As a wedding planner, you probably know by now that you can’t do it all alone. You need industry pros you can count on to wow your brides and make their events as stunning as you imagined. You also need a team of the right people to help bring the whole thing together and make it look effortless (even though of course we all know it’s not!)

So, how do you go about building those relationships with the right people? How do you find those vendors that will make you look like a million bucks, and get brides booking your services? There are many ways you can go about finding the right people to partner with. Check out my suggestions below to get you started.

Join FB groups and Meetup groups to find local vendors in your area.

There are many industry focused groups on Facebook, and there are bound to be some for your geographic area. Start looking around for groups of wedding professionals and get in on the fun! When you join a Facebook group remember that it’s all about community and not a place to just pitch your services. Know your audience! These pros are going to be the people you partner with for events, so build relationships and get to know them. If you find a florist you really like, ask her to meet for coffee. Be helpful and offer suggestions when someone’s in a bind and looking for advice. By being the person that shows up and is helpful you will get known. You can also join Meetup groups in your area and attend events to get to know those in your industry.

Ask industry people you like for referrals

If you’ve worked on a few weddings by now you may have found some professionals you enjoy working with. Chances are, they work with others who are like them in style and personality. If there’s a florist you really like ask her for a referral to a cool caterer or a DJ. As you’ll quickly find, this industry is a tight knit group and many vendors will work together on several events. By finding people you genuinely like being around, you are more likely to find other potential partners that you’ll have a blast working with as well. Don’t be afraid to ask for those referrals!

Go to wedding industry conventions/bridal shows

You don’t necessarily need to set up an expensive booth at a bridal show in order to meet potential partners (especially when you’re first starting out). Try attending the show and speaking with local vendors that you’d enjoy partnering with. If you go to any kind of event or bridal show be sure to bring lots of business cards to exchange with other vendors. Be mindful of the rules of engagement for any event you go to, and be sure to mix and mingle with lots of different vendors throughout the day and get a feel for their style.

Partner with people that are up and coming so that you can grow together

When you’re first starting out you might be tempted to “reach for the stars” and try to only partner with those pros that are known in the industry. While it is possible to build quality relationships with known professionals, it can be trickier because they likely have an extensive database of other wedding planners to choose from already. One of the best ways to build your vendor referral list is by finding people that are up and coming, but great at what they do (like you!). If they are in the growing stage like you are, they will understand where you’re at in your business. They may even be more eager to build quality relationships and many of the relationships formed in these early stages of business will tend to be the most loyal partners you have.

Having relationships with other wedding vendors is a great way to grow your business – even relationships with other wedding planners. By not viewing other planners as competition but thinking of them as colleagues you can learn from each other and be there to support and help one another as you grow your businesses.

Are you ready to grow your business to a whole new level in 2017 with a successful wedding planner by your side? How would you like to meet other up and coming planners while you learn and grow your businesses together? If you’re nodding your head along, then girl, we need to talk! The B Academy is currently open for registration (but it’s almost sold out!!!). The B Academy is the mentorship program for wedding planners in any stage (even if you haven’t opened your business yet) who want to grow their business, income, and have fun in the process! Come check out our info page to get all the details and be sure to join us before the doors to the party close for good!

Have you ever asked this question? Maybe you’ve been at this business game for a while, but you know you haven’t reached that ultimate level of success. You might have a decent business, but you know it could be fabulous. Or, maybe you’re completely new to the world of running your own event planning business and you have no idea what steps to take to really get this baby off the ground and running smoothly. No matter which category you find yourself in there is one big question that will eventually come to your mind: When is the right time to invest in this business?

Here’s the thing: There is truth to the statement that if you want others to invest in your business, you’ve got to invest in yourself. That being said, I know it can be scary to go all in and put out some cash to catapult your dreams. Since I love my empire of event planners (that’s you!) I decided to put together a list of the situations where it makes sense for you to start investing in your business. So, without further adieu, here they are:

When you’re currently booking clients but you don’t have a solid plan in place – If you’re already working in your business, but don’t feel very boss like because you have no plan in place, it might be the right time to invest. Maybe you need help getting your systems set up, understanding the process of running a business, or need help dealing with client issues. Investing at this stage can mean getting help for things like accounting or customer service, or finding a mentorship program that can help you kick it up a notch. Investing is a big decision, but at this stage not investing can also be costly. When you’re booking clients and starting to make this event planning dream a reality, there is so much you need to know in order to make the right decisions for your clients and your business. That’s why I always recommend that if you find yourself running around like a crazy bridezilla as you run your own biz it might be time to get some help!

When you’re just starting out and are confused about how to run a business – If you are new to the idea of running a business here’s something you need to know: You will be making a big investment at the start of your business. Now, what you invest is your choice. If you don’t want to spend money, you will be spending crazy amounts of time figuring this stuff out. When I was first starting out, I didn’t have a mentor who could help me figure out the right decisions to make, so I ended up making a few wrong ones. (Talk about costly!) If you can swing the investment, having someone by your side to guide you along the way as you start your business is truly a priceless benefit!  

When you’ve reached a plateau and need help getting to the next level – If you’ve reached a plateau it may feel like you’re going nowhere (hence why it’s called a plateau, right?) Here’s the thing: you can always go up in your business. There is always a next step to take and a better level you can reach. The challenge is finding the way. The more experienced you are, the more you need to make the right investments to get to that next level. One of the best investments you can make at this level is to find someone who is where you want to be and work with them to get there.

When it feels right – Do you feel like now is the right time to invest in your business? There’s something to be said for trusting your intuition and going with what feels right. Choosing to invest is a very personal decision, so if you feel like it’s the right choice for you, then trust yourself and go for it!

Are you looking for the right investment for your event planning biz? It just so happens that The B Academy is open for enrollment and kicking off at the beginning of 2017 (and if you get in now you can get our early bird special pricing!) No matter what stage of your business you’re currently in, The B Academy can help you get unstuck, moving forward, and upleveling like crazy. You can build the business of your dreams if you take the right steps to get there! Want to learn more? Yes! Tell me more about The B Academy!

Whether you’ve already started your event planning biz, or are just starting to figure out how to break into the industry you’ve probably figured out there is more than one type of event planner. There are actually 3 different main categories for event planners, and knowing where you land can help you define your business, and start bringing in the right clients.

The first type of event planner is the Planner: This girl is absolutely amazing at running logistics. She can organize like a boss and make things happen – fast! She is the go to person that can gather together all the important details and make sure they work like clockwork on the day of the wedding. The Planner also has a juicy list of the top vendors at her beck and call and can make the perfect recommendations whether it’s for flowers, venues, or DJs. She is the queen of strategy and can bring a timeline and budget to life like no one else can.

The second type of event planner is the Designer: In a nutshell, the Designer is responsible for the overall look of the event and can create something absolutely gorgeous, no matter what theme or style the bride-to-be is looking for. She has a knack for colors, design elements, and can turn any wedding or event into a fairytale dream come true for the bride. Give her a theme and a budget and the Designer will whip up a gorgeous event and bring to life the most stunning design. She is like a walking version of Pinterest and can amaze clients with her unique use of design to create the perfect wedding or event.

The third type is the Planner/Designer: This lovely lady can work both sides of the business. She is not only the queen of logistics, but can create beautiful design that works like a charm. She can take a concept and bring it into view both design and strategy wise. Her ability to work both sides of the business will help her when it comes to clients who want a full service experience, but that doesn’t mean that if you don’t possess both of these skills that you can’t also offer the complete package!

So, which type are you? If you’re unsure think about these questions:

Would you rather create a concept for a table arrangement, or figure out the logistics of getting a beachfront wedding ready for the ceremony?

Would you rather create a plan for all the vendors at an event or decide on a color scheme and theme for a wedding?

Do you prefer working with numbers or do you prefer working with creative tasks?

Another way to think of this is whether you are right brained or left brained. Right brained people tend to think in terms of creativity and excel in areas like art and design. These would be your Designers. Left brained people tend to be more logical and excel with numbers and facts. These would be your Planners. If you are someone who can do both strategy and design with ease, then you might be a Planner/Designer.

No matter which type of event planner you, here’s the great news: There’s room for everyone! If you find you are more skilled in the strategic side of things, you can always bring in partners and staff that are more skilled in the design arena and vice versa. Even if you are someone who can do both, don’t think this means you have to do it all! Try thinking about tasks you’d rather not do because you will need to outsource some things as you get busier in your business. Not everyone has to do everything! In fact, if you want to be successful, you really do need to have a team to back you.  

So, what do you think? What type of event planner are you? Leave us a comment below and let us know!

Have questions about how to grow your skills as an event planner? The B Academy is the one training and mentorship program you need that will get you up, running, and thriving in 2017. Ready to find out how you can take your passion for event planning and make it your business? Find out more here.