Wedding Professionals Blog

As 2016 draws to a close, you should start thinking about preparing your business for 2017 (there’s no rest for the weary!). With all the ups and downs you’ve experienced during this year, you may be aware of certain tasks within your business that have fallen by the wayside. To help you overcome feelings of overwhelm and keep you on track, I’ve compiled an easy-to-use checklist.

The holidays are gearing up, which means that 2016 is soon coming to a close. Yikes! Throughout this year, we have focused all our attention on exceeding the expectations of our customers, and in doing so, we have experienced both good days and bad days. Now it’s time to turn the attention inward, toward ourselves, and to reflect on what this year has taught us. To set the right tone for 2017, let’s look at 7 ways to adopt an attitude of gratitude.

As business owners, we wear many hats. Not only must we stay true to our brands and provide our customers with the best service, but we must also manage the daily finances to keep our businesses afloat. The first part of running our businesses is fun; the second part — not so much. Here are 7 strategies to help you run a tight ship and keep more of the money in your pocket.

Have you looked at your website lately? I don’t mean skimming over it. I mean really LOOKED at it? What does your site “say” about your business? Does it reflect a casual, formal, high-end or fun impression to your customers? Does it seem outdated and blah? The web is ever-changing, and though some nay-sayers would argue that a website is no longer important due to the popularity of social media, I disagree. Here’s why. It’s a fact that before stepping foot into a brick-and-mortar store, millenials research online for products, services and reviews from their peers before making a purchasing decision.

As experts in our field, we all know that weddings are emotional events for our customers. Though it’s an exciting industry to be a part of, it is also one of the most challenging. Expectations are high and the pressure is on to fulfill wedding-day dreams in one form or another. Therefore, it is inevitable that at some point, you will have to navigate the quagmire of an emotionally charged customer. Some of the triggers run the gamut from being overwhelmed by a plethora of choices and having to deal with a restricted time frame within which to plan for the wedding to finances and the pressure of bringing an idea of a fantasy wedding into reality. In short, your customer is frustrated/angry/sad (fill in the blank) and even though it may not be (and most likely isn’t) your fault, your ability to handle the situation effectively can make or break the sale. The key is to embrace your customer’s negative emotions and work toward a resolution that is a win-win experience for everyone.

You’ve heard the adage: Actions speak louder than words. We’ve all experienced moments when we’ve been in conversation with someone and his or her attention is clearly not focused on us and what we’re saying. Do you remember how the person’s actions made you feel? I’m sure you do, and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling at all. It’s as if what you had to say was unimportant and unworthy of the “listener’s” attention.

My generation never grew up with social media. As a result, it has taken me several years to embrace this “new” medium of communication. Recently, it occurred to me that as a business owner, I had to either adapt or die. I prefer the former.

Social media is here to stay. And for small business entrepreneurs — especially since it’s a free service — it’s a great way to engage with bridal couples. Only a few years ago — or so it seems — having a presence and regularly posting on social media was enough to promote your business. Fast forward to 2016, and social networks such as Facebook now control the amount of content shown to your followers. Since most brides plan and shop for their weddings online, advertising on social media networks is key. Here are four steps to consider for effective advertising:

Author and poet Maya Angelou once stated: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

Though this adage rings true across most spectrums in business, and indeed in life, it is especially important in the wedding industry and through daily interactions with our customers. Weddings are based in emotions and since making people feel good about their experience with us, providing an exemplary customer experience is vital for future business and may lead to residual business by way of reviews and referrals. I’m not referring to aspects of your business such as knowledgeable and friendly staff and making good on promises.