Don't Start Your Wedding Business Without This Strategy
Don’t worry friends, I made this mistake too, and I have a diploma in marketing. 😳 Oops!
My wedding planning business was about a year old when I realized the super simple target market I had set out with wasn’t going to build the future portfolio I had in mind.
What was missing?
My Ideal Client avatar.
While I had set out with some basic details in mind, it wasn’t defined clearly enough.
My target market lived in my neck of the woods, and was willing to pay me for wedding planning services. (At the time, I was also offering vintage decor rentals as well.) That was about it. 💍 Engaged in my area code, breathing, and ready and willing to cut a cheque? Yes please!
Let me tell you, trying to be everything to everyone was exhausting and confusing.
From the moment I launched, I was true to my style and connected with the current trends. Rustic and vintage was blowing up here and I had a room filled with mason jars and other antiques, perfect for a vintage barn wedding. That managed to attract some really awesome couples in the beginning. But there were plenty of inquiries and consultations —and a few weddings— that didn’t feel like a good fit. As a result, it felt like wasted time and effort. I felt frustrated when I wasn’t booking every client that got in touch, when in reality, they weren’t want I really wanted. And if I’m being honest, occasionally working on weddings I didn’t really connect with was equally frustrating.
In 2013 I spent time narrowing in on my Ideal Client avatar; defining way more than their age, location, and relationship status. I created a complete persona and considered their wedding details after that.
My Ideal Client became the root of all my business decisions—big and small.
Once I had a clearer picture of this couple (and their wedding) in mind, I revamped all of my marketing efforts, focused more clearly on attracting them.
Every pin that I pinned, every Instagram post I shared, or blog post I wrote; it was all created to catch the eye —and book— my Ideal Client. I archived dozens of Instagram posts and deleted tons of pins. Even the copy on my website got a professionally written revamp focused on my dream wedding clients, and then a brand update followed in 2014.
Everything I was putting out, was in the interest of attracting the right couples, and repelling others. Including my pricing, branding, and the relationships I focused on building with vendors and venues, through networking and more.
All of that effort paid off. As a matter of fact, the trajectory of my business changed completely.
I wasn’t wasting time any more chasing all of the business. Instead, I focused on the right business for me.
Truthfully, I based my Ideal Client avatar on one of my cousins. Shortly after implementing all that strategy, I booked three of her best friends’ weddings —PAID! And more clients followed.
I was on to something.
Instead of trying to attract everyone, I had narrowed my niche and started booking out my seasons with weddings I couldn't wait to add to my portfolio. The more opportunities I had to work with my Ideal Client, the better the portfolio I was building to continue to attract them or garner their referrals. Not to mention working with the venues and vendors that were a perfect fit. Like attracts like.
Knowing much more clearly what I wanted meant I could decide where my time and effort was best spent, both on a day-to-day basis and a larger scale.
No more spinning my wheels.
No more wasting time at the wrong consults.
No more advertising money spent on channels and events that didn’t catch my client’s eye.
No more unpaid time wasted on photoshoots that resulted in the wrong look.
No more getting bent out of shape over not booking a couple that wasn’t the right fit.
Sounds like working smarter, not harder, doesn’t it?
If you haven’t spent time to define your Ideal Clients yet, I recommend you stop everything and get to work on it. Today.
How does a calendar filled with your dream clients sound?
Wondering where to start?
My course, “Book Your Best” teaches you exactly how to define and reach your ideal wedding clients, with all the strategy I’ve been teaching since 2014.
Define them, their wedding, and then revamp your business with this new clearer target in mind. This is the exact method that has worked for wedding planners, photographers, bakers, makeup artists, wedding designers and more!