Another summer of love draws to an end! Though winter wonderland weddings are growing in popularity, colder days and longer nights generally indicate the arrival of the "slow season" for wedding professionals. The off-season provides an opportunity for a well-deserved rest, but it can also be a super productive period of time for you and your wedding business. We've compiled a bank of ideas to help you grow your wedding business during the off-season, each equipped with a free downloadable resource created by an industry professional. Put these resources to good use and the next wedding season might just be your most successful yet!
Orangise styled shoots
When planning a wedding, most of the creative decisions (aesthetic, colours, flower arrangements, etc.) are ultimately dictated by the couple themselves. However, styled shoots are an opportunity to create the wedding of your own dreams—create without constraints and showcase what makes you and your brand unique. As a result, you'll receive high-quality images that reflect your personal taste and style—a great way to spruce up your Instagram feed and accurately showcase your brand to potential clients.
Styling your own wedding shoots is also a great way to build your professional network. You'll be collaborating with a range of wedding vendors and industry suppliers, take the opportunity to form strong working relationships and figure out who you'd like to work with in the future. And of course, there is always the allure of being published in high-profile industry magazines—an excellent form of exposure.
Resource bank
Candice Coppola has designed over 40 styled photoshoots and wrapped up all her learnings into a styled shoot starter pack. Get creating!
Update your website copy
All those articles you're churning out on your blog will ultimately direct readers to a central hub—your website. Once prospective clients reach your homepage, are they receiving the message you're hoping to communicate? Does your website showcase your personality, your brand aesthetic, and your unique selling point? Another thing to think about, is your website SEO-optimised? The wedding industry is highly competitive, strong SEO could be your ticket to showing up in Google search results and standing out from the crowd.
Resource bank
Website copywriter and brand messaging strategist Kathy Young has put together a copywriting guide, detailing tiny tweaks you can make to your website that make a big difference.
Start a blog
Social media is still a great way to connect with and grow your community, but wouldn't it be nice to take back control of your content from those pesky algorithms? A blog allows you to showcase your knowledge and expertise to prospective clients and fellow industry professionals. But the best part? You're in complete control of what content you produce and how you distribute it. Maybe you've spotted an upcoming wedding trend, have found the perfect cake supplier, or simply a place to document a day in the life of a wedding planner—put it all on the blog! The more articles you produce the better—a high volume of content will make you more discoverable to potential clients searching the web.
Resource bank
Award-winning event planner and wedding business coach Krista Olynk has created a downloadable guide to setting up a wedding blog. Krista provides blog topic ideas, a content schedule, and even a step-by-step writing guide. If you're more of a chatter than a writer, a podcast might be the right fit for you! Learn more about podcast marketing for wedding professionals.
Set your goals
The summer season is intense for wedding professionals! Now that you have a little more time on your hands, you should reflect on your achievements and congratulate yourself on your hard work. Once you've finished looking back, set your focus on the future. Downtime is the perfect opportunity to create a roadmap. What direction do you see your business taking? What do you hope to achieve? And why is that important to you? Clear goals keep you motivated, focused, and feeling accomplished. And when your schedule starts to fill up again, you'll feel totally focused and in control.
Resource bank
Sometimes, setting your goals is easier said than done. Lindsay J. Williams has shared the goal-setting formula she used to achieve her own success. Ready, set, goal!
Collect client feedback/reviews
Celebrate your own successes! Tell everyone how great your work is! And spotlight other people who can vouch for the same. Many people make decisions based on the embodied experience of others. That means that client testimonials are an important tool in getting prospective clients to say "I do." No doubt, your clients had a great experience working with you, but sometimes they need a little help in expressing it. Equipping your clients with the right language and asking them the right questions will make a huge difference in the quality and relevance of the feedback you receive.
Resource bank
Thankfully, the Wedding Pro Cast UK has out together an episode all about how to ask for and showcase client feedback, with a handy email template too. Go and find your praise!
