The one thing I teach all my business owners is know your niche, understand who you are talking to.
I have literally copied and pasted this post I saw on a Facebook Group this evening.
'Hi we are wedding photographer and videographer team working in whole Spain, but based on the Costa del sol. We do tiny or regular weddings. Venues on the beach, boat, yacht, castle, restaurant, villas, anything the couple wishes for.'
Now I am not going to pull apart any company, this isn't my style, but I am using this example of a post that I often see wedding business owners make online to try to drive in business.
'We work in the whole of Spain but based on the Costa Del Sol.'
So a potential client reading this would think OK I have a wedding in Barcelona but won't use this company as they aren't based there or it might cost me more to bring them to my wedding. Lost that potential client. They also have no proof of weddings outside of their area.
'We do tiny or regular weddings'.
What is tiny and what is regular? This is a very vague statement about the sort of weddings they specialise in. They either specialise in intimate weddings and elopements or can handle larger weddings, again it is non descriptive and leaves a potential client confused.
Lost that potential client, they aren't sure what that photographer, videographer can handle, they either do small or large events.
'Venues on the beach, boat, yacht, castle, restaurant, villas, anything the couple wishes for.'
This sounds desperate, we will do anything to photograph your wedding. We don't specialise in any particular type of wedding but just want business, the word 'anything' is a huge NO.
I will do anything to plan your wedding, I will do anything to create your wedding flowers, I will do anything to cater for your wedding...
Can you see where I am coming from?
Marketing is a skill, writing sales copy is a skill, learning where you position yourself within the wedding marketplace is a skill, selling your business is a skill. Writing emails is a skill, doing sales calls with potential clients is a skill.
Understanding the kind of weddings you wish to work on is key and in time will grow your business. Start to learn the skills to grow your wedding business properly.
Without knowing these skills you are just throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping it will stick, that some client will book you whether it is your ideal client or not.
You are left with budget seekers, they can sense you are prepared to do 'anything' to get a booking as you have said it, we will do anything....
So you end up with budget wedding after budget wedding bookings.
I know so many wonderful photographers who get stuck in this cycle. They can't elevate their businesses as these are the only bookings they attract. I also know florists, wedding planners and many other suppliers who are stuck in this cycle and it is purely because of what they put out there in the way of copy and images. Cheap attracts cheap.
Some businesses are happy stuck at this level, they see busy as being productive and are earning money albeit they maybe running around like headless flies and burning out season after season.
If you wish to charge your worth, do less work and earn more money then you really need to take a look at what you are promoting and putting out there about your business.
Don't sell the we will do anything, don't sell the we do budget centrepieces, don't sell the we will work on your wedding for months at a low cost.
I have one story which may help you with money mindset. It was years ago and I was asked to quote on a party for a visiting Saudi princess. I submitted my quote and was immediately asked to double it otherwise it would be dismissed as too cheap. I doubled it and got the job to decorate a summer party. It paid all my bills and my community fees for a year.
Don't think everyone is looking for a bargain, many aren't, they are looking for the best out there, they want the best, they want to know what you specialise in and what makes you unique, this is how you will make real money in your wedding business.
If you would love to learn to grow your wedding business, understand effective marketing, get more bookings, set out your prices and services to make a profit then come and join me in The Business of Weddings Membership Club.
Laura xx