We’ve been seeing it for weeks now – the squeals of “I Said Yes!” all over social media. Every time I see a ring shot posted, I can’t help but smile a little – because that means booking season is upon us! The most popular time of year to get engaged in Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day, which makes January and February the most common months for brides and grooms-to-be to search for their perfect wedding vendors. So, are you ready for booking season this year?
1 | Update Your Pricing and Services
When was the last time you reviewed your services and updated your pricing? This is something that you should be doing consistently throughout the year – evaluating what you have to offer against your own experience with past clients is necessary. Don’t feel like you are only allowed to change your pricing at the new year either; offering specials or charging higher rates for peak season is totally okay! Another reason to up your pricing? The moment you realize some clients are taking advantage of your services and asking for more than what they are paying for. You deserve to be compensated for your work!
2 | Document and Automate Your Workflow
Do you have a documented process on how to deal with inquiries, bookings, and the beginnings of the planning or coordination stages? Because automating and documenting these workflows can really help with feeling overwhelmed when all of those emails and phones calls start coming in! You can read more about how to automate your workflow here.
Shine Society members can download a Sample Inquiry + Booking Workflow! Not a member? Join today!
3 | Take a Look at Your Marketing
How are you marketing to potential brides and grooms this season? It’s not too late to start blogging, update your portfolio, or amp up your social media (hello Instagram!) in the middle of January! And if you’re lucky enough to get featured around this time – make sure you push it across all channels so that anyone and everyone hears about it. This is the prime time, guys!
4 | Get Legit
Last but not least, make sure all of your business documents are up-to-date, especially insurance, business license, contracts, etc. While it’s unlikely that a potential client will ask to see these things (or at least the first two), it’s always better to be safe than sorry! Having your contract updated and ready to go is especially important around this time – getting it out quickly means signing clients more quickly! Don’t have a formal contract for clients yet? Annette Stepanian has some GREAT contract templates available to those in the wedding industry.
Get Your FREE Checklist on Getting Legit Here!
Now that we’ve addressed how YOU can prepare yourself for 2016, here is some exciting news and events for the Wedding Planner Collective!
Free Webinar Alert!
Join me on Wednesday, January 13 at 3pm PST | 6pm EST for a FREE webinar on how to keep yourself organized in your planning and coordination processes. We’ll talk about programs, task management, and all those little details that you have to keep track of when planning a wedding.
Sign Up Here!
I’m Accepting Wedding Guru Applications Until the End of the Week!
The deadline for submitting a Wedding Guru application has been extended until this Friday, January 8th. Get more information about how to contribute to the Wedding Planner Collective by being a Guru here!
January Specials for the Wedding Planner Collective
Are you looking to brush up on your coordination skills before the 2016 season begins? My online course, Wedding Day Preparation and Coordination, is on sale throughout the end of January for only $147! That’s $50 off the regular price. Enroll here today!
Are you looking for templates and other business documents that you can use for your own wedding planning business? Join the Shine Society today and get the first three months of your membership for only $8 per month with the coupon code “HappyJanuary”
