{"id":296856,"date":"2024-09-02T22:02:22","date_gmt":"2024-09-02T12:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/?post_type=au-pro-education&p=296856"},"modified":"2024-09-03T14:46:11","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T04:46:11","slug":"businesses-thriving-market-challenges","status":"publish","type":"au-pro-education","link":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/pro-education\/businesses-thriving-market-challenges\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wedding Businesses Thriving in a Challenging Market"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2024 Evolve wedding industry networking and education event series wrapped up for another year, visiting more than 600 wedding suppliers in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.<\/p>\n

As part of each event\u2019s sales panel, local industry leaders shared their tried-and-tested sales strategies for converting leads to wedding bookings, offering a wealth of knowledge for wedding businesses. Here’s what we learned.<\/p>\n

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Evolve 2024 Melbourne Panel: (From left) Darcy Allen of Easy Weddings & Venue Crew, Alice Hall of Showtime Event Group, Louise Larkin of Lavish Photo Booths, Tim Barnes, Tim Barnes Celebrant, and Natasha Wright of Mobile Makeovers. Image: Feature Weddings<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Building Rapport, Trust and Value<\/h2>\n

The planning process can be daunting for couples, especially those unfamiliar with it. Evolve panel moderator Easy Weddings and Venue Crew<\/a> <\/strong>B2C Manager, Darcy Allen, emphasised the importance of guiding them through this journey.<\/p>\n

By offering consistent support and building trust, you can ensure they feel confident and well-cared for throughout the process.<\/p>\n

Prioritising rapport can significantly improve your conversion rates. These connections are key to sustaining and growing a successful wedding business, even in challenging times.<\/p>\n

Darcy trains her sales team to build a rapport by asking five questions unrelated to the wedding. They can drop this personal touch into future conversations to enhance client relationships.<\/p>\n

Rolling out the red carpet for couples involves more than\u00a0fancy presentations. Louise Larkin, Events Director at\u00a0Lavish Photo Booths<\/strong><\/a>, recommends active listening and <\/span>thoughtful feedback. When clients feel heard and appreciated, they are more likely to trust you with their wedding plans.<\/p>\n

She stressed the importance of asking open-ended questions. This technique invites couples to share their vision and needs more, making them feel safe and valued.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a simple yet effective way to demonstrate that you\u2019re genuinely invested in their wedding day,\u201d Louise added.<\/p>\n

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Evolve Melbourne panellists: (From left) Louise Larkin of Lavish Photo Booths, Celebrant Tim Barnes, and Natasha Wright of Mobile Makeovers. Image: Feature Weddings<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tara Airlie, a NSW hair and make-up artist and owner of Airlie & Co<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0agreed that respect is at the heart of any successful relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201cTreat couples with the same love and respect you would show a friend,” she said. “Ask them about their wedding experience \u2014 if they are stressed, use that as an opening.\u201d Any way you can help take that stress off them fosters a positive, trusting relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sydney Photographer Ben Newnam<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0agreed that weddings can be stressful for couples, underscoring the importance of being a calming influence.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnswer their emails and questions swiftly, and give them reassurance in the lead-up to their day,\u201d he advised.<\/p>\n

\u201cBuilding connection is everything,\u201d agreed Showtime Event Group’<\/strong><\/a>s Head of Wedding Sales, Alice Hall.<\/p>\n

Alice initiates her conversations with couples by asking what attracted them to other venues. This approach helps you understand their preferences and starts building a meaningful connection.<\/p>\n

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Alice Hall, Head of Wedding Sales, Showtime Event Group. Image: Feature Weddings<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Louise added that establishing trust before diving into package discussions is a critical strategy for converting sales, especially when dealing with luxury items, or elements on the “nice to have” list.<\/p>\n

Understanding couples\u2019 motivations and demonstrating your value are other key elements to help convert leads.<\/p>\n

Melbourne celebrant Tim Barnes<\/strong><\/a> offered a practical tip: Ask your last 20 clients why they chose your services, then use that information in your marketing. This insight can help you better understand what resonates with couples so you can tailor your messaging accordingly.<\/p>\n

Standing out in a competitive market often requires going the extra mile. Tim shared his approach of offering a free dance class to couples, which helps him understand their dynamic. Finding unique ways to add value, such as assisting with vows or offering personalised experiences, can differentiate your business from the competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cI find little ways to add value to my business and explain that at the outset, so they know I offer more than just the ceremony,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Rob McMullan, Musician & DJ of Elevation Band<\/strong><\/a> highlighted the need to demonstrate your value over your price. \u201cPeople don\u2019t have money to waste, so you need to be explicit about your value,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Evolve
Evolve 2024 Brisbane panel: (From left) Darcy Allen of Easy Weddings and Venue Crew, Rob McMullan of Elevation Band, and Katrina Plant of The Fresh Collective. Image: DMS Photography<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Providing Inspiration, Leveraging Social Media<\/h2>\n

Inspiration can be a powerful tool in guiding couples through their wedding planning journey. Louise suggested using social media, particularly Instagram, to show clients what\u2019s possible with your product or service.<\/p>\n

Jasmin Barbuto, Wedding & Social Sales Manager at Ovolo Woolloomooloo<\/strong><\/a>, shared her motto: \u201cThey\u2019re not getting married every weekend, but I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

By openly sharing your experience and maintaining constant communication, you can help couples visualise their wedding and feel more at ease.<\/p>\n

The key element for venues is getting couples into the space. By taking couples on an inspirational journey, you can help them visualise their dream wedding, which may encourage them to upgrade or increase their spending size, Alice added.<\/p>\n

Social media remains a vital tool for attracting enquiries. Musician Nick Read, of Nick Read Entertainment,<\/strong><\/a> <\/span>discussed the importance of sharing live videos from events to inspire potential clients.<\/p>\n

Likewise, Tara agreed that her business often receives enquiries through Instagram Direct Messenger. She responds to the lead on the same platform they contacted her, before transitioning to more formal communication channels like email.<\/p>\n

Social media has been a “game-changer” for Natasha Hill, of Hills Celebrant Services<\/strong><\/a>. \u201cAfter customer service, social media is the number one goal for my business,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Evolve
Evolve 2024 Sydney panellists, photographer Ben Newnam (left) and musician Nick Read. Image: Coco Celebrations<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Structuring Enquiry Responses for Success<\/h2>\n

Natasha\u00a0shared her strategy of responding to enquiries within 10 minutes using templates that she personalises to each couple.<\/p>\n

Nick <\/span>recommended structuring your calls by asking couples to describe their entire wedding day vision. This allows you to address any concerns and present a package that meets their needs, making it easier to close the sale.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ask them, \u2018Have you been to any weddings where things have gone wrong?\u2019 and let them talk about it, then present them with a package that addresses their concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n

– Nick Read, Nick Read Entertainment.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cWhen you give them an offer that mitigates these problems, it elevates their emotion and it’s an easy sale,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Katrina Plant, Head of Sales and Events at The Fresh Collective, which includes Brisbane\u2019s\u00a0Waters Edge<\/strong><\/a>, advises asking questions, listening, and tailoring your offer to their needs.<\/p>\n

Considered Follow-Ups<\/h2>\n

Nobody really likes to feel the follow-up, but like it or not, it is a key part of client engagement. Tara suggested sharing a gift, or a piece of inspiration, as an opportunity to reconnect.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe gift them with something that shows a little bit about what we do \u2014 it could be an example of beautiful hair we did on the weekend. Think of it as a little gift disguised as a follow-up,\u201d Tara said.<\/p>\n

\"Evolve
Evolve 2024 Sydney panellists (from left), Darcy Allen of Easy Weddings and Venue Crew, Tara Airle of Airlie&Co, and Jasmin Barbuto of\u00a0 Ovolo Woolloomooloo. Image: Coco Celebrations<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ask For Reviews<\/h2>\n

Positive feedback can significantly boost your reputation and attract new clients.<\/p>\n

Ben encouraged wedding suppliers to proactively ask for reviews after providing a great experience. He said to wait until your clients express their happiness, then ask them to leave a review on multiple platforms to diversify your reach.<\/p>\n

For businesses just starting out, running a competition or offering a giveaway can help gain some traction.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you need to offer some free services to get the numbers up on reviews, do it. It gives your network confidence in your product,\u201d said Amanda Appel, Co-owner of the Makki Group, which\u00a0founded\u00a0The Bower Estate<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Kwila Lodge<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Time For Action!<\/h2>\n

By incorporating these strategies shared at Evolve 2024, wedding businesses can strengthen client relationships and optimise their offerings to enhance their overall success. Whether it\u2019s building trust, tailoring services, or leveraging social media, these insights provide a roadmap for thriving in today\u2019s competitive market.<\/p>\n

Catch up on more insights from the Evolve 2024 sales panel here: ‘How Wedding Businesses Are Staying Ahead in Tough Times’.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

To learn how your wedding venue or business can gain a competitive edge by partnering with Easy Weddings,\u00a0submit an online enquiry form here<\/a>, and we will be in touch.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more wedding business tips here<\/a>.<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":296845,"template":"","au_pro_edu_tags":[],"class_list":["post-296856","au-pro-education","type-au-pro-education","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","au_pro_edu_categories-sales-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-pro-education\/296856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au-pro-education"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/au-pro-education"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"au_pro_edu_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/au_pro_edu_tags?post=296856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}