By: Tracey Manailescu, WPIC Co-founder and Vice President
When you have wedding clients, doing your job and doing it well is, and should be, expected. What is going to make you stand out from the crowd is going above and beyond.
Show Them Some Love
I had clients a few years ago who loved, “Moomins” from Finland. I just so happened to be going on a cruise that I had to transfer planes in Finland. As I was wandering around the airport, I saw a store that was entirely focused on these, “Moomins”. I bought them a wedding figurine of the male and female couple in a wedding gown and tuxedo. They couldn’t believe it!
Have a System for Onboarding/Offboarding
It’s all about making things easier for your clients and yourself. Let them know how and when are the best times to reach you, what the process will be like working with you over the next few months or year. Also remind them of what services are included in the package that they signed up for, as well as what other services you offer. When the wedding is over, thank them for trusting you (it’s always nice to send a thank you note or a small gift). Ask them for feedback on how they enjoyed working with you, how the process could be improved (control the questions so you can get the specific feedback you would find most helpful) and and then ask for a testimonial.
Have Templates and Personalize Them
There are similar, or even the same emails and questionnaires that you will be sending each time that you sign on new clients. It just makes sense to have them saved as templates. From the start, address it to your couple. Add their names and wedding date to the documents to personalize them. Go through them and take out anything that is not relevant to them, or add what you need to make it more relevant.
I use Aisle Planner for my couples CRM. I can completely customize the files for each and every couple. My logo is uploaded, and I can add the couples photo and names to their file. Planners: We have a code to save on your first three months when you sign up! Use the code: WPIC
Touching Base With Your Couples Regularly
Something that I feel has helped me in my business is having great and regular communication with my clients. In-person monthly meetups is such a wonderful way to build better relationships and be able to keep the dialogue open, and when problems or challenges arise it can be addressed or dealt with right away. You will both be more comfortable with each other to ask questions and come up with solutions.
Behind-the-Scenes Shout Outs on Social Media Platforms
When you are going to site visits or meetings with other wedding professionals with your clients, have someone take a photo or a video of all of you, and share it (If you are social media savvy, make a Reel or TikTok). Make sure to tag everyone involved. Choosing linens, cake tastings, floral appointments, dress fittings, tuxedo shopping, etc.
Ask for Feedback Along the Way
Send out a survey every so often to see how your clients are enjoying working with you. Survey Monkey is free and a great tool. They have an upgraded level as well, if you wish. Find out what they want more of. Ask specific questions of how you can improve their wedding planning experience. What are they most happy with and what do they wish could be improved. If yu don’t ask, you’ll never know until it’s too late. It sounds so basic, but most Wedding Planners don’t/won’t ask.
Named one of the “Top 20 Most Fascinating Women in Events” by Canadian Special Events Magazine. Tracey has been consulting on, planning and coordinating hundreds of weddings and international events professionally, since she was certified in 2000. She has owned the wedding planning firm, Tracey M Events, since 2012.
Tracey has planned weddings, events and conferences in Canada, Colombia, Mexico, The Bahamas, Barbados, Turks & Caicos, the United States, Jamaica, Italy and Ireland.
In addition to planning weddings, teaching WPIC courses and planning learning events for WPIC Alumni, Tracey regularly speaks at Wedding and Event Industry conferences.
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