The #1 marketing mistake you’re making as a wedding pro?

Not knowing your ideal client!

If you are not sure who you are marketing to, strategy and outsourcing will not help! While you don’t need a 20 page “ideal client workbook,” a basic understanding of your client is essential to outsourcing any kind of marketing task.

You will know what platforms to market ON.

The most important piece to start with when it comes to you and your marketing isn’t SEO or a platform. It’s knowing and truly understanding your ideal couple. We are in a time where connection marketing is the name of the game. It’s not just about keyboard stuffing or having 1000 listings online. It truly is about creating a connection with your audience, which means that you need to deeply know and understand that audience.

That also means you need to know and understand their purchasing journey. For example, as a wedding coordinator you are going to be an earlier purchase. This means that outside of the venue, you will be one of the first searched terms. Soooo what does this mean when it comes to connection marketing? We have to build that trust months before they ever get engaged!

• The ideal client (but backed with data). It’s not just demographics. It’s how they shop. Make decisions. What were your favorite clients and WHY. (Ask your favorite clients certain questions so you know WHY they picked you, where they found you, what were they looking for when shopping?)
• Your ideal couple profile is NOT just demographics. Gone are the days of “Ages 25-36, 1.2 Cats, living in the suburbs”. In today’s age of Millennial + Get Z, your ideal couple avatar/profile needs a makeover.
• Your ideal couple is about how they shop, how they make decisions, and how to meet them at their buying journey. You only have a few weeks to book them once they inquire! Learn the right questions you should be asking when creating your ideal couple profile, and how to set your business apart from the rest.

Your personal connections:

• What are your interests outside of the business that overlap with your ideal audience? (that you would be comfortable sharing and occasionally talking about on social media. for example, gardening, clean eating, coffee, reading, etc.)?
• What is the meaning/origin story behind your brand name?
• What are you + your brand’s core values and beliefs? Are there any charities or causes that you support, that you want to be reflected in your marketing?

Other things to consider:

• What is your ideal couples event or wedding?
• What is their dream event like? What is their budget? What is the guest count? What do they want to focus on – is it the details, or desserts, or fashion, or photography, etc.?
• What is your secret sauce AKA what do you do better than anybody else? What frameworks or methodologies have you developed that are unique to your brand/service/product? What do you want to be known for?
• Who are your three closest competitors? Are there any gaps you see in your competitors marketing and business? This could be a niche they are not serving, messaging they are not using, or anything else you want us to look at.
• What are their demographics? Remember that this is just a fraction of what you need to think about, but is important.

A good example is: interested in art, loves to read, shops at Anthropologie, grew up in a small town and still calls their parents for advice, met their partner in college, needs a list of pros and cons before making a decision, believes in the power of community and gathering around a table together, loves coffee and trips to Starbucks, etc.

Another thing is, what do people say about doing business with you that is truly unique? Take a look at your reviews! Are there common themes customers keep saying? If so, that is a secret sauce that you need to start dipping into!

Think of it like this: when you want a coffee and are considering Starbucks v. Dunkin Donuts, what makes you choose one over the other? Is it the ambiance, or is it the variety of beverages? Is it the customer service? Is it the quality of the ingredients?

Avoid The Biggest Marketing Mistake

As you can see, there’s a whole slew of questions you can ask yourself in this process. But one thing is clear: if you don’t know who your ideal client is in 2024, you’ll be working 10x as hard trying to get your marketing to work for your wedding biz.

Curious how to create content that attracts your target audience? Then, don’t forget to snag our yearly content guide – designed specifically for your wedding biz!