Sometimes we might think that in order to attract a ton of clients, we need to market everywhere. It seems to be a common belief that the more places you are at once, the more leads you’ll receive. However, your messaging just ends up unclear this way and makes it harder for potential clients to be able to clearly identify whether you will be able to serve them or not.

Figuring out the where, who, and how of marketing your wedding business is such a crucial step. You have to make sure you’re showing up in the right places and addressing the right people in the right way or you won’t see the results you’d like. But how can you make sure that the platforms you’re on and the people you’re talking to are actually where and who you want to serve? What about how you’re delivering your messaging and marketing in a way that attracts them?

It all simply comes down to figuring out who is your ideal client.

The Who

You may have at least an inkling of an idea of who you want to specifically serve. If not, here are a few things to ask yourself to help you better narrow down what your ideal client would look like:

• What problems can you solve?
• Who would have these problems?
• What qualities do the people who have these problems carry? (i.e. demographics, psychographics, etc.)
• Is your price point inexpensive considering the average price of someone in your industry or vice versa?
• Based on that, who would be able to afford you?

You can also take into account the past clients you’ve had and start to think about which ones you really loved working with the most and what qualities they had in common. If you haven’t had any clients yet, think of previous jobs and who you enjoyed working with at those jobs, and do the same thing.

If you need an example of characteristics of an ideal client, our ideal client is a wedding professional who’s either been in business for a while or just launched their business and needs some direction. They can be either male or female, any race, and any location as long as they have an attitude of abundance, wish they had a solid support system and community to seek guidance from, and need someone to lean on when things get rough. They’re ready to serve their clients in the best way possible and are tired of all of the wishy washy information they find out there. They have a small budget and are ready to learn from seasoned professionals so they can build the wedding business of their dreams.

Answer the questions above and start to build your list. From there, you can work up who your ideal client is, which gets your foot in the door to awesome marketing.

The Where

Now that you know who your ideal client is, it’s time to figure out where they would be. Do you see your ideal client being more active on Instagram? Facebook? Pinterest? Maybe they’re on all three of those platforms. Would they avidly search The Knot for a wedding pro? Are they reading online or print publications?

If you have no clue where they are, the best thing you can do is to just start showing up. Once you put valuable content out there, you’ll be able to better tell which platform you’re finding the most leads. Then, that’s when you can get into building a marketing strategy. For example, if you’ve been consistently gaining more inquiries from Facebook, perhaps it’s time to invest in Facebook Ads so that you can really get specific in your targeting.

Pro tip: On your website’s contact form, add a box for them to check off where they found you, and list all of the platforms that you’re on, including a Google search. That will give you a clearer idea of what platform is giving you the most traction.

The How

Really try to get into your ideal client’s headspace and figure out what messaging you should use. Place yourself in their shoes and write your content as if you’re speaking directly to them. Pinch a few nerves by addressing their pain points, present your product or service as their solution, and get as specific as possible.

Maybe you’re a vendor who has a certain style that’s hard to find in your area. You could use that to your advantage by touching on that problem in your messaging and showing how you’re the solution.

However, while you’re putting together your messaging, don’t forget to push out valuable content that’s meant to nurture your audience. For example, if you’re a photographer, give some tips for posing or even lighting or locations. If you’re a planner, share a few things that a client can’t forget to bring on their wedding day, like an emergency kit and what it would include. If it makes sense for your business, be willing to give away something for free. Provide more value than you pitch if you really want to attract clients.

Trial and Error

Most importantly, try not to get stuck or burnt out when navigating the who, where, and how of marketing your wedding business. One of the largest creditors of a business’ growth is simply trial and error. You’ll likely adjust your strategies tons of times before you finally feel like you’ve struck gold. You’ll start to feel discouraged, and you’ll even have moments where you wonder if you even want to do this anymore. That’s normal and completely okay. Just don’t give into those feelings and realize that there’s always a silver lining of any problem you face. Every entrepreneur has had those moments, and we’re no exception.

As always, if you have any questions at all, you’re always welcome to DM us on Instagram or email us at team@theabundance.group.