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!
Style shoots
Suited to: an artistic eye
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 suppliers and can take the opportunity to form the basis for successful working relationships.
And of course, there is always the allure of being published in high-profile industry magazines—an excellent form of exposure.
Already brimming with ideas? Candice Coppola has designed over 40 styled photoshoots and wrapped up all her learnings into a styled shoot starter pack. Get creating!
Set your goals
Suited to: the big dreamer
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.
But sometimes setting your goals is easier said than done, that's why Lindsay J. Williams is here to help! In fact, Lindsay has shared the goal-setting formula she used to achieve her own success. Ready, set, goal!
Start a blog
Suited to: those who have a way with words
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.
Putting pen to paper can be tough, but award-winning event planner and wedding business coach Krista Olynk has done all the hard work for you in this amazing downloadable guide. Krista provides blog topic ideas, a content schedule, and even a step-by-step writing guide.
Note: Maybe you're more of a chatter than a writer? In this case, a podcast might be the right fit for you! Learn more about wedding industry podcasts here.
Update your website copy
Suited to: the conscious communicator
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.
Words are a powerful tool, when used wisely they can superpower your client conversions. But don't just take our word for it, take it from website copywriter and brand messaging strategist Kathy Young. Kathy has put together this wonderful copywriting guide, detailing tiny tweaks you can make to your website that make a big difference.
Collect client feedback/reviews
Suited to: the people person
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.
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!
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