Servicing the Client: The Royal Treatment

{Photo Source}

We wear many hats as wedding planners. One of those hats is "Royal Secretary". You help the bride and groom create their vision of the perfect ceremony, reception, and overall special experience and you articulate that vision to every vendor involved. Every detail matters, every moment counts. This can be a fun, yet challenging aspect of being in the business. It's imperative to keep your client happy and make an incredible impression. Happy clients mean happy weddings mean happy reviews and lead to valuable referrals! This business relies heavily on referrals. You and your business need fans! These are ambassadors, if you will. They love you, they love everything about you and they will sing your praises to the world because you are the greatest! We want this.  We need this. But we don't all have this.


So how do you get from certification to top level service to a thriving referral system? It starts with servicing the client at every level. From the consultation through the planning stages and past wedding day. Brides agree to talk to you because they are interested in the services you offer. But they hire you, stay with you and refer you to others because of the experience you provide her. 


Many wedding planners offer similar services. But if a bride is going to choose a planner, she is only going to hire one. You want that to be you. When she hangs up the phone or leaves the consultation you want to stay on her mind for all the right reasons. Here are some tips that you should think about: 

• Provide Exceptional Service - How can you meet her needs and make her feel special?
• Promptly Respond To Calls and Emails - I can't tell you how frustrated I feel when my emails and calls go ignored. I immediately feel that the person I am calling has poor customer service, will not address my needs promptly going forward and doesn't take their job or my needs seriously. You don't want potential clients to feel that way about you, do you?
• Listen To and Acknowledge Client Requests - When meeting planners, the most disappointing feeling for brides is probably when the planner doesn't listen to them...AT ALL. She comes ready with her ideas, she is excited, she knows what she wants but needs guidance and you are looking at your Blackberry or dismissive of her ideas...the ideas that she has been dreaming about. What are some ways that you can show your interest and that you get her vision?
• Ask For Feedback - You want to know what the client does AND doesn't like. How else can you be sure her vision is being fulfilled? How else do you know that she is on the same page as you and vice versus? Even if you experience rejection, you should ask why they chose someone else. This feedback, even when it stings, is especially important to your growth and strategy.
• Be Accountable When Something Goes Wrong - Will the client be upset? Sure! No doubt. But she will respect you so much more when you take ownership for a mishap. She doesn't want to hear your excuses. She could care less about your flat tire or your insomnia. And to take it a step further, your apology and accountability should come with a solution in hand. If something went awry, let her know your solution for handling it, an assurance, if you will. She needs to know that although something is amiss, that you are still in control and are on top of things. When the dust settles, she will be glad to know that you managed to keep things together for her.

Royal client service all comes down to doing more than the bare minimum. It means striving to exceed expectations. How do you give your clients an experience that has them singing your praises?

I am in the business of helping YOU be an amazing wedding planner.  To become the planner you've always dreamed of being.  That is why Backstage Bridal Pro Academy was created and we have a professor on our faculty who is known for treating her brides like queens and will show you how to do the same!  STAY TUNED AT THE END OF SUMMER WHEN WE MAKE OUR FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

Your Wedding Planning Business: Overspending

{Source | Mamas On A Dime}

Ah yes, overspending…honestly this is a constant struggle for me. I STILL have to check myself on this one. Once upon a (pre-recession) time I was making money and I was careless because I saw no end to the good times. I paid my personal bills and the company bills and brides were booking my services.  It was great!

Then the economy tanked…people were being laid off left and right, losing their homes, businesses were closing and prospective bride's and groom's scaled back significantly on wedding services, specifically wedding planning services and videography. So guess what happened? Sales began to decline. It all happened fairly quickly and it is taking years to recover.  You heard me right...it is taking YEARS! Both my personal credit and my business credit took a major hit.

Looking back I think about the frivolous things I purchased when the money was rolling in. Seriously, did I need more “cute” pens , a new laptop or that fancy printer when what I owned was perfectly fine? Did I really need color coordinating files, folders and notebooks when no one ever saw them but me?  I could have saved money.  I could have been more conscious about where I was investing my hard earned money  But the sales and the pretty things grabbed my attention and next thing you know, my wallet flew open and I was swiping my card! Man, was I STUPID!

But reality hit and it hit hard! After a good cry, I began seeking out ways to cut costs. Becoming more green in my business practices.  Sending my contracts and proposal electronically and using EchoSign to capture signatures. Not printing uncessarily. Using the back of printed paper that I no longer needed when I did print something. Buying the less than attractive but still functional BIC ball point pens and yellow school pencils. Stocking up on composition notebooks during the back-to-school sale at Wal-mart.  Getting rid of the land line and using only my cell {one less bill}. And you want to know something?  It worked.  I didn't think twice about it.  I just did little things like this to save my pennies.  How simple is that?

Today I look around at the pretty binders and notebooks that I still have from my "glory" days and I shake my head at myself.  Now don't get me wrong.  I still love pretty things. I am in the businsess of weddings, it's in my DNA but there are things that you want that aren't necessarily good for you.  A crippled bank account isn't good for anyone's health.

I am a total optimist and my attitude is always forward thinking – oh, things will get better and hopefully next month will be better, and better and better. But let’s also be realistic too – do you REALLY need those super cute push pins or curly cue paper clips? Is it crucial to running your wedding planning business? Or is there some other way you can make your office run efficiently without the fluff and frills?  I bet you can think of something. I know these seem like really small things, but trust me when I tell you that they all add up.

Have you scaled back in spending on your business?  What creative ways have your found to do keep it moving without breaking the bank?

I am in the business of helping YOU be an amazing wedding planner.  To become the planner you've always dreamed of being.  That is why Backstage Bridal Pro Academy was created and we have a professor on our faculty who will be there to help you get your books in order!  STAY TUNED AT THE END OF SUMMER WHEN WE MAKE OUR FORMAL ANNOUCEMENT!