketing materials and portfolio in order to show your skills and credentials so that they keep you as a top consideration if they intend on meeting with other clients. Prepare all of the forms, contracts, or materials that you want to give to them and organize them neatly in a nice folder or portfolio notebook.
2) Be early, not late! As a wedding planner, it's extremely important to show that you are great with deadlines and schedules so nothing can be more detrimental than showing up late to your appointment with your potential clients. Check out the general traffic situations en route to your meeting location and remember to leave in plenty of time to arrive early.
3) Dress professionally and appropriately! You should wear something professional and look well-groomed for any appointments you have with potential clients, clients, and vendors. Whether it's a suit, a business dress, or an office trendy outfit, you should look clean and polished. If you carry a purse, bag, or briefcase, remember to have it clean and organized so you can find things quickly and easily. If a bride-to-be feels that you are unorganized or sloppy, they may feel that you will not be able to adequately plan and organize their wedding.
4) Stay calm and relaxed during the day before your meeting! It's important to avoid all stressful situations that can cause anxiety or negative feelings. These can be projected at your meeting and can cause you to not be focused on the task at hand. It's not the time to have a debate or discussion that can end up projecting itself during your meeting with potential clients.
5) Stay free of distractions! Nothing ticks me off more than when I see someone conducting a business meeting and forgetting to turn of their cell phone. This meeting is focused on gaining a client and nothing seems more rude than being interrupted during an important discussion or finances and planning the biggest day of a couple's lives together. Turn off your cell phone, put away your laptop or tablet, and focus directly on your potential clients.
Remember, it's so important to listen even more than you talk. Answer questions as they arise but don't be afraid to say "I don't know, I will have to find that out for you". It's better to tell the truth and sound eager to help than it is to lie and deceive about your connections or abilities.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Creating a Portfolio With Little to No Jobs
Potential clients will almost certainly wish to see examples of work you've done before to get a better understanding as to whether you will be a good match for their styles and tastes. This can be extremely frustrating for a new wedding planner that doesn't have many (or any) weddings under their belt. There are ways you can get a small portfolio together even before you have your first wedding.
First, if you have assisted friends and family members with planning aspects of their wedding, such as suggesting flower combinations for centerpieces, creating DIY wedding favors, or designing the tablescapes for the reception, ask to use those pictures in your portfolio. Your friends or family members may even write you a reference for the great job you did with assisting them on their wedding day.
If you haven't helped any friends or family members yet, have you planned your own wedding? If you are married, you almost certainly picked out your own flowers and maybe even did your own DIY wedding crafts. You can also use these pictures in your portfolio to help beef it up.
Still in need of more photos? Go to your local florist, pick out some amazing flower combinations and throw together an impromptu tablescape complete with your very own centerpiece. Set the table with beautifully coordinated linens, and use some well-placed candles to add to the atmosphere than snap a few photos. You can do this two to three different times with different flowers and color combos to give the brides an idea of your abilities.
What you should NOT do is use Stock photography. This will imply that you have done or created that work yourself and that would be wrong. It's much better to use your own photos to avoid legal action.
If you are putting the portfolio on your website and only have 8-10 photos, only place them in one album instead of 4-5 separate albums with only 1 to 2 pictures. If you are creating a real photo album, choose a small yet professional looking album for your first few photos. It's better to hold off on the 200 picture photo album when you only have 10 photos.
First, if you have assisted friends and family members with planning aspects of their wedding, such as suggesting flower combinations for centerpieces, creating DIY wedding favors, or designing the tablescapes for the reception, ask to use those pictures in your portfolio. Your friends or family members may even write you a reference for the great job you did with assisting them on their wedding day.
If you haven't helped any friends or family members yet, have you planned your own wedding? If you are married, you almost certainly picked out your own flowers and maybe even did your own DIY wedding crafts. You can also use these pictures in your portfolio to help beef it up.
Still in need of more photos? Go to your local florist, pick out some amazing flower combinations and throw together an impromptu tablescape complete with your very own centerpiece. Set the table with beautifully coordinated linens, and use some well-placed candles to add to the atmosphere than snap a few photos. You can do this two to three different times with different flowers and color combos to give the brides an idea of your abilities.
What you should NOT do is use Stock photography. This will imply that you have done or created that work yourself and that would be wrong. It's much better to use your own photos to avoid legal action.
If you are putting the portfolio on your website and only have 8-10 photos, only place them in one album instead of 4-5 separate albums with only 1 to 2 pictures. If you are creating a real photo album, choose a small yet professional looking album for your first few photos. It's better to hold off on the 200 picture photo album when you only have 10 photos.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Speaking to Potential Clients for the First Time
It can be quite nerve racking when you receive your first few calls from potential clients looking for more information. I remember the very first time someone called me, I was literally shaking because I was afraid I would mess up or sounds like I didn't know what I was talking about. I'm sure the person could tell since she never called back.
Almost immediately after I fielded that call, I put a folder by my computer that contained a few things that would help me should another Bride call with questions. I included a list of all the packages and services I offered along with the prices so I wouldn't misquote what I had on my website.
I also created a call log sheet which I then stuck a few copies of into the folder. This allowed me to remember to ask the questions I needed such as when they were looking to get married, what type of services they were interested, and their contact information should they call again.
Finally, I asked my friend to call me at random (when I wouldn't be expecting it) and pretend she was a Bride calling to ask about my services so I could practice what I would say and get feedback on what worked and what didn't. One week later I had my second call from a potential bride and gained a client! I was much more confident in what I wanted to say and get across, plus I remembered to ask the right questions so that I knew exactly what the Bride was looking for the next time she called.
It helps to practice, so the best thing to do is practice your "sales pitch" to a friend or family member who will be glad to give you the constructive criticism you need to become more confident and sound like you've been doing this job for years.
Almost immediately after I fielded that call, I put a folder by my computer that contained a few things that would help me should another Bride call with questions. I included a list of all the packages and services I offered along with the prices so I wouldn't misquote what I had on my website.
I also created a call log sheet which I then stuck a few copies of into the folder. This allowed me to remember to ask the questions I needed such as when they were looking to get married, what type of services they were interested, and their contact information should they call again.
Finally, I asked my friend to call me at random (when I wouldn't be expecting it) and pretend she was a Bride calling to ask about my services so I could practice what I would say and get feedback on what worked and what didn't. One week later I had my second call from a potential bride and gained a client! I was much more confident in what I wanted to say and get across, plus I remembered to ask the right questions so that I knew exactly what the Bride was looking for the next time she called.
It helps to practice, so the best thing to do is practice your "sales pitch" to a friend or family member who will be glad to give you the constructive criticism you need to become more confident and sound like you've been doing this job for years.
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